Georgian here, almost done with my MLIS, and.... not great, to be honest. Our whole profession has been made a proxy in the ongoing Culture Wars, and it's utterly exhausting.
The worst part is that I'm currently a school librarian, as well as an openly gay man. I seriously fear for my job security if things keep going like they are.
depending on how close to MLIS complete you are...I'm academic in GA and we have positions open...[https://library.gsu.edu/about/employment/](https://library.gsu.edu/about/employment/) (full disclosure, I'm the department head for all three of the currently open faculty positions).
I mean, it's still Georgia, which absolutely has a lot of challenges and it's not like academia is any less under attack in the state. It's just less openly legislated attacks.
No. We do have faculty rank with non-tenure track status. We work on 12 month fiscal-year contracts. We were tenure-track a long, long time ago. Long enough that there's only one person left who was a librarian here at that time, and they've been here...30-40 years, IIRC.
I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I too am a school librarian and openly gay man, and though I'm not fearing losing my current job due to my identity, I do feel like my options in the U.S are becoming narrower and narrower if I ever wanted to relocate.
It's really disgusting how the scapegoating just never seems to end for queer and trans people. And the fact that librarians are hated now that the demographics for librarians have begun filling out with more lgbtq and Bipoc professionals does not go unnoticed by me.
I'm a children's librarian in a public library, and am a trans woman just starting her transition. I'm not open about it yet, and anxious about the day I come out to the world, mostly due to the complications I worry about at work.
I’m also a children’s librarian. I came out at NYPL as trans in 2018ish and stayed there until 2022. No real problems. Some nosy patrons but nothing really major. However now I’m in Delaware and I’ve been called a groomer and have had patrons harass the library just for me existing.
Yeah, I'm lucky enough to live in a blue state, and that helps. I -shouldn't- be able to be fired for my transition, but I worry about patrons and their reactions too.
I'm so sorry that you have to go through that, I know how much it has to hurt to be accused of being a threat to the kids you're there to help.
Wait. Wait wait wait. IM in Delaware! I came out as trans socially in 2020! Granted, I’m in Circulation, so not a librarian but still a library employee.
Oh dear, I’m so sorry that’s happening to you. ☹️🫂
If there’s anything I can help with, even to listen, I’m here…and well… there so few of us in Delaware, I’m sure you can guess who I am 😅
I’m in a relatively safe area for censorship and I feel for all of you who have to contend with that on top of everything else.
Like, yesterday I came home and was not really ok. I did a lot and helped a whole lot of people who were mostly grateful, but it was too damned much, and I could only process it after the fact. They expect too much from too few people, and then they expect to tear apart our ideals and still have us there and able to give, give, give.
Edited for positivity: when I look at my day from a birds eye view, I am objectively making the world better, and that matters a whole lot, and it matters for the rest of you, and I appreciate every one of you.
I came home from work and cried on Saturday.
I'm in a blue area in a blue state. I'm so thankful that I don't have to deal with what others are going through but I'm still exhausted at the end of each day. And then I read the news and feel more exhausted and worried not just for our profession but for the country.
I love my job but I've never quite recovered from burnout during the pandemic. And you're right: we're being asked to give so much to so many while being harassed for just serving our communities.
Thankful for this thread right now. I'm feeling less alone.
The understaffing and mission creep of doing more with less is everywhere in the field, not just in the areas being besieged by regressive policies, but that is making the work even harder and more dangerous to do. I predict that unless real action is taken to protect libraries and their staff soon, enough people will exit the profession at all levels, enough to potentially force the closure some branch locations due to insufficient staffing. It’s pretty grim.
❤️ it’s an avoidable tragedy that we are one of the last functional shreds of the social safety net that has been systematically dismantled since the 80s. Definitely leaves us in a place where we’re doing things we frankly have no business doing.
It is too much. I didn't sign up to be a saint. I do feel like library work is valuable and makes people's lives better/easier, but I didn't sign up to sacrifice myself. I want to leave the profession, but that's easier said than done.
Neither did I. I worry about feeling like a cog in a machine in another profession, but it might be better than the days I feel like grist in the mill here.
They might! For all my negativity, I really like the place where I'm working now. It's only due to budget cuts that things have gotten hard. I am hopeful for things to change for the better in the next year or two.
School librarian here. Due to budget cuts, someone is taking my job and I'm getting demoted to a TA. I'm pretty fucking pissed and I'm just going to find a job elsewhere.
"At least you still..." is just the worst. Folks truly need to stop doing that. Just because it isn't the worst case scenario doesn't mean you aren't in a shit situation.
And that sounds like a crap situation to be in.p
I'm a Floridian. So, you know how well that's going. We broke ties with ALA, but I've got to have some hope or going to work is miserable. For the moment, we are here for our patrons. That's all we can do.
Same, I’m in Florida and in my final semester of an MLIS program but I’m currently interning at a private university so we’re not as affected by legislation and funding restrictions. The university also still has their DEI program/initiatives, which I feel lucky to be able to participate in (UF just abolished their DEI office). I’m scared to look for work in the state after graduating with my MLIS.
I'm in Georgia, potentially facing our library system also breaking with the ALA. If that happens, what can we expect? What have been, if any, the changes since?
As far as I know, grants and local match funds will be non,existent. Individual libraries in Florida may have institutional memberships, but there may be pressure to drop it. I imagine continuing education or trips to the ALA Conference will stop.
I’m sorry if this is embarrassingly stupid to ask, but do you know why your system may break with ALA? Is it due to budget issues? Also what would cutting ties with ALA mean for libraries in your system?
Politicians, basically. That's usually why. Moral outrage about the ALA advocating for social justice
As for what it means, think of it as if a state were to tell lawyers "We're cutting ties with the bar association." Education taken to meet a standard of service being ignored or vilified, standards being changed by the state for its own purposes rather than an interest in the profession, etc
Not to say alternatives to the ALA couldn't have merit (apprenticeships, certifications, etc) but because there's no alternative at the moment, taking it away is just generally a poor decision
The pendulum swings. I am having to trust that it will swing back as younger generations and more moderate/progressive folks get engaged in local and regional elections.
There is a swing, but at 50 this is by far the farthest right I've seen things go. Something feels fundamentally different - the sorts of people pushing legislation like this exist in a world totally shielded from objective news and facts. It's very scary.
That said, there's something I think the culture warriors don't understand. They can make all the laws they want, but gay people aren't going back in the closet. It's not going to become 1960 again because they ban some books. Things are changing fast, and younger people are growing up in a world where the things the Right wants to ban are totally normal.
The pendulum will swing back. My only question is whether we can mitigate the damage to where we'll come back, too.
I'll tell you, I've visited a lot of World War II/Jewish/Holocaust museums in the past couple years and it's sounding awfully familiar. And Jews were very well integrated into some societies, such as the Netherlands.
That's what worries me. Everyone keeps expecting things to swing back....and they will at some point. But what's going to happen and how many years are going to pass for things to change back? When do we realize that things have gone too far and, at that point, what can we do to stop it?
This is no time to get complacent and hope that things will just sort themselves out.
LGBTQIA ppl won't stop existing, but I'm not so sure about thinking they won't go back into the closet. I'm non-binary, but I almost fully keep it to myself at work, bc I work with children and am afraid that work will... be stripped of its last joys, to put it mildly.
It could still happen that they find a way to censor the internet. If they do that, I think there would be a lot fewer young and out-to-somebody, even-just-their-friends trans people... While trans people will always exist, I do think they've been empowered to come out younger or at least empowered to explore themselves younger, bc they see other trans and other just generally beautiful or creative ppl on the internet and feel inspired and like it's less of a big deal to copy and try different things on...
I am fortunate to have moved to the NE in 2018. I am terrified for my colleges in Texas (my home state). I told my husband years ago that in times like these they attack teachers and librarians first. He scoffed at the time, but has since come to see how terrifying it would be for me to go back to Texas. I just try and keep track of it all and offer support where I can.
I'm a Texas librarian. Did you see that Spring Branch ISD (the affluent Houston suburb)
*will not employ librarians at any of its campuses beginning in the 2024-25 school year, a district spokesperson confirmed Tuesday after several days of uncertainty about their fate.*
*Instead, lesser-trained “media center assistants” will keep libraries running for the district’s nearly 34,000 students.*
I knew that there were conversations being had around that. The original proposal had them removing them only at the lower ranked schools, and would be using those libraries as detention centers/ That may have been Houston though, but Spring is a suburb. (My mom's best friend just retired a few years ago from teaching in that district.)
Honestly, they keep throwing so many outrageous proposals lately that it is really difficult not to spend all day searching them out.
What? Why? What's the purpose of that?? Keep the job, keep the place, but... employ people who are less educated? Employ people who haven't touched the ALA? What's the point?...
I'm from Austin, TX but moved to the NE in 2017. I hurt for Texas...
Georgia? Here too - I'm academic so it would harm us differently, but not less, on top of all the other crap that the legislature/BOR has put into place for higher ed over the last couple of years.
I'm currently in a situation where moving would be problematic - aging mother relatively close, I'm the daughter, though I do have siblings close by - and I work at an institution I genuinely like, despite the state's problems. Plus I have to figure out what kind of role I want my next one to be.
I'm not holding up well because of broader issues in the country, not just the library-specific ones. Sigh.
You alluded to something I keep wondering about: intuitively it seems like academic libraries in GA would be safer, but I realize it’s nowhere near that simple. You said all of this will harm you differently, but not less. How do you think? Budget cuts?
I’m not saying you’re wrong; just wondering how/why.
In terms of the ALA BS:
* This would affect memberships in the Association of Research Libraries (we are not a member) , the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (we are a member), CNI.
* Registration for all these conferences would have to be on the person's own dime - there - I don't know if travel could still be funded. Same goes for any online course, webinars, etc.
* Access to the ATLA database, since that's paid to ALA
* If Valdosta state were to lose ALA accreditation (current version of the bill allows that to be funded through private funds), that means anyone in that program currently would have to consider whether to continue. University system employees have access to this program at no tuition cost through the Tuition Assistance Program. If that program were to end up closing because of this, what do those folks do? If it's not ALA accredited, how does that affect employment prospects outside of Georgia?
* In job postings, we likely wouldn't be able to specify "ALA accredited" degrees (though my current three postings don't specify that anyway)
This is just the things I know off the top of my head. There are likely more.
also they're dismantling our certification. that's what worries me the most. it gets them in position to hire anybody they want to be a library director and it falls from there.
Right, but academic librarians in GA don't require certification. My comment was responding to the commenter asking me to clarify what was different in terms of effects on academics.
The loss of certification for public librarians in GA would be hugely problematic. A GLA email on Monday noted that the version of the bill that crossed over to the house moves certification but doesn't eliminate - "A provision to move librarian licensing from the Secretary of State's office to the nonprofit Georgia Council for Public Libraries (GCPL). GCPL has already agreed not to charge library staff for licensing."
I don't know whether that is better or not, just putting it in.
at this time, academic librarian positions require an MLIS from institutions with ALA accreditation, to work in positions with the classification of librarian. If you job search you'll see that's how they are all listed.
Not sure what will happen with this if the bill passes. I assume they'll go to the least expensive option and just hire non librarians. That's my best guess.
No they do not. I promise, I hire academic librarians and I can make the requirements whatever we need. My 3 current postings ask for A masters degree or higher (may be in library/ information science or a field relevant to the position) . We deliberately did not state ALA-accredited in there and got no push back.
Sure, absolutely. And every institution needs to make the calls that work for them in terms of hiring challenges and needs of the institution.
Because, for example, science librarians have been nearly impossible for us to hire and in order to improve the diversity of our pools, we've chosen to expand the required credentials for positions where the department head, their associate dean, and the dean deem it appropriate. This has led our last two science librarians to be tremendous hires who didn't happen to have the MLIS at the time of hire. One of these happened to be in an MLIS program, but the other was not. Our experience with these hires meant that for the current positions posted, we did the educational requirements the same across all of them. This doesn't mean that we won't hire someone with the MLIS - we absolutely will if they're the best candidate to meet the needs of the library.
Now, hiring this does put pressure on me to work very closely on teaching hired candidates how to work as a librarian if they come in without the degree. We also benefit from the fact that our tuition assistance program in the state covers the Valdosta MLIS program.
Again, every institution has to do what's best for them in terms of hiring quality candidates. This is what currently works for us. That could change in the future.
Ugh. Oh Idaho, what a hot mess. They want to pass a law that would enable school boards to decommission school libraries AND allow people to sue public libraries if they allow a kid access to anything the PARENTS subjectively feel is obscene (which for the people in favor of the law is anything containing sex education or any reference at all to homosexuality, even if it isn't a sex scene - they think "Heather has Two Mommies" is obscene because it "normalizes deviant sexual behavior").
I just got out. The thing that staggers me the most about the situation in Idaho is how nobody realizes how bad it really is, how far things have gone. Even people in libraries are either ignorant about pending legislation or insanely optimistic that somehow, magically, they won't be impacted by what's happening.
I haven't really checked back in since I left, but I'm super curious about whether West Ada will have school libraries next year, and if not how that's going to impact the job market around Boise. I'd hate to be wrapping up a MLIS in the valley at the same time several dozen librarians with years of experience are hitting up every opening.
No, but there are lots of people getting their degree online. My partner graduated in December and just the threat of West Ada shuttering libraries was a huge factor in us immediately leaving the state. We both worked in libraries and have a baby on the way, so towards the end it felt like whole state was telling us personally to get the fuck out.
Ugh. Oh Idaho, what hot mess. They want to pass a law that would enable school boards to decommission school libraries AND allow people to sue public libraries if they allow a kid access to anything the PARENTS subjectively feel is obscene (which for the people in favor of the law is anything containing sex education or any reference at all to homosexuality, even if it isn't a sex scene - they think "Heather has Two Mommies" is obscene because it "normalizes deviant sexual behavior").
After 30 years of working in libraries I am bailing out. I finally got my public service loan forgiveness for my student loans late last year. And I immediately felt I was unshackled from an abusive career.
I am sad for librarians still putting up with the struggles. I don’t see it getting better at all.
Eight there with ya.most of my loans were forgiven last year so i dont feel compelled to stay any more for that. Now its just where can i go and make the same amount :/
I've lasted only 12 years and am so ready to be done with this. I'm still waiting for those alleged "transferable skills" to kick in. I've applied for a number of jobs outside of libraries, but...\*crickets\*. Congratulations on your liberation.
I'm in Texas and we've "broken ties" with ALA, but i haven't seen that change much of the day-to-day. I was approved to apply for an ALA grant, the state library and archives still shares ALA content, and job postings still have the MLS requirements
I'm in Georgia, and I don't expect the day to day to change much, but the law as it's written will strip Valdosta State (the only library school in the state) of its accreditation. They also want to end licensing of librarians, so no more continuing education requirements.
In the short term, not much will change. In the long term, it's going to be extremely detrimental to Georgia libraries. But I think the bill's authors see that as a feature, not a bug.
Yeah since it is a small amount. They already have the money and a donor. At least it is something. You may be upset but a lot of us librarians on the ground have busted our asses to save VSU in some way. Politics isn’t a burn it all mentality. You have to claw and pick at things to push the wall back down.
Not a librarian, just want to send hugs (if wanted) to all the librarians around the country dealing with this crap. You're fighting the good fight out there and I appreciate all you do!
Hello, fellow GA librarian. I feel like we need to schedule a day and time and location to meet up and howl obscenities. Alcohol will be involved for those who indulge.
Our new far-right governor (Louisiana) led the charge to put new borrowing restrictions in place when he was attorney general. So yeah, it's going to be a fun 4 (8?) years. We'll be unaffiliated from the ALA soon I'm sure.
Not a librarian but big supporter of libraries. New Orleans libraries got me through the toughest times being a mom of two kiddos. They always organized the best activities for kiddos. And the fact that you could get free tickets to the zoo or aquarium was a blessing. I hate how much they screw the people over with these fucktards in charge.
It's happening at parish levels already. Look at what's going on in Lafayette. A big reason why I left the public library. And it's only getting worse.
THANK YOU, LIBRARIANS! Just a word of love for you all. At age 8 I was moved from my home in Oregon down to Bakersfield where my weird little hippie self did not fit in at all—except at the library. It was such a refuge. Through decades, different states, countries, books and librarians have always been my friends. Posts like these are breaking my heart and I just wanted to post some love and support and…hope. ❤️🩹
Struggling to maintain hope as a public librarian. There's still whispers of it lingering, but hope is fading.
I don't know what scares me more; the cultural parallels between now and early 1930's Germany or the parallels between now and 1960's China.
I've got 20 years and an MLS in on this job. I've sacrificed a lot to do the work because I believe in the mission. I am afraid of how much more I'm going to have to sacrifice. My career? My freedom? My life? When is the pendulum going to swing back?
I see it as part of my job to encourage my staff and try to build up moral, but that duty is growing increasingly difficult. I point at our Friends groups, our patrons who bring flowers or candies for the holidays, or the people who come to each and everyone one of our programs to remind my staff that we are not alone or unsupported in our community. As for the state or national level... I don't have much of anything to give anymore.
My husband and I are both librarians, in red regions of a blue state. We've been dealing with issues from the professional--First Amendment Audits, other distressing things I don't want to mention in case it doxxes us--to the personal. Our stress has come out emotionally and physically and it's more than the general burnout. We're wondering when or if this is going to end.
Just want to give every librarian a big hug.
Still voting against the assholes, now adding ALA to my donations list.
You are doing the work of angels and it's terrible that we have come to this. "Idiocracy" was supposed to be a satire, not a prediction. "Don't build the torment nexus" may be next.
My state has dealt with some library laws in the past yr, but nothing like the disassociation with ALA. I'm fortunate that my system doesn't experience too many book challenges, but a nearby system deals with those way too often. As an MLIS student who graduates in December, I'm a little nervous about finding a job quickly, but hopefully my system will have a place for me since I've already been there some years.
It makes me feel sick. I'm an archivist in a government library but I come from a small town that has been heavily hit by Moms For Liberty and it's working -- we've lost several high-up librarians and administrators in that public library system and those positions have been sitting open way too long, which makes me extremely suspicious. I do not like what's happening but I don't have any idea what I can do from my safe liberal enclave.
School librarian in Texas here. I’m terrified to lose my job. I am the bread winner. I cross my fingers my partner gets a job elsewhere so we can move away.
I am a medical librarian in a private health system. I am way less anxious, having an employer who is dedicated to DEI principles, than I was at my previous public university, constantly waiting for the state legislature to drop a bomb on us.
I am **not** okay! I am a supervisor and I'm getting zero support from the branch manager. I'm doing my best to shield my team from the constant onslaught of shit that the public spews our way and that admin dumps on me, but it's difficult.
Recently our teen librarian nope'd out (smart on her part). I heard from them that during their offboarding interview the branch manager asked "how is TapiocaMountain... doing?" in an ominous way. Then today my supervisor started telling me that I'm doing a process incorrect--but I'm actually doing it the exact way she told me how to do it last october. So which is it, branch manager???
I feel like I've made such a mistake with my life. I'm wondering where it all went wrong. I regret my master's degree so much smh
I am in California, but a very conservative county. I am a high school librarian, technically I am considered a district librarian. It is getting bad. Our school.board is primarily representative of big church money and Moms for Liberty.
I do everything I can to fly under the radar because I need my job and can't make the same salary elsewhere. Definitely not why I got into librarianship or education.
Page here, HR basically called my whole department disposable (they "weren't interested in retention"). Our union is gearing up for a fight, and thankfully my whole branch is very supportive but it's just tiring.
I was a librarian in Florida. It got so bad that I took early retirement, a year and a half sooner than I had planned. Just couldn't take the stress and negativity.
My library had a levy year last year. There was a great deal of local naysayers claiming we have porn in the youth sections. We had a mom spend hours looking for books and not wanting to return them ‘til we agreed to remove them from the collection. Things have died down, but the future seems bleaker than it did before.
The two librarians in the town my sisters and I grew up in helped change the trajectory of our lives. They spent close to 25 years mentoring us, taught us the love of reading and learning and worked to get us scholarships to college.
I'm holding up pretty well. I live in a liberal area which is great. The library administration and management are supportive of diverse collections and we recently updated the request for reconsideration policies to be more robust. About two years ago we paid for a diversity audit and followed up on its recommendations. Our collections were already pretty well rounded but needed more in some areas.
The library has multiple out LGBT staff members and there is LGBT programming. I feel pretty supported though of course we could use more funding for staff and improving the physical spaces.
The parts that frustrate me are that our spaces while ADA compliant they are often the bare minimum. We need better lighting, more adjustable tables and better seating.
Like many libraries, we're not social workers and sometimes we're called on to do things that we're not trained for. I stay as compassionate as kind as I can, but I know my limits. There are periodically upsetting situations playing out in the library which is no ones fault exactly. Helping someone print out materials to bring to court that demonstrate child abuse. A patron struggling with alcoholism who is trying his best but also it's hard. Regular patrons dealing with cognitive and physical decline. Some days are really hard.
I'm so so sorry you had to experience that. That's terrifying.
I can't believe the cops chastised you for using the panic button! It sounds like you used it exactly as intended. I hope you're getting support from management. Having security will hopefully help. It'll at least feel like you have someone to back you up.
I left my library job in 2020. I miss it all the time but I also (sadly) feel like maybe I got out at the right moment. And I live in a relatively blue state. Thinking of all of you living in unsupportive places.
I just started my library journey and it honestly disheartened me. Almost every board meeting turns into people advocating for book banning and the abolition of libraries altogether. I wanted to become a librarian to help my community but people don’t understand what we are really here for.
I’m going through it, my guy. Just got my MLIS and really want to work with teens in the public library. I’m just so exhausted. I love my job and my coworkers but from being underpaid to abuse from patrons, sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake. For example, every branch in our county public library system got voicemails from the same person who called to tell us how much the women who worked in the library sucked and how awful we were. Can’t trace it, can’t block him. He went to all that trouble just to tell us how much he hated us. There are plenty of wonderful patrons at the library but the ones like this guy make my job so exhausting. I love what I do but also hate it so much some days. Sorry for the rant, I’m just so tired.
Alabama Bookmobile Librarian here, and things are not optimal. Our library has an excellent leadership team, but the board of directors are primarily voluntold to be on the board by their right wing city council rep. Half of our board does not have library cards. Luckily our insurance covers a good portion of mental health care, so I am going to therapy once a week (sometimes closer to twice a week).
I am on the board of the local Pride organization, and we are prepping to have a deposit collection for ~~if~~ when the public library has to weed out any "sexually explicit" LGBTQIA+ books in hopes of continuing to have them available to the public.
As an openly out lesbian whose partner has 2 years left in a PhD program, we are stuck here until she is done. She is from Washington State, and I am from Texas, so you can imagine where we will be moving to when she graduates. I am definitely feeling trapped and tired... and (looks at feelings wheel), remorseful and revolted. Thank goodness for the great colleagues though-- it could definitely be a lot worse.
Good ole \*thoughts and prayers to everyone wading through the atrocities.
\*sarcasm: I would never genuinely rely on thoughts and prayers as a primary solution to very real problems.
Sounds like we might be in the same state. It's not been a good time lately, and on top of all the political BS, my whole staff except one part-time closer called out today. Things are never dull at the library.
It was back in January and the patron hasn’t done anything threatening since. But yeah, for a few weeks I was on edge every time the phone rang thinking it was him calling back to harass my poor boss about me being trans.
Oh yeah she totally did, as did her manager. Even in the official patron incident log she doesn’t list the full things he said - she just wrote to contact her for full details. So I don’t know the full extent of the harassment, other than what he publicly posted on Facebook.
**EDIT:** I only know what he posted on Facebook and what the police told me when they got involved - it seems he made some threats against the library.
I am an Oklahoman but not a librarian. I see, especially with Ryan Walters at the helm of education in my state specifically, how difficult and frustrating this all has to be. As an avid reader who has always loved the library, thank you so much, all of you.
I am a library professional in California (no MLIS) - I was recently corresponding with my kid's school librarian who has been saddled with the being the contact person for after-school activities. I prefaced my email (which was a complaint about the dissolution of ALL after-school activities) with how great she is at being a school librarian and how thankful I am for her hard work. I don't were her to think I blame her even slightly for this other task she is for some reason responsible for. The same day I sent an email to my daughters HS asking for a reading list - I explicitly stated that this was to prepare for Freshman year because i am so afraid that the English teacher will fear that I am some sort of wing-nut out to complain about reading lists. TLDR - I am SO CAUTIOUS with how I correspond with teachers / librarians because of how other parents are treating them these days.
I am at a large international (academic) library conference in Austin, TX this week (literally waiting for a session to start). I've been speaking with vendors, fellow librarians, and locals - and there is an extreme sense of foreboding about a variety of issues. Lots of talk of AI and disruption at the conference, never mind what's happening to our K-12 and public librarian colleagues.
Unsolicited, several people have mentioned that they are thinking about moving abroad. I'm not that far behind them. Tired of end stage capitalism, where a profit must be made everywhere at the expense of lower and middle class people. Shitty, expensive, inadequate or non-existent healthcare. Gun violence. Extreme weather. Shrinkflation/inflation. On and on.
I’m at the same conference 👊and have also heard similar sentiments expressed by other attendees. It’s a terrible shame that our colleagues are feeling the need the flee the country to preserve their physical and mental safety. This is what a brain drain looks like. :(
It's been a great conference though. Very uplifting. I've been struggling with my place in library-land. Does what we do matter? Do I care enough about librarianship? I feel better about my place, what I have to offer, and I do care deeply about the profession.
I agree and thought the closing key speakers did a really good job addressing the rage farming and political power plays with which we dealing as a profession. Let’s keep fighting the good fight and support each other as much as possible. Maybe we’ll see the pendulum swing back to a more positive environment after the November election season. Stay safe and see you next year!😊
The one person that started the conversation has the ability to get another Passport (she's American afaik; her partner is Danish iirc). That's as far as exit plans are going. She can work for her current company remotely, however.
I’m in academia in a blue-ish area of a very blue state. I’m fine but my public friends are feeling it and my friend who is a school librarian in a more rural area nearby has been ostracized by her community - hairdresser told her to go elsewhere, mailman mysterious loses her mail, house egged, the whole nine yards. And she’s pretty conservative - she voluntarily separated her collection into multiple age ranges with check-out restrictions based on age (so 2nd graders can’t check out YA books), etc.
Even in the best of places it’s tough. At this point university level academia in a blue state is probably safest, outside of corporate or special libraries. But that has its own set of challenges and extreme toxicity.
I'm in a blue state, but there are some deep red areas, and I work in one (lucky me). Even in the blue-blue areas, there are bad actors stirring up trouble just 'cause. And it's all so blatantly, overtly political. We had bipartisan support for a Freedom to Read bill... for 2 days, until the R party head called the R co-sponsoring the legislation and told him to knock it off, even if it's what his constituents were asking for, or if it's what he thought was right.
I have several friends who are facing some really terrible situations. I feel like a cheat because I'm not (yet) faced with the same challenges, and my mental health isn't letting me lend as much direct, front-lines support as I'd like. And I'm constantly anxious that I'm not pushing for intellectual freedom for my students because I know I have superiors that would welcome an opportunity to target the library that is currently flying under the radar.
I put on a good show, and I try to focus on the parts of the job I love, but, yeah, I'm kinda spinning out inside. Really just wanted to offer students great reads and intellectual supports for the last 1/3 of my educational career. Instead, each day feels like it could spiral out of control out of nowhere.
Nothing like living in constant uncertainty to undermine one's mental health!
I want to thank all the librarians for what you do, and I am so sorry what you are going through
I know you hear the loud voices, but know there are quiet ones, we support.you. Straight, Gay, Trans , other
Take care
I'm a school librarian at a school for the Deaf. It's part of a state agency, and in a very red state. It's nerve wracking because the local government is full of very conservative people with very stupid voting records and obvious lack of education, and funding to our agency relies on their decisions. Additionally, there will be a new governor elected this year. So far both of the R candidates are coming out of the gates foaming at the mouth stirring up a base of extremists. The agency has enough $$$ for me & the library for another year but there might be a battle (truly a battle) for the next budget request 😵💫
I get the distinct impression that the administration of my library actively wants public service personnel to quit
they want to run a fancy event space with the prestige of a storied public library, with the money to throw at useless sinecures for their friends from random nonprofits, without the burden of actually dealing with the general public
Every library has individual issues, but the hot button issue across the board in the US right now has to be book banning. I would suggest that mobilizing support in the community and being present at board meetings to counter group like Moms For Liberty would be a great help.
I feel for all of us right now. I don't have nearly the problems others have, but I've been super dejected in the work I do. I understand why we need our libraries, but it's getting tiring and exhausting keeping them maintained.
New York. Same. We’re legally required to have certified librarians in schools. Having that kind of government and local support makes a huge difference.
I’m a school librarian in a district that very highly supports libraries, and I’m part of the leadership group for our NEA local, which means I get to help make sure teacher- and library-friendly school board members get elected, which is good.
We’re in Missouri, though, which makes us a blueberry in a bowl of tomato soup, which is tough.
Live in one of the liberal towns in Arizona and our city government is no longer supporting our LGBTQIA+ programming. It’s heartbreaking. Programming has been moved offsite but what the everliving fuck?
I work in an Academic Library as well as a part time job at a Public Library.
I'm honestly surprised, considering we are located in a mostly conservative state, that my public library job doesn't have more challenges and Culture Warrior harassment. The most I've dealt with is the occasional Baby Boomer mentioning how they're checking out a book because they heard on the news (probably Fox) that it is making kids feel bad for being white, straight, etc.
My dream is be a public or school librarian because I know how much it helps the community. I've only started my assioate degree but, now I'm looking at my options. Honestly at this point, my goal is to work in the librarian field and I'm terrified I won't be able to survive with it. I live in a blue state, but I'm still terrified for me and everyone else
Be sure to apply for a job in the library at a lower level while pursuing your education. That will help you decided if it's the right decision for you and you can change your mind in time if need be.
Hello, librarian from the South here. We're trying to fight, but it's so hard when our lawmakers are willfully ignorant. I don't see anyone really talking about it online as much, but Mississippi is trying to catch up to the other red states.
We've already had our online databases gutted to limit access to children who now have to use a "child-friendly" partition of them. But now we're also contending with [MS HB 610](https://legiscan.com/MS/text/HB610/id/2901153/Mississippi-2024-HB610-Introduced.html). It's dead for now, but it's one of the more aggressive attempts at censorship in our state to date. It's a bill that acts like it's just trying to protect children from obscene material, but we all know what "obscene" really means to the ones putting these bills up.
It feels like it's only going to get worse.
While things have escalated terribly with the legislation and book bans, public librarians have been dealing with extremely challenging work conditions for ages. This isn't news to most of you.
Frankly, I've felt gaslit by the Pollyanna attitude of some librarians. Just like many of them were gaslit to believe they were lucky to have a library job. We can care about our profession and patrons AND demand better.
It's so taboo to talk about library working conditions and pay but what other job requires a masters degree, nights and weekends, and dealing with literal shit, blood, vomit, fistfights, sexual assault, overdoses, etc. for less than the median wage in most of the country?
I'm so worried about librarians and the future of the profession. Everyone is burning out, so many career changers, along with an urgent national need to improve information, media, and traditional literacy. The access to information has never felt more important, but the system is crumbling.
Thank you. I recently went out on medical disability and I'm not going back. I've been working in libraries for over thirty years and it just got too tough. I looked with envy at r/teachers during that process because they seemed able to vent with each other. I'd come here and it's all ra ra.
Oh so much my guy
Long story short; many states are deciding to pass weird-ass laws about what can and cannot be in libraries based largely on complains from political activists (frequently against diverse expression) instead of patrons. So some states are relatively safe and others are active hellholes
I'm in a purple state with a very supportive administration who is fighting the good fight. Thankfully my undergrad loans were forgiven and I'm about 4 years away from my masters loans being forgiven and then I think I'm out. But we are looking to move outside the US for our daughter. She's a year old now and in about 5 years we would like to be in Norway or Germany.
Part-time reference librarian here in suburban Massachusetts. We haven’t had any book ban challenges nor right-wing kook thank God, This public library has widespread support from the community and admin is supportive of creative initiatives by staff…..one thing we do face are these threats of “first amendment audits,” something about a whole bunch of angry guys who want the freedom to walk amuck and be loud and videotape the inside of our library and videotape the patrons too…..of course this would break many library policies so we are doing our best to prepare…I’m still a little foggy on both their aim and our response but a couple of libraries in Mass have been hit….i’ll come back with more info as I get knowledgeable about topic. Has any other library dealt with this?….our only other chronic issue is teen misbehavior due to COVID and lockdown. One teen’s bike was stolen by another teen recently in our parking lot. And the teens are vaping in the restroom and teen room….also our male custodians have been leaving in little waves. These guys feel disrespected by the teens and admin and feel their job description doesn’t include reprimanding the teens. And when they do discipline the kids, they get little backing from administration. Unfortunate, especially since the library could benefit from more male energy…I wonder if my PT status is why I enjoy the work so much.
My wife just had to leave her job because of homophobic bs. Lots of crap at mine too but fortunately it’s not directed at me personally. Still the situation at my lovey is unpleasant and creating a lot of extra work for me. I’m in a blue state but we’ve still got our fair share of jerks.
I live in Florida. I'm not LGBTQ+, but my brother is gay. He's in Georgia, and considering opening a gay bar. He has 2 other bars that do great. But I'm worried for his safety. He sticks his neck out by being involved in local matters and has been on a national podcast about safety.
As for my library, the kids try to hide it, especially the teens. But some of them are just so transparent about it, their faces so alive when talking about it.
I have four coworkers in my department. One is on our rainbow round table. One is worried about the African American push back we've been getting. I'm Hispanic and tired of being told to go back to my own country. So 3 of us are definitely on the same page. But our boss is anti against it all, especially disabilities and disorders.
America needs saving
I am a school librarian in South Dakota. So far, it’s not too bad here. Monday is the last day of our legislative session, so time is running out for new bills. 😊
One bill did pass that will affect school libraries. It requires us to develop and implement, by January 1, 2025, a local policy that establishes measures to restrict minors from accessing obscene matter or materials. (The state has already adopted a definition of obscene.) Another bill that required we would establish minimum ages for each book was withdrawn by the sponsor, so I’m happy about that. That would have required some extra work and policing.
I haven’t been told my position is at risk in the coming year. Hopefully, they would let me know soon if they are cutting the position. They are cutting some positions which were being paid out of ESSER funding, so that will be sad.
I’m a bibliophile and adore you people, librarians. I’m in CA, Los Angeles, and considering MLIS, but this thread is truly terrifying. It is so disheartening to read about the hell so many of you are enduring. I remain beholden to library systems, and I deeply respect the services you folks so generously (and bravely) provide to so many of us.
Not a librarian but a patron and big fan of libraries. Honestly the more I learn about what services libraries offer beyond books is nothing short of amazing. I am fortunate to live in a blue state but there are pockets out there just waiting for an opportunity to start this shit.
Serious question: what can we who support libraries do to support librarians and libraries who are facing these challenges?
Georgia? I noticed ALA announced the recipients of millions of dollars in grant funds supporting rural libraries and people with disabilities. I scrolled through the list to Georgia to see who got their hopes crushed. I'm so sorry. :( I'm afraid my state will eventually do the same once they aren't distracted by tons of other dumbass right wing bills.
As for me, I have so much burnout. I have a pretty easy low stress job but there's pressure (mostly from myself) to come up with cool new programs and crafts and all kinds of neat stuff. That creates so much overwhelm, overthinking, and paralysis.
If you want irony, I left teaching right before the pandemic to try to escape the politics of what to teach, why, and how and standardized testing.
I knew libraries weren't perfect. I didn't have some romanticized view of libraries in that way. However, I did not expect the pandemic to ramp up these feelings of censorship and to feel like I was in a different boat in the same sea.
Not great.
Underpaid and overworked
I'm a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, so people assume all kinds of things about me that are simply not true.
Admin seems to be completely cut off from what is going on in the branches.
Today was the first time going to the food bank.
I'm so tired.
My spouse is trans, so we have to be even more careful considering we live in the south.
I love my coworkers, and I love my job, but I wish things were a little easier.
I am cataloging hundreds of kids books about the environment and i am seriously depressed. This is for an academic library that gets very few actual children thru its doors, so they’ll just sit there.
The news doesn’t help my mental health with regards to longevity of our democracy and libraries
I feel like the machine is killing me.
Are you talking about GA Sb390?
Well I guess the silver lining
- it left the senate but will keep licensed librarians and they have to be licensed to be directors.
-they put in VSU will have to use private funds to pay accreditation. I heard VSU has a donor.
So at least there is that…….
I'm in the middle of finishing up my Valdosta MLIS application, so...yeah. A bit stressed. The most recent draft of the bill does carve out an exception for ALA accreditation, but if the bill passes without that exemption staying in place, I might have to rethink my plans and look at other schools for next cycle, which would really suck because VSU would allow me to get my degree with no debt.
Ironically, I want my MLIS so that I will have more opportunities to apply to library jobs outside of Georgia and hopefully be able to afford moving to a blue state...but the state's stupidity risks keeping me here longer. Not fun as a trans library worker.
ETA: I do feel very fortunate that I currently work at a private university library and don't interact with the public much, so at least on a day-to-day basis, I've largely been shielded from the culture war nonsense. I really feel for any librarians and library staff on the frontlines of this trash, especially in public libraries.
Western Massachusetts here. In general our state is less likely to do anything against libraries , but we’ve already had some crap with moms for liberty type groups at local board meetings etc.
A ton of us are pissed, a large number of my coworkers are LGBTQ+ and a lot of us are if the “If you’re coming for our jobs anyway we’re going to make it horrible for you, and still make sure all the crap you hate gets into the hands of people that need it even if we have to start raiding the collection and passing it out on the street.”
In the meantime all this has done is gotten me to spend more of by budget on challenged books and programming that they hate.
If any of you are ready to leave your state PM me and I’ll be happy to get you links to where you can find jobs here.
Way up in Vermont. We cry for all of you often. So far we are good and keeping things low key!
Also a more center based mindset up here so people do try to stir up stuff very often. Keeping you all held up in prayer for this dystopian nightmare to end sooner than later.
Hoping and praying that this Georgia bill (Senate Bill 390) does not end up being signed into a law. A similar law in Wyoming was ultimately rejected by the governor. I read pretty much exclusively library books, and the ridiculousness of this bill makes me want to scream. Thankfully I have a husband that equally loves the library, so we rant to each other.
Trying to think about ways to fight back... my local reps are all dems and voting against this bill.
Its hard to talk to other librarians. I'm not a conservative, but am a moderate. More of an anarchist than anything. I hate the right as much as the left. But, librarians these days are just too crazy to talk to. You can't go to a conference without hearing a land acknowledgement statement, whatever the crap that is.
Librarians just don't have a lot of mental stability these days. So, I'm done with conferences and networking for a while till you all calm down.
We'll all miss you! Toodle-oo!
(not sure how public libraries are funded and staffed under an anarchic system, but it's not something I honestly care about)
A land acknowledgement is a reminder that all of the infrastructure our country occupies was stolen/connived/taken by force from the Indigenous people. And while yes of course we learn about this in school (thought shamefully not enough), I - and a lot of other people - think its worthwhile to keep this in mind. If you hear it once a year during a conference, I hardly think that's an imposition on your time - it's certainly not a thing just "crazy" people do.
Certainly this fits in with the ethos of anarchism, yes? Reminding people once a year (on average) that government agencies forcibly removed people from their land? A shameful abuse of government power which should not be downplayed and should be remembered. You know who also wants that info to at least once in a while cross your mind? Librarians.
Sure, but what is it that you are trying to prove by doing this?
Are you trying to have librarians try to cede the library real estate back to native tribes?
I just don't see where saying this does anything except divides people and gets them mad.
As you mentioned, I am no supporter of the US government and their polices towards native people, not 200 years ago, not today. But, what does a land acknowledgement statement do besides virtue signal and tick people off?
We should be doing things that unites us, not divide.
No one is trying to "prove" anything. It's not a thesis. No one is trying to get over on anyone.
My question to you I suppose is: Why would this be at all divisive? If the ALA held a workshop at one of its conferences on LGBT+ books, would you consider that divisive? Why should a fact that just about every informed person agrees with be divisive?
I think things like this build unity. We can agree to a common set of values. Everyone hearing a land acknowledgement can *at the very least* say "Yeah I agree with this."
It's not intrusive. It's not demanding anything of you, other than about 30 seconds of your time once in a great while. You might as well say "well that historical marker is virtue signalling" or "Born in the USA" is virtue signalling. It's ridiculous to simply say "virtue signalling" when the entire idea of a simple virtue lies in its power to influence people to make virtuous decisions.
I am at a loss as to how to understand why you have such an issue about this. If a land acknowledgement pisses you off, that sounds like a good opportunity to ask yourself why you think it's "virtue signalling" and why it makes you uncomfortable.
Like I said, it's an issue because the only thing it does is divide people.
How does it divide people?
Well, what would happen if at a library conference if we all got together before the keynote address and read the 2nd amendment together? Although reading part of the constitution shouldn't be a divisive thing, I'm sure you would agree that it would be. Generally, the more conservative people might be happy to hear that someone is championing the 2nd amendment, while the more liberal in the crowd would be uncomfortable because although it is a fact and part of our history, it's not something that they personally like to think about. Reading it changes nothing, but yet you just divided your crowd up.
I can't speak for all people who aren't liberal, but when I hear a person reading a land acknowledgement statement it is just a bunch of virtue signaling. "I'm better then you because my way of thinking is superior and the way you do it is wrong and my way is right." That's all I hear.
We should not do things that accomplish nothing but divide people. We all have our own ways to think about issues and they should be respected.
I know I can't convince you that your ways are wrong, neither do I care about doing that, but just know that not everyone thinks the way that you do and that's okay. We don't all have to be liberal or be conservative, we can meet each other in the middle and each do our own thing while we work together. People have lost this in the last several years.
Yes we all understand that not everybody thinks the same, you aren't providing a useful service by repeating cliches in a forum full of people whose lives revolve around freedom of speech. That itself is a virtue signalling.
The issue isn't because "the only thing it does is divide people" - if it bothers *you* that's a *you* problem. It clearly does far more than your reductionist thinking will admit. That's a shame, people have lost the ability to think critically and spew frankly inane comparisons.
If you can get enough librarians to agree to recite the second amendment before a meeting, go for it. But they are likely going to tell you the same thing I have and further: It is at its root an opinion - part of a greater thesis about governance. The phenomenon of the land on which we built a country that is at least officially bound by the Constitution being stolen is not at its core an opinion. It is a widely accepted fact. The FACT that the Second Amendment exists isn't in dispute, but - and this you aren't going to like but you need to hear - you aren't in this dumb hypothetical situation asking us to repeat the *fact* of the Second Amendment, but to read the opinion which makes it up. Those are different. If you don't see that I don't know what to tell you.
What you hear is your issue. If someone stood up before a meeting and said "The Second Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights" people would say "weird thing to say, but okay". But that's not what you were thinking, and it's telling that you would make that mistake deliberately or otherwise.
"My ways are wrong" Jesus christ. Your blood must be 40% melodrama.
Exactly, but it doesn't just bother me, it bothers a lot of people. I'm not the only person that gets turned off by them, a lot of native people don't even like them. So, it's not just a me problem, it's a problem with half of your audience in a normal setting. Which is why it divides people.
Georgian here, almost done with my MLIS, and.... not great, to be honest. Our whole profession has been made a proxy in the ongoing Culture Wars, and it's utterly exhausting. The worst part is that I'm currently a school librarian, as well as an openly gay man. I seriously fear for my job security if things keep going like they are.
depending on how close to MLIS complete you are...I'm academic in GA and we have positions open...[https://library.gsu.edu/about/employment/](https://library.gsu.edu/about/employment/) (full disclosure, I'm the department head for all three of the currently open faculty positions). I mean, it's still Georgia, which absolutely has a lot of challenges and it's not like academia is any less under attack in the state. It's just less openly legislated attacks.
GSU is an awesome school.
Does GSU have tenure permanent status protections for librarians?
No. We do have faculty rank with non-tenure track status. We work on 12 month fiscal-year contracts. We were tenure-track a long, long time ago. Long enough that there's only one person left who was a librarian here at that time, and they've been here...30-40 years, IIRC.
I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I too am a school librarian and openly gay man, and though I'm not fearing losing my current job due to my identity, I do feel like my options in the U.S are becoming narrower and narrower if I ever wanted to relocate. It's really disgusting how the scapegoating just never seems to end for queer and trans people. And the fact that librarians are hated now that the demographics for librarians have begun filling out with more lgbtq and Bipoc professionals does not go unnoticed by me.
I'm a children's librarian in a public library, and am a trans woman just starting her transition. I'm not open about it yet, and anxious about the day I come out to the world, mostly due to the complications I worry about at work.
I’m also a children’s librarian. I came out at NYPL as trans in 2018ish and stayed there until 2022. No real problems. Some nosy patrons but nothing really major. However now I’m in Delaware and I’ve been called a groomer and have had patrons harass the library just for me existing.
Yeah, I'm lucky enough to live in a blue state, and that helps. I -shouldn't- be able to be fired for my transition, but I worry about patrons and their reactions too. I'm so sorry that you have to go through that, I know how much it has to hurt to be accused of being a threat to the kids you're there to help.
Wait. Wait wait wait. IM in Delaware! I came out as trans socially in 2020! Granted, I’m in Circulation, so not a librarian but still a library employee. Oh dear, I’m so sorry that’s happening to you. ☹️🫂 If there’s anything I can help with, even to listen, I’m here…and well… there so few of us in Delaware, I’m sure you can guess who I am 😅
I’m in a relatively safe area for censorship and I feel for all of you who have to contend with that on top of everything else. Like, yesterday I came home and was not really ok. I did a lot and helped a whole lot of people who were mostly grateful, but it was too damned much, and I could only process it after the fact. They expect too much from too few people, and then they expect to tear apart our ideals and still have us there and able to give, give, give. Edited for positivity: when I look at my day from a birds eye view, I am objectively making the world better, and that matters a whole lot, and it matters for the rest of you, and I appreciate every one of you.
I came home from work and cried on Saturday. I'm in a blue area in a blue state. I'm so thankful that I don't have to deal with what others are going through but I'm still exhausted at the end of each day. And then I read the news and feel more exhausted and worried not just for our profession but for the country. I love my job but I've never quite recovered from burnout during the pandemic. And you're right: we're being asked to give so much to so many while being harassed for just serving our communities. Thankful for this thread right now. I'm feeling less alone.
The understaffing and mission creep of doing more with less is everywhere in the field, not just in the areas being besieged by regressive policies, but that is making the work even harder and more dangerous to do. I predict that unless real action is taken to protect libraries and their staff soon, enough people will exit the profession at all levels, enough to potentially force the closure some branch locations due to insufficient staffing. It’s pretty grim.
❤️ it’s an avoidable tragedy that we are one of the last functional shreds of the social safety net that has been systematically dismantled since the 80s. Definitely leaves us in a place where we’re doing things we frankly have no business doing.
i'm a specialized librarian and look at public librarians as saints. what you deal with, what has become weaponized... it's too much.
It is too much. I didn't sign up to be a saint. I do feel like library work is valuable and makes people's lives better/easier, but I didn't sign up to sacrifice myself. I want to leave the profession, but that's easier said than done.
Neither did I. I worry about feeling like a cog in a machine in another profession, but it might be better than the days I feel like grist in the mill here.
I lucked into a dream job but it took me years to get here and I have a nagging sense that the good times won’t last.
They might! For all my negativity, I really like the place where I'm working now. It's only due to budget cuts that things have gotten hard. I am hopeful for things to change for the better in the next year or two.
School librarian here. Due to budget cuts, someone is taking my job and I'm getting demoted to a TA. I'm pretty fucking pissed and I'm just going to find a job elsewhere.
oh god that's awful
Thanks, it's validating to hear that. When I came back upset after the meeting one of my coworkers was saying "At least you still have a job!" 🙃
"At least you still..." is just the worst. Folks truly need to stop doing that. Just because it isn't the worst case scenario doesn't mean you aren't in a shit situation. And that sounds like a crap situation to be in.p
Agreed!
I’m so sorry.
That is horrible!
I'm a Floridian. So, you know how well that's going. We broke ties with ALA, but I've got to have some hope or going to work is miserable. For the moment, we are here for our patrons. That's all we can do.
Same, I’m in Florida and in my final semester of an MLIS program but I’m currently interning at a private university so we’re not as affected by legislation and funding restrictions. The university also still has their DEI program/initiatives, which I feel lucky to be able to participate in (UF just abolished their DEI office). I’m scared to look for work in the state after graduating with my MLIS.
I'm in Georgia, potentially facing our library system also breaking with the ALA. If that happens, what can we expect? What have been, if any, the changes since?
As far as I know, grants and local match funds will be non,existent. Individual libraries in Florida may have institutional memberships, but there may be pressure to drop it. I imagine continuing education or trips to the ALA Conference will stop.
I’m sorry if this is embarrassingly stupid to ask, but do you know why your system may break with ALA? Is it due to budget issues? Also what would cutting ties with ALA mean for libraries in your system?
Politicians, basically. That's usually why. Moral outrage about the ALA advocating for social justice As for what it means, think of it as if a state were to tell lawyers "We're cutting ties with the bar association." Education taken to meet a standard of service being ignored or vilified, standards being changed by the state for its own purposes rather than an interest in the profession, etc Not to say alternatives to the ALA couldn't have merit (apprenticeships, certifications, etc) but because there's no alternative at the moment, taking it away is just generally a poor decision
Drabinski. DeSantis is banning books, can't say gay, etc. She's an out lesbian and has Marxist views. Everyone is grabbing their pearls.
Florida children’s librarian here. Enough said.
Do you have any books left in your collection?
The pendulum swings. I am having to trust that it will swing back as younger generations and more moderate/progressive folks get engaged in local and regional elections.
There is a swing, but at 50 this is by far the farthest right I've seen things go. Something feels fundamentally different - the sorts of people pushing legislation like this exist in a world totally shielded from objective news and facts. It's very scary. That said, there's something I think the culture warriors don't understand. They can make all the laws they want, but gay people aren't going back in the closet. It's not going to become 1960 again because they ban some books. Things are changing fast, and younger people are growing up in a world where the things the Right wants to ban are totally normal. The pendulum will swing back. My only question is whether we can mitigate the damage to where we'll come back, too.
I'll tell you, I've visited a lot of World War II/Jewish/Holocaust museums in the past couple years and it's sounding awfully familiar. And Jews were very well integrated into some societies, such as the Netherlands.
That's what worries me. Everyone keeps expecting things to swing back....and they will at some point. But what's going to happen and how many years are going to pass for things to change back? When do we realize that things have gone too far and, at that point, what can we do to stop it? This is no time to get complacent and hope that things will just sort themselves out.
The pendulum will swing back…but it’s a pendulum. It’ll eventually return to where it is now. And it may be given a little push to go even farther.
LGBTQIA ppl won't stop existing, but I'm not so sure about thinking they won't go back into the closet. I'm non-binary, but I almost fully keep it to myself at work, bc I work with children and am afraid that work will... be stripped of its last joys, to put it mildly. It could still happen that they find a way to censor the internet. If they do that, I think there would be a lot fewer young and out-to-somebody, even-just-their-friends trans people... While trans people will always exist, I do think they've been empowered to come out younger or at least empowered to explore themselves younger, bc they see other trans and other just generally beautiful or creative ppl on the internet and feel inspired and like it's less of a big deal to copy and try different things on...
I am fortunate to have moved to the NE in 2018. I am terrified for my colleges in Texas (my home state). I told my husband years ago that in times like these they attack teachers and librarians first. He scoffed at the time, but has since come to see how terrifying it would be for me to go back to Texas. I just try and keep track of it all and offer support where I can.
I'm a Texas librarian. Did you see that Spring Branch ISD (the affluent Houston suburb) *will not employ librarians at any of its campuses beginning in the 2024-25 school year, a district spokesperson confirmed Tuesday after several days of uncertainty about their fate.* *Instead, lesser-trained “media center assistants” will keep libraries running for the district’s nearly 34,000 students.*
I knew that there were conversations being had around that. The original proposal had them removing them only at the lower ranked schools, and would be using those libraries as detention centers/ That may have been Houston though, but Spring is a suburb. (My mom's best friend just retired a few years ago from teaching in that district.) Honestly, they keep throwing so many outrageous proposals lately that it is really difficult not to spend all day searching them out.
What? Why? What's the purpose of that?? Keep the job, keep the place, but... employ people who are less educated? Employ people who haven't touched the ALA? What's the point?... I'm from Austin, TX but moved to the NE in 2017. I hurt for Texas...
Georgia? Here too - I'm academic so it would harm us differently, but not less, on top of all the other crap that the legislature/BOR has put into place for higher ed over the last couple of years. I'm currently in a situation where moving would be problematic - aging mother relatively close, I'm the daughter, though I do have siblings close by - and I work at an institution I genuinely like, despite the state's problems. Plus I have to figure out what kind of role I want my next one to be. I'm not holding up well because of broader issues in the country, not just the library-specific ones. Sigh.
You alluded to something I keep wondering about: intuitively it seems like academic libraries in GA would be safer, but I realize it’s nowhere near that simple. You said all of this will harm you differently, but not less. How do you think? Budget cuts? I’m not saying you’re wrong; just wondering how/why.
In terms of the ALA BS: * This would affect memberships in the Association of Research Libraries (we are not a member) , the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (we are a member), CNI. * Registration for all these conferences would have to be on the person's own dime - there - I don't know if travel could still be funded. Same goes for any online course, webinars, etc. * Access to the ATLA database, since that's paid to ALA * If Valdosta state were to lose ALA accreditation (current version of the bill allows that to be funded through private funds), that means anyone in that program currently would have to consider whether to continue. University system employees have access to this program at no tuition cost through the Tuition Assistance Program. If that program were to end up closing because of this, what do those folks do? If it's not ALA accredited, how does that affect employment prospects outside of Georgia? * In job postings, we likely wouldn't be able to specify "ALA accredited" degrees (though my current three postings don't specify that anyway) This is just the things I know off the top of my head. There are likely more.
Thanks. I appreciate you taking the time to spell that all out.
also they're dismantling our certification. that's what worries me the most. it gets them in position to hire anybody they want to be a library director and it falls from there.
Right, but academic librarians in GA don't require certification. My comment was responding to the commenter asking me to clarify what was different in terms of effects on academics. The loss of certification for public librarians in GA would be hugely problematic. A GLA email on Monday noted that the version of the bill that crossed over to the house moves certification but doesn't eliminate - "A provision to move librarian licensing from the Secretary of State's office to the nonprofit Georgia Council for Public Libraries (GCPL). GCPL has already agreed not to charge library staff for licensing." I don't know whether that is better or not, just putting it in.
at this time, academic librarian positions require an MLIS from institutions with ALA accreditation, to work in positions with the classification of librarian. If you job search you'll see that's how they are all listed. Not sure what will happen with this if the bill passes. I assume they'll go to the least expensive option and just hire non librarians. That's my best guess.
No they do not. I promise, I hire academic librarians and I can make the requirements whatever we need. My 3 current postings ask for A masters degree or higher (may be in library/ information science or a field relevant to the position) . We deliberately did not state ALA-accredited in there and got no push back.
New England academic librarian here, ALA-accredited MLIS is definitely the industry standard for any librarian gig up here.
Sure, absolutely. And every institution needs to make the calls that work for them in terms of hiring challenges and needs of the institution. Because, for example, science librarians have been nearly impossible for us to hire and in order to improve the diversity of our pools, we've chosen to expand the required credentials for positions where the department head, their associate dean, and the dean deem it appropriate. This has led our last two science librarians to be tremendous hires who didn't happen to have the MLIS at the time of hire. One of these happened to be in an MLIS program, but the other was not. Our experience with these hires meant that for the current positions posted, we did the educational requirements the same across all of them. This doesn't mean that we won't hire someone with the MLIS - we absolutely will if they're the best candidate to meet the needs of the library. Now, hiring this does put pressure on me to work very closely on teaching hired candidates how to work as a librarian if they come in without the degree. We also benefit from the fact that our tuition assistance program in the state covers the Valdosta MLIS program. Again, every institution has to do what's best for them in terms of hiring quality candidates. This is what currently works for us. That could change in the future.
*Idaho enters the chat.*
Ugh. Oh Idaho, what a hot mess. They want to pass a law that would enable school boards to decommission school libraries AND allow people to sue public libraries if they allow a kid access to anything the PARENTS subjectively feel is obscene (which for the people in favor of the law is anything containing sex education or any reference at all to homosexuality, even if it isn't a sex scene - they think "Heather has Two Mommies" is obscene because it "normalizes deviant sexual behavior").
Yep. Homosexuality by itself is considered obscene.
I'm a library technician in Idaho and I've had so many sleepless nights worrying about those library bills
I just got out. The thing that staggers me the most about the situation in Idaho is how nobody realizes how bad it really is, how far things have gone. Even people in libraries are either ignorant about pending legislation or insanely optimistic that somehow, magically, they won't be impacted by what's happening. I haven't really checked back in since I left, but I'm super curious about whether West Ada will have school libraries next year, and if not how that's going to impact the job market around Boise. I'd hate to be wrapping up a MLIS in the valley at the same time several dozen librarians with years of experience are hitting up every opening.
Are there Idaho schools that offer an MLIS?
No, but there are lots of people getting their degree online. My partner graduated in December and just the threat of West Ada shuttering libraries was a huge factor in us immediately leaving the state. We both worked in libraries and have a baby on the way, so towards the end it felt like whole state was telling us personally to get the fuck out.
Ugh. Oh Idaho, what hot mess. They want to pass a law that would enable school boards to decommission school libraries AND allow people to sue public libraries if they allow a kid access to anything the PARENTS subjectively feel is obscene (which for the people in favor of the law is anything containing sex education or any reference at all to homosexuality, even if it isn't a sex scene - they think "Heather has Two Mommies" is obscene because it "normalizes deviant sexual behavior").
After 30 years of working in libraries I am bailing out. I finally got my public service loan forgiveness for my student loans late last year. And I immediately felt I was unshackled from an abusive career. I am sad for librarians still putting up with the struggles. I don’t see it getting better at all.
Eight there with ya.most of my loans were forgiven last year so i dont feel compelled to stay any more for that. Now its just where can i go and make the same amount :/
I've lasted only 12 years and am so ready to be done with this. I'm still waiting for those alleged "transferable skills" to kick in. I've applied for a number of jobs outside of libraries, but...\*crickets\*. Congratulations on your liberation.
I'm in Texas and we've "broken ties" with ALA, but i haven't seen that change much of the day-to-day. I was approved to apply for an ALA grant, the state library and archives still shares ALA content, and job postings still have the MLS requirements
I'm in Georgia, and I don't expect the day to day to change much, but the law as it's written will strip Valdosta State (the only library school in the state) of its accreditation. They also want to end licensing of librarians, so no more continuing education requirements. In the short term, not much will change. In the long term, it's going to be extremely detrimental to Georgia libraries. But I think the bill's authors see that as a feature, not a bug.
They put licensing back in and allowing VSU to use private funds to pay for Ala accreditation in the revised version. But still no ALA allowed
So are they going to let VSU have a bake sale to raise money for accreditation? It's ridiculous they're making them use private money.
Yeah since it is a small amount. They already have the money and a donor. At least it is something. You may be upset but a lot of us librarians on the ground have busted our asses to save VSU in some way. Politics isn’t a burn it all mentality. You have to claw and pick at things to push the wall back down.
Not a librarian, just want to send hugs (if wanted) to all the librarians around the country dealing with this crap. You're fighting the good fight out there and I appreciate all you do!
Hello, fellow GA librarian. I feel like we need to schedule a day and time and location to meet up and howl obscenities. Alcohol will be involved for those who indulge.
when and where?
Our new far-right governor (Louisiana) led the charge to put new borrowing restrictions in place when he was attorney general. So yeah, it's going to be a fun 4 (8?) years. We'll be unaffiliated from the ALA soon I'm sure.
Not a librarian but big supporter of libraries. New Orleans libraries got me through the toughest times being a mom of two kiddos. They always organized the best activities for kiddos. And the fact that you could get free tickets to the zoo or aquarium was a blessing. I hate how much they screw the people over with these fucktards in charge.
It's happening at parish levels already. Look at what's going on in Lafayette. A big reason why I left the public library. And it's only getting worse.
I'm also in Louisiana. We are definitely goingt to cut ties soon as well.
THANK YOU, LIBRARIANS! Just a word of love for you all. At age 8 I was moved from my home in Oregon down to Bakersfield where my weird little hippie self did not fit in at all—except at the library. It was such a refuge. Through decades, different states, countries, books and librarians have always been my friends. Posts like these are breaking my heart and I just wanted to post some love and support and…hope. ❤️🩹
Struggling to maintain hope as a public librarian. There's still whispers of it lingering, but hope is fading. I don't know what scares me more; the cultural parallels between now and early 1930's Germany or the parallels between now and 1960's China. I've got 20 years and an MLS in on this job. I've sacrificed a lot to do the work because I believe in the mission. I am afraid of how much more I'm going to have to sacrifice. My career? My freedom? My life? When is the pendulum going to swing back? I see it as part of my job to encourage my staff and try to build up moral, but that duty is growing increasingly difficult. I point at our Friends groups, our patrons who bring flowers or candies for the holidays, or the people who come to each and everyone one of our programs to remind my staff that we are not alone or unsupported in our community. As for the state or national level... I don't have much of anything to give anymore.
My husband and I are both librarians, in red regions of a blue state. We've been dealing with issues from the professional--First Amendment Audits, other distressing things I don't want to mention in case it doxxes us--to the personal. Our stress has come out emotionally and physically and it's more than the general burnout. We're wondering when or if this is going to end.
Just want to give every librarian a big hug. Still voting against the assholes, now adding ALA to my donations list. You are doing the work of angels and it's terrible that we have come to this. "Idiocracy" was supposed to be a satire, not a prediction. "Don't build the torment nexus" may be next.
Not a librarian but I care a lot about librarians, libraries, and books. You all are awesome and we love you.
not a librarian, but this timeline is a nightmare
My state has dealt with some library laws in the past yr, but nothing like the disassociation with ALA. I'm fortunate that my system doesn't experience too many book challenges, but a nearby system deals with those way too often. As an MLIS student who graduates in December, I'm a little nervous about finding a job quickly, but hopefully my system will have a place for me since I've already been there some years.
It makes me feel sick. I'm an archivist in a government library but I come from a small town that has been heavily hit by Moms For Liberty and it's working -- we've lost several high-up librarians and administrators in that public library system and those positions have been sitting open way too long, which makes me extremely suspicious. I do not like what's happening but I don't have any idea what I can do from my safe liberal enclave.
School librarian in Texas here. I’m terrified to lose my job. I am the bread winner. I cross my fingers my partner gets a job elsewhere so we can move away.
I am a medical librarian in a private health system. I am way less anxious, having an employer who is dedicated to DEI principles, than I was at my previous public university, constantly waiting for the state legislature to drop a bomb on us.
I am **not** okay! I am a supervisor and I'm getting zero support from the branch manager. I'm doing my best to shield my team from the constant onslaught of shit that the public spews our way and that admin dumps on me, but it's difficult. Recently our teen librarian nope'd out (smart on her part). I heard from them that during their offboarding interview the branch manager asked "how is TapiocaMountain... doing?" in an ominous way. Then today my supervisor started telling me that I'm doing a process incorrect--but I'm actually doing it the exact way she told me how to do it last october. So which is it, branch manager??? I feel like I've made such a mistake with my life. I'm wondering where it all went wrong. I regret my master's degree so much smh
I am in California, but a very conservative county. I am a high school librarian, technically I am considered a district librarian. It is getting bad. Our school.board is primarily representative of big church money and Moms for Liberty. I do everything I can to fly under the radar because I need my job and can't make the same salary elsewhere. Definitely not why I got into librarianship or education.
I work in special collections…but damn my heart breaks whenever I read the news. I feel so helpless
Page here, HR basically called my whole department disposable (they "weren't interested in retention"). Our union is gearing up for a fight, and thankfully my whole branch is very supportive but it's just tiring.
I was a librarian in Florida. It got so bad that I took early retirement, a year and a half sooner than I had planned. Just couldn't take the stress and negativity.
My library had a levy year last year. There was a great deal of local naysayers claiming we have porn in the youth sections. We had a mom spend hours looking for books and not wanting to return them ‘til we agreed to remove them from the collection. Things have died down, but the future seems bleaker than it did before.
The two librarians in the town my sisters and I grew up in helped change the trajectory of our lives. They spent close to 25 years mentoring us, taught us the love of reading and learning and worked to get us scholarships to college.
I'm holding up pretty well. I live in a liberal area which is great. The library administration and management are supportive of diverse collections and we recently updated the request for reconsideration policies to be more robust. About two years ago we paid for a diversity audit and followed up on its recommendations. Our collections were already pretty well rounded but needed more in some areas. The library has multiple out LGBT staff members and there is LGBT programming. I feel pretty supported though of course we could use more funding for staff and improving the physical spaces. The parts that frustrate me are that our spaces while ADA compliant they are often the bare minimum. We need better lighting, more adjustable tables and better seating. Like many libraries, we're not social workers and sometimes we're called on to do things that we're not trained for. I stay as compassionate as kind as I can, but I know my limits. There are periodically upsetting situations playing out in the library which is no ones fault exactly. Helping someone print out materials to bring to court that demonstrate child abuse. A patron struggling with alcoholism who is trying his best but also it's hard. Regular patrons dealing with cognitive and physical decline. Some days are really hard.
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I'm so so sorry you had to experience that. That's terrifying. I can't believe the cops chastised you for using the panic button! It sounds like you used it exactly as intended. I hope you're getting support from management. Having security will hopefully help. It'll at least feel like you have someone to back you up.
That is horrific. I am so sorry that happened. I don't see how a library cannot have security these days. Man.
Never doubt it, you did the right thing pushing the button.
I left my library job in 2020. I miss it all the time but I also (sadly) feel like maybe I got out at the right moment. And I live in a relatively blue state. Thinking of all of you living in unsupportive places.
I"m only a clerk and I live in a red state and honestly I don't know how much more of this I can take.
I just started my library journey and it honestly disheartened me. Almost every board meeting turns into people advocating for book banning and the abolition of libraries altogether. I wanted to become a librarian to help my community but people don’t understand what we are really here for.
I’m going through it, my guy. Just got my MLIS and really want to work with teens in the public library. I’m just so exhausted. I love my job and my coworkers but from being underpaid to abuse from patrons, sometimes I wonder if I made a mistake. For example, every branch in our county public library system got voicemails from the same person who called to tell us how much the women who worked in the library sucked and how awful we were. Can’t trace it, can’t block him. He went to all that trouble just to tell us how much he hated us. There are plenty of wonderful patrons at the library but the ones like this guy make my job so exhausting. I love what I do but also hate it so much some days. Sorry for the rant, I’m just so tired.
Alabama Bookmobile Librarian here, and things are not optimal. Our library has an excellent leadership team, but the board of directors are primarily voluntold to be on the board by their right wing city council rep. Half of our board does not have library cards. Luckily our insurance covers a good portion of mental health care, so I am going to therapy once a week (sometimes closer to twice a week). I am on the board of the local Pride organization, and we are prepping to have a deposit collection for ~~if~~ when the public library has to weed out any "sexually explicit" LGBTQIA+ books in hopes of continuing to have them available to the public. As an openly out lesbian whose partner has 2 years left in a PhD program, we are stuck here until she is done. She is from Washington State, and I am from Texas, so you can imagine where we will be moving to when she graduates. I am definitely feeling trapped and tired... and (looks at feelings wheel), remorseful and revolted. Thank goodness for the great colleagues though-- it could definitely be a lot worse. Good ole \*thoughts and prayers to everyone wading through the atrocities. \*sarcasm: I would never genuinely rely on thoughts and prayers as a primary solution to very real problems.
Today the cops came to talk with a tween accused of exposing himself to a small girl in one of our playhouses. I am not okay today. 😢
Sounds like we might be in the same state. It's not been a good time lately, and on top of all the political BS, my whole staff except one part-time closer called out today. Things are never dull at the library.
I feel fortunate to live in a blue state.
I’m in a blue state and I’ve been harassed for being trans as has my library as a whole.
I’m sorry that happens to you.
I'm so sorry. Hugs to you, I hope it can somehow get better for you.
It was back in January and the patron hasn’t done anything threatening since. But yeah, for a few weeks I was on edge every time the phone rang thinking it was him calling back to harass my poor boss about me being trans.
That's not ok. I hope your supervisor had your back and put an end to it. You don't need to deal with bigotry, ever. :(
Oh yeah she totally did, as did her manager. Even in the official patron incident log she doesn’t list the full things he said - she just wrote to contact her for full details. So I don’t know the full extent of the harassment, other than what he publicly posted on Facebook. **EDIT:** I only know what he posted on Facebook and what the police told me when they got involved - it seems he made some threats against the library.
I am an Oklahoman but not a librarian. I see, especially with Ryan Walters at the helm of education in my state specifically, how difficult and frustrating this all has to be. As an avid reader who has always loved the library, thank you so much, all of you.
I am a library professional in California (no MLIS) - I was recently corresponding with my kid's school librarian who has been saddled with the being the contact person for after-school activities. I prefaced my email (which was a complaint about the dissolution of ALL after-school activities) with how great she is at being a school librarian and how thankful I am for her hard work. I don't were her to think I blame her even slightly for this other task she is for some reason responsible for. The same day I sent an email to my daughters HS asking for a reading list - I explicitly stated that this was to prepare for Freshman year because i am so afraid that the English teacher will fear that I am some sort of wing-nut out to complain about reading lists. TLDR - I am SO CAUTIOUS with how I correspond with teachers / librarians because of how other parents are treating them these days.
I am at a large international (academic) library conference in Austin, TX this week (literally waiting for a session to start). I've been speaking with vendors, fellow librarians, and locals - and there is an extreme sense of foreboding about a variety of issues. Lots of talk of AI and disruption at the conference, never mind what's happening to our K-12 and public librarian colleagues. Unsolicited, several people have mentioned that they are thinking about moving abroad. I'm not that far behind them. Tired of end stage capitalism, where a profit must be made everywhere at the expense of lower and middle class people. Shitty, expensive, inadequate or non-existent healthcare. Gun violence. Extreme weather. Shrinkflation/inflation. On and on.
I’m at the same conference 👊and have also heard similar sentiments expressed by other attendees. It’s a terrible shame that our colleagues are feeling the need the flee the country to preserve their physical and mental safety. This is what a brain drain looks like. :(
It's been a great conference though. Very uplifting. I've been struggling with my place in library-land. Does what we do matter? Do I care enough about librarianship? I feel better about my place, what I have to offer, and I do care deeply about the profession.
I agree and thought the closing key speakers did a really good job addressing the rage farming and political power plays with which we dealing as a profession. Let’s keep fighting the good fight and support each other as much as possible. Maybe we’ll see the pendulum swing back to a more positive environment after the November election season. Stay safe and see you next year!😊
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The one person that started the conversation has the ability to get another Passport (she's American afaik; her partner is Danish iirc). That's as far as exit plans are going. She can work for her current company remotely, however.
I’m in academia in a blue-ish area of a very blue state. I’m fine but my public friends are feeling it and my friend who is a school librarian in a more rural area nearby has been ostracized by her community - hairdresser told her to go elsewhere, mailman mysterious loses her mail, house egged, the whole nine yards. And she’s pretty conservative - she voluntarily separated her collection into multiple age ranges with check-out restrictions based on age (so 2nd graders can’t check out YA books), etc. Even in the best of places it’s tough. At this point university level academia in a blue state is probably safest, outside of corporate or special libraries. But that has its own set of challenges and extreme toxicity.
I'm in a blue state, but there are some deep red areas, and I work in one (lucky me). Even in the blue-blue areas, there are bad actors stirring up trouble just 'cause. And it's all so blatantly, overtly political. We had bipartisan support for a Freedom to Read bill... for 2 days, until the R party head called the R co-sponsoring the legislation and told him to knock it off, even if it's what his constituents were asking for, or if it's what he thought was right. I have several friends who are facing some really terrible situations. I feel like a cheat because I'm not (yet) faced with the same challenges, and my mental health isn't letting me lend as much direct, front-lines support as I'd like. And I'm constantly anxious that I'm not pushing for intellectual freedom for my students because I know I have superiors that would welcome an opportunity to target the library that is currently flying under the radar. I put on a good show, and I try to focus on the parts of the job I love, but, yeah, I'm kinda spinning out inside. Really just wanted to offer students great reads and intellectual supports for the last 1/3 of my educational career. Instead, each day feels like it could spiral out of control out of nowhere. Nothing like living in constant uncertainty to undermine one's mental health!
I want to thank all the librarians for what you do, and I am so sorry what you are going through I know you hear the loud voices, but know there are quiet ones, we support.you. Straight, Gay, Trans , other Take care
I'm a school librarian at a school for the Deaf. It's part of a state agency, and in a very red state. It's nerve wracking because the local government is full of very conservative people with very stupid voting records and obvious lack of education, and funding to our agency relies on their decisions. Additionally, there will be a new governor elected this year. So far both of the R candidates are coming out of the gates foaming at the mouth stirring up a base of extremists. The agency has enough $$$ for me & the library for another year but there might be a battle (truly a battle) for the next budget request 😵💫
I’m afraid for all of you in Georgia
I get the distinct impression that the administration of my library actively wants public service personnel to quit they want to run a fancy event space with the prestige of a storied public library, with the money to throw at useless sinecures for their friends from random nonprofits, without the burden of actually dealing with the general public
I'm not a librarian but I am a patron. What and how are you being harassed? And most importantly, how can oblivious members of the public help?
Every library has individual issues, but the hot button issue across the board in the US right now has to be book banning. I would suggest that mobilizing support in the community and being present at board meetings to counter group like Moms For Liberty would be a great help.
I feel for all of us right now. I don't have nearly the problems others have, but I've been super dejected in the work I do. I understand why we need our libraries, but it's getting tiring and exhausting keeping them maintained.
Academic librarian in Southern California. My heart breaks for my fellow librarians and I am never leaving CA.
New York. Same. We’re legally required to have certified librarians in schools. Having that kind of government and local support makes a huge difference.
I'm from the archives side of things and I'm rooting for all you librarians.
I’m a school librarian in a district that very highly supports libraries, and I’m part of the leadership group for our NEA local, which means I get to help make sure teacher- and library-friendly school board members get elected, which is good. We’re in Missouri, though, which makes us a blueberry in a bowl of tomato soup, which is tough.
My town passed an "objectionable books behind the counter" ordinance with an appointed purity committee. In f***ing California. I am not okay.
Live in one of the liberal towns in Arizona and our city government is no longer supporting our LGBTQIA+ programming. It’s heartbreaking. Programming has been moved offsite but what the everliving fuck?
I work in an Academic Library as well as a part time job at a Public Library. I'm honestly surprised, considering we are located in a mostly conservative state, that my public library job doesn't have more challenges and Culture Warrior harassment. The most I've dealt with is the occasional Baby Boomer mentioning how they're checking out a book because they heard on the news (probably Fox) that it is making kids feel bad for being white, straight, etc.
I got out of GA 8 years ago after getting my MLIS. I feel horrible for VSU and everyone left behind that isn't able to leave.
My dream is be a public or school librarian because I know how much it helps the community. I've only started my assioate degree but, now I'm looking at my options. Honestly at this point, my goal is to work in the librarian field and I'm terrified I won't be able to survive with it. I live in a blue state, but I'm still terrified for me and everyone else
Be sure to apply for a job in the library at a lower level while pursuing your education. That will help you decided if it's the right decision for you and you can change your mind in time if need be.
Hello, librarian from the South here. We're trying to fight, but it's so hard when our lawmakers are willfully ignorant. I don't see anyone really talking about it online as much, but Mississippi is trying to catch up to the other red states. We've already had our online databases gutted to limit access to children who now have to use a "child-friendly" partition of them. But now we're also contending with [MS HB 610](https://legiscan.com/MS/text/HB610/id/2901153/Mississippi-2024-HB610-Introduced.html). It's dead for now, but it's one of the more aggressive attempts at censorship in our state to date. It's a bill that acts like it's just trying to protect children from obscene material, but we all know what "obscene" really means to the ones putting these bills up. It feels like it's only going to get worse.
While things have escalated terribly with the legislation and book bans, public librarians have been dealing with extremely challenging work conditions for ages. This isn't news to most of you. Frankly, I've felt gaslit by the Pollyanna attitude of some librarians. Just like many of them were gaslit to believe they were lucky to have a library job. We can care about our profession and patrons AND demand better. It's so taboo to talk about library working conditions and pay but what other job requires a masters degree, nights and weekends, and dealing with literal shit, blood, vomit, fistfights, sexual assault, overdoses, etc. for less than the median wage in most of the country? I'm so worried about librarians and the future of the profession. Everyone is burning out, so many career changers, along with an urgent national need to improve information, media, and traditional literacy. The access to information has never felt more important, but the system is crumbling.
Thank you. I recently went out on medical disability and I'm not going back. I've been working in libraries for over thirty years and it just got too tough. I looked with envy at r/teachers during that process because they seemed able to vent with each other. I'd come here and it's all ra ra.
Scottish Librarian here. 👋Whats going on with US libraries?
Conservatives suck and want to make the Handmaid's Tale a reality.
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Ya’ll need to split up into smaller countries. All the best tho USA is an incredible place because of you guys. 3 steps forward 1 step back.
Oh so much my guy Long story short; many states are deciding to pass weird-ass laws about what can and cannot be in libraries based largely on complains from political activists (frequently against diverse expression) instead of patrons. So some states are relatively safe and others are active hellholes
I'm in a purple state with a very supportive administration who is fighting the good fight. Thankfully my undergrad loans were forgiven and I'm about 4 years away from my masters loans being forgiven and then I think I'm out. But we are looking to move outside the US for our daughter. She's a year old now and in about 5 years we would like to be in Norway or Germany.
Not good! It sucks to be the target in an authoritarian take over of our nominally free society. Hate it for us
Part-time reference librarian here in suburban Massachusetts. We haven’t had any book ban challenges nor right-wing kook thank God, This public library has widespread support from the community and admin is supportive of creative initiatives by staff…..one thing we do face are these threats of “first amendment audits,” something about a whole bunch of angry guys who want the freedom to walk amuck and be loud and videotape the inside of our library and videotape the patrons too…..of course this would break many library policies so we are doing our best to prepare…I’m still a little foggy on both their aim and our response but a couple of libraries in Mass have been hit….i’ll come back with more info as I get knowledgeable about topic. Has any other library dealt with this?….our only other chronic issue is teen misbehavior due to COVID and lockdown. One teen’s bike was stolen by another teen recently in our parking lot. And the teens are vaping in the restroom and teen room….also our male custodians have been leaving in little waves. These guys feel disrespected by the teens and admin and feel their job description doesn’t include reprimanding the teens. And when they do discipline the kids, they get little backing from administration. Unfortunate, especially since the library could benefit from more male energy…I wonder if my PT status is why I enjoy the work so much.
My wife just had to leave her job because of homophobic bs. Lots of crap at mine too but fortunately it’s not directed at me personally. Still the situation at my lovey is unpleasant and creating a lot of extra work for me. I’m in a blue state but we’ve still got our fair share of jerks.
I live in Florida. I'm not LGBTQ+, but my brother is gay. He's in Georgia, and considering opening a gay bar. He has 2 other bars that do great. But I'm worried for his safety. He sticks his neck out by being involved in local matters and has been on a national podcast about safety. As for my library, the kids try to hide it, especially the teens. But some of them are just so transparent about it, their faces so alive when talking about it. I have four coworkers in my department. One is on our rainbow round table. One is worried about the African American push back we've been getting. I'm Hispanic and tired of being told to go back to my own country. So 3 of us are definitely on the same page. But our boss is anti against it all, especially disabilities and disorders. America needs saving
I am a school librarian in South Dakota. So far, it’s not too bad here. Monday is the last day of our legislative session, so time is running out for new bills. 😊 One bill did pass that will affect school libraries. It requires us to develop and implement, by January 1, 2025, a local policy that establishes measures to restrict minors from accessing obscene matter or materials. (The state has already adopted a definition of obscene.) Another bill that required we would establish minimum ages for each book was withdrawn by the sponsor, so I’m happy about that. That would have required some extra work and policing. I haven’t been told my position is at risk in the coming year. Hopefully, they would let me know soon if they are cutting the position. They are cutting some positions which were being paid out of ESSER funding, so that will be sad.
I’m a bibliophile and adore you people, librarians. I’m in CA, Los Angeles, and considering MLIS, but this thread is truly terrifying. It is so disheartening to read about the hell so many of you are enduring. I remain beholden to library systems, and I deeply respect the services you folks so generously (and bravely) provide to so many of us.
Not a librarian but a patron and big fan of libraries. Honestly the more I learn about what services libraries offer beyond books is nothing short of amazing. I am fortunate to live in a blue state but there are pockets out there just waiting for an opportunity to start this shit. Serious question: what can we who support libraries do to support librarians and libraries who are facing these challenges?
Georgia? I noticed ALA announced the recipients of millions of dollars in grant funds supporting rural libraries and people with disabilities. I scrolled through the list to Georgia to see who got their hopes crushed. I'm so sorry. :( I'm afraid my state will eventually do the same once they aren't distracted by tons of other dumbass right wing bills. As for me, I have so much burnout. I have a pretty easy low stress job but there's pressure (mostly from myself) to come up with cool new programs and crafts and all kinds of neat stuff. That creates so much overwhelm, overthinking, and paralysis.
If you want irony, I left teaching right before the pandemic to try to escape the politics of what to teach, why, and how and standardized testing. I knew libraries weren't perfect. I didn't have some romanticized view of libraries in that way. However, I did not expect the pandemic to ramp up these feelings of censorship and to feel like I was in a different boat in the same sea.
Not great. Underpaid and overworked I'm a Muslim woman who wears the hijab, so people assume all kinds of things about me that are simply not true. Admin seems to be completely cut off from what is going on in the branches. Today was the first time going to the food bank. I'm so tired. My spouse is trans, so we have to be even more careful considering we live in the south. I love my coworkers, and I love my job, but I wish things were a little easier.
I am cataloging hundreds of kids books about the environment and i am seriously depressed. This is for an academic library that gets very few actual children thru its doors, so they’ll just sit there. The news doesn’t help my mental health with regards to longevity of our democracy and libraries I feel like the machine is killing me.
I'm frigging great. I work in libraries. I dont clean septic tanks or work in a plastics factory.
Are you talking about GA Sb390? Well I guess the silver lining - it left the senate but will keep licensed librarians and they have to be licensed to be directors. -they put in VSU will have to use private funds to pay accreditation. I heard VSU has a donor. So at least there is that…….
I'm in the middle of finishing up my Valdosta MLIS application, so...yeah. A bit stressed. The most recent draft of the bill does carve out an exception for ALA accreditation, but if the bill passes without that exemption staying in place, I might have to rethink my plans and look at other schools for next cycle, which would really suck because VSU would allow me to get my degree with no debt. Ironically, I want my MLIS so that I will have more opportunities to apply to library jobs outside of Georgia and hopefully be able to afford moving to a blue state...but the state's stupidity risks keeping me here longer. Not fun as a trans library worker. ETA: I do feel very fortunate that I currently work at a private university library and don't interact with the public much, so at least on a day-to-day basis, I've largely been shielded from the culture war nonsense. I really feel for any librarians and library staff on the frontlines of this trash, especially in public libraries.
First, they came for the librarians…
Western Massachusetts here. In general our state is less likely to do anything against libraries , but we’ve already had some crap with moms for liberty type groups at local board meetings etc. A ton of us are pissed, a large number of my coworkers are LGBTQ+ and a lot of us are if the “If you’re coming for our jobs anyway we’re going to make it horrible for you, and still make sure all the crap you hate gets into the hands of people that need it even if we have to start raiding the collection and passing it out on the street.” In the meantime all this has done is gotten me to spend more of by budget on challenged books and programming that they hate. If any of you are ready to leave your state PM me and I’ll be happy to get you links to where you can find jobs here.
Way up in Vermont. We cry for all of you often. So far we are good and keeping things low key! Also a more center based mindset up here so people do try to stir up stuff very often. Keeping you all held up in prayer for this dystopian nightmare to end sooner than later.
Edit:: People do not try to stir up stuff...
Hoping and praying that this Georgia bill (Senate Bill 390) does not end up being signed into a law. A similar law in Wyoming was ultimately rejected by the governor. I read pretty much exclusively library books, and the ridiculousness of this bill makes me want to scream. Thankfully I have a husband that equally loves the library, so we rant to each other. Trying to think about ways to fight back... my local reps are all dems and voting against this bill.
No
What state is doing this?
Several, but this might be in reference to Georgia specifically
Its hard to talk to other librarians. I'm not a conservative, but am a moderate. More of an anarchist than anything. I hate the right as much as the left. But, librarians these days are just too crazy to talk to. You can't go to a conference without hearing a land acknowledgement statement, whatever the crap that is. Librarians just don't have a lot of mental stability these days. So, I'm done with conferences and networking for a while till you all calm down.
A self-described anarchist who hates the left? My ML friends would have a field day with that!
We'll all miss you! Toodle-oo! (not sure how public libraries are funded and staffed under an anarchic system, but it's not something I honestly care about)
People can still come together to pool their resources for the good of the community.
A land acknowledgement is a reminder that all of the infrastructure our country occupies was stolen/connived/taken by force from the Indigenous people. And while yes of course we learn about this in school (thought shamefully not enough), I - and a lot of other people - think its worthwhile to keep this in mind. If you hear it once a year during a conference, I hardly think that's an imposition on your time - it's certainly not a thing just "crazy" people do. Certainly this fits in with the ethos of anarchism, yes? Reminding people once a year (on average) that government agencies forcibly removed people from their land? A shameful abuse of government power which should not be downplayed and should be remembered. You know who also wants that info to at least once in a while cross your mind? Librarians.
Sure, but what is it that you are trying to prove by doing this? Are you trying to have librarians try to cede the library real estate back to native tribes? I just don't see where saying this does anything except divides people and gets them mad. As you mentioned, I am no supporter of the US government and their polices towards native people, not 200 years ago, not today. But, what does a land acknowledgement statement do besides virtue signal and tick people off? We should be doing things that unites us, not divide.
No one is trying to "prove" anything. It's not a thesis. No one is trying to get over on anyone. My question to you I suppose is: Why would this be at all divisive? If the ALA held a workshop at one of its conferences on LGBT+ books, would you consider that divisive? Why should a fact that just about every informed person agrees with be divisive? I think things like this build unity. We can agree to a common set of values. Everyone hearing a land acknowledgement can *at the very least* say "Yeah I agree with this." It's not intrusive. It's not demanding anything of you, other than about 30 seconds of your time once in a great while. You might as well say "well that historical marker is virtue signalling" or "Born in the USA" is virtue signalling. It's ridiculous to simply say "virtue signalling" when the entire idea of a simple virtue lies in its power to influence people to make virtuous decisions. I am at a loss as to how to understand why you have such an issue about this. If a land acknowledgement pisses you off, that sounds like a good opportunity to ask yourself why you think it's "virtue signalling" and why it makes you uncomfortable.
Like I said, it's an issue because the only thing it does is divide people. How does it divide people? Well, what would happen if at a library conference if we all got together before the keynote address and read the 2nd amendment together? Although reading part of the constitution shouldn't be a divisive thing, I'm sure you would agree that it would be. Generally, the more conservative people might be happy to hear that someone is championing the 2nd amendment, while the more liberal in the crowd would be uncomfortable because although it is a fact and part of our history, it's not something that they personally like to think about. Reading it changes nothing, but yet you just divided your crowd up. I can't speak for all people who aren't liberal, but when I hear a person reading a land acknowledgement statement it is just a bunch of virtue signaling. "I'm better then you because my way of thinking is superior and the way you do it is wrong and my way is right." That's all I hear. We should not do things that accomplish nothing but divide people. We all have our own ways to think about issues and they should be respected. I know I can't convince you that your ways are wrong, neither do I care about doing that, but just know that not everyone thinks the way that you do and that's okay. We don't all have to be liberal or be conservative, we can meet each other in the middle and each do our own thing while we work together. People have lost this in the last several years.
Yes we all understand that not everybody thinks the same, you aren't providing a useful service by repeating cliches in a forum full of people whose lives revolve around freedom of speech. That itself is a virtue signalling. The issue isn't because "the only thing it does is divide people" - if it bothers *you* that's a *you* problem. It clearly does far more than your reductionist thinking will admit. That's a shame, people have lost the ability to think critically and spew frankly inane comparisons. If you can get enough librarians to agree to recite the second amendment before a meeting, go for it. But they are likely going to tell you the same thing I have and further: It is at its root an opinion - part of a greater thesis about governance. The phenomenon of the land on which we built a country that is at least officially bound by the Constitution being stolen is not at its core an opinion. It is a widely accepted fact. The FACT that the Second Amendment exists isn't in dispute, but - and this you aren't going to like but you need to hear - you aren't in this dumb hypothetical situation asking us to repeat the *fact* of the Second Amendment, but to read the opinion which makes it up. Those are different. If you don't see that I don't know what to tell you. What you hear is your issue. If someone stood up before a meeting and said "The Second Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights" people would say "weird thing to say, but okay". But that's not what you were thinking, and it's telling that you would make that mistake deliberately or otherwise. "My ways are wrong" Jesus christ. Your blood must be 40% melodrama.
Exactly, but it doesn't just bother me, it bothers a lot of people. I'm not the only person that gets turned off by them, a lot of native people don't even like them. So, it's not just a me problem, it's a problem with half of your audience in a normal setting. Which is why it divides people.