Routines and Iced Coffee
Darin Freeburg
Associate Professor, iSchool @ the University of South Carolina
Project PI
Routines organize our lives, telling us what we should do and when. I have a morning routine—I wake up, make an iced coffee, feed the dogs, and play Wordle. I do this pretty much every day, because I don’t want to spend time in the morning thinking about what I should do. Who wants to think before they’ve had coffee?!
Work also has its routines. Engineers, doctors, teachers, mechanics, and librarians fill their days—in part—with work that is routine. These routines help us get stuff done without thinking too hard or fighting endlessly about how we do everything. Some people love routine work, while others try to get it done as fast as possible.
Regardless of the view you take on routine work, there is much more happening than what you can see on the surface. You can check out the project FAQ for more details, but in short, routines tell you what you should do in a particular situation and how you should do it. They standardize and normalize ways of doing and thinking.
But routines aren’t just about the work. They also suggest who you should be as you do it and what that means. This can introduce a number of burdens for people with identities that don’t match up well to the standard and normal “way we do things around here.” The Public Library Routines Project aims to uncover some of these problematic routines and how they impact library staff with underrepresented, marginalized identities, and/or stigmatized identities.
But that’s not the end of the story, because I’m not stuck with the same morning routine for the rest of my life. I can change it. I can decide to have a hot coffee, play the crossword instead, or sleep in (sometimes!). We used to think that routines just forced organizations to do things the same way forever. We now realize that workers can decide to do things differently, and these decisions can fundamentally alter the routine. This means that if we can change the routine, we can standardize and normalize more equitable practices.
That is the aim of The Public Library Routines Project—to learn about routine work so we can change it in ways that better support staff with underrepresented, marginalized, and/or stigmatized identities. Check out ways to join us in this work.
Read previous blog posts
Katie Klein
Doctoral student at the University of South Carolina’s iSchool
Project Research Assistant
This week I’m at the 20th International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry (ICQI) sharing a poster about this research. ICQI is a conference for researchers who use qualitative methods to study all kinds of disciplines. The audio diaries and interviews we’re using for PLRP allow us to get beyond numbers and actually listen to what study participants have to say about their work lives. Qualitative studies like this help us understand nuances of human experience. In our case, we’re listening to the everyday work experiences of public library staff with marginalized identities. We hope this work suggests new strategies for recruiting, retaining, and promoting more diverse library workers.
Since the industrial revolution companies have tried to make workers more like machines. But that’s not what we want for public libraries. We want people who work in libraries to be empowered to bring their whole unique, creative, ingenious selves to the work. Public library workers should be able to be authentic and represent their community without having to compromise to fit other people’s expectations. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always happen that way, and as a profession we need to set healthier expectations and make sure those expectations are clear to our patrons. It’s not fair to sacrifice library staff’s needs or wellbeing to customer service. We need to draw lines and protect workers to make sure staff don’t burn out. Library staff deserve to have a happy and healthy career, no matter what their identities.
Thank you to all the library managers and directors who are already doing this! We would love to hear about your best practices. In fact, that’s the plan for year 2. If your organization has something to say about these issues, please consider hosting a participatory design workshop in the coming fall/winter. We would love to talk with you and get your staff involved in the study.
Deborah Dutcher
Library Services Consultant - NH State Library
PLRP Advisory Team Member
Navigating Career Changes and Job Security in Library Land
In the early 2000s, I transitioned from bookkeeping to education and found myself
in the rewarding world of libraries. Over the decades, I’ve often said that I’ve never
truly “worked” a day in my life because I’m passionate about my profession. Retirement
has never been on my radar; I plan to stay relevant and engaged as long as possible.
The Practical Concerns of Retirement Planning
However, beneath this enthusiasm lies a practical concern. While I don’t regret joining
a state retirement plan 8 ½ years ago (even though it takes 10 years to be vested),
I recognize it’s not a perfect solution. As I approach the milestone of turning 60,
I reflect on my years of self-employment and part-time roles within my beloved career.
The reality is that I’ll likely continue working for many more years.
Adapting to Changing Times
Despite having my dream job for the past 6 years, I’m attuned to the changing landscape
of our profession. Perhaps it’s time for a less politically demanding role or even
a relocation closer to family or an oceanside paradise. But there’s a nagging fear:
Will my experience be devalued due to age? Would I be considered a short-term hire?
Will I be considered less tech-savvy than recent MLIS graduates flooding the library
workforce?
Leveraging Our Experience
We’ve all heard stories of older employees being overlooked for promotions or facing
reduced hours. Even with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in place,
toxic situations can arise. Yet, we possess something invaluable: experience. We’ve
weathered countless shifts in responsibilities (personally and professionally), technological
advancements, and organizational ups and downs. Our strong work ethic, instilled since
our youth, positions us as ideal mentors for the emerging generation.
Combating Ageism: Staying Current and Confident
To combat ageism, staying current with technology is crucial. It’s easy to become
complacent after spending significant time in one place. Are we open to change and
collaboration? Are we actively contributing to our library’s growth? If you’re contemplating
a leap to a new position, consider these steps:
Update Your Resume: Regularly refresh your resume to reflect your evolving skills and accomplishments.
Prepare for Interviews: Practice answering common interview questions, including addressing
concerns about being “overqualified.”
Articulate Your Goals: Be ready to discuss your future aspirations.
Stay Informed: Keep abreast of current trends and how you can address them in libraries or the profession you may be trying to switch to.
Ask Questions: During interviews, inquire about the organization’s vision and challenges.
Above all, exude confidence as the seasoned professional you are. Your experience and adaptability are assets that contribute lasting value to any organization.
Nicollette M. Davis
Assistant Librarian at Louisiana State University
PLRP Advisory Team Member
I recently sat down with East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Children’s Librarian, Kevin McDuffie. We chatted briefly about his switch over to Children’s Librarianship and how this new career path altered his daily work routines.
Nicollette Davis (ND): First of all, thanks for your time today! You started out working in adult services and that's where you had spent most of your career. In fact, that’s where we met in 2016 as new, eager library technicians in Reference & Adult Services! We’re both in different career paths that neither of us could have predicted back then. What prompted or motivated you to move into Children's Librarianship?
Kevin McDuffie (KM): The reason I moved to a librarian position in Children’s was simply the fact that one had become available. After taking the position though, I realized that working with children was much more agreeable to me personally than working in adult services. Children’s librarians get the opportunity to express creativity in a much more open way, in my opinion. I also think it’s very important to support literacy at an early age.
ND: That’s awesome! I know sometimes the job search can lead you into a new career. Speaking of the change from adult services to Children’s, this leads to another question. Think about your day to day in your past life as an adult services library worker versus being a Children's Librarian now. How different are your days now? Are there some similarities?
KM: The biggest difference between my days in adult services is that the patron interactions are much shorter in children’s services. With the adults that I worked with, most of what they were looking for was computer help and they had little to no computer literacy, so it was time intensive to help them through their various tasks. Interactions with patrons in children’s services tends to go pretty quickly as they might ask for a book or two and that will be the end.
ND: That’s so interesting! Even though it’s less time at the computers, I’m sure things like planning children’s programs (especially in the summer!), story times, and the like take significant time in addition to the day to day. So, what advice would you give to someone who might be looking for a change or shake up in their library career?
KM: To shake things up, I would encourage someone to reach out to others in their system to see what else is going on. In my system, there have been lots of new things going on with maker spaces and with more interactive types of programs. Collaborating with other departments for different things to offer patrons could give someone a fresh look at what they’re doing currently and what they could do in the future.
ND: I love that spirit of collaboration and interaction! I know doing things like cross training in different departments gave me a new understanding of different departments and positions. Shifting gears a little bit, my last question is all about you. Finally, as public libraries face unjust, harsh challenges and criticism, what are some ways you incorporate rejuvenation into your work day? What about outside of work?
KM: Outside of work, I make sure to leave work behind me as much as possible. This is my time. My time to spend with my family, pursue hobbies, and generally not be a librarian.
While at work, I can see the happiness I’m able to give to and promote in others. I can remind myself that this is why I am continuing in this profession, and whatever criticisms are thrown at library workers in general, I know that what I myself am doing is worthwhile.
ND: Yes, I’m so glad to hear the time you take for yourself. I asked this because I think it’s important to have our own routines embedded in work and outside of work for our own wellbeing! We should definitely be allowed space during the workday to care for ourselves.
Wow, I can’t believe we have come to the end. Thank you for chatting with me and thank you for all the work that you do. You’re appreciated.
Kevin McDuffie (he/him) is a Children’s Librarian at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library System based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He has held various positions during his time as a library worker. He earned his MLIS from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2020.