Re: Covering Classes (Long)

[Gladys Furness <furnessg@POSTOFFICE.WESTPORTCS.ORG>]

My heart aches for you. Years ago, I was in a similar situation with an
administrator whose attitude towards the library was derogatory, to say the
least. He thought nothing of assigning me to  "cover" classes for absences,
etc.-sometimes in the library, sometimes moving me to another room. It was
not
all that unusual for me to have to  "cover" four classes per day. There was
nothing I or anyone else in the building was able to do about it-no amount of
persuading had any effect-since the man communicated directly with his deity
and was not known for accepting even the mildest of suggestions from females.
Then after several years of this situation, he was responsible for cutting my
position in half, saying that the library wasn't getting much use-he never
saw
the connection between the alleged lack of use and his actions....

Subsequent administrators, while hardly enlightened, have reversed the
situation.Like everyone else, I'm occasionally asked to  "cover"-less now
though since I've been cut back to half time again.....:)Any advice would be
based on your individual situation-do you have tenure? Is your administrator
a
vindicative s.o.b? Depending on the answers to those questions, if I were
you,
I might seriously consider looking for another position.

Most of all, don't let yourself be sucked into the  "blame the victim" game.
Sometimes no amount of doing the  "right" thing and trying to  "persuade"
administrators does any good. It's not you, it's them.....

Gladys Furness
Librarian
Westport Central School
Westport NY 12993
furnessg@westportcs.org

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-
All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law.
To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu
In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET  2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL
3) SET LM_NET MAIL  4) SET LM_NET DIGEST  * Allow for confirmation.
LM_NET Help & Information: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archive: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
LM_NET Select/EL-Announce: http://www.cuenet.com/archive/el-announce/
LM_NET Supporters: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ven.html
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-