<p>Let me expand on siusplau’s post.</p>
<p>1) Once someone picks a foreign language or two, it does become easier. I took Spanish in HS and hated every minute of it. I switched to Russian in college because I loved everything about Russia. THEN I learn Hebrew… I began noticing a pattern and applied my thinking of learning languages to Yiddish and German. German is a piece of cake to me now. So your D, once she finds a niche in foreign languages, will be excited to keep picking up more. While I was studying a bunch of different language families (Romance, Germanic, Semitic, Cyrillic), studying languages within a family will be a snap.</p>
<p>2) The reason why history PhD programs demand so much language training BEFORE entering is because of the timeline. Students generally only have the first 2-3 summers free and to do anything they need to do to prepare for their dissertation research. After students pass their comps in Year 3, they are expected to begin research. All language training should be done. So it’s quite an advantage if a student can come in with at least one or two under belt so that picking up the 3rd (and 4th) won’t be so time-consuming. If the student has too much to catch up, it can only learn to serious burn out and dropping out. </p>
<p>History programs are changing expectations over time in a way that it’s becoming more and more difficult than ever to get in the field. It’s daunting to me as well but I do know it’s only my passion that will keep me going. I’m convinced that it’s good in a way that only the very passionate and best ones will come out of all of this. When one of my professors in Asian Studies went to a top grad school in the late 1970s, he only had 3 years of Japanese! No Chinese. Now it is required to be nearly fluent. He told me that he’s amazed how much things have changed and he’s definitely not taking his position for granted. And I was just speaking with one of my former professors whose D is at a top 5 and is starting her job search. He said that she’s also applying for post-docs. Post-docs are now becoming a trend and within a decade, it may will be a requirement for a TT position as it is for sciences now. (I’m actually in favor of post-docs because if I can spend more time working on turning my dissertation into a book, I will be much more sane professor, knowing that one of the most important components of getting a tenure is over with).</p>
<p>And the library story? All sounds too familiar to me! 
I’d be the one who would lose track of time and forget to meet my ride at the entrance!</p>