Education, Museum Work and Library Science Careers

Okay. Sit down…snuggle up…get comfy. We’re going to tell you a story. You might want to get your binky.

Once upon a time, in a land very, very…well, okay, it was this land, there were these magical, mystical places called libraries. These libraries were filled with strange, rectangular objects called books. And people would stare at these “books” for hours at a time. Sounds strange, but keep in mind that the internet—not to mention iPads/Kindles—weren’t always around.

Also in this strange land were places called museums. People (many of the same ones who like to stare at the “book” things) would wander about inside them, gazing mindlessly at various inanimate objects, as if they expected them to suddenly leap off the walls and do something. You’re right—it’s definitely far-fetched. But try using your imagination.

Finally, there were these places called schools. Oh, they…still have those. Okay, so you’ve heard of schools. We didn’t say this story was perfect. Get off our case.

Our entire history of human progress is built on education, the expansion of our minds…but you sure wouldn’t guess it from the rough time libraries, museums and schools have had over the last couple of decades. Museum attendance has dropped by 21% in recent years, and historic parks and monuments are doing even worse—attendance there has fallen nearly 35%. It’s a bit harder to pin the numbers on library attendance, since people…come and go a bit more…but all you need to do is peer through a window to see the rows upon rows of unattended bookshelves, and empty study carrels. And no, there isn’t a fire drill happening.

To be fair, it’s not because learning has become less important. It’s just…different. Why go to a physical library when you have an entire library inside your phone? Why take a trip to an art gallery when you can see thumbnails of all of Mozart’s masterpieces at the click of a button (and in your underwear)? There are still brick-and-mortar libraries and museums though, so opportunities are out there, even if they’re dwindling.

The education side of things is a whole other animal. While you might now be able to get your college degree online, nearly all schooling still takes place in an actual building, with actual, human teachers instructing their students. That’s not to say that teachers are paid anywhere near what they’re worth, but they are out there, getting paid…something. Your average high school teacher is making $55k a year, while college professors can pull in upwards of $80k or more annually, depending on the school and their tenure. So…it’s not hedge fund money, but at least they’re not going to be hard-pressed to afford groceries.

However, this is another one of those fields where it’s really not about the money. If you believe in knowledge, and learning, and preserving history (and wouldn’t you know it...we at Shmoop do—shocker), then it might almost be worth getting into a struggling industry, even if one day soon they have to put your museum on display…in a museum.

Careers In This Field