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.
