[Publib] Why public librarianship?

[James Casey]

I settled upon public librarianship after having worked in a variety of
venues during my first 12 years in the profession.  I worked for one
year in an academic library, 4 years in an urban public library and 7
years in special (historical) libraries before becoming a public library
director (1984).  Originally, I wanted to be in academic libraries or
historical libraries (repositories) and went to the extent of getting
M.A. and Ph.D. degrees beyond the M.L.S. and publishing quite a bit in
that effort.  However, it was the public libraries that not only offered
me the best paying jobs, but gave me something that I had become
desperate for during the previous dozen years --- the ability to run my
own show from top to bottom.  

Unlike academic, school and special librarianship, where the library
director and professional librarians are generally subservient to higher
levels of authority -- principals, deans, chief curators, etc. -- and
having to play the step-child to a variety of other claimants to the
same institutional budget pie, a public library director is the CEO of
her/his operation reporting to a board of trustees and managing ALL of
the budget.  
A public library director is therefore equivalent to University
Presidents, and School Superintendents who are many layers above those
who are directors of the libraries in their academic institutions.  A
public library director is the chief spokesperson for her/his
organization and has much greater control over the workplace environment
than library directors in other types of institutions where their status
is far down the organizational totem pole.  As a public library
director, you could be on a first name basis with mayors, state
senators, and county commissioners. --- While working with Boards and
having the "buck" stop at one's desk top can be very difficult at times
and might make one wish that there was someone above to whom the
headaches might be passed, having the ability to lead and empower and
practice librarianship with fewer restraints can be rewarding.

Another factor is job availability.  There are at least 620 public
libraries in Illinois alone and nearly 10,000 across the United States.
While public libraries are generally open to hiring people who have
worked in other types of libraries, I have found that academia tends to
be largely closed to those who have served outside of that sphere.
(Maybe this has changed in the past 20 years.?)

James B. Casey --- My own views
Director of Oak Lawn Public Library
ALA Council Member

-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Julie Turley
Sent: Sunday, December 03, 2006 9:12 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Why public librarianship?

Thanks so much for everyone's generous reply to my question on PC
brands.

Could I ask something else?

I am wondering why members of this listserv chose the field of public
librarianship for their library careers.  At the end of this year, I
will
complete my prerequisites and will have to start focusing my curriculum.
I
am interested in children's librarianship, for one.  Yet, it seems like
I
hear only the negative aspects of public librarianship: i.e. Low pay,
burn-out.  

As professionals in this field, what do you like about public
librarianship?
What are the "upsides" to the field?

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