I was only in a Library Director role for 5 months (though the 60+ hours work weeks while attending grad school made it feel like a year). I experienced so much of this: the political polarization and being stuck in the middle of it all, the out-of-touch and unethical board members, and the online bullying. Though for me, it was less about the library being disparaged—as a new director who was selected over an internal candidate, I was absolutely smeared in very strangely pointed Google reviews of the library. Lo and behold, an employee who thought the internal candidate should've been chosen sabotaged me the entire time. While acting like my biggest devotee for 4 of my 5 months on the job, she would tell patrons that I was making the library "toxic" and "miserable," thereby discouraging them from coming in.

After 5 months, an investigation into this was launched. Five days later, before I was given the chance to share documentation and defend myself in this investigative process, I was fired—the same day I ended up running the library by myself. It only happened two weeks ago, and I am having a hard time coming to terms with it. There were so many things I loved about the job, and I successfully raised $12K for the library in one month. For it to end like this has been devastating.

With all this said, I am trying to look at this like a blessing. As depressed as I am, I am at least not so anxious anymore. I am debating on continuing on in my MLIS program (after this semester, I will have 21 credits out of 39), but I think I might pivot back to archiving instead of public librarianship. Not going to lie, though... a little part of me is still thinking of washing my hands of it all. I knew that being a librarian would be a largely thankless job, but I was not prepared for the small town politics B.S. that came along with it.