[Publib] as a profession......loyalty?

[James Casey]

I have found that Library administrators who don't value the work of
their staffs and who use the kind of fear tactics you cite don't
generally survive for very long.  Whenever a staff person walks out the
door, a Library loses some level of talent, commitment and experience.
That can cost plenty in both the short and the long run.  An
administrator who undervalues the contributions of employees will tend
to lose them and the performance of the organization will deteriorate.  

 

There are good, bad and indifferent library administrators.  I don't
think that the private sector or other segments of the public sector are
any better.  However, I would note that there are several other
professions requiring high levels of education where the pay and working
conditions tend to be less advantageous and the fear of unemployment is
probably more substantial.   Pastors in main line denominations,
journalists, curators (museums, zoos, historical societies, archives,
etc.), teachers in parochial and private schools, adjunct professors,
non-tenured faculty in liberal arts fields, etc. are apt to need much
education to qualify for positions where the job security and pay are
far below what most MLS librarians can obtain.  An MLS is far more
marketable than a Ph.D. in English or History when it comes to getting
and keeping a decent job.

 

MLS programs are generally filled with "second career" folks rather than
young college grads.  Librarianship has often become a choice for many
who find themselves refugees from less hospitable "first careers".

 

 

James B. Casey  --- My own views.

Director of the Oak Lawn Public Library

ALA Council Member

 

 

 

 

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Fred Librarian
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 9:40 PM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] as a profession......loyalty?

 

Granted I am somewhat new to the profession but I read and see all the
opinions and projections regarding librarians.  So many librarians are
needed and so many are expressing a work environment where they do not
feel safe or valued.

I feel that there is a true lack of motivation by administrators to
cultivate loyalty in and around employees. They want to save money and
for some it appears at a very deep cost.  It seems the given attitudes
are "I will free-up your future," or "if you don't do such and such then
there is a long line of people who would love your job."

If fear tactics are what employees are being beaten with then why be a
librarian?

Fred Ryan
San Bernardino



  

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