No Confidence Vote?

Library faculty, led by Boobie, met today – apparently to just consider voting “No confidence!” with regard to our leader, Twitchy. This is something that was clearly discussed by some of the (tenured) faculty before the meeting and they expected the rest of us to just fall in line and say “Okay!” I am guessing that this is just another (feeble) attempt to deflect questions of fault regarding our computer hacking problem. What other purpose would it have? There is no purpose that it serves other than to let the University higher-ups know we don’t think he’s doing a good job?

I strongly objected stating that it seemed a clear attempt to draw a line between the computer crisis and Twitchy rather than letting the fault lie where it belonged and taking responsibility for the problem (Bully-boy). No one seemed to be able to raise a valid argument to my objection – it was oddly quiet. I guess I didn’t understand that we weren’t supposed to question the idea. But as usual, no one else had much to say that they would say… It is as obvious to others as it is to me, isn’t it? I think so, but God forbid they would say what they think.

I think that was my idea?

Boobie is part of a project that strongly (totally!) resembles an idea I presented to her shortly after my arrival. I received an email from her today with the announcement and a line from her saying “Thought I’d give you a heads up.” She didn’t send the announcement to anyone else and the University was notified the next day. For some reason (guilt) she did think it important to give me the “heads up” about appropriating my idea? Sorry if I can’t give her credit for that. I was amazed and thought that maybe I was seeing something that wasn’t there but then Snow White walked into my office and when I showed her the email, she said “Hey, wasn’t that your idea?” I confronted Boobie and she just said “yes, it does sound a lot like your idea.”Sanity check checked!

I also brought this up with Weepy and Gumby. Weepy said, “Oh, she always does that to me. Stops up for a talk and walks away with my ideas.” I found her accepting tone disconcerting. Apparently you are to share your creative ideas and you should expect others to follow through on them without including you and without giving you any credit for the idea.

Identity Crisis 3

Library does not know what it wants to be. Why are we here and how do we justify our existence so that we will have some security in the future? Everyone wants to be relevant in the workplace so that they can continue to work and be paid and some even want to be useful members of society.

Libraries are undergoing a huge fear driven self examination since the Internet has become such a fixture in our lives. How will libraries compete? What do we have to offer that cannot be gotten with Google? Will anyone still want us?

How do libraries decide what they will be in the future? Well, I can tell you what they don’t do in Library. They don’t do calm analytical rational thinking about the future. They grasp onto ideas of what others are doing with no data to backup the validity of choosing a particular path. It is the behavior of those driven by fear.

I hate to tell them, but they are already so far behind, frozen in their fear, they may never catch up…

Selective Rebuilding

I dared question Bully-boy about when the computers in my area would be brought back to life. I had spoken to other units in Library and was told that all of their staff machines had some functionality and their student machines were now being worked on. Why the neglect of my area? I wonder?

He told me that my staff-person could take her work to another area to use a functioning machine. Not good enough, I said. No one else in Library was being relocated to work and I wanted my unit up and running.

He said that I didn’t know what I was talking about and it wasn’t true that other staff machines were working – clearly a rude response and a lie. I think the pressure is getting to him, as it should!