Things I did not know enough to expect:
- People really do believe that power – even the limited and largely inconsequential power of a library director – corrupts, and appear to be waiting to see my Jekyll mask fall away, revealing the power-mad Hyde beneath.
- I don’t get my own mail anymore, and it’s for the best that the Secretary handles it, because I wouldn’t know what to do with half of it, anyway. My sense of independence and self-reliance took a blow on that one. Small, but meaningful.
- I know the phone number of several members of the Physical Plant staff by heart.
- I can’t determine whether people copy me on emails because they think Jenica would be interested, or because they want the Director to be aware.
- If I fail to smile when I walk into/through/across the library, someone’s likely to take it personally, regardless of my own reasons for whatever stormcloud of distraction or frustration might be over my head.
- My calendar now has things magically appear on it, because the Secretary schedules me for things. I have to actually pay attention to it, because I can’t possibly keep it in my head like I used to, since Angie’s changing it when needed.
- There is no such thing as a “free morning in my office”, because inevitably something comes up.
- I really need a Director of Libraries nametag for off-campus meetings, because apparently, even in my shiny new I’m The Authority Figure Now wardrobe, I just don’t look old enough.
There will be more. I have no doubt. (I would include “caller ID on my phone is brilliant”, except, well, I was anticipating that one, so it doesn’t fit this list…)
Caller ID is brilliant even if you’re not a library director. For example, it lets me know when the library director is calling me.
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I told you early on in the discussions about you taking the position that I kept flashing to this image:
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We are purchasing a digital camera for our tiny library and one of our board members has a friend who knows a great deal about them. So, A sends off an e-mail saying we want a camera that costs less that X and will be used for Y. The response comes back suggesting a couple and also suggesting we choose one with a large screen and buttons given the age of those who will be using it. Huh? A re-read his message. Nowhere did he mention our ages. Aparently, all small town librarians are in their dotage. The first thing we did with it was take a picture of the student working for this summer (aged 24) and sent it to A’s friend saying the librarian really likes the new camera.
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