This is perhaps an unconventional library day in the life, in that I'm not working in a library. Indeed, I'm not working at all, and haven't since the end of my job with NHS Evidence Eyes and Vision, which disappeared in a reorganisation of NHSEvidence, in which the specialist collections were reorganised and large chunks of them outsourced to the private sector.
Given that the point of library day in the life is to give the outside world, particularly those who aspire to a career in this great profession of ours, an idea of what it is we do, should I be doing this? I think I should, for the following reasons:
- many of us, until we replace an economic system driven by profit with one driven by people's needs, will experience unemployment from time to time. I don't think we should try to hide the fact
- one of the characteristics of a profession is that one is a librarian, or doctor, or nurse, or teacher, first and an employee of whatever capitalist organisation or bureaucracy second. That I am not currently working at the trade does not mean I cease to be an information professional
- it may be amusing
They say looking for a job is a full-time job in itself. It probably is. At the beginning of each week I assess the state of my applications. I track these in a Bento database. At the moment I have four in preparation, am waiting to hear from another that I was interviewed for last week, and have two others that may call me for interview. I check closing dates and decide which I'll work on. I'm helped in this by being an early riser . When I was working I was up at 5 am every day, and though I don't get up quite so early, when not working, I hate to waste the day. The rest of the family, with the exception of kittens Humprehy and Percy, don't share this habit, so I can be sure of uninterrupted time.
Later in the day I write up the second task of last week's homework for the CPD23 programme. This one required me to think about my involvement in professional organisations; here's the results. This week we move on to Evernote, which I've been using for nearly two years, so I should have plenty to say.
I try to keep myself busy so, as well as CPD23, I'm mentoring three people through the process of acquiring CILIP qualifications. One has sent me a draft of a submission for my comments. I've also been doing things like the Brighton LibTeachMeet, and am involved in Voices for the Library. The Voices team had a busy weekend when comments on a post we'd written about the use of volunteers in libraries took off. Today there's a few e-mails between the team, but nothing as hectic.
At about 4 pm I had a phone call from the chair of the interview panel for a job I went for last week. I knew it wouldn't be good news, as they'd have contacted me sooner if they wanted me. The chair gave me useful feedback, at least; not every potential employer does, I am bound to say. I'm more than usually disappointed. I'd thought myself into the job, could see myself doing it, knew many of the people I'd have been working with. But I knew I hadn't answered at least one of the questions well, probably more.
One of the agencies e-mails me with a job, but it's at a library eighty miles away. A train journey there would take two and three-quarter hours, a car journey one and three-quarters. I don't mind commuting, but this would take up too much time and money. As I decline it, I doubt myself. Perhaps I should take it and endure the commute. But in any case, they probably wouldn't want me.
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