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LibraryFan · Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

I currently work as a Youth Librarian (ages 1-18) at a small, urban branch library in my library district (located in Midwest, USA). I have the opportunity to apply for a new position - the first-ever Teen Librarian at the main, large, suburban branch in my library district. I know that if I apply, I will get his job. The benefits of taking it would include: the oppotunity to work with a larger staff (meaning my job would be less stressful), the opportunity to start a Teen library program from the ground up (which would be a lot of responsibility and a lot of fun at the same time), the opportunity to work with suburban teens (i.e., nerds like me). The only thing holding me back is the fact that my husband and I will most likely be moving to NYC sometime in the upcoming May or June. I wouldn't be able to start this new job, if I take it, until the first of December. I'm worried that taking this position would be more harmful than beneficial for the organization and perhaps me as well. I know it takes a while before I really feel comfortable with a new job and I'm not sure if 5-7 months is worth it. I'm also worried about what this switch might look like to potential new employers. Will it look like I was fleeing the urban environment (bad for NYC libraries) or like I simply wanted to specialize in Teen services(good if I want to gain more Teen Librarian appeal)? Also - I know (99% sure) I'm moving and a couple of coworkers know I might be moving, but the official decision won't be made until February or March. So...should I go for it or just stick with the library I'm currently in?

Pauloz · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 4:06 am Post subject:

LibraryFan

Normally, I'd say the NYC move would be the obvious killer. However, in this case, with the economy on its backside until further notice, NYC may not be the place to be. The Big Apple is looking a lot like The Big Grape in employment terms, and the city is feeling the hits it's just taken.

(I'm an Aussie, but I cover NY on an almost daily basis as an online journalist. My Yank friends are screaming about this, particularly the New Yorkers.)

Suggest you discuss this with your husband, have a fallback strategy in hand if things in NY don't work out as you plan. A low risk, some money coming in, option doesn't hurt. Unless this NY job is a guaranteed delivery of real benefits, you'll need other options.

The library job, on the face of it, could actually be a career plus, down the track. A lower stress job isn't to be ignored, either, and working from the ground up is valuable experience.

Don't quite agree about specialization. Specialists are the eventual experts in their field, so there could be some upsides.

LibraryFan · Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

Thanks for the advice. After talking with a career counselor, I'm going to go for the job. However...I do want to give you some more specifics and see if that changes anything.

1. NYC - We're moving to NYC because my husband is a singer and he has found a wonderful teacher who teaches out of NYC. If we don't move there, he will have to simulcast his lessons via Skype and since sound quality is an issue when having a voice lesson, trying to do "online learning" in this instance would be a big mistake. Also, the public libraries in NYC pay terribly, so there are always openings. I know I would be able to find a public library job there and am prepared accommodate for the horrible wages.

2. Specialization - Consider this: public library systems often hire anywhere from 0-1 teen librarians and anywhere from 1-10 youth librarians. If I come across as someone who only works with teens, I'm eliminating a lot of opportunities. I'm not really worried about that, though, since I already have tons of experience with all ages. I just wanted to put that out there.

Probably my main concern was coming off as someone who wanted to ditch the urban scene, since NYC is very...well...urban.

Pauloz · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:06 pm Post subject:

LibraryFan

Ah, well, if it's music, there's no choice, and I dread to think what Skype could do to sound quality, given a chance.

That must be how some of these kids seem to get trained to sing in a one note range. Too much signal would kill the sound.

In that case, "expedient" work is probably the best shot. Since this isn't happening for a while, actually it'll give NYC time to have its election and do the tough bit about budgets before you get there, too.

Specialization, thinking about it, does also impose some limits, and you're obviously right about not confining yourself to one career track when you may need several. Just for the record, though, on a consultancy level, a specialization pays for itself, if that possibility comes up.

Good luck,

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