Well, I've been a public librarian for roughly a year and a half now, five months of which I have spent as a supervisor. Much of what I have learned can be summed up in the following:
1. Sometimes you just can't find an answer for someone because one does not exist.
2. There are times where no answer is good enough to please whomever you are serving.
3. Don't be afraid to ask your colleagues for help or advice.
4. When you eventually do locate a piece of information that was extremely difficult to find, do not be too proud of yourself because the next question will humble you and make you feel like a dumbass. And it is more often than not far easier than the tough one you just answered!
5. Working at an inner city library means that you are just as much a social worker as you are a librarian.
6. If you can't see the humour in some of the situations/dealings with people, then you're going to hate your job pretty quickly. Most days I love my job--I get there early and I stay after I'm supposed to be done because I enjoy it that much (plus, there is always so much to do!). There are few people who can say that...
7. People saying "I'm on the e-mail" (rough translation: "I kind of know how to use the internet") or some variation thereof never ceases to be completely hilarious.
8. Photocopiers and printers of all kinds are the anti-Christ.
9. You need to develop a thick skin and learn to be assertive--people are going to try to bully you, will call you names, vent at you, and will push boundaries of all kinds. You quickly learn that it is all about their issues and not a problem with you.
10. Libraries mean so much to so many people and their value cannot be measured in dollars and cents. That's why I do what I do and will continue to for the foreseeable future.
My job is by turns fun, interesting, sad, and difficult, often within the course of the same day. But there is one thing I can always say about it: it is never boring.
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3 comments:
I wish I was there to see you in action! I know for sure you're amazing at what you do. And you forgot to mention learning how to deal with syringes and other biohazard materials
I try my best--I'd like to think I'm decent at what I do. I did dispose of my first syringe this past week--good times. I've also gone toe-to-toe with a couple of patrons who decided that pushing me was a good idea. I think they soon found out that my fuse may be long, but it's not inexhaustible... ;)
A couple of Bill Cosby quotes for ya:
"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."
"You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, you can survive it."
Better yet, if you cherish your work the way you seem to, even the nasty bits can transform into a source of joy and gratitude. Keep having fun, Matt, and congrats on what you've learned so far!
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