I Love My Job

Yes, it's true. I love my job. And I'm sure you'll believe me when I tell you where I work.
 - - I work in a public library.
A relatively new library with a spacious, beautiful building filled with lots of books, lots of movies - both on DVD and on VHS (still), lots of music CDs, and lots of computers for the public to use. And I enjoy my fellow staff members (each has a different personality and different skills to enhance the services of our library) and there's always something different happening at the library. Whether it is a program or a question asked by a patron there is always something different each and every day.

Sound too saccharine? Well, I'm not saying it is an easy job. I certainly don't get to sit and read a book or play on the computer all day like some people might think. In fact, I hardly have time to get the special projects (projects like rearranging the music CD collection or weeding out old, unused materials to make room for new items) done in between checking out and checking in books for patrons.


Believe it or not we don't just check things in and out! We also, answer reference questions, teach people how to use a computer when they've never touched one before and need to type a letter or fill out an online job application (more and more older persons are looking for jobs and are told to go to the company website to apply - this completely frightens some people), we recommend books and movies for people, we help patrons request items we don't own from other libraries and then process the request and make sure the patron is notified when it arrives and prepare the item to go back to the correct library when the patron returns it and we pull items requested by other libraries off our shelves and send them to the other library for their patrons. We also print up overdue notices and fold those notices, stuff envelopes and mail out the ones that don't get sent electronically. Did I also tell you our library has the highest number of items circulated of all the libraries in our county (even more than the city library in our county seat!).

All the while, we are checking things in and out. Or looking up the name of the latest book in a series or what the first book in that series was. And smiling. And chatting.

That's another thing. We are not (and there probably isn't a public library anymore that is) a SH-H-H!!! library. We don't encourage loud talking but even so, the building sort of eliminates the possibility of a true hush. It echoes. And the sound travels from one end of the library to the other. You should hear it when the Storytimes let out. What a joyful noise there is. We have two wonderful program rooms off the lobby where the Storytimes are held, but the lobby is floored with ceramic tiles and well, do you like singing in the shower? Imagine what the children think when their laughter and shouts echo in the lobby. They just love it! Of course, we could do without it, but the Storytimes are on a set schedule and aren't more than five times a week. We just smile. And laugh.

There's a lot of laughter in our library, too. Another reason I love my job.
So I am surrounded by books, laughter, children, people, and computers.
What's not to love?