Comments on: I Don’t Oppose Change; I Oppose Stupidity

By: changeischange

changeischange — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:52:27 +0000

I can’t count the number of times someone has said to me that change is always good. No, sometimes it is good, sometimes not. Clean underwear is good. Holocaust Bad. Recession Bad. The person who talked about Neil Postman is right.

By: TwoQatz

TwoQatz — Mon, 25 May 2009 16:57:01 +0000

Whoever – what is galling after a while is the number of hours our employers STEAL from us. I do like the work – I don’t see it as Groundhog Day. But I got “the lecture” about after-hours duties and I thought “fine, I’ll get the time back in other ways.” A 5-minute meeting extends to 30 because it becomes a chatfest, nothing much happens on Friday = 2 hour lunch.

I take care of an elderly parent. Every time I have put my mother on a plane and am looking forward to a weekend free of those responsibilities, the workplace comes calling. This is where unions come in handy … but it isn’t going to happen in this state.

By: slobbering buffoon

slobbering buffoon — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:56:23 +0000

Leavingtheoffice, your points require too much critical thought for me to consider. I’m offended that you don’t jump immediately on any bandwagon that I claim is currently hip. You’re obviously an old fogie.

By: leavingtheoffice

leavingtheoffice — Mon, 25 May 2009 11:34:06 +0000

Perhaps librarians need to look to the late Neil Postman for guidelines on change. “What is the problem to which this technology is a solution? And the second question would be: Whose problem is it actually? And the third question would be: If there is a legitimate problem here that is solved by the technology, what other problems will be created by my using this technology?”

By: whoever

whoever — Sun, 24 May 2009 23:27:54 +0000

“All I want is something like my father had, an 8 hour a day job that pays the bills and leaves you the hell alone the rest of the time.”

OK, so go get one.

Some might argue that a good way to begin would perhaps not be writing the post that you did on this particular blog. (On the other hand, AL says that part of the purpose of the blog is for people to blow off steam, so have at it if you really want…)

By: spongeboblibrarypants

spongeboblibrarypants — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:48:51 +0000

I don’t twitter or tweeter or whatever the hell it is. I don’t want to be anyone’s Facebook friend. According to a number of States Attorneys General MySpace is a wonderful resource for sexual predators. Those who participate in Second Life apparently have no life.

I’m in my early 40′s. I don’t know if that is old or not. I feel old. I’ve been a full-time employee in libraryland since I was 22, been a so-called “professional” since I received my MLIS at 25, and would give my left nut and maybe the right one as well to get out of this line of work. Working in a library is like living the real-life version of the movie Groundhog Day. The same thing over and over and over again.

My father worked a union job for decades. He knew he had to be at work at 8, he got off work at 5, no nights, no weekends, his own time was just that, his own time. I’m expected to attend programs, Friends events, trustee meetings, government meetings, go to conferences, kiss butts, etc. All I want is something like my father had, an 8 hour a day job that pays the bills and leaves you the hell alone the rest of the time.

By: oldfrusty

oldfrusty — Sat, 23 May 2009 11:19:07 +0000

Here’s a new change- Your branch will be getting a Red Box! Any day now! Months later, still no word on when this is happening, AND we’re not getting as many new movies as the other branches because of it. Whose idea was this, again?

By: Auntie Nanuuq

Auntie Nanuuq — Sat, 23 May 2009 10:24:32 +0000

“I Don’t Oppose Change; I Oppose Stupidity” or…those who change things “so that they can add a bullet to their resume.” BRAVO

I’ve seen & gone through many changes in my 35 year tenure, many for the good of the community & library alike. However, when change for the sake of someone’s Ego comes along, then it’s the clientèle that suffers the most, as in turn we suffer because we are the ones who listen to their complaints. Example: our patrons are older (60+) they have a difficult time getting books off of the lower shelves. Solution…the Community bought a free standing bookshelf, about 5′…we don’t use the bottom most shelf. Enter new “hip” youngster…into “Bullet Points”. The shelf has been replaces with a 3′ hexagonal shelf. Now we have to bend over to see & retrieve most books and walk around in a circle… dizzying effect! Not to mention there is a lot less room for new books. Our patrons have stopped saying anything, because they know that the person doesn’t care
and brags about it by saying “I get lots of complaints!”

Amazing, ennit?

By: Techserving You

Techserving You — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:25:44 +0000

To thelibrarygirl… very well put. I agree with you 100%. Another f-ing librarian – you’re not old! I HOPE anyway that by ‘old librarian’ people mean librarians who are at least a decade older than you are (although I am a decade younger, or more….) Although as someone just a few years into my 30s, and as someone who opposes change for the sake of change, I find that some of the younger 20-somethings with whom I attended library school (I went late, after a decade in the field) think that *I* am old and out of touch. Sigh.

By: cft8b

cft8b — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:48:27 +0000

Reminds me of the early 90's when the web was being dismissed as mainly a marketing tool and that libraries should stick with gophers.

Things change and you have to listen to the pie-in-the-sky folks a bit before you dismiss them.

Excuse me, I have to go spread some snark at the Annoyed Librarians BBS