This past month has been one of the
hardest and one of the most freeing months in my life. The hardest
because I am leaving my first home, job, love, well figuratively
speaking, and most freeing because I am leaving a toxic and stressful
environment (at work) and starting out on a new adventure in a new
place.
I have chosen to leave the private
library management company I have worked for for the past almost
seven years. Sadly this also means leaving my first “real” job
and thus my first love. I was a major part of the new library move
and building. But the environment the company has created is just not
good and does not promote growth and I had lost much of my passion
for librarianship in the day-to-day drudgery of having to please the
“client” as this major company pushed.
As many in the library world now may
know there is a major management company that has had bad press, and
as I have left I will say yes most of it is correct, sadly. The
company doesn't listen to the patrons (or as they put it customers,
at least some of them) but to the all powerful “client” [which I
will get back to later as it is convoluted in the system I had worked
for]. This really ment that the ones who lost out were the employees
as additional duties were often added to save money and cut cost or
the community as programming or hours were cut when budgets were
tight. The system I was in was already on a shoestring budget before
the pandemic but the last few years were even tougher so everything
fell apart and this caused some strange choices to be made as there
were many many vacancies as the company couldn't replace people as
quickly as they left.
About a year and a half ago we lost our
assistant director and my mentor, really one of the only ones
fighting for the small branch I worked at, besides myself. And we had
been making progress but this coupled with the revolving door in the
directorship meant I was back to basically square one every few
months with requests that had been on the table since our building
move in 2020 and others that had been around since I started with the
company almost seven years ago. So, I was fed up with never being
heard and also having extra jobs piled on as a Branch Manager (oh and
not classed as a librarian but a Library Associate, even though I
have an MLIS and do the work of a Librarian+!) The company was like
oh the staff can do all of everything in their minuscule amount of
hours, oh you don't need a janitor just have the library staff do
that (don't care if they aren't trained in using the chemicals or
anything....it'll be fine!) and that was just the start. IF ever
anything needed done, IT, stats, money handling, floors, etc. just
add it on to the tiny staff they can do it. This company never
listened even when they are like “staff need to do the storytime
not volunteers” and staff were like ok so you going to give more
hour? Nope just figure it out. Staff can't do anything like outreach
or professional development either and accomplish everything asked as
there was never any down time to get all that was asked. It became
rediculous as pleasing the “client” was more important than
providing quality service to the community. So if there was a way to
save money it was done.
Not only is the company a pain but the
Friends Group has chosen it is their crusade to nit pick every
financial decision the library makes. Like yes, I understand because
of the wierd way the system is set up they pay for way too much
[Thanks crazy company for cutting too many corners and paying for
just the bare minimum like how are lights and AC not essential!]. But
a trained Librarian (oops I mean Branch Lead) knows how books and
materials are bought just doesn't stand well in your ambush
interrogations that happen randomly everyday for no apparent reason
except to bash and “witch-hunt” on the old board. Oh you say it's
to protect you but why are you only looking at the last Treasurer not
anyone else? The “new” board has people that don't even use the
library, like what? One isn't even from the local community?!?! I'm
pretty upset about this and was mad at them they made up a roster set
against the old board simply because they were petty. The old board
fought hard and worked hard for the new building, updated the
collection, and made a working bookstore to raise funds DURING the
pandemic. But all this new board sees is that they spent tons of
money [mind you this was all given as money for the New Building] and
don't consider why it was spent, even though two of the “new”
members voted on the spending too. It was ridiculous and very very
petty because they also chose to ignore library requests for the
fiscal year almost until it was too late and even then cut funding in
half of what was requested while having extra funds available to
cover the full request plus some. They chose to treat this writer as
a worthless nobody who couldn't think or remotely understand the
problem simply because they asked for funds that already existed, in
the non-profit Library support groups account. Also, one of the board
members chose to bring their child and had the audacity to get mad
when they left the kid out in the main library/children's area for
staff to watch for 20 min then staff said she couldn't leave the kid
alone (ok maybe a bit short but this was understandable as it was
like completely unbelievable and we were pretty peeved with the group
already). It's like the group is completely out of control and think
they can even make changes to the temperature in the building because
they are like, we think the energy bill is too much and it's soo
cold, as they sit complaining that one of the rooms is too hot (the
thermostat setting isn't the problem, its the HVAC which the building
owner or 2nd “client” wont replace, yes that's right
there are 2 “clients” with this management contract, remember
it's crazy!). This was after three years of wrestling power back for
the library from the group with, so another hit for my previous
position which I watched the new director just kinda roll over and
hand back all my hard work, it really hurt how much my work with the
board and advice was ignored.
Now comes the fun 2 clients thing (well
maybe 3?), so most systems are either city or county well...not this
one. AT this point some people may know what system and what company
I'm referring to if you do don't say it, OK. The thing is I worked in
the only building that defiantly is controlled only by the county,
though somehow the city got a say because they were the “client”
with the company who was contracted to run the library by the county.
These crazy layers make it hard to get anything done in the building.
So, if something needs to be installed or updated in the building,
say an HVAC or camera, the library has to ask the company, city, and
county. But sometimes just the county or maybe city or maybe none?
All maintenance is done by the county who typically do great but then
sometimes just never get things done like snow removal or fixing
parking lots. So, it can be a bit messy. And since I was working for
a private company you know those lovely you are a Public Servant Loan
forgiveness stuff as a Librarian nope, not for me, I don't work for
the City or County but a private company, so too bad. Then the
company is like oh don't worry will cover some of your Student Loans,
but only for your Master's, well I paid my MLIS in cash so...nope!
Then the company only cared for pleasing the client and not how the
morale of the staff was doing, though they constantly asked staff if
they were “OK” but if you weren't it was really oh well keep
going. If it was how can we help you do better to serve the
community, it was good idea but the client says this or the numbers
don't show that, even if staff said that people ask or they noticed
more middle grades coming in. Nothing, but lets open the library up
without staff...yes do that it'll help, like WHAT how does that help
with improving service? Or did that serve the staff issue of not
feeling safe? Nope just made that complaint even worse by there maybe
being people in the building (so glad I left).
This company is not great. I don't mean
the local, the local system is lovely, as long as they stick around,
but the constant management change has made it tough to have
continuity. Then there is the communication between branches and the
director they just simply don't listen. Taking time to tell the
branch why you want specific information goes along way in building
trust. Don't just demand specific information, especially when the
person you are asking has history that makes that information tainted
in the wrong light (i.e. that temperature issue above). Knowing how
to communicate with others in the system is key and knowing that each
branch is different yet similar is important. Take time to get to
know that. In the short time I knew the newest director I have to say
if I hadn't planned to leave, I would highly be considering it, as
his style doesn't fit mine and he is just lacks the kind of
experience the system needs. Hopefully they find strong support for
the empty roles.
What I'll miss
The community, the
people. The community is a small tight-knit area and great for the
most part, while it's true there are some who I will say “good
riddance” most I'll miss. Particularly my Preschool “friends”
and my Senior “regulars” who always stopped by to have a chat.
I'll also miss the
few who have stuck it out in the system even with all the mess of the
library the know what we've been through and I wish them all the best
as they try to save this ship from sinking once again.
I'll miss the
camaraderie that there was in the staff who had stuck through the
many changes. While there are few who are left that were there at the
beginning the few who are still there I will miss them. The support
that was there, even though it was distant was key.
Best Wishes
I just hope that
all the work that has been put into the library for this small
community by myself and the many great volunteers, sadly many of who
also have left for reasons unrelated to the company but because the
Friends fell as well this time, stays in place. I hope that as there
are changes the community holds strong and finds someone able to
fight for them and their needs before the company and able to hold
everything in balance.
Best wishes small
community library and I hope your futures continues to be bright your
Loving Librarian. I will miss you but I must shove off and carry on
in my adventures of Librarianship. Farewell.
