Re: School Opening

["Karen G. Schneider" <kgs@BLUEHIGHWAYS.COM>]

I followed this thread nodding my head at ALL of the posts.  I think what
is interesting is that we often feel very conflicted on the issue of
"putting out" above and beyond the job description.  I am the sort of
person who loves to work, drags home much more than she should, stays too
late etc. and I still spent a good month this summer feeling very resentful
because I was single-staffing what is really a two-librarian library.  I
had to turn down things I wanted to do of interest to me personally
because I was so exhausted from single-staffing (not to mention the four
hours on the road I spend every day) that I could barely stand the idea of
facing my computer on the weekend.  I couldn't leave the library all
day--which made me also feel isolated and irritable.

On the one hand, I think of myself as a professional, and one who believes
that professionals do what it takes to get things done.  On the other
hand, I also reached a personal limit of what I will do for any one job.
To quote my spouse, who is a minister, "nobody lies on their deathbed
saying, 'gee I wish I had spent more time at the office.'"  And despite
all the praise, advancement blah blah blah that comes with this job, and I
am fortunate that a) we are now staffed and b) we do get recognized for
our work, this is a job--just one part of my life.  To quote a computer
scientist who works in the area of software design, "work is not where
people live."  I am a very dedicated librarian, but my spiritual and
family life come first.

Anyway, this is only to say that I understand the level of emotion on this
thread.  It pushes buttons in me; I want to be the dedicated professional
who goes the mile for this library, but I also want to be ME.  I am
willing to compromise but not give up entirely in one direction or the
other!