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Sequencing Librarians
by C.J. Woodworth Wong
Until recently, the term Sequencing had little meaning to me - unless "DNA" was placed in front of it! Sequencing is a term used to describe the process where a person gets education, starts a career, and then takes time away from full-time employment to care for small children - later re-entering the work force. The term used in this way was coined by Arlene R. Cardozo in her 1986 book, Sequencing (in Sanders and Bullen, 1992).
Biologically speaking, it is much easier to have children when you are younger. Full-time employment, however, can be accomplished well into old age. If it is financially possible, many people are choosing to balance work and family by sequencing. To help you decide if you are financially able to stay home, you may want to calculate the costs of childcare and of hidden extras you may have when working (such as convenience foods, work clothing, and commuting costs). Even after making the commitment to stay home, parents may still have questions and uncertainty about their decision.
There are many benefits to sequencing, but also concerns. I recently posted a family career balance survey to several library e-mail lists and bulletin boards. Several librarian stay-at-home parents answered the survey; some of those responses appear below:
- What about the career I've been working so hard on?
Every person who stays home has this question, and finding the answer for you will take some time and soul searching. Keep in mind that you are in good company if you do decide to stay home. Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner reported that both Madeline Albright and Sandra Day O'Connor spent time as stay-at-home moms, and they managed to do pretty well after their time away from full- time employment. You may have a short period after giving up your job when you will feel resentful (or just sad about missing your old colleagues and life), but that will probably pass as you get used to your new role. It helps if you can find other stay-at-home parents in a similar situation to talk to. Joining new parent groups is a good place to find new friends and will help you feel less isolated. There also is an online community for librarian stay-at-home parents that offers support.
- How can I stay active in librarianship and keep my skills up-to-
date during my employment lapse?
It is a good idea to stay professionally active and keep your skills up-to-date while you stay home. There are many ways to do this. The following are some of the quotes from the survey and will give you an idea of what others are doing to stay active:
- "E-mail discussion lists, blogs, writing for the profession,
maintaining a web site for librarians, giving presentations, reading
the literature, working part-time."
- "I plan to review books for professional magazines, do
consulting if possible, and maybe have a regular part time job."
- "Contact with colleagues, belonging to PUBYAC listserv, keeping
up to date with local happenings through the daily newspaper."
- "I wrote book reviews for School Library Journal. I told
stories/puppet telling at my sons' preschool. I read children's
literature. I was PTA room mother, cub scout den leader, etc."
- "Read a lot."
- "Mainly through e-mail lists and attending a couple of
conferences a year. The solo vacation really helps me out."
- "Staying a member of the professional organizations, reading
the journals, email lists, volunteering at the library, taking an
update class (if it has been years) when the time is near to
return."
- "I really did not because my major goal in life was in raising
a family. However, looking at it from hindsight, I would have tried
to keep active in some way. Keep up certification, do part-time work
or something so that when my children no longer needed me at home, I
would be at more of an advantage in seeking employment."
- "I didn't. I had some serious catching up to do when I finally
returned."
- "Read journals and keep active in library lists. Volunteer to design web pages for organizations you are involved with. Do your best to keep up with new technologies as they are developed."
- "E-mail discussion lists, blogs, writing for the profession,
maintaining a web site for librarians, giving presentations, reading
the literature, working part-time."
- Will I be able to find a job after taking time out?
Just as any other job search, your ease in finding employment will likely depend on your specialization, geographical location, and the job market. If a future employer is negative about your staying home, then perhaps this is not the work environment for you. Some former at-home librarian parents reported finding a job relatively easily after a lapse, while others said it took some time. Some librarians reported that they took part-time employment to build up their resume before looking for full-time employment.
Several survey respondents recommended that, if you have been unemployed for quite some time, it might be a good idea to take some refresher courses. "Brush up on your technical skills. Join community and state library associations. Network with former co- workers," advised a former stay-at-home librarian mom. Staying active and keeping your skills up-to-date will help you find employment when the time comes.
Related Reading
Mothers and More: The Network for Sequencing Women
Sanders, D. and M.M. Bullen. 1992. Staying Home: From Full-Time Professional To Full-Time Parent. Little, Brown and Company, New York, New York.
Shontz, P. 2003. "A Librarian without a Library: Staying Professionally Active While Unemployed."
Wong, C.J.W. (In press). "The Juggling Act: Balancing Family and Your Library Career." In The Librarian's Career Guidebook (P. Shontz, ed.). Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland.
Catherine J. Woodworth Wong has a M.S. in biological sciences and a M.S. in library and information science. She has worked as a biology instructor and as a reference and science librarian in various colleges and universities. Since becoming a mother she is working from home teaching online biology courses, as the Executive Co- Director of the Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society, on her web site for science librarians and creating a zine.