When I worked in a library, I had many people tell me how much they envied my job.
You must get to read heaps, they said.
It’s so quiet in a library, they said.
What a lovely place to work, they said.
You must love being surrounded by books all day, they said.
Weeeeeeeeeeell – while I did enjoy it, I must confess it is VERY different to what most people think.
Myth 1 – The only thing the library does is loan out books
There is so much more to your local library than the books on the shelves! You can also borrow audio books and e-books;, magazines, CDs, DVDs, kits etc; read the latest newspapers or use a computer; join a book club; take your children to story time or school holiday activities; and that’s just the start. Check out your local library and be amazed at exactly how much is on offer!
Myth 2 – You must get to read heaps
I’m sure that people think working in a library means you get to curl up in an armchair and devour the latest bestseller, between helping clients. WRONG!
In actual fact, working in a library is NOT for the faint hearted. It is quite a physical job. There are boxes to be lifted, trolleys to be pushed, and you are on your feet most of the day. Workplace injuries, especially RSI (Repetitive Strain Injuries) are a fact of life for library staff. I suspect that’s why I still struggle with bursitis in my right shoulder to this day (which flares up when I do fine motor work like jigsaw puzzles, crossroads, even at the recent Sip and Paint event we attended).
Myth 3 – It must be so quiet
I’ve heard more than one couple have a rather loud and violent domestic right in front of me (probably didn’t help that a pub was located right next door to the library).
Another time, a young man tore into the place as if the hounds of hell were on his heels. No, it was just another man chasing him. So the young man tried to hide – using me as the shield!
Then there was the grumpy old fellow who lifted his walking stick in the air and shook it at me – I almost thought he was going to hit me with it.
Myth 4 – A library is a safe place
Libraries are lovely quiet safe havens. So safe that every afternoon several children – from primary school to high school age – arrived to wait and do their homework, until their parent/s had finished work.
Unfortunately, library staff are not paid to supervise children who do not have an adult accompanying them, and although we realised the kids were there, the reality is we were usually too busy to keep much of an eye on them.
I urge all parents to remember, that a library is a place where the community gathers. It’s free, after all, and a great place to take shelter when the weather isn’t kind. And that means members from all walks of life hang out there. Yes, even pedophiles, people on parole or probation …
Some of the stories I heard and the things I saw while working in the library would curl your hair.
The library provided a couple of small rooms for the community to book for meetings. Trouble was, other people would just wander in when they were not being utilised, and made use of them for their own purposes. The same with the public toilets. Although I personally never saw anything untoward, others I worked with had caught more than one couple “en flagrante” – or a drug deal in progress!
Myth 5 – The only thing that gets put in the return chutes, is books
Then there were the strange items that came through the return chutes. I’ve seen all sorts of things left in library books. Bus tickets. ID cards. Shopping lists. Birthday cards. Tissues. Sanitary pads. A condom packet. Yes, really!
Despite all this, I loved my time working in a library. I made some great friends; I met lots of wonderful people; and and I suppose it IS true – I did get to see and take home lots of awesome books to read! 😉
But I love it even better now that I get to be a patron rather than staff!
Have you ever wanted to work in a library?!