I love being a librarian for lots of reasons. People are nice to librarians, SO nice. I suppose that’s because I’m always giving things away (with the understanding, of course, that they will be returned). Plus I’m always surrounded with good things to read- I haven’t had fewer than 20 items checked out since I became a librarian! I get discounts because I work for the state, I get to design signs and displays- okay, the list goes on.
But if there’s one thing I’m finding troublesome so far, it’s the staff. They’re not mean or terrible people- in fact, I like everyone a lot. Their opinion of me, however… for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on, I feel like they don’t like me at all, or don’t trust me, or something. Something is off. Maybe it’s the fact that some of the people seem to just put up with me; They don’t like me, but they suffer my company. They make comments a lot about my ‘attitude’, whatever that may be. They think I’m too sassy, too wild. (Of particular interest is the fact that at my previous job at an organic food store I was the store nerd, totally withdrawn, square, and prudish. I read too many books to be a party girl- now at the library, I read too many books to be civil!)
I can’t figure how they came to this conclusion about me, but try as I might I can’t seem to change it. I tried being quiet and withdrawn. I’ve tried being friendly and extroverted. Over all, I’ve been polite and most of all (this, I think, is key) respectful. None of it seems to take. They’ve made up their minds about the sort of person I am and no matter how good I am at my job, I will always be outcast at this workplace. To them, I’ll always be the disrespectful punk-runt of the library.
So. Why fight it?
-Vigilante Librarian
