Grumpy Librarian writes “The Chronicle has an interesting article called Checking out her options, an article by a librarian very unhappy with her work environment.
The article also includes a link to this article on finding emotionally healthy libraries to work in.”
Healthy EQ
A friend of mine sent this same article to me…knows I’ve been kicking around the idea of working in academia. While the focus of this article is libraries, I can’t help but think that it is going to apply more broadly to every dysfunctional workplace out there. (And aren’t we all in one, to some degree?)
Recognizing that perception is 9/10ths reality, I’d be curious to know from others employed in academia how accurate this article is.
But yet…
After getting downed on so many academic searches, I was rejoicing yesterday that I got a public library offer to be their cataloger.
I am not sure I could handle being on tenure-track after slamming through my master’s in 355 days from start to finish. I need a break. I do not want the office politics of academia either.
Fortunately I am the sole cataloger-designate for the library I will be moving to. This may be a welcome break.
Qualifications and job descriptions
Obviously not someone who has worked solo in a special library where you must be experienced and efficient in cataloguing, acquisitions, management, budgeting, reference, online searching, web design, time management, serials management, electronic resource license negotiation, online trouble shooting, opening mail, shelving, systems management, unjamming the paper in the copier, collection development, information literacy, database training, etc. etc.
Re:Qualifications and job descriptions
Very true!!
But, usually you gain all that working as a solo. I see required qualifications as giving a sense of what the job is going to involve rather than really strict, we won’t hire you unless you have them criteria.
Re:Qualifications and job descriptions
Nope — never been a solo librarian and don’t intend to be. But when a job description for a large academic library comes through with a list of job duties that require all these things it makes me wonder what is going on. We have specialities for a reason and solo librarian is a speciality but so is reference and cataloging and systems and serials — and in large places where these things are done on a large scale —- doesn’t it make you wonder….. while we can all (I hope) clear paper jams, shelve, open mail, develop web content —- some of us just don’t want to be jack of all trades.