Just out of curiosity:
What's the experience of working in such a place been like in recent times? With the pandemic, I've heard a lot about library jobs, but people say very conflicting things. Like, some say it's been an anxiety-filled mess, with people rampaging around, ignoring all safety rules and causing trouble, and stuff like that. While others say that their particular library is almost dead, even quieter than before, which is either nice or boring depending on the individual.
Geez, it's been such a long time since I've even been in a library, come to think of it. Not that the ones around here are any good anyway.
Here's hoping you can get the job though. I will say, a change of scenery and such goes a long way towards helping with depression. Being stuck in a rut aint good for anyone. So that'll be good if you get it.
It’s actually been very slow lately. My state had a stay at home order so it was closed down for a month or two (Truthfully, I enjoyed it because I was away from a certain supervisor’s assistant who has made me hate working there. She constantly talks down at me, turned people against me, mocked my voice, expressed contempt for me because I have two doctors for parents so she accused me of being a “snob”, and had no problem with her daughter kicking me.) and many people still think the place is closed so the traffic is gradually building back up. The lounge area got converted into a quarantine area for returning items and the homeless used to use it as a way to escape the crazy Texas weather so we don’t really see them anymore.
Unlike what you typically expect for a library, the place tends to be
very loud because a lot of the public think it’s ok to talk on their cellphones despite warning signs telling anyone who comes in to mute them. I’ve actually had negative reactions directed towards me when I try to enforce this rule and they don’t get that I
have to do it or I will get lectured about it. It’s also common for items to get stolen (Someone who keeps doing it will return the items but they are still stealing city property) and there are some individuals who had to get banned for things like starting fights, smoking/dealing drugs, and using the computers to look up porn. I’ve even caught two teen boys looking up Porn Hub on one of the kid’s computers but they were just given a warning.
I actually volunteered before I got hired and I honestly still get spectres of what I was feeling back then when I shelve upstairs. My depression was like a weeping child since it was “born” earlier that year and I was despairing about being socially isolated, not having a girlfriend, and not having sex. I also had joined Wrong Planet during that time but it was under a different name and I can’t reveal it due to the old shame attached to it.
I get along with some of the staff I regularly see but when it comes to social events, I am not included. They’ve even announced gaming and movie nights when the place gets locked up but don’t invite me to them. I do have some friends who I will play DnD and some other role playing games with but it still stings to feel un-included. It brings up memories of my childhood of being rejected by the other kids at school and how my older brother was in the social spotlight while I was in the shadows.
One of the few positives I can say about the place is that the science fiction section is decent. I got into William Gibson, David Brin, and found out about S. Andrew Swann after finding one of his books in one of the yearly book sales. There are also some decent graphic novels - both original and comic collections - there. There is some manga there as well but the selections tend to shrink because the volumes often get stolen or get withdrawn for poor condition. I’ve even found some with the fan service pages ripped out of them.
However, the majority of book renters tend to just want books by James Patterson and other super big names so it makes me feel like I live in an alternate universe away from others. I rarely see anyone check out any of the authors (though the library doesn’t carry Swann’s books) I listed above that I like. I do see young adults and even some my age (32) checking out manga but they aren’t interested in being my friend which is disappointing. It does make me wonder where they come from, though. I once saw a young guy checking out the Rosario + Vampire manga with his girlfriend and that surprised me. If I had done that at his age, my mother would’ve shamed me and told me “Girls don’t like guys who are perverts!” or some other outdated view.
Still, I’ve been at that place for too long and want to escape it.
