The Small College Librarian – Part 2 – So Many Jobs, So Little Time
The Small College Librarian – Part 3 – Multitasking/
This is a first of a series of sections I plan to write regarding the balance librarians of small college libraries must strike between service to their user population and other activities regarding professional development. These activities include many of the traditional activities that librarians in tenured track positions must be involved in to gain tenure. They are also important to those desiring to remain at a small college for reasons I will explain later. These include research and publishing, involvement in professional organizations and committee work, service to the university or college or perhaps even community service. Librarians of small colleges with few staff members, operate in a very different world than those of larger universities. First, many of these positions are not tenured track, thus there is little if any institutional incentive to publish or be engaged in professional activities outside of their library. This librarian must be more self motivated and see the long-term benefit for their career in doing so. But simply being motivated to do so does not make it easier. Small college librarians often must wear multiple hats and carry on the duties that are done by many librarians and staff members at larger Universities. Multitasking becomes the norm, both over the course of a stretch of time and within a short amount such as within the hour. For example, that last sentence was interrupted by a student requesting virtual reference assistance. Seriously! I kid you not! I had to switch gears while writing a sentence on multitasking. How is that for irony? We have two librarians that provide reference assistance in addition to many other duties and so “reference time” in whenever someone needs help, not necessarily during our scheduled desk time. I will expand upon the multiple roles we have at Logan Library in my next installment. While I fully understand the drawbacks of multitasking, I have learned that multitasking can be managed in a way that minimizes the negatives and allows one to control their multitasking rather than having their multitasking control them. Of course, there are exceptions.
Working in a small college library can be rewarding and fulfilling. But whether you plan to move onto a tenure track position or remain a small college librarian, there is still a juggling act that one must contend with. In the middle of this juggling act, service to our users should always come before personal gain. What time there is for professional development, self education, and service is often fragmented and fitted in when time allows. Therefore, transitioning from a small academic library to a University can be challenging for those who so desire. Small college librarians must learn balance in serving their users and staying involved in the library profession to avoid staleness. This series shall touch upon such topics as performing regular job duties, librarian scholarly publishing, multitasking, keeping up with the latest innovations and avoiding burnout.
Posted by Richard Bernier 
