but they’re still #1 in my mind and job, even as i do the managerial or back-end work. i’ve been around (for 20 years or so), but they are my boss, not some cookie-cutter manager who tells me what to do and when to do it and how to format it.

i just wanted everybody to take a step back and think about their role in providing effective services (the ideal that we started working in this field to begin with).

Instead it comes across as a comment from someone with a chip on their shoulder. There are plenty of people in the library who do not interact with customers that I have NO idea what they do all day. The lady in finance who process payroll and answers my questions when I have to fill out a new form, the office manager that I ask for binder clips and highlighters, Tech services who make sure our content gets to patrons, I think these are all incredibly important positions. I’d wager that you do to. That leads me to believe your real problem is my title, Digital Branch Manager, and my blog.

Since I blog using my real name I can’t discuss some of the major issues I deal with at work. I can’t tell you about the meetings where I am the ONLY branch manager arguing for something that benefits our patrons or against something because it doesn’t. Trust me everything I do every day is for the benefit of our patrons.

For the record I am the person who deals with our database vendors, I provide programs to patrons, and research new services. I would LOVE to order our titles for OverDrive, but I’m not permitted. However I don’t see this “stuff” as more or less important than the other “stuff” I do.

I get called at home on nights and weekends on my personal cell phone by front-line staff who have questions about our services or some issue of technology. I take one on one appointments with patrons to help them use one of our services. When I do this I have to bring in my own laptop from home. I spend my evenings and weekends reading about the digital divide and national broadband plans or creating training for staff.

It is clear that you don’t know me or what I do or what I stand for. Rather than suggestion I be more conscious of how I am viewed I suggest you get the chip off your shoulder and stop thinking that what you do is more important than what I do. We both are serving our patrons to the best of our ability in an important role.

- Internal workings of computer security activities – state confidential information.
- Any disciplinary talks I’ve had with employees – privacy, union contracts.
- Serious difficulties with other departments. I don’t have any, but if I did, speaking of it publicly would not be helpful and would not be appreciated.

There are other things of this nature. Some of my fellow managers can think of them.

Another thing to bear in mind is that most of us in LibDay5 aren’t trying to account for every single moment of our days. If we told you every last task that we worked on, the blog entries would be endless. At least they would be for me.

Some of the most valuable people to patrons never see a patron. I’m thinking of catalogers. Without catalogers libraries would be stacks of random books. Maybe you’d find something and maybe you wouldn’t. But with catalogers you’re pretty certain to find something or have confidence your library did not have a book on that subject, by that author, etc.