[Publib] retiring librarians

[Louise Alcorn]

Most of us hitting our late 50s or early 60s have had some kind of
malady or other during our lives and if we haven't, our spouses might
have had some ailment or stroke or condition that would not be covered
and/or render us uninsurable.   
 
An early-40s age college classmate was recently denied health insurance
due to the fact that his wife had cancer - when she was 20.  And has
been cancer-free for over 20 years.  Another college classmate (not yet
40) has had to take in his wife's parents, as their savings were
completely wiped out by one major illness - and they had insurance, but
not yet Medicare.  This is a complicated issue.  
 
I don't know of any librarian who expects to live a lavish lifestyle in
retirement - we certainly haven't, by and large, during our work years.
However the pressure on those of us 'sandwiched' in the middle - we're
not yet directors or similar, but we've gone way beyond "entry-level" -
is getting intense.  I've realized recently that by the time the
upper-level positions for which I am suited in my area become available,
they will be filled by those 5-10 years younger than I, who will look
more attractive (and cheaper) to library boards looking to fill those
positions.  It's already happening.  A number of my compatriots who got
their MLSs in the mid-90s with me are already jumping ship to other
professions.  A sad loss of talent.  
 
I don't blame those holding on to their jobs past "retirement" age - I
look forward to a fairly spartan financial future myself, for heaven's
sake, and wouldn't wish a forced retirement on anyone.  Nonetheless, I
have had to look beyond the normal professional path for both additional
income and additional professional development and growth.   I've made
it work for me, thankfully, but I know I'm not alone in this 'sandwich'.
Geographic flexibility is very helpful in escaping this sandwich, but
that flexibility is increasingly hard as we also deal with nearby aging
parents and other geographically-fixed family/personal pressures.  
 
For the record, I'd rather work with any colleaugue, of any age, who is
still excited, engaged and stimulated by the work we do than with
someone who is just marking time - whether nearing retirement or a
20-something who has given up on "those old farts I work with".  I love
my profession, I love the work we do.  I choose to be fully engaged, to
value the experience of those around me, and attempt to mentor those
just coming in.  That this might ultimately end in a dead-end job with
no advancement...yeah, this worries me.  
 
So what are we going to do about it?
Louise E. Alcorn
Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library
4000 Mills Civic Pkwy
West Des Moines IA 50265
(515) 222-3573      louise.alcorn at wdm-ia.com
http://www.wdmlibrary.org <http://www.wdmlibrary.org/>    

 
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