I might have mentioned in passing that I work in a library. It’s a great job. I’m particularly proud of my profession despite the fact that most people, for example my brother-in-law, have no real grasp of what I do all day long. (“Why do you need a master’s degree to check books out to people?” is a question I get on a regular basis. Le sigh.)
However, as with every occupation, there are downsides. One in particular for my job is that I love books! I love reading books(though not always in their entirety.) I adore delving into a well-written novel or learning something from non-fiction. I love the feel of books; new books with crisp paper and fragile old things which have yellowed from love and light. I especially enjoy the small of books. When I do go out into the rows of books to find something, I often take a moment to crack a spine and inhale. Since I like art, as well, I also have a fondness for book cover art. I like to see how books are marketed and presented in an age when so many of us judge a book by its cover. (You do it, too; admit it.) I love talking to people about books. I gather great joy from watching faces light up when they get that books they’ve been waiting on for months, maybe years if the author is particularly slow. Or how some people cannot wait to get home or check it out and plop down on the floor to peruse a passage or two.
You may now be thinking, “Where is this downside?” But didn’t you just read?! I love everything about books! It’s terribly distracting. I like to stay professional and attempt to limit my book-sniffing to only once a day, but it doesn’t always work. I’m almost certain it takes me twice as long as it should to order books because I want to read the tagline, then the synopsis, then the excerpt, and so on and so forth. After being exposed to so many potentially fantastic volumes, my to-read list if off the charts and growing by the day! While I have no trouble taking books out of the library’s circulation collection, I inevitably want to take many of them home with me. (99% of the time I do not in favor of passing the books along to our Friends of the Library used book sale. But it’s a struggle every time.) I definitely have an excuse for talking to random strangers about books, but it does become slightly problematic when there’s a line and I still really want to recommend a certain title.All in all, I really love my job. Even though the bookish portion is only about 40-50% of what I do on a daily basis, it’s a fabulous 40-50%. The other 50% or so isn’t bad either. I get to teach classes, write (usually grants, but that’s not so bad) and generally help people out. True, there’s about 10% that involves less-than-stellar people with less-than-polite attitudes, and employees that may not be up to snuff. However, 90% job satisfaction is pretty darn good.
I write all of this because this is the season to be thankful for all of the good in one’s life. I hope everyone else derives as much joy from their paycheck as I do.
Do you have a job you love and want an excuse to brag? Or maybe just more questions about mine. Either way, I’d love to hear from you.
Jessi
Indigo
3 Bluestockings 