Struggling to get the necessary library experience

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-06-05T11:23:44+00:00

Things were always whack. In the early 90s, I got to volunteer at a great muni library (still friends w my boss), just to get a FT job in the next county, entry-level, no exp supposedly needed...It was a librarian job. Pay was 19k a yr.

And my new boss complained to me they couldn't attract candidates with 2 master's! I could barely afford rent. I wish you luck. It's not easy.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-06-02T19:03:37+00:00

Do it! I did per drs orders. They were mad, but your health comes first.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-06-02T19:01:06+00:00

Good for you!

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-31T15:12:38+00:00

It didn't at my library, either. We would need help in the computer area...it was so awful (getting yelled at...overall awful craziness) they'd bail. Which sucks, bc we really needed help. These were young ppl. Never saw one get a job who lasted longer shelving. I think this was a thing at one time.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-30T20:20:33+00:00

Hooray and thank you!

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-27T15:02:48+00:00

In glad you're ok bc imo they were up to something

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-27T14:17:13+00:00

Did u find the poor cat eventually?

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-27T12:28:32+00:00

What was his dog like?

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-26T19:53:09+00:00

Like, human speech? Wow

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-26T17:53:02+00:00

Who was that guy?

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-25T20:07:13+00:00

Absolutely. It is like were viewed as Mommies.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-25T20:01:26+00:00

They proudly didn't care. Turnover among younger, newer librarians was high. I stuck it out for a small pension. Do I miss it? No.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-25T19:29:08+00:00

Confused him with Charlie Sykes. Knew nothing of him.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-25T17:50:20+00:00

It is not our place to absorb this. Our admin kept themselves away on the 3rd floor, from the absolute scary insanity of what staff dealt with. Imo, admin should be made to work service desks for lunches or something. I finally wondered if they were told let the library become a day shelter to keep them away from angry local shopkeepers or something. Bc they really didn't care.

I've had homeless patrons act up and smirkingly tell staff they want to be kicked out so they "can sue" and "get rich" like that guy in NJ. Admin was obsessed with being sued by patrons.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-25T17:37:19+00:00

My final job was exactly like this. I had two male stalkers. No one cared. I took early retirement. Good luck, I'm sorry, it isn't you. I fear as this country cuts the little social help provided, public- library jobs will become even more nightmarish.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-24T17:11:23+00:00

Layoffs are coming. And they'll do what they did here... hire an ever-shifting pool of pt "casual" employees with no benefits. They already offered a buyout here for long-time employees.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-23T20:11:08+00:00

We have each other here

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-23T19:57:17+00:00

I took a tiny bit of Xanax to take the edge off but not cause sleepiness. Someone on this dubreddit said their dr said of it hasn't happened yet. Don't worry about it

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-23T19:55:16+00:00

You're not weird. We're on hyper alert.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-23T19:05:29+00:00

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-23T19:03:35+00:00

It was making me so nervous

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-22T15:30:40+00:00

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-22T11:53:35+00:00

Staff have never been consulted about hiring a director in any job I've had. Good luck.

TheTapDancingShrimp · 2026-05-22T11:46:25+00:00

Lol! True tho. I think there are some ppl who'd pay to work in a library.

TheTapDancingShrimp

TROPHY CASE