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I took my first library job because I wanted to stay in Champaign, Illinois after graduating with a B.S. in Psychology. The civil service office said the library hired 3-5 people in Library Clerk II positions each week. So, I took the test, interviewed and accepted an acquisitions order clerk position. After three years working there and as an Library Technical Assistant in the map library, I began to see librarianship as a career possibility.

I worked my way through school with help from my wife, and took a reference and then a cataloging position at a small Illinois college. The position grew to include systems, and I stayed there for seventeen years. I started looking for another job when the college started changing the conditions of my employment without any discussion.

When I first arrived at this small college, it seemed like a rock of stability. It had no debt and was presided over by a kind, older gentleman. Over the years, however, we saw a succession of presidents and academic deans who molded the college in their image. Recent years have presented financial challenges, and the college released about seven percent of their clerical staff. The librarians were neither fish nor fowl, with faculty status, but twelve month appointments. The new president wanted to change librarians' status, and started by not offering contracts. I didn't think this was a good sign, so I started looking for another technical services or systems position. After several months of looking I realized several things:

1. I wasn't qualified for most systems positions.
2. Most technical services positions at other small colleges did not want to pay me what I was making.
3. No universities had any interest in me for either type of position, even when a second masters degree wasn't required.
4. I had not developed my technical skill set beyond my immediate position.
5. I may have stayed in a comfortable position too long to get out.

I considered going back to school to get another degree, but wasn't excited about it. As I reconsidered my skills, I wondered about becoming a library director. I had worked in reference and all technical aspects of a library. I had good people skills, but minimal supervisory experience. I also had the benefit of a good mentor who had involved me in many administrative decisions over the years. All of these factors led me to start applying for library director positions. The job market slowed down during the fall, but I did get a couple of interviews. After eight months of searching, I accepted the library director position at the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) in Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Keep your options open

My advice to fellow librarians would be to make sure you keep your options open for the future. There is a danger to staying in the same job for seventeen years. I like stability, and would have been content to work my whole career at one institution. If you are like me, then make sure you are ready to move if circumstances change and become unbearable.

Learn skills beyond those required for your current position. If you need MS Word and Excel for your job, learn PowerPoint and Access too. Maintain a personal web page, even if you are not responsible for the library's page. Take advantage of any travel opportunities, even if you are a homebody. You will meet people who may have open positions later, serve as a reference, or become a lifelong friend. You can also learn skills and follow trends, which will keep you sharp. Work on acquiring supervisory experience. Pursue opportunities to supervise or train coworkers, students, or volunteers.

Stay healthy

It can be healthy both for the individual and for the institution if entry-level positions turn over after five to seven years. While the basic functions of libraries are the same across geography and library types, it is useful to work with a different group of people who have "always done it" a different way from the way you have "always done it." Likewise, the institution benefits from new people with new ideas. Think about occasionally applying for positions, even if you aren't committed to moving. You will see what skills and experience other libraries are looking for, you may improve your interview skills, you may come to appreciate your current position more - and, finally, you may receive an offer you can't refuse!

Tame the transition

In the past year I have experienced various career transitions. Moving into management was an easy decision when lateral moves seemed less than fruitful. Being a library director, however, is completely different from being any other kind of librarian. Library directors spend most of their time administering the library and working with people outside of the library, rather than with patrons. If you love working with patrons, then management might not be for you. At least know to ask during the interview how the duties break down.

I also went from a small liberal arts college to a small Air Force technical library, but have found that the functions of a special library are the same as those of other libraries. The subjects covered are different, of course, but that knowledge can come with time. One of the biggest challenges of this move has been my family's adjustment. Moving 500 miles away from long-time friends has been our biggest challenge. I hope my children learn important lessons about making new friends and starting over, which should help them as they go off to college or move to new cities.

Overall, I can't believe how great this new job has been for me professionally. I have enjoyed the challenge of assessing the library's services, and of communicating the needs and opportunities of the library to management. I have enjoyed leading and encouraging a talented staff. Of course, the most important thing I have learned is that you don't have to know rocket science to serve rocket scientists!

Stuart grew up in Illinois and lived there for 36 years before moving to Tullahoma, Tennessee in January 2007. He and his family enjoy reading, biking, sailing and hiking. He can be reached at gaetjens@charter.net.