Q: I’m a librarian, and my role is often misunderstood. Some parents think of me as a dinosaur and don’t understand why the school wastes money on my position. They think that because information is available online, there’s no need for library instruction. One parent even emailed the principal to argue that the school needs an extra reading specialist more than it needs me. The insults don’t stop there. People will use my space for staff training without giving me any heads-up. I’m expected to just push into classrooms instead, upending my routine at a moment’s notice. PTA meetings are held in the library on Friday nights, and parents often bring their children. The kids will use my supplies and knock books off shelves, then leave the mess for me. It’s so disheartening to arrive at 7:20 a.m. on a Monday only to spend the first half hour of my day cleaning up. On top of these complaints, I feel isolated. As the only librarian in the building, I don’t have a support system. I consider myself a professional and have evolved with the times. Yes, I read to kids and do traditional activities, but I also teach media literacy and introduced hands-on STEAM projects to the students. The three people who held this position before me fled after one year, and I suspect I’m on that same trajectory. How can I deal with this so I don’t get even more demoralized (or simply leave)?
A: These days, librarians play an increasingly expansive role. They help students identify reliable, trustworthy sources, discern bias, distinguish between real and fake news, and learn how to perform research. Google searches can’t answer every question. And let’s not forget that librarians are helping students develop a love of reading. Fictional characters act as mirrors and windows. They help kids build empathy and understand themselves and others. What parent doesn’t want to raise a decent, kind human being?
Many librarians, like you, also are creating maker spaces. They’re facilitating not just ideas, but also inventions and creations. The new Kit Kat commercial — which depicts a stereotypical librarian wearing a cardigan and shushing kids — doesn’t accurately represent the field. This is all to say you deserve respect and shouldn’t have to justify your existence. To build awareness of your contributions, take advantage of opportunities to broaden your exposure. Could you write a blog or contribute to a school newsletter? Try emailing parents with updates or notes about your philosophy. You could include snapshots of representative projects. You also could make a presentation at a staff meeting or reach out to colleagues to partner on projects. Your administrator might give you a platform to speak at Back to School Night. Speaking of parents, can you attend one of those PTA meetings? You could talk about your work. If your administrator is there, they could use the moment to remind everyone that it’s important to clean up after themselves and their kids.
In other words, put yourself on everyone’s radar and proactively educate your community. People will be more likely to respect your space and time if they have a better sense of your role. Also, be upfront about your needs. Let your administration know how much time you need to plan for schedule changes. It may not have occurred to them that this is a big imposition.
To address your sense of isolation, consider joining a local professional group, whether it’s composed of maker educators, librarians or people who wear several hats. You can exchange ideas and learn from like-minded professionals. And try to be patient. As people develop an appreciation for what you do, they’ll be less likely to make offensive comments.
Have a question that you’d like Career Confidential to answer? Email to careerconfidential@pdkintl.org. All names and schools will remain confidential. No identifying information will be included in the published questions and answers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phyllis L. Fagell
Phyllis L. Fagell is the school counselor at Landon School in Washington, D.C., a therapist at the Chrysalis Group in Bethesda, Md., and the author of the Career Confidential blog. She is also the author of Middle School Matters and Middle School Superpowers, available at https://amzn.to/3Pw0pcu.
