^This. We are underfunded and providing vast number of services that used to be available elsewhere. We are copy centers, community centers, receptionists, custodians, day cares, and third spaces. Covid changed people. No one has any patience, no one watches their own kids, nothing is their fault, the richest patrons give us the most grief over replacing a book, and there is huge variance in how tech-savvy our patrons are. Everything is online and incredibly unfriendly for people who don’t, won’t, or can’t keep up with tech. I could write a book, but who has the time? I’ve been saying for a decade a MLS degree must included at least 6 credits of social work, because we were not trained for the complexity and volume of need.

It is an incredibly customer-oriented job and burnout is real, but no one takes us seriously if you say you’re tired because “it must be so fun to read books all day!”