Narratives of Academic Librarians: Chapter 5: Looking Ahead

Chapter 5: Reflections and Looking Ahead

So right now, I'm in this time where I'm reflecting.

I'm worried about the future of librarianship.

I'm worried about [personal family responsibilities] so it would be really cool to stay here if our [institution] lasts.

I'm starting to worry about...I think I have a lot of skills and I could get another library job, but I'm starting to think, “oh, how will I retool myself as higher education implodes?”

I could be a trainer, I can design instruction, but a lot of those jobs that I see, I have to really situate myself in a higher position to earn a similar salary.

With everything changing, I still feel like a cool librarian that keeps up with librarianship, like I did workshops on campus, getting the faculty engaged for me, artificial intelligence, trying to teach them this or that.

Teaching and organizing is easy for me.

But I just started to worry, because I don't really want to have to move, [due to current family responsibilities].

My partner has a great job. We live very simply, [but there are living costs in our area]. I will need to keep working.

I feel like over this whole career, I've had exuberance for helping students and training them, and it wanes a little bit when you get burnt out, but when you're working in person with [students] it is really refreshing and cool.

Now I'm at that stage where- I don't know.

I don't want a second career, I can't do better, but how do I continue to grow and learn unless I get [another advanced degree or training]?

Without any more official education, I'm not really sure where I'd want to go.

I guess there's a head of instruction at bigger academic institutions, but I don't know.

I don't want to coast, [but] I think everybody's allowed to have that [coasting].

Anyway, that's where I'm at.

I know I'm quick at learning technologies, and part of my job is whenever there's something new, I have to learn and give it back to people.

I've always been in charge of our [library software] situation, like teaching people all of those things.

I'm sure there's more, but therefore I'm de facto in charge of things [like that].

One thing that also sucks about being a technology person is once you learn a new thing, sometimes it still becomes yours, so your responsibilities grow.

It's sometimes hard to say, “you know what, someone else needs to manage this because I have to learn the next thing.”

I guess that last Chapter, I was going to call it reflections, but it's more like, “What's Next?”.

I do feel I've established [myself] and hey, being [at the pinnacle of one’s career] is not a bad thing.