This is a blog created to document the experiences of an Accidental Academic Librarian (AAL). This employment experience was a social experiment of sorts designed to see what it means to be an Academic Librarian. The scenario presented here is unique and individual in that those involved are unique individuals mixing it up in a system that has some interesting aspects. Elements to consider are the tenure system, collegiality in academia, librarians as faculty members, and how unions fit in academia. This one state Institution (with a capital “I”) will be known here as Library.

The cast of characters include:

Bully-boy – a sadly insecure individual who has reason to be because he is ignorant, misogynistic, and unsuccessfully covers it with business babble. “Never saw a cheap inferior database that he could resist!”

Boobie – lifer, thinks that she is the Queen of Library, best buddies with Bully-boy – a real pair of something icky. “She is really just a big (Clown) fish in a very small pond.”

Blondie - bitter, unhappy librarian who cannot seem to get promoted and she takes it out on everyone she encounters. The poor students do their best to avoid asking her for any assistance. “She’s mean!”

Miserly - lifer, he found his niche and he is not giving it up which works for him since he has been “grandfathered” into faculty status without ever doing anything required of other faculty members. He is stuck about 40 years back and only looks back. “Who wouldn’t reject what they can’t hope to comprehend?”

Steady - caught up in all the details and overly concerned with doing things just the way they should be done, no deviations allowed ever, I mean it, ever. “Rules are not made to be broken.”

Weepy - always over-the-top nice to your face but never a friend if it might not serve her purposes. Cries all the time – Can you say “Hormones need adjusting?”

Gumby - malleable, eager to please, not terribly bright so hopes to be kept around by being pleasant. That is actually a viable strategy in Library: as long as you stay in line, you will be rewarded. “Why can’t we all just get along?”

New Boy – seems to know what is going on but if he did, why would he have taken this job? Of course, I made the same mistake.

Oh, I almost forgot a few others in the cast. They keep a low profile.

Sleepy - not much to say, she never says or does anything if she can help it.

Twitchy - library director without the energy to lead, tends to repeat themes in discussions over and over.

As librarians in a state system university, these librarians are faculty members with a faculty union to “support” them. They work during the semester, only when other faculty members do, since they too are professors. There are summer hours available for extra pay.

Good work if you can get it!