A little late to the blog today because my Bookman and I were outside finishing up digging a new strawberry bed and then planting the strawberries as well as planting some walla walla garlic. Yummy times ahead.
I had my volunteer shift at the library on Saturday. It’s been quiet there of late. No mentally ill people abusing light posts, no human feces on the carpet, no drunk man trying to pick up on me. So something had to happen and the library staff took it upon themselves to fill the void.
You know that you have been at a place for a while when you start to find out about the politics. Friday evening I got an email from the volunteer coordinator for all welcome desk volunteers to let us know about a change of procedure. One of the library staff had complained to the union and now welcome desk volunteers are no longer allowed to assist patrons with the online library card application, nor are we allowed to help patrons look up books. I don’t usually help patrons look up books, I figure that is the reference desk librarian’s job. But the welcome desk is closer to the catalog computers than the service and reference desks where the librarians hang out and if a patron asks for help I help.
As for the library card application, there is quite a large number of people who do not know how to use a computer, and even some who don’t know how to type. I love assisting them with filling out the application, showing them how to use a mouse, where the space bar is, and how to use the shift key to make a capital letter. Now if anyone needs help I am to tell them they need to go to the service desk. If someone asks me about how to get a library card, I can point at the catalog computer and tell them to click on “get a card.”
It is all very silly, but I can understand the reason for it. My city library system is in the process of merging with the county library system because of budget woes. City library staff are paid more than county library staff so there are salary arguments going on right now. I also imagine that even though no libraries will be closed, on the contrary a couple of the city libraries that were closed due to budget cuts will be re-opened when all is said and done, staff are probably worried about their jobs. And if a volunteer can and will do something for free that a $17 an hour library assistant does, I can understand being afraid that the powers that be might get some ideas about how to cut costs.
The volunteer coordinator is angry. I saw her in person on Saturday and she went on and on. She even stopped by at the end of my shift to find out if any of the patrons complained about me not being able to help them. None had. She is sure they will, it’s only a matter of time. I’m sure it will all eventually blow over and I will once again be able to assist patrons in a more meaningful way than directing them to the restrooms. In the meantime I’m smiling and cheerfully telling patrons good morning as they walk in the door and being accused of being happy. Sheesh.
Sheesh, your library assistants make $17.00 an hour? I knew Omaha was way behind the times! Ugh. Yes, you will see that the library world has it’s own politics and be careful whose toes you step on. All very strange, but I have become accustomed to not thinking too hard on my own at times….yes, there’s a story behind that one. I hope you are able to help patrons again–you would think basic questions like that could easily be handled by volunteers as well as staff (it’s not like you are demanding to create new library policies or something). Like you said I’m sure it will all blow over. What can they do to you anyway–fire you??
By the way, do you guys have a gift shop or cafe? I have a friend in KS and her library has a little gift shop–I think that’s sort of cool.
Oh man. I love me some workin-class drama. My mother is a Union rep & she tells me about this kind of stuff all the time. Mostly how she says no to exactly this kind of unreasonable demand.
Hello again, Stefanie!
My comment isn’t about work politics or unfair salary discrepancies or any of that. I deal with that everyday, and when at home, try to forget it. Heh.
My question is about libraries in general. Your library there in Minneapolis: DOES it have plenty of books? Do all the other services–internet/catalog computers, dvd’s and vhs’s, even concessions/coffee area–tend to overshadow the books themselves?
My local library and all it’s branches, I’m sad to say, are pathetic. The main branch was renovated 2 years ago…and the interior IS aesthetically pleasing, but…THERE AREN’T ANY BOOKS! There is one section in the whole bi-leveled building that carries fiction, and an even smaller section for reference. The dvds and vhss are stuffed full, and there are plenty of computers. All the rest of the building is empty space, save the coffee stand.
Am I just being snotty, or should a LIBRARY not have BOOKS!? Shouldn’t it be stacked to the ceiling with them? When I was a kid going to the city library (which wasn’t often, unfortunately), books CHOKED the place. I remember being in awe at the volume of them. Thousands upon thousands of tomes, millions and millions of words. I understand that room is needed for the patrons, but c’mon! Most people in my town are there for the computers or the dvds–they’re FREE. Which is what makes it so sad. I’m trying not to be pretentious, but I truly feel some magic is dying here…here, and many other places. I’m someone who simply loves the FEEL of a book…the smell of that oniony must of old pages, the clapping sound of a hardback being snapped shut. I know it’s kinda melodramatic, but you get my meaning.
All the complaining we hear about illiteracy may be annoying, but certainly there’s truth to it. Do you concur with any of what I said? How do you feel about it?
Thanks again.
rbs
That is weird that the city and county have their own library system. Multnomah County (Portland, OR) has a county library with many branches but I prefer the Central Library.
What antics.
Oh I hate office politics! It sounds like you are handling this with patience and grace — and I bet you’re right that this will blow over and everything will go back to normal or close to normal.
well, don’t discount showing people where the restrooms are. it will prevent possibly more feces on the library floor.
In all seriousness, hope this blows over soon and more meaningful drama ensues!
Danielle, I think they start around $16 which I know is pretty darn good since there was a library assistant position open at the university with a starting rate of just over $13. And yes, the new Central Library where I volunteer has a Dunn Brother’s coffee shop in it and book/gift shop too. The gift shop is run by the Friends of the Library and sells library goodies, reading goodies and books that have been withdrawn from the collection or donated.
Dan, yeah, it gets silly sometimes, doesn’t it? I have nothing against unions, but sometimes things go too far.
Hey r.b! Yes, my library has a lot of books. Not as many as I wish they had, but funding for new acquisitions has been tight these last couple of years so unfortunately the kinds of books added are the more popular bestseller types. My library is four floors and has large rooms of compact shelving. The more active books are kept on regular open shelving in areas that look very much like a bookstore in some respects. We also have an excellent special collections department with a first-rate early Americana and regional selection. Of course there are also banks of computers on each floor and a computer lab in which free basic computer classes are held. It’s not so bad really and we do have a large reading population in my area. That said, one Saturday while I was volunteering the network went down which meant no internet and not many people stuck around–as if there was nothing else to do there. sigh.
I feel lucky to live in a little bubble of sorts where things that aren’t books haven’t taken over the library–yet. I know that is the trend and it saddens me. I can only hope that people realize how short-sighted this is and stop it before someone comes up with the “brilliant” idea of a completely bookless library.
Christopher, my city has had it’s own library system since the 1800s. I think the city/county system developed because the city was where the population was to supposrt a library system–the surrounding area being mainly farms. Then the suburbs happened and the county developed a library system as the population grew.
Dorothy, it’s easy to handle it with patience and grace since I am a volunteer. If I worked there I’m not so sure it would be as easy.
Courtney, you have a good point there!
From what I’ve been told, the public libraries here are cutting back on their reference services–there may not be an actual reference librarian at the desk in the regional branches except on weekends.
I ran into a gal at ALA that I’d worked with at the public library several years ago. She got her MLIS after I’d switched to the university library and worked a short while as a reference librarian. She’s out of libraries altogether now.
Argh! My comments keep disappearing. Fingers crossed…
Libarary staff here are holding escalating job actions to get pay equity with civic workers.
http://overduepromise.ca/faq.html#compare
(Keep in mind that the Canadian dollar is almost at par these days.) I don’t think they make nearly enough.
Oh Susan, that is a very sad story.
Sylvia, sorry about your disappearing comments. Thanks for the link. Some of those salary differences are pretty big. No doubt it does have much to do with the perception that library work is women’s work. The fact that women still get paid significantly less than men makes me so angry. I hope your library workers are finally able to get their pay equity.
I’ve only been to our local library three times so far. Mostly I remember how surprised the woman at the desk was when I dropped off my due books and wished her a nice day while I was there.
Heather, are patrons at you local library not very nice or something? Sometimes at mine it’s hard to get the librarian’s attention because everybody wants to talk.
I have worked 22 years at a City Library and I am now finally getting enough money to just live on today, my girls who are Assistant’s start out at 9-10.00 per hour. Everyone is retired from another job and that is the only way you can make ends meet. We have a Union and it sucks. The City is filled to the brim with illegal persons each with litters of children who never bring their library materials back, it’s nothing but use the computer, take out a video and WE DON”T NEED TO SPEAK ENGLISH because the Library has a Spansih Section that is superior.
Something has to be done in the country to get people on the right track, it should be English Only, their should be Senators and Congressman with enought “balls” to pass a bill regarding same. At this point all they care about is gettinig elected and having a dinner on me.