Retaliation is Possible

The Technical Services Program Review committee chair, Steady, said that she would write the final report summarizing our work. Her reason was: “I don’t want there to be retaliation against you.” I had not considered that possibility until that moment – since we are all professionals. She obviously perceives me as being in a vulnerable position since I don’t have tenure (and she does).

The report is honest but points to no one person as responsible for the issues in technical services. Someone must feel uncomfortable about the content but that is really beside the point. We were charged with honestly evaluating how Library is doing in this area and suggesting changes, actual actions that should be taken to improve the way we work so that we can better serve the University community. (Most of our conclusions are supported by a professional consultant that we hired to look at our processes.) It should not be considered personal and yet that is apparently possible. How very childish and petty…

Identity Crisis 2

I like the idea that librarians tend to have very different academic backgrounds but that does not mean that we don’t have some characteristics in common. No, I’m not talking about the need to have quiet and organization and control – although I have seen a lot of that. I met many students in library school classes who shared a love of books, a passion for freedom of information, a concern for the preservation of knowledge and culture, and a desire to provide public service.

I don’t know if anyone that I work with cares about any of these things…

Shunning Library Style

Mighty cold here in Library. I am apparently being shunned by Bully-boy and Blondie as a result of the technical services coup thwarting. I have been greeting them with courtesy, nothing unusual, and yet they turn and walk away. I have heard they are good at holding grudges, which could be a problem if I were set on staying here and if I were willing to do anything for tenure. But, I am not and I am not. Some things are more important than playing that game, like playing the game with fairness and honesty.