I am sitting at home on my day off, a veritable pharmacy of cold and flu remedies sitting beside me. Outside, the rain it raineth mighty and long. It seems like a good time to reflect on the big change through which I am about to go.

I have two weeks of work remaining as a Library Assistant at Hastings Pubic Library. 

I am sad to be leaving the public library service, but there are just no librarian jobs here at the moment - a situation that is not likely to improve any time over the next 5 years. It’s been getting harder and harder to provide the level of service that we would like. I’m not going to get in to a massive discussion of austerity (hint: it’s a con) and spending cuts here, but these things are undeniably having an impact on our ability to do a good job. Library assistants are being asked to do more and more, with fewer and fewer of us to do it (whilst there have not been any redundancies at this level, staff are not being replaced when they leave). Their is a background hum of doom and gloom about the place.

But I digress.

I have absolutely loved my time in Hastings Library - I've met some wonderful folks, become part of a community, made a difference in people’s lives. It is a great job, and I’m grateful for the opportunities it has offered me.

I am now ready (I hope) for my next challenge.

 

On the 1st of June, I will take up the position of School Librarian at a secondary school in Brighton (this school has the best house names of any school I have come across - Angelou! Russell! Turing! Good work, school!). 

This will be the first time in 15 years that I will have had a job with weekends off! I will have six weeks off over Summer! But this makes it sound like I’m only excited about the amount of time I will be spending NOT at work (hint: this is NOT TRUE).

  • I can’t wait to learn a whole new set of skills, and utilise old skills in new ways, in a whole new working environment. 
  • I am nervous about dealing with surly teenagers.
  • I am looking forward to dealing with delightful teenagers.
  • I am worried that I might feel isolated amongst the teaching staff. 
  • I am excited about all the books that will be under my command.

These are just a handful of the emotions waltzing through my chest at the moment. I have very little rational doubt that I will be fine, but since when has rationality had anything to do with it? But here we go, my first job as a Librarian!

I hope I never become blasé about describing myself as a librarian. A swell of pride tingles within me every time I do it.

NB: I have resisted using the phrase “staring a new chapter”. I hope you appreciate this sacrifice.