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Librarians/Media Science Chatboard

How Do You Cope With the Workload?

by Nervous

Jul 6, 2010

My background: was a classroom teacher for 5 years, had kids & took 5 years off, got MLIS degree, now interviewing for a school lib. job, preferably in middle or high school.

I had an interview this afternoon that went really well, and I am happy about that. But I am feeling completely overwhelmed by the scope of the responsibilities if I am offered this job (even if it is not this specific job, I suspect it will be a similar situation elsewhere). I didn't go into library expecting to take an easy way out at all - but I do have small children and can't work the 12-hour days that it would probably take to get all of my duties done! Webmastering, grant writing, reaching out to local businesses, writing press releases for local media outlets, leading professional development, running a reading promotion campaign, doing booksale nights and other fundraisers, community events, technology help tickets, overseeing computer labs, doing a major weeding....without even mentioning th...See More

Teri I'm not a media specialist but I am good friends with the one at my school and, I have to tell you, her job description doesn't include half of what you listed. Primarily, she spends 90% of her time with technological issues--overseeing the computer labs, dealing with help tickets, etc. She also works the desk to relieve her full time assistant for...See MoreI'm not a media specialist but I am good friends with the one at my school and, I have to tell you, her job description doesn't include half of what you listed. Primarily, she spends 90% of her time with technological issues--overseeing the computer labs, dealing with help tickets, etc. She also works the desk to relieve her full time assistant for lunch and breaks. Her assistant does most of the checking in and out of books as well as ordering of books. They have 2-3 student aides every block who do the shelving, cleaning, etc. She doesn't do any public relations or grant writing. Nor is she in charge of professional development.

And she never stops moving with just the tasks she does have! This is at a high school with about 1200 students and 150 faculty.

On 7/06/10, Nervous wrote: > My background: was a classroom teacher for 5 years, had > kids & took 5 years off, got MLIS degree, now interviewing > for a school lib. job, preferably in middle or high school. > > I had an interview this afternoon that went really well, > and I am happy about that. But I am feeling completely > overwhelmed by the scope of the responsibilities if I am > offered this job (even if it is not this specific job, I > suspect it will be a similar situation elsewhere). I didn't > go into library expecting to take an easy way out at all - > but I do have small children and can't work the 12-hour > days that it would probably take to get all of my duties > done! Webmastering, grant writing, reaching out to local > businesses, writing press releases for local media outlets, > leading professional development, running a reading > promotion campaign, doing booksale nights and other > fundraisers, community events, technology help tickets, > overseeing computer labs, doing a major weeding....without > even mentioning the collaborating with teachers AND duties > I will have to do on my own because of no assistant > (shelving, checking out books, repair, cataloguing, > collection development, etc). All of these things were > mentioned in the course of a 45-minute interview; heaven > knows what else will come up. No student helpers are > allowed in this school, but hopefully I would have some > parent volunteers. > > HOW DO YOU ALL COPE WITH THE WORKLOAD? Does what I > mentioned seem on par with a "typical" workload? I think I > will like the job, and this particular pair of > administrators who interviewed me seem really reasonable > and nice, but I feel like I am going to hyperventilate > thinking about how I will be able to do it all without > sacrificing a great deal of time with my family. I am fine > with working a 9 or even 9.5 hour day, but it doesn't seem > like I can possibly get everything done. > > HELP!?!??!

Jul 6, 2010

Same way you eat an elephant Luckily, you don't have to do it all in one day. Your first job is needs assessment. As you get settled in, what is most important will rise to the top of the list in the form of deadlines or emergent issues.

you will have to start the school year by learning procedures and routines.

No, you don't have to do all the weeding in on...See More

Jul 20, 2010

RunswithSissors I know my response is late, but that is an unreasonable workload. Where I am, they can't require us to work beyond the contract hours. That's why unions rock.

Oct 31, 2010

Media Lady On 7/06/10, Nervous wrote: > My background: was a classroom teacher for 5 years, had > kids & took 5 years off, got MLIS degree, now interviewing > for a school lib. job, preferably in middle or high school. > > I had an interview this afternoon that went really well, > and I am happy about that. But I am feeling completely &g...See MoreOn 7/06/10, Nervous wrote: > My background: was a classroom teacher for 5 years, had > kids & took 5 years off, got MLIS degree, now interviewing > for a school lib. job, preferably in middle or high school. > > I had an interview this afternoon that went really well, > and I am happy about that. But I am feeling completely > overwhelmed by the scope of the responsibilities if I am > offered this job (even if it is not this specific job, I > suspect it will be a similar situation elsewhere). I didn't > go into library expecting to take an easy way out at all - > but I do have small children and can't work the 12-hour > days that it would probably take to get all of my duties > done! Webmastering, grant writing, reaching out to local > businesses, writing press releases for local media outlets, > leading professional development, running a reading > promotion campaign, doing booksale nights and other > fundraisers, community events, technology help tickets, > overseeing computer labs, doing a major weeding....without > even mentioning the collaborating with teachers AND duties > I will have to do on my own because of no assistant > (shelving, checking out books, repair, cataloguing, > collection development, etc). All of these things were > mentioned in the course of a 45-minute interview; heaven > knows what else will come up. No student helpers are > allowed in this school, but hopefully I would have some > parent volunteers. > > HOW DO YOU ALL COPE WITH THE WORKLOAD? Does what I > mentioned seem on par with a "typical" workload? I think I > will like the job, and this particular pair of > administrators who interviewed me seem really reasonable > and nice, but I feel like I am going to hyperventilate > thinking about how I will be able to do it all without > sacrificing a great deal of time with my family. I am fine > with working a 9 or even 9.5 hour day, but it doesn't seem > like I can possibly get everything done. > > HELP!?!??!

RUN! There is an old thread on here somewhere, where I detail all of what I am responsible for and it reads just like your list only longer. What's sad is that even if you figure out how to do all of that in an 8 hour day this will only tip off administration that you need more work. This is very indicative of where Media is headed these days. Don't be fooled by Media Specialist who say otherwise. Many times MS that are actually happy are either lying or they have administrators that are just easier on the MS at their school. There is no reason for me to lie, I would be a bad person if I told you other than what I have told you in this post. The job really is overwhelming, I would definitely do the job since jobs are tight right now, but be planning hard to find something else or get qualified in something else so in 2 years when you have had enough you can move on.

Nov 6, 2010

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