Patience, Grasshopper

So. I'm well into what, my third week? Fourth? Heck I don't remember. I've been a weeding fiend in my department, and there are now empty shelves that will soon house the YA books I'm ordering. Though the specific portion of the collection I'm working on looks good- I'm happy with the progress, and with the way it's working out- it's still a lot to take for other people I think. I think the bare shelves scare people in some way. I assure them it's to make room for my stuff. Out with the old (unused) and in with the new (hopefully useful)! Still, there is so much collection maintenance that needs to be done in the building that if I stand back and take it all in, I can easily go into panic mode- and I've considered asking our Director for a key to do stealth weeding at midnight.

It's hard to change a process. One process, that has served a library well for years, can take a lot of cajoling and convincing to change. This includes even the initial "Why do you do it this way?" and onto the "Have you ever thought about doing it this way?" It's NOT that I have a better way, but I just wonder sometimes why people hang onto things and processes that are no longer useful, or really just include extra steps that are just adding steps that don't need to be there. It can get really overwhelming, being the new person and seeing the big picture, and wanting to help with the change, but not really feeling like anyone truly understands why change is important...how it could better serve the public AND make staff lives' easier.

So I try to focus on one thing at a time. And when I do that, I can still get overwhelmed with all there is to do- but it's a big lesson in Patience. I can do this, once this, this and this get done. I am convinced that I could work there 24 hours a day for at least 6 months and still have plenty to do. My sense of urgency is not contagious to most though- and I don't think that's really uncommon. Library folk have historically been stereotyped to be quiet, slow to make a decision, researchers, thinkers, organizers, etc. I'm not quiet. I like to make decisions and have a contingency plan or another option and wiggle room for mistakes. I'm a researcher and a thinker, and mostly organized. Sometimes I just don't know where I fit. I know this is also the plight of the YA librarian in general- being in between age groups. I love that facet of my job- I love getting called up to work another desk or cover someone's breaks. It provides a lot of variety to my job. But it also opens your eyes up to other opportunities for improvement....

And then I just try to sit back and wait- let other people figure it out on their own, or carefully approach a topic in a way that lets them know that "hey- I was just wondering, no pressure, just curious...have you ever thought of this?"

On the up side:

My teen books are starting to arrive! They are so pretty and shiny and new and good looking. I love them already.

And I'm trying to patiently wait before hoarding them all into my to-be area. Patience. Yeaaaaaahhhhhhh