Fini

Today is my last official day at the library.  It is actually a paid leave day; Friday was my last day at work.  On Friday, as I had for the two weeks since I gave notice, I walked around doing my job with a tremendous sense of relief.  I was relieved that I would no longer have to "live" in a pigsty with people who never cleaned up after themselves...

No more tripping over tiles in the staff room that have been up for years, or having to sit at a station that actually blocks my view of patrons as they walk up because the branch manager wants lots of "space" at the front desk.

Especially, no more throwing books away.  And now, I am free to speak out without fear of retaliation, or the new coolness of some of my fellow employees.

But now that I am home, I am also remembering all that my years at the library gave me, because I am not one to stay at a job that gives nothing back.

My first day at the reference desk, as a substitute in training, Michael, the reference manager, had made up a reference quiz, which was the starting point for real learning about the depth of a public library.  And this Charleston County Library was indeed a library with depth.

Sometime that same week, the assistant reference manager showed me how to do a search to find out what new videos had come into the system, which to me was a bit like Dorothy's first glimpse of the Emerald City.

I felt strongly, even when passed up for promotions at other branches because managers hire and promote those they know, that this library was where I belonged.  And it was, until two years ago, when the new director let everyone know he was there to "shake things up".

And he did shake things up, smashing much along the way.

So I will be always glad for the years I spent, overworked, underemployed, and underpaid, but able to work at a place that felt like my home.