Tech assistant - Tech Assistant Clinton-Macomb Public Library Employee Review

-No hard-sells because it's non-profit! -Fewer upset customers than for-profit -Pages interact with the public very little -No working after-hours because the job is 100% on-site! -Interview is straightforward -Training is paid and isn't over until you feel ready -Each person works separately, but not alone -Multiple ways to fix mistakes makes for low-pressure job -Pages can train for the next higher position while keeping page shifts -**Written Directions Available For Nearly Everything! With Pictures!** -Rules are communicated kindly with logical reasons -Management and Mentors check in with you so you can ask questions and point out issues, but also trust you to know what you're doing -**We Were Paid During Lockdown Without Coming In!** -Half-day shifts are normal, only some people work 8 hour days -Keep track of your hours without punching in! -Management and coworkers are encouraging and acknowledge your progress! -Many staff members have colored hair/tattoos -Even positions that mostly sit at a desk have reasons to stand up and walk around once in a while, so you get a little bit of exercise and a little break from the screen, maybe a chance to drink some water -Most staff meetings are on Sundays, so it's more likely you have time to attend -Many staff meetings are paid, as they're counted as hours on the job -Earliest shifts for pages and customer service is 8:30am

Less of a Con and more of something to consider before applying: -Employees are required to work occasionally at other branches, which can be out-of-the-way depending on where you live -Modern public libraries do not enforce quietness, and the children's section in particular is part-library, part-playground. A certain level of noise is expected and not considered problematic. -Most staff, but especially pages, do quite a bit of bending, kneeling/crouching, reaching, and carrying medium items, and shelving in the children's section absolutely counts as a leg workout -If you're looking forward to wearing sweaters to your library job, make sure to wear a breathable short-sleeved shirt underneath, as some shifts can keep you moving enough to get overly warm

Job and responsibilities are good. Coworkers are good.

Beware of admin. Think “Mean Girls.” They will take credit for your ideas. They will lie and try to force out people who have worked there for 10+ years that they just don’t like. They are early-adopters of successful, innovative programs that other libraries have developed, but they never are the ones to come up with new ideas themselves. When they do enact new programs/services, they do it so they can talk about it at a conference, not because they are trying to help patrons. Once they have “certification” or have presented on the program, it gets little support or follow-through. They care more about looking good and trying to be “leaders” than they do about things that would be beneficial to the community. Staff is reprimanded even when they have a 99% approval rating. One negative comment or review from a patron matters more than 100 glowing reviews.