Entry tags:
30 Days: "I think it's only fair to warn you that I am, in fact, a librarian."
I am going to exert meme-writer's privilege again and switch around the order of topics, because the question originally slotted for today is one that will take time and research, and my schedule today is more suited to tapping out a post on my iPhone. (There's a post idea: the ways in which owning a smart phone has affected my life, for good and ill. Hmm.) So: ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
justira asked me to talk about the things I love and do not love about being a librarian.
Getting this out of the way first: I love being a librarian. A colleague once told me that librarianship is not a job or even a career; it's a calling. And that stuck with me, because it really is like that, not just for me but for most librarians I know. I cannot, at this point in my life, imagine wanting to do anything else with my life. So take that as a given.
Top three awesome things about being a librarian:
1. The power of knowledge
Contrary to popular opinion, librarians don't know everything. We know how to find everything. Which, in my opinion, is a far superior skill. There's too much knowledge in the world for anyone to know it all. But to be able to put my hands on a piece of data, or the perfect book at the perfect time? Yeah, that's pretty cool.
And not only can I find anything, I can find stuff that other people need. Working with people and helping them answer their questions, aiding someone in sifting through the sands of the Internet or our online resources, showing them the book or film that will answer their question, and so on is just plain fun. When I went to library school, I always knew that I wanted to focus on reference. Even though moving into management has given me less time to spend with patrons, I still sit at the desk and answer questions every chance I get.
2. Working in academia
Once, many years ago, I was chatting with a friend of a friend who was a preschool teacher, married to a second grade teacher, and she postulated that everyone who works in education has an age group: the students who they feel drawn towards, most comfortable working with. I think this is very true, and for me, that group is college students. I love the atmosphere of college for many reasons: the value placed on learning and knowledge; college students are there because they want to be, not because the state says they have to be; and most college students are adults, but in a place where they're still learning and growing. I also feel more in tune with my colleagues at an academic institution -- even this one, run as it is by a for-profit corporation -- because (at least at a local level) we have a mission that's about more than making money.
3. Making order out of chaos.
Anyone reading this who's seen any place I've ever lived (or my desk) is probably snickering right now. It's true that, in my own life, I tend to be lazy and disorganized. But when I'm in the library zone, that all changes. Much as I love reference, sometimes I think I missed my calling by not becoming a cataloger. Looking at an object and trying to decide how best to describe it within the limited vocabulary of a call number or classification system is fun. It's like doing puzzles, or searching for patterns.
I also find shelving immensely satisfying; one of my favorite things to do, still, if I'm stuck on something or between projects, just frustrated, is head out into the stacks and shelf-read for awhile (look over the bookcases and make sure the books are in order). I put on my iPod and get into the zone, just me and the alphabet, restoring order in the library. Soothing and useful; how do you beat that?
Top three non-awesome things about being a librarian:
1. Inflexible work schedule
Library work is, at heart, a customer service job. The library is open at specific times, and someone has to be there at those times. If I'm out too late, I can't sleep in and make up the hours later; if I want time off, I have to arrange it in advance. We can't just close the library at whim. Someone has to be there, and since I'm the boss, ultimately that responsibility falls on me. It's minor, as annoyances go, but after four years at a dotcom where I could come and go as I pleased as long as I got my work done, it took some getting used to. And it would be really nice to be able to call in sick whenever.
2. It's not as easy as it looks
A common refrain among the librarian profession: not feeling respected as a professional. "You just read all day, right?" "Why do we need librarians when we can find everything on the Internet?" "You have a master's degree?!" Yes, in fact, I do have a masters, and so does pretty much everyone with the word "Librarian" in their job title. But that doesn't stop people, especially students and sometimes even faculty, from thinking that they don't have anything to learn from me.
3. Funding
Partly because of the above lack of respect, the library is always a tempting target for budget cuts. It takes a lot of money to properly run a library, and everything costs more than it seems like it "ought" to: books, films, magazine subscriptions, online resources, specialized supplies, staff. From a accounting perspective, the library is a black hole; money goes in, and it never comes back out. Most libraries have to fight for every dollar they get. When times get hard, their funding is the first to go and among the last to recover. Not just in my for-profit education environment, but everywhere.
This question comes at a weird time for me, because that last point has recently manifested itself quite forcefully at my place of work: book budget cuts, centralization of some services, and just this week a reduction in staff. So right at this moment, I'm not feeling too positive about my job. But my confidence that I've found the right line of work (and there is a difference) is unshaken. I'm proud of what I am, and what I am is a librarian.
30 Days of... Project! Complete list of questions / Ask a question on LJ or on DW.
justira asked me to talk about the things I love and do not love about being a librarian. Getting this out of the way first: I love being a librarian. A colleague once told me that librarianship is not a job or even a career; it's a calling. And that stuck with me, because it really is like that, not just for me but for most librarians I know. I cannot, at this point in my life, imagine wanting to do anything else with my life. So take that as a given.
Top three awesome things about being a librarian:
1. The power of knowledge
Contrary to popular opinion, librarians don't know everything. We know how to find everything. Which, in my opinion, is a far superior skill. There's too much knowledge in the world for anyone to know it all. But to be able to put my hands on a piece of data, or the perfect book at the perfect time? Yeah, that's pretty cool.
And not only can I find anything, I can find stuff that other people need. Working with people and helping them answer their questions, aiding someone in sifting through the sands of the Internet or our online resources, showing them the book or film that will answer their question, and so on is just plain fun. When I went to library school, I always knew that I wanted to focus on reference. Even though moving into management has given me less time to spend with patrons, I still sit at the desk and answer questions every chance I get.
2. Working in academia
Once, many years ago, I was chatting with a friend of a friend who was a preschool teacher, married to a second grade teacher, and she postulated that everyone who works in education has an age group: the students who they feel drawn towards, most comfortable working with. I think this is very true, and for me, that group is college students. I love the atmosphere of college for many reasons: the value placed on learning and knowledge; college students are there because they want to be, not because the state says they have to be; and most college students are adults, but in a place where they're still learning and growing. I also feel more in tune with my colleagues at an academic institution -- even this one, run as it is by a for-profit corporation -- because (at least at a local level) we have a mission that's about more than making money.
3. Making order out of chaos.
Anyone reading this who's seen any place I've ever lived (or my desk) is probably snickering right now. It's true that, in my own life, I tend to be lazy and disorganized. But when I'm in the library zone, that all changes. Much as I love reference, sometimes I think I missed my calling by not becoming a cataloger. Looking at an object and trying to decide how best to describe it within the limited vocabulary of a call number or classification system is fun. It's like doing puzzles, or searching for patterns.
I also find shelving immensely satisfying; one of my favorite things to do, still, if I'm stuck on something or between projects, just frustrated, is head out into the stacks and shelf-read for awhile (look over the bookcases and make sure the books are in order). I put on my iPod and get into the zone, just me and the alphabet, restoring order in the library. Soothing and useful; how do you beat that?
Top three non-awesome things about being a librarian:
1. Inflexible work schedule
Library work is, at heart, a customer service job. The library is open at specific times, and someone has to be there at those times. If I'm out too late, I can't sleep in and make up the hours later; if I want time off, I have to arrange it in advance. We can't just close the library at whim. Someone has to be there, and since I'm the boss, ultimately that responsibility falls on me. It's minor, as annoyances go, but after four years at a dotcom where I could come and go as I pleased as long as I got my work done, it took some getting used to. And it would be really nice to be able to call in sick whenever.
2. It's not as easy as it looks
A common refrain among the librarian profession: not feeling respected as a professional. "You just read all day, right?" "Why do we need librarians when we can find everything on the Internet?" "You have a master's degree?!" Yes, in fact, I do have a masters, and so does pretty much everyone with the word "Librarian" in their job title. But that doesn't stop people, especially students and sometimes even faculty, from thinking that they don't have anything to learn from me.
3. Funding
Partly because of the above lack of respect, the library is always a tempting target for budget cuts. It takes a lot of money to properly run a library, and everything costs more than it seems like it "ought" to: books, films, magazine subscriptions, online resources, specialized supplies, staff. From a accounting perspective, the library is a black hole; money goes in, and it never comes back out. Most libraries have to fight for every dollar they get. When times get hard, their funding is the first to go and among the last to recover. Not just in my for-profit education environment, but everywhere.
This question comes at a weird time for me, because that last point has recently manifested itself quite forcefully at my place of work: book budget cuts, centralization of some services, and just this week a reduction in staff. So right at this moment, I'm not feeling too positive about my job. But my confidence that I've found the right line of work (and there is a difference) is unshaken. I'm proud of what I am, and what I am is a librarian.
30 Days of... Project! Complete list of questions / Ask a question on LJ or on DW.
no subject
Once of the other things I love and hate is the people. You get amazing, fun patrons who are great to talk to. Then you get the nasty, rude patrons who can make your day bad.
It took me leaving the library to realize how much I loved it. I'm going to try for my MLS because of that. :D
no subject
It's not an easy time to get started in the profession, but I would never discourage someone who knows it's where they want to be.
no subject
no subject
Answer: Hard. Very. I was completely taken aback by all the work that goes into actually running a library; you don't notice it as a patron, since libraries are generally calm, quiet places full of coziness and peace, but it's a lot of freaking work. Our library has four floors plus an art gallery, and we were painfully understaffed, so there was always, always work to be done. Eventually, I turned to the head librarian and asked, "How the hell do you do it?"
Her response? "First, you need a Master's Degree. After that, the hard part begins."
tl;dr version: My hat goes off to you.
no subject
Also, so so true.
Although I could wish sometimes that our library was a calmer, quieter place! It's just one large room, with no quiet study area or group study room, so it can get pretty noisy when it's busy. Usually I like that it's a lively library, but there are days when a little peace would be good.
no subject
However! I also wonder, are there things you don't enjoy about working in academia? Hearing from others who work in academia, I've seen complaints about the ivory tower effect, the privilege and propensity for mental isolation — or the pettiness of the politics, dealing with bureaucracy, etc. Or! the students! Having been a college student myself: college students can be pretty dumb and hard to deal with. (curiousity: pros/cons of professors vs. students as patrons?)
The funding! We've talked about this, I think, especially in terms of funding an academic library. Schools are often JUDGED by their libraries! What are those fund-cutters thinking!
(Also: difference between job and work — ... yeah I hear you. A lot.)
no subject
I love the students, but yes, they can definitely be frustrating to deal with: they want the one perfect resource, they want it now, they want you to give it to them and not to have to do any of the work for themselves. If you can't put it in their hands, full text, right then, they don't want it. (Not always, of course, but as a rule.) I usually find that the faculty are more appreciative of us and our expertise, but they can also have more of a sense of entitlement. What, I can't just check out your only copy of this high-demand book for an entire quarter? I can't get movies from Netflix and show them in the classroom? I have to plan in advance to schedule a class trip to the library? You don't magically know what books I need on reserve? Et cetera, et cetera.
Overall, though, I do feel very comfortable with students and faculty, and staff, too. My current school a really collegial environment, probably the best I've ever worked in.