Thursday, May 03, 2007

One Reason to Be a Librarian

Some readers, even some admiring readers, think I'm too negative, or too harsh on the profession. So now I want to present one reason to be a librarian: you don't have to work long hours, at least compared to other professions. According to this article on computer professionals, the only professional group that works fewer hours than computer/math professionals is the group of education/ training/ library professionals. Based on statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this lowest group works 41 hours, 18 minutes a week on average. What this tells me is that some of you are putting in a lot more hours per week than I am to bring up the average. Thanks for doing your part to make us all look harder working than the AL!

17 comments:

Brent said...

I admire your positivity. Because of budget cuts, librarians work less. But at least you saw the happy side of it all AL. Most librarians see the negative side of this issue.

The Stuffed Squirrel said...

I am halfway through the program and quickly losing interest. I appreciate your humor, it is the only thing keeping me going right how!

AL said...

Brent, I don't care about budget cuts, I get paid the same no matter how much I work!

Brent said...

Oh AL, it's the same with me. But I meant the public librarians that can only find work for 12-20 hours/week because of budget stuff.

I was trying to be funny in a dark way. Maybe I should leave the humor to professionals like you.

AL said...

Professionals! If only. If I could get paid for this, I wouldn't bother being a librarian.

On the other hand, you could buy a tee shirt from the Annoyed Librarian store. If I could sell about 50K of them a year, I could quit my job.

Anonymous said...

I admire you *because* you're harsh and mean...but with style.

--Taupey

Brent said...

To be honest, I would by a t-shirt that said "Annoyed Librarian." But there would have to be a smiley face on it for irony. I'd wear it to work, but it'd be covered up.

I'd buy one, so 49,999 to go.

Anonymous said...

I'd buy one, too. How about expanding the AL line to include trucker hats, bumper stickers, etc.?

Anonymous said...

I think it's because we can get 60 hours of work done in 41 hours and 18
minutes.

WDL said...

Please don't sway because it's been pointed out that you are negative. I'm sort of surprised, as you didn't strike me as the sort who cared about popular sentiment.

If you change, you'll just become the Annoying Librarian. And frankly there are already too many of those.

bitter is the new black dear.

xo,
WDL

Anonymous said...

I really love being a librarian. (Please don't throw things at me.)

I love working with students and hearing about what they're learning. I love working in an environment where being intellectually curious is rewarded and valued. I love having a job that allows me to explore new technology. And I love having a job that doesn't take too many hours each day, that does have flexibility, that gives me good benefits and lots of vacation and sick time.

Anonymous said...

I would love being a librarian, if I could get a job as one.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the people who come into the library. I find many people entertaining...and yes, I will even go out of my way to help that homeless dude who spent last night in the park. If you are not a people person, you are in the wrong field.

-Jess Bruckner
WisLISjobs.com

Anonymous said...

I'm bringing the average down. The Civil Service in my fair state, or the union, or SOMEbody out there will have a hissy fit if I work more than my allowed 37.5 hours per week.

Worked more per week back when I was a college librarian.

hard working librarian

Anonymous said...

Now that I'm about to finish my 6 day work week, I can't really comment if I like working as a librarian. The seeing eye dog hasn't come yet and I can't find my cane.

Brent said...

I feel guilty about this in retrospect, but this blind person was a real jerk to me once. I helped this person by finding information and reading stuff to him for literally 20-30 minutes. The next time he came into the library (he walked slowly for obvious reasons), I got up from my desk and walked away.

Anonymous said...

Jess, I love working in a public library as well and helping out the sick and homeless along with the rest of our patrons. Okay, okay, I also love the 40+ hours a week, 4 weeks a year vacation time and the nice health plan, too.

--soren_faust