I know a number of my colleagues have discussed your recent realizations about work, and it’s something which never really occurred to us, but which is so very important. We’re all just focused on “getting ANY job” that we are quick to take the immediate paying gig over something where we can move our way up.

It’s also interesting because many people cite my generation as “the kids who leave” – who resign their positions and barely give two weeks notice, and who have no loyalty. I don’t think this is necessarily true (just as not all Baby Boomers are into conspicuous consumption), and a number of my friends are looking to work for one organization for as long as possible.

So thanks a bajillion on behalf of LIS students.
(And thanks for always having something interesting to say!)

Cheers,
amy

That is what makes them (and you) fabulous at their jobs — however it also leads to the very conundrum you spoke of last week. It *is* frustrating and hard. I am dealing with a long commute b/c I own a house so I can relate to that limiting factor as well!
Thanks for being willing to share — I just want to share that the traditional library world is not unique is this issue. I do wonder if some of the larger — central public libraries and academic libraries at large universities have the same issues. Personally, I worked at a large U. library system and I don’t think I want to do it again, but that is my preference

As far as sharing failures — it can be politically fraught. I once had a poster accepted to a small library conference — that would have showed the challenges in implementing a digital library and collaborative space. I was not overly negative — but my employer ended up nixing the project b/c they felt it put them in a bad light to show they had challenges! People in the knowledge management area often have this very same issue — people take these efforts quite personally, and so often employers will not permitting challenges to be shared. I currently work with/for regulatory professionals that work in pharmaceutical and other similar organizations. They have incredible difficulties sharing successful strategies — much less failures! They often only feel able to share in face to face conversations, where nothing is in writing.
This is a widespread cultural issue. I think it is changing at the grassroots level, in that more people *want* to share — it may take time before they feel *able* to share.

Does it happen much? No. Will it? Probably not. I certainly understand why people don’t want to talk about failures, even when they’re really “failures”–false starts and directions that had to be changed after recognizing a problem. (Would I be more likely than others to discuss failures? Probably not.)

It’s even hard to write about negative successes: That is, cases where you succeed by not doing the wrong thing. I’ve had a few of those in the past, and while I’m proud of them, it’s a perverse pride that’s truly hard to share…particularly when those advocating for an unworkable solution usually don’t, in their heart of hearts, believe it was unworkable.