I’m Not Yet Ready to Pack It In – The Aging Librarian

Who drew the line that said that at 65 one is finished with life?  That has been my question this week as I weed self-help books at work.  I just finished the “midlife and aging” pop psychology books and grew more and more annoyed at the books trying to help us “old folk” figure it out.  Also, this week, as I explored a medical procedure and its costs, I was told by the hospital involved that I should just retire and let Medicare pay for it.  Crazy.  I just do not feel old.  I have a lot more to do, I just know it.

At my job, all of the side duties have dwindled to naught, and the side duties some of my co-workers have are also fading in their usefulness.  I know that technology has taken its toll on the role of the librarian.

Everywhere I go I see evidence that those younger than I am believe we do not know how to use technology and have no idea of the current needs of the people.  BULL****!  Yes, my viewpoint has changed over time, but I am still informed and still aware of the world around me.  Also, against all evidence presented to me, I love technology and learning new things (if I didn’t I wouldn’t be trying so hard to learn Italian, and continuing to read informative non-fiction on whatever topic strikes my fancy.)

Yes, my knees do not work as well as they might, and my health has more snags than it used to, but my brain seems to be running just fine.  So, faced with this dilemma, what should I do?

Yesterday it was suggested to me to amp up my marketing of my department’s materials in ways that, while not new, are not being used.  We once had blogs and I really enjoyed using these to tell others about exciting new materials, but a computer glitch caused the blogs’ demise.  (Oh, well, we never knew if they were being read, anyway.)  I am going to try some things I have not before, but on my own and on my own time since there are divisions of labor involved that would hold such an attempt up.  Meanwhile, I would love to have suggestions for creating a new way of being a science and technology specialist librarian in a large library.

Thanks, everyone.