At the library... official MoneySavingExpert.com ...

[MSE Lawrence]

This is a special discussion as part of the

Boost Your Income

article, all about

Working at the library

which is part of the Work, work, work section

Please feel free to add your comments, suggestions or questions

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[MushyPeas]

Does this mean working as a part-time librarian, or using the library as an office?

[carolrhart]

Browsing through the money making section, I came across the 'work in a library it's so peaceful and relaxed' idea. As a Chartered Librarian of 15 years I have to say this is a bit of an outdated idea - has anyone been in a library lately? Modern, successful libraries are busy, buzzing places and I can assure you that working in one is far from relaxing! It's a great job, one that I love and would certainly encourage others to do, but please don't go for a library job thinking it's a quiet wee job where you'll have time to kick back and read the books!

[scottishsuz]

Seconded, I've been working in a library for 7 years and I'm on my way to becoming qualified, I love my job but its certainly not peaceful and relaxing I can assure you!

I'm not sure what other areas are like but in Tayside, library jobs are few and far between and any jobs that do appear tend to have very high application rates.

[windywendy]

Obviously it has been some time since you went into a library Martin. The library where I work has security guards and we have children excluded from school in all day using the internet to download porn (they manage to by-pass the blocks) and go onto chatrooms. We get called all sorts of names, are threatened, some staff have had their cars damaged,some are on drugs etc. We have had computers and money stolen,the toilets are left in an appalling condition - I could go on and on! It is certainly not a relaxed environment or "the perfect break from day-to-day stress" believe me!

[scottishsuz]

Oh wendy that sounds awful, are you working in a public library per chance?

I heard a horrible story from a librarian in a not very nice area who had an air gun shoved in her face a couple of years ago. Thankfully I work in an academic library, the worst it generally gets is irate staff and students, I've only been yelled at a couple of times in 7 years.

[Baileys Babe]

I work in a small but busy public library. Very satisfying but hard work, deffinatley not quiet. Fortunatley had very little problems with bad behviour over the years.

[windywendy]

Originally Posted by scottishsuz

Oh wendy that sounds awful, are you working in a public library per chance?

I heard a horrible story from a librarian in a not very nice area who had an air gun shoved in her face a couple of years ago. Thankfully I work in an academic library, the worst it generally gets is irate staff and students, I've only been yelled at a couple of times in 7 years.

Only yelled at a couple of times in 7 years - blimey I get shouted at more times in a day than that!! Yes it is a public library and we do get some lovely people in but unfortunately we are getting quite a lot that aren't.

[Time4Tea]

I agree with all of the above. I'm a newly qualified librarian and am struggling to find a job, despite working as a library assistant for 4 years. I can't wait to get somewhere but it is challenging, and rewarding, work.

[pianoshazza]

I love this site BUT I agree with other opinions posted here. I have worked in my local library for the last 8 years and it is NOT a quiet peaceful place! I love my job and most of the "Borrowers" or the "Great unwashed" as they are fondly known but don't ever think of it as a quiet relaxing job......it is very physically demanding moving stock around etc and emotionally when dealing with aggressive, rude and confrontational members of the public. And of course we have to make sure we are polite and welcoming at all times!! But it is so often a rewarding, interesting and challenging job and I wouldn't want to work anywhere else!

[SparkyG]

<<Many find working in this relaxed environment the perfect break from day-to-day stresses regardless of the extra cash. How much? Usually minimum wage... but it's so peaceful>>

Martin, Martin - Love you, love this site, but where on earth do your researchers get their information?:confused: 'Relaxed environment', 'so peaceful'? When was the last time you visited a busy town centre library?

No longer are libraries full of gentle little old ladies choosing their Mills and Boon or Catherine Cookson. Oh no, thanks partly to our wonderful government's initiative, we now have banks of public PC's which are supposedly for the great British public to have access to online information and education, but in reality are just there for kids to play PC games (while interacting very loudly with their mates), and for the local perverts to surf the soft porn sites. Oh yes, of course the staff on the minimun wage are expected to police these activites, with the occasional help of our local friendly PCSO's.

I have worked in our local library for the last 22 years, (ok, I'll admit I love it ), but it is exhausting, physically and mentally demanding work, where we have to be social workers, childminders, counsellors, mind readers, diplomats, and a 1001 other roles, not to mention the expectation of being experts on every subject under the sun

90% of our customers are wonderful, and that is what keeps us going, and makes the job so rewarding, but peaceful it ain't!!

SparkyG

[DUKE]

Our library's great, but it did go through a phase of having someone in there who loved the sound of their very own loud voice :rolleyes:

[pink_poodle_queen]

What I find sadly amusing is the number of librarians who use this website! Clearly it reflects the poor wages we receive - well below the UK average - yet we have to deal with some pretty unpleasant situations day-in-day-out, particularly those in public libraries. Fortunately I got out of public libraries early on in my career, did my degree, and got into academic libraries; the wages are still well below average, but at least we don't have to put up with the same hassles as those of our colleagues in the public service! I can't remember when I last went into a public library, but I do remember it certainly wasn't quiet, peaceful, not conducive to study/work. That is NO reflection on the staff, but is a reflection on those misusing the valuable service offered.

[bigpat]

Originally Posted by windywendy

some staff have had their cars damaged,some are on drugs etc.

Hee hee....I'm sure you didn't mean to phrase it like that...but then again?

I'm a regular at our library and I love it there!

[windywendy]

Well SparkyG, your thread could have been written by me! I have worked in the library for 22 years and my colleagues and myself have said exactly the same as you - we are childminders, social workers etc. and the public seem to think we know about everything from A to Z. I tell my family about things that have happened in the library and they have said that nobody would believe me.If we didn't laugh about the situations we find ourselves in, we would despair. It certainly isn't like the good old days!

By the way - I love red wine too!

[roger_c]

I've got some work-related exams coming up and I chose to study in my local library - Hillhead Library on Byres' Road in Glasgow primarily because I thought library = peace & quiet with no distractions.

Like some of you have said, the first day I arrived I thought I'd never be able to get anything done, because there was no susshhhhing by a scary librarian and people were just talking at the normal volume all they liked! But after a couple of days I've gotten used to it and it's been a productive few days.

I think the library is a great resource with free wi-fi and internet access for all and it's great to see parents bringing their kids to encourage them to read. Although I've had no action interaction with the staff, I've seen the work they do and I must say I wouldn't frankly have the patience, but good on them!

[gracie83]

Originally Posted by Time4Tea

I agree with all of the above. I'm a newly qualified librarian and am struggling to find a job, despite working as a library assistant for 4 years. I can't wait to get somewhere but it is challenging, and rewarding, work.

I am in the same situation if you don't live in london, are a qualified teacher or a librarian with many years of experience - forget it! Been looking for near two years now since i qualified and so far there has been 1 new librarian post in the Birmingham area!

I have just shown my library collegues the library work recommendation and they are getting strange looks from the students as they are laughing so hard!

[victoriaplum1]

i also work in a public library and can vouch for the fact that it is not peaceful anf relaxing! The job is more like a bouncers job, as half our time is spent trying to stop fights between teenagers who tend to come in out of the cold and rain, use the internet for 10 mins get bored and start irritating each other! i have just got a job in a university library I am hoping it will be slightly calmer!

[xXxHollyBxXx]

I know a lot of the larger libraries are busy places, and some sound awful! But my local village library looks like a nice place to work, always quiet and peaceful, and the librarians don't seem rushed off their feet (always time for a chat which is nice). And the library at my school seems like the best place to work ever! There's the occasional idiotic child that needs to be dealt with but most of the time (I'm in there a lot doing homework etc., and at lunch time with my friends) the librarians just sit back with a cup of tea, occasionally tidying up the newspapers etc! A family friend covered for one of the usual librarians while she went on maternity leave and said it was a fab job. I think the ideal of a quiet, peaceful library where the work is interesting and not at all stressful is rare, but they do exist and there are a lucky few who manage to get jobs at them!

[HeyBigSpender]

Ha ha! I am only reading this thread now, as I was browsing through the boost your income article and was puzzled by the seemingly random inclusion of the suggestion about working in a library.

Having worked in the library sector for 15 years, I don't know what to be more amused by: that it is an easy, peaceful way to earn dosh? The implication that there are lots of part time posts available? That it is good money? Oh dear!

Thanks for giving me a good laugh this morning anyway.