Once upon a time

Today, I told my staff. I did not cry. It is not good-bye quite yet.

Three months ago, I finally decided enough was enough. I was no longer able to function as an effective branch librarian half-time, 20 hours a week. I kept thinking it was 40 pounds of mud in a twenty pound sack. The overflow was painful to me. I felt it was unfair to me, to my staff, to my public (mini curtsey stage center). I was always and evermore behind, rushed, slightly off, speed limping across the branch with my cane. Quick, over to new books, over to reference, over to fairy tales.

If it has escaped anyone, being a branch librarian is very physical. It is very difficult to do without picking up or pushing around 40 pounds at a time. I mean, really, reshelve reference two books at a time? Replace old editions with new editions. Then find the previous edition that has been circulating for the last year, and swap them all out, from their top and bottom shelf locations. A long time ago, I noticed how the heaviest books always find the least convenient locations.

(No, no, no time. Slog through that book truck filled with ce. nice, shiny, bestsellers, only read once. However, some are 2003, 2004, 2005. Too old to add to our overflowing shelves! Except wait, might need to check some ISBNs in the database. But, no, no time. The November book order! Overdue!)

I kept thinking I could make it work. This job, these three years, is the best and happiest I've had in my give-or-take twenty-two years in library land. So sweet, so pretty, so nice in every way, shape and form. I love this job, this place, these people.

But finally, I soul searched enough. Three months ago, I told my boss, I cannot do this, physically. You need a 40-hour a week librarian. (I should mention that scheduling 16 to 20 hours a week of substitutes was quite a management feat, all by itself.) It was intensely painful to say I could not do something. I was severely overtired, attending physical therapy twice a week, with doctor appointments filling up many of my half days "off." I think "I can do it" is the mantra branch librarians live by. But I got a doctor's note, and said I can't do it.

The administration has created a job for me at headquarters. What do you do with a halftime librarian who can't cart around books, or walk or stand very long? It took them two months to figure it out. I won't be working in a library. SOB. Our headquarters is in a warehouse converted to office space, in the middle of a light industrial park, with lots of other county departments. It's not pretty. There are nice people. Wouldn't you know my best friend in the system is being transferred from HQ to a branch the same time I'm moving? Happy new years everyone.

The Bulletin - Philadelphia's Family Newspaper - Nutter's Town Hall Focuses On Libraries

The Bulletin - Philadelphia's Family Newspaper - Nutter's Town Hall Focuses On Libraries

OK, it's not the real Bulletin, but I couldn't resist quoting them on my ex boss' boss: "Library cost, on average, is $565,000 to $575,000 a year," said Mr. McPeak. "Fifty percent of that is spent on technology. The rest is salary and benefits."

With many in the audience upset over the budget cuts to libraries, Mr. McPeak explained the city, even with the library cuts, would lead the nation with the most libraries. San Diego, Chicago and New York City are in close proximity. Does he mean per capita? Or number of branches? Number of volumes? This handy chart leads me to lean that way.

Library Journal has some broader reporting :D Surprise, surprise Mayor Nutter. Interesting how this will play out.

hotchpotch watch

Bad days in libraryland:

Seven libraries to close in San Diego
Sorry that link will die in a few days.

Eleven libraries to close in Philadelphia
That one, too.

Largest library closure in U.S. looms
I think this one stays?

OK, we all are going to have to make sacrifices, due to some bad decisions made by people who made bad decisions.

OK, I'll give up some of my indulgences. But why are libraries on the block sooo quickly? One day after the election of a guy who seems like he would like libraries.

Are libraries luxuries, indulgences? Did everyone miss that bit about public libraries being all about resource sharing? How many retirees have told me that the library has allowed them to keep up their reading and cut their costs. Call me a socialist. Let's raise taxes, shrink the military budget, fund education.

Oh, so sorry, we need another stimulus package to help banks' balances, pay off our credit cards, or the rent or the groceries. Stimulating the mind is just out. I'll just keep reading escapist fluff and not think about it.

Except I do think about it. I know real estate and building have already taken a hit. I know there are layoffs coming in the auto industry, retail, the indulgence industries. I have just been through this "libraries are the fat in the budget" dance so many times.

I know some would say we have not made a meaningful case for our existence. I think we have, with every toddler story hour and book discussion group, the video games for all ages, the catalogs full of dear books, DVDs and downloadable audio books, the wifi access, the public internet access with printers that work reliably. Do we really need to limit that access now?

I've looked at the lists of libraries that may be closed. Some of those neighborhoods don't have another option. There will be hearings and speeches, rallies, and email campaigns in the next few weeks. Let's see if the politicians can suck it up, raise taxes even, and if we can continue to make bad times better with good libraries. Jejune?