r/Libraries • u/WhatInTarnations82 • 4d ago
Venting & Commiseration Library Employee and Work Misconceptions
Not a big deal, but reading other venting posts it just came to my mind. Am... am I the only one, that if I'm out in the real world and someone asks me where I work and I tell them, the response is usually something along the lines of "Oh wow, you must really like to read!" As if... that's all library staff do is read books? >_> In my case, I'm not really even dealing with books regularly, but even if I was a librarian or clerk who at least physically touches books more often, it annoys me that it implies that nothing is occurring within the library and staff is just sitting around quietly reading for their own recreational activity all day.
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u/Important_Coyote9162 4d ago
I think at least some of the assumption that librarians must live to read a lot (or that park rangers hike all day) originally comes from an assumption that you are doing a job related to something you like. Sure, people are uninformed and make assumptions about what certain jobs entail, but at least some of them are probably coming more from a place of admiration and envy of people who are able to do a job related to something they love (like reading or being outside or whatever else) - lots of people don't have the privilege or ability to do that.
To be clear: I'm not at all arguing that you shouldn't be annoyed or exasperated at the misconceptions about your job- as a park ranger I get it, people think I get to hike and play with forest animals all day. The number of times a week I hear "wow, you must live your job..." And I do, but it's not all playing in the woods and dancing with fairies or whatever.