How to survive being a library assistant

Hi folks! I've been kind of poking around the internet looking for some place I could maybe find help in regard to my job, and my search led me here.

I'm a library aide/assistant for a local school district and, well, I hate the job. Not the library aspect - that part is fine (personally, I really enjoy restoring damaged books and labeling new ones). I just don't like dealing with little kids since they don't listen to me and don't respect library property, but I took the job because I needed money, so here I am.

As usual, the school district's budget is insufficient, so they hire insufficient staff and make us all do the work of 2-3 people. This is the worst kind of job for someone like me: doesn't like being around children, not authoritative, not a leader, very introverted. In fact, I recently got reamed by the principal for not being authoritative enough for his tastes. But I was never told what kind of authority I actually have as supporting staff either.

I've been here for about three months and I still feel so overwhelmed. And it's insanely frustrating to me when I pull down a whole shelf of books to put them in their proper order, only to have classes come in and wreck my work (as well as make more for me). There is simply not enough time in my very short shift to get everything done, and then I hear about it from administration when I cannot turn into The Flash and get all my necessary tasks done before I leave for the day.

Working with young kids is a whole other level of frustration because no matter how many times I repeat myself, they DO NOT LISTEN. I have to deal with them and their books in a very specific way and I hate having to tell them the same thing 15 times... and then only about half of them listen anyway. I then have to surrender and break routine in order to get them out of the library by the time they need to leave. I don't know if I'm going to last at this job - I only work a few hours a day and the job is very exhausting and stressful.

Then there are student helpers who come in and are supposed to re-shelve materials, but they're hit and miss. Sometimes they do as they're told, but sometimes they just come in and mess around. They also sometimes don't do a very good job putting certain books back because they think putting books away means just taking books and sticking them anywhere they like so they can be the first ones to use the computers. Yes, they have been told/shown multiple times how to properly put books back. They just don't care. This makes more work for me. Library staff have tried kicking some of the more useless kids out of the student helper club, but we've had angry mommies storm in and give us hell for daring to not let their darlings come into the library and not do as they're told.

I know I'm not a librarian, but does anyone have any advice on how to survive a job like this without strangling someone? There is honestly nothing rewarding about this job, nor is there any room for promotion/advancement, but I'd like to try and not get fired before I find another job, at least.

It sounds like you already know your answer. Change jobs...fast. A library is meant to be used. This means your work is NEVER end. Ever. There will always be books out of order on the shelves. There will always be an ankle biter (no matter the age) not following the rules.

Having been blunt, here are some ideas.

1. Make it a contest for your helpers. 5-10 min extra computer privileges for those that shelve the books with the least mistakes.
2. Ask the teachers/principal for advice on maintaining control. If you are naturally not inclined for this behavior, why not get some coaching in it?

I have worked in elementary, middle, and high school libraries (worked my way up) and I can commiserate about working with little kids. When they're good they're great but when they're bad... I am very happy now at a high school.

One source of your unhappiness is your lack of support. I highly recommend you try to meet with the principal to lay down some ground rules. It could be your predecessor left you a hot mess of chaos. Classes should not be dumped on you without their teacher and that teacher needs to be engaged with their students, not checking their email on their phone. They know how to keep order in their classes (for the most part) and you might pick up some ideas from them. Keep your ear to the ground to listen for projects in the wind and let them know what you have on hand in the library to support them. (This would involve actually reading the books.) Don't expect them to gush with gratitude, though, but let them know you are willing and able to help. This can be a long battle if this service has never been offered before. When the teachers learn what an asset you are they will start to rely on you.

This room is your turf and you need to set your own rules. Meet with other aides in your district and find out what strategies work for them as far as discipline. They probably only work a few hours a week too so maybe try to meet for coffee one afternoon. Ask them to help you design a library orientation where the students learn what those rules are in a fun and easy-to-remember format. Seek adult volunteers. In an elementary school an adult volunteer should come with each class. They can be shown how to check books out so you are free to help students find books and prevent misplacement of books. You can make this a requirement for classes to come to your library.

Get rid of the student helpers. If their mommies come in to complain, ask them to help while their kids are there. The mommies are not your boss! As sweet and helpful as the students try to be, they can't be successful at this age. If you can't get rid of them have them do something different like setting up displays or cleaning computers or reading to younger kids. Either that or assign them a specific section of the library they are responsible for (for instance the Easy Chapter books) and nothing else. (Make a big deal about this so it doesn't feel like a demotion.) They shelve those books and no others and can check the order to keep them neat.

You have one of the most thankless but rewarding jobs there is. I sincerely hope you are able to turn things around so you can enjoy it. Many school districts have completely done away with library aides in elementary schools so it's good that there is some library support in yours. If you manage to change things for the better, you have good ammunition for when you apply for a job with more hours at a middle or high school or at a public library. And, there is nothing better than that one time a parent comes in and crows how her child now loves reading because of a book you recommended. It's almost (!) better than a pay check.

Please continue to visit here and let us know what is working and what isn't. Maybe others here can come up with more suggestions.

As far as I know, there was no predecessor for my job. This is the first year the position of library aide has been made available. And don't get me wrong, I know there is going to be an endless stream of materials to re-shelve. I get that, and that's fine with me. I just hate that the kids will stick things in places they don't go... or worse, they'll intentionally knock books all over the floor because they're little monsters.

Also, I would normally appreciate the suggestion of a competition for the student helpers to motivate them, but the last time that happened, it was a disaster and I wound up with a TON of extra work. The helpers pulled down seven entire rows of books to see who could put more due date slips in books (which I didn't ask them to do) and then left them all for me to put back, which meant I had to almost completely ignore my library classes to clean up the mess.

Personally, I would very much like if the helpers were gone entirely. At the absolute best, they might get a few books put in their proper places. At worst, they make more work for me by putting books wherever they feel like it, which I then have to re-re-shelve if I happen to find them. Also, it's not fun when a kid's got their heart set on a certain book that the system says is in, but I go to look for it and it's not there because the idiot helpers took a book labeled E CAS and stuck it behind the Harry Potter books where no one can see it. The helpers are fantastic working with the younger kids who come in, but as far as actual library work goes, they're pretty useless and I can do without them.

I think I might ask the principal what the *$#% I'm supposed to do in regard to discipline with these kids because I genuinely do not know. They trained me on the library aspect of the job, but not the student interaction/monitoring/discipline part... and then proceeded to give me crap for not handling the kids the way I'm supposed to. I guess they figured I'd learn via osmosis from being in the presence of teachers, but honestly, I've got enough crap to do in the library and I don't have time to stare at the teachers and learn by observation.

I very seriously doubt I will ever enjoy this job because I don't like being around kids, but if I can figure out how to tolerate it to the point where I don't have the urge to slash the principal's tires, then I think I can deal with it a little better until I find a better job.

I was very misdirected in regard to what would be expected of me at this job. I assumed I would simply be assisting the librarian with their duties, but because the school wants to save a buck, they have me running the library all alone for days at a time when the librarian goes to another school in the district. I have no one to refer to if I don't know what to do, so I have to just try and use my best judgment. I was just told to be firm with the kids. Well that's great and all, but I don't know how to do that! I also don't think I'm allowed to create my own library rules because the students need to learn routines. I have to stick to whatever rules the school or the librarian uses... which, of course, were never told to me. In short, I was not trained on how to properly deal with students and then got reprimanded for not being psychic.

And I've never seen any adult volunteers in the library. Usually the student helpers will check things in/out while I help the classes, but inevitably, the helpers will screw something up on the computer and I have to go fix it. Usually multiple times. I'm also really not sure creating a whole new set of rules will fly because the way the teachers would run the library and the way the librarian wants it run are two very different things, and I know the teachers aren't going to take extra time to learn how the library works because they're busy enough. In fact, the librarian specifically told me to not let the teachers walk all over me because they'll screw up the routine I have to adhere to.

This job is very unforgiving and very unrewarding. I've been yelled at multiple times for not getting my required library work all done, but administration will heap extra duties on me anyway. There is never a point during my shift when I have nothing to do; I am on the move from the moment I clock in until the moment I clock out, and sometimes even after that because I might need to go back in for 5-15 minutes to finish up a few things.

Have you maybe tried asking them why they put the books away in the improper spots? Do they get training for working in the library?

Perhaps instead of it being a competition for who can finish first (which promotes quickness over quality), it could be a competition over a few weeks or a semester for who can keep their section the best in order. Start with a hundred points, and at the end of a month, or two months or some interval of time like that count how many are out of order, take a half a point or a point off for each book out of order and the student with the highest score gets extra... something, extra time on the computer, or if you ever get book donations or something, they get a free book, the second best section gets a slightly smaller whatever... the third place, etc. etc.

The discipline is a tricky thing I know. I've worked in childrens rooms at the public library and it's a tightrope for sure. I don't know what the kids in your school are like exactly, but from my experience I do (or don't do) two things specifically. First, I make sure that if I have to tell the kiddo that they can't do something, or that they are doing something wrong that I do not sound angry, or exasperated or pissed off (even if I am). I state everything as factually as I can and try not to let whatever emotion I'm feeling at that moment get anywhere near what I'm saying. And then I do positive reinforcement to the max. If a kid throws something out in the trash can, I say thank you to him, if someone puts back the crayons in the correct place, or even bigger things like a little kid comes in and cleans up the puzzles before she starts playing with them. Again, I make sure that if I'm near them I tell them thank you. Sometimes I think that these days kiddos don't hear enough thank yous when they do something right. And sometimes the kids give me a 'you're welcome', sometimes they don't. But, I keep positively reinforcing to the max when I can.

There's not a lot to do about the run off your feet thing I think. But... do you get a break during your shift? There are a lot of states in the US (I don't know where you are specifically) where if you work at least 3 hours or 4 hours (especially if it's for part of a local/state government) they have to give you a ten or fifteen minute break. Take it. And preferably take it somewhere where that is away from the library a little, and where you can take a deep breath for a second and just let your brain shut down for a moment.

Also, I'm gonna channel Imazadi a little and finish with this. I understand. I think a lot of librarians here probably understand as well. We're in this weird part of civilization. We're public servants, but not quite exactly public servants. A lot of times we're government workers, but, we're also not totally government workers. And then if you put us with kids it's like we're teachers, but we're not teachers. We're not in the margins, we're in the binding which means that a lot of us may technically have job descriptions, but, then again, because of what a library is, a lot of the time we're very much expected to go outside those job descriptions on a regular basis as well.

Oops, I can't help myself, so one last thing I would suggest (then I'll stop typing I promise... :)) Figure out what your line is. I just started a new job at an adult Ref. desk and in my head I know what I will do for my library that's outside my job's purview, and what I won't. We have a good staff, and an amazing director, so I doubt that I will ever be asked to do my 'nope not gonna do it' list, but, I believe that everyone should have one.

Both I and the librarian have showed the helpers several times how to properly put books back. I tell them to ask me if they're not sure where something goes, which they sometimes do. I also know the nonfiction sections are always out of order and it can be difficult to figure out where exactly to put nonfiction books. For example, if they've got a book on dolphins, I take them to the section that has dolphin books and tell them to do their best as far as figuring out where it goes. Maybe put the dolphin book beside another dolphin book.

It's become pretty pointless keeping the books in order because while the students in all grades have had it hammered into their heads how to put books back (they use little markers on the shelves so they know where to place books that they look at and decide they don't want), they still put things back all wrong. And I've found that my time as what is essentially a substitute librarian is far better spent doing the twenty other things I need to do than wasting it putting shelves back in order. Re-organizing shelves is pretty much a big waste of time, and while I will relocate books that are in the wrong sections, I will not bother putting sections in order. Zero point in spending 15 minutes of my very short shift putting the entire soccer shelf back in its correct order when it'll be all in the wrong order and probably will have at least three books from other sections mixed in by the time I come in the following day.

I also try my best to exercise positive and negative reinforcement. If a kid is roughly handling a book, I tell them to knock it off because it might damage the book, and if they keep doing it that they won't be allowed to have a book if they can't treat the book properly. If they do something good - whether it's the classes or the helpers - I will thank them for it. Had a problem a few weeks back where I had to leave a stack of books on the floor to go help the librarian and one student started sticking them all on a shelf. I appreciated his willingness to help me, but he was putting the books in the wrong place, which would not only have made more work for me, but it would have reinforced the idea that putting a book on a shelf anywhere is correct. I felt bad telling him he was doing something wrong, but well, he WAS doing something wrong.

It might be a little childish, but perhaps a sticker chart (that only I and the librarian have access to) would work to keep track of student performance. There are enough helpers that come in that I could assign a couple to certain sections, like two in the easy books, two or three in the nonfiction area, two or three in fiction. However, the problem is there's never equal amounts of books per section per day that get returned, so the kids manning the easy section might only have three whole books to put back while the nonfiction kids have 17 books to put back. I don't know, it's tough to figure out a system like this that would be fair and functional when I don't have the ability to think on my feet like a teacher can.

As far as I know, I do not get a break. I work about 4 hours a day, but if I'm allowed to take a break, I was never informed. Looking at my state's labor laws, employers are not required to give adult employees breaks, but I also don't remember the terms of my contract (and I don't have a copy of it), so I need to look more into that.

You have a part time librarian!!!! Do you know how lucky you and your school are??? My school district has no librarian for the elementary schools, 1 covering 5 middle schools and 1 covering 3 high schools.
All of your complaints and requests for help should go to her (him?).
You're welcome, by the way.

While I sympathize with the plight of being in a job you don't like (most folks have been there at some point), I have to admit I'm a bit concerned that you're in a position to influence kids' opinions of libraries and I imagine they can sense your stress and frustration. I'm worried they're going to start thinking of libraries as "not a good place." Sorry, I'm not meaning to criticize, but I'm puzzled. I would think you'd be happier in almost any other job based on what you've said -- it doesn't sound like you would like it even if your librarian or school administrator can address some of the issues.

>8 amysisson: I agree. I've been biting my tongue but I really just want to know why someone who has such issues with children would choose to work in a school library, and also to say "get a new job, last week!" I find it quite difficult to find sympathy with someone calling children idiots and lamenting them...being children, and being surprised that working in a children's library involves children. >_>

>8 amysisson:, >9 .Monkey.:
I've been having the same reaction. I used to volunteer in my children's elementary school library. Yes, sometimes the children did create more work by shelving books anywhere and getting a little rambunctious. I just reminded myself what my mother had said many years earlier when she was volunteering at the county library: the children did mess up the books she had just straightened out but at least they were finding books. That's why I volunteered—and enjoyed it. Maybe some of those children became life-long readers.

A couple years ago, a local teacher's blog came to light. She referred to her students as loathsome and rat-like. She seemed genuinely surprised that parents wanted her dismissed. Teaching and dealing with children isn't for everyone. (Just handling my own children drove me up the wall sometimes.) If, after trying to do your job, you find that you are unhappy, you owe it to yourself to find a position that fits you.

Yes quite, there is certainly nothing wrong with not enjoying working with children, it is indeed a challenging thing to do and requires a certain finesse. There's nothing shameful about this job not being a good fit.

But the attitude towards it, and the children... please seek employment elsewhere. Now!

I will echo what others have said.... I'm confused why you would accept a job in a school district when you know you don't enjoy working with kids? I'm a Children's Librarian in a very challenged urban public library and by extension a few of my young patrons bring challenges with them. This can make my job very....challenging.... :D However my job is to have the library as warm and welcoming a place as possible. And safe. This means that there are rules... like anywhere in life they need to learn that there are appropriate ways to behave. I model correct library behavior, I cajole, I talk with them on their level if need be.Some of my basic behavior rules are:
*I try to catch them being good (sort of like puppies LOL). I am ALWAYS congratulating them when they do something good (put trash in the trash can, talk with a quiet voice, don't run) .... kids doing good attract more kids doing good.
*There are always leaders and followers. Try to root out the troublesome ring leaders and get them to... do busy work (make book marks.... I don't know) but separete them from their followers but not in a bad way.
*Three strikes you're out! I can do this in a public library, I'm not sure you can do this in a school. First warning in nice calm voice remind them of the rule they've forgotten, second warning firmer and say that it seems they are not able to have appropriate library behavior and if they are asked a third time they will be told to leave for the day. Since you are in a school I'm not sure if you can send the remiss kid to the principles office, but the uncontrolled child can sit in a chair by your desk and sit out the rest of the class.
One more thought - kids really don't like chaos and I think if you could get a handle on the behavior and get kids to RESPECT you and the library (it is really all about mutual respect) everyone would be happier. And kids would want to be there... and read!
Good luck and remember, they are just little people learning how to behave and sometimes we need to show/guide them.

>8 amysisson:, >9 .Monkey.:, >10 Taphophile13:, >11 .Monkey.: Yeah. Working with children is a nightmare for me. I did ok with high school age while I was a substitute teacher for 9 months; but I knew after two days of middle school children I wasn't ever going to be working with that age group. I can't image trying to work with that age group knowing I didn't care for them as a group -- I don't even really like them individually.

>1 WilsonsGarland: It seems working with the children is the true source of the trouble. You don't work well with them, they don't work well with you. That's not a failing. It's just reality. You already plan to change jobs, it seems. I can't see that anything will change your attitude. Also, the kids probably know how you feel about them. Children are not stupid. They are often much more insightful than adults.

If shelving is THE break point for you, stop having the kids shelve. Have a table or a cart where the kids stick everything. Don't let the helpers do that work at all. You'll have to do it yourself. It sucks, but if this is what needs to happen for you to stick around long enough to find a new job; that's what you should do. Good luck.

ETA:

>12 MegAnastasi: I think the OP was under the assumption she wouldn't be working with the kids. (>4 WilsonsGarland: I was very misdirected in regard to what would be expected of me at this job. I assumed I would simply be assisting the librarian with their duties...)

Our schools do not even have libraries.

I think she may have come to the wrong place if she was looking for sympathy. She created an account for the sole reason of posting her plaints. Even with suggestions and encouragements it sounds like she isn't willing to try to adapt to her situation so, as far as I'm concerned, she's on her own. I feel sorry for the kids at that school.

>11 .Monkey.:

Yes, .Monkey. reminded me of something .... my first library job was as the part-time cataloger for a curriculum library at a teachers' college. This means that I was cataloging all the children's books and materials for the students who would be future teachers to use. This was heaven for me because I got to catalog children's books, which I adore, but I was not dealing with any actual children -- something I know very well I'm not good at.

I have no children myself, and once taught SAT classes for Princeton Review, but quickly switched to GRE classes because I didn't even do well with high school students -- I work well with college students and older. My last library job was in a medical library -- again, wonderful, because the doctors and med students who were are patrons are so passionate about their work.

So just to reiterate -- no shame in not enjoying working with children. But if you don't enjoy them, you shouldn't be in a job that requires working with them. I'm so glad I realized that about myself very early on.

ETA: lesmel, we cross-posted. Sounds like you and I are similar! Which comes as no surprise (lesmel and I used to work in the same place and know each other! I miss our in-person book talks!)

>13 lesmel: I think the OP was under the assumption she wouldn't be working with the kids. (>4 WilsonsGarland: I was very misdirected in regard to what would be expected of me at this job. I assumed I would simply be assisting the librarian with their duties...)

Yes, I did see that, however, what would one think the librarian of a children's school does all day long? I'm sorry but I simply can't imagine getting a job as an assistant to someone in any capacity and thinking that means being somehow completely excluded from what their whole job is!

>1 WilsonsGarland: There is honestly nothing rewarding about this job, nor is there any room for promotion/advancement, but I'd like to try and not get fired before I find another job, at least.

I know how dreadful it feels to be in a job you don't like but honestly, if this is genuinely how you feel, for everyone's sake you need to find something else. There is always something rewarding about working with children. It may be in a difficult area and you may lose more than you win but the reward comes from the very small victory with one child on one day. It's not about lining up books & putting things back in the right place. It's about finding creative ways to get that one small victory with one child. If you're more upset by the lack of adherence to rules and the muddle on the shelves than the fact that you can't reach that one child, then you owe it to yourself to do something different. There is nothing wrong with not liking children or this kind of work with them but one thing is certain, if you don't like children, then they won't respond to you no matter how hard you try to plug the gap. If your aim is to 'not get fired', why not try and make some solid concrete plans to actively search out work elsewhere - I'm not being flippant, when I've been in a similar situation with a job I disliked, I focused my energies on the search for a new job. That made it much easier for me to 'let go' of the things I hated about my day-to-day. I'm sorry if this sounds blunt but I work with children on a volunteer basis in a variety of roles (in the past, one of which has been running a small school library ... the books weren't always in the right order there either).

I get the feeling that you are a young woman, and part of your problem is not knowing how to get the kids to listen to you. Part of that is that you don't really expect them to listen to you and aren't sure that you have the authority to tell them what to do. (Yes, if you are in charge of them, you have that authority, but if you don't believe it all the way down, you will never make them believe it.)

I think for now your best bet is to get a different job, but don't get the idea that you will never be able to do things with kids. I couldn't have years ago either, but sometime in the first few years of being a mother I ended up with the tone of voice that tells a kid that this time she really means it, and like magic it's not just my own kids, but most kids who react the way I want them to. At least most of the time.

Let's face it, some of us aren't cut out to be teachers. It's not a job I could ever have taken on. But now I am very happy to go to the local elementary school once a week and read with the children in two classes. It's very tiring. Two hours are quite enough, thank you. But it is also very rewarding. Both the teachers and the children seem happy to see me each week, which is a big win on the self confidence side. Believe it or not, this could be you in a few decades.

In the meantime, I can't think of better advice than the President of Austria gave us today in his speech about the refugees that are currently passing through in large nembers. 'This is not a big anonymous mass. These are individuals with names, with their own stories and dreams. Try to see them that way.' Try to deal with individual children and to really be with that child while you are talking to him or her. Your chances of getting job satisfaction from a clean tidy library are nill. But you might just get a bit here and there from finding the right book for Andrew, sharing a giggle with Beth, or seeing Dannie recognize a title on his own for the first time. But that will never happen unless you can see the individuals. And it will also not happen if you are paying more attention to the books not shelved right than to the child in front of you.

I can sympathize with the OP; particularly if she was led to believe the job was something it is clearly not. Classroom management is crucial, and it is something that even seasoned, well-trained teachers have trouble with with certain groups of children. I am having many of the same troubles at one of my schools; some of the 3rd/4th graders are so disruptive, rude and disrespectful that it is impossible to teach. I've been teaching for 18 years, and the last 3 years have been my most challenging. There are days when I really just don't want to see those kids at all. I've been known to call the kids bad names...at home, to my husband. Sort of the equivilent of a teenager calling their parents names in their bedroom. It's a way to vent, which I hope is what the OP is doing. So I won't judge her. However, if she can find another job, it would probably be best for everyone.

I took the job because I needed a job. I did not want to work around children (and yes, I knew working in a school library meant I'd be near them), but I applied for this position (among many other jobs) because I need money. I think I find this job less tolerable than most people would because I don't like being near kids or interacting with them, but I'm trying my best to suck it up. We all have those few jobs we have to work that we hate. It's not like I'm mean to the kids or anything; I just am not thrilled to be working there. Frankly, I think the librarian is "meaner" to them than I am.

The shelving thing isn't horrible - it's just really annoying to someone like me who likes things to be organized. It's just being around kids in general that I'm never going to get used to. I'm someone who will go out of my way to avoid being near them in public. I'm sorry if I pissed anyone off by my posts, but hey, we're not all kid people. It's very possible to work in an academic setting and dislike children. Maybe I'm not as good at my job as someone who does like kids, but it doesn't mean I am unable to do the job.

And yes, I was misled about many aspects of this job. How silly of me to assume that an assistant job would mean that I *assist* the librarian rather than do her job for days at a time! :) It's not that I didn't expect to be working with kids, because I did expect some interaction via checking in/out, locating books, etc. I just didn't think I'd be working with them to this extent, where I have to be in charge of them and discipline them like a teacher or librarian would. Maybe I expect too much of the students at times, and not enough at other times. I don't know. I have no professional experience with children, and the school didn't seem to think maybe they should train me on how to properly handle/discipline/address students. Nope, just throw me in and say "good luck," but they're primed and ready to give me an earful when I screw up.

Oh, and I actually got in trouble for reporting things to the librarian. Apparently, I'm supposed to handle all problems on my own because if I go tell the librarian something that happened or went wrong, it means I'm not being authoritative. But then if I make decisions on my own that are wrong (because I don't know WTF to do), I still get in trouble. Can't win with this school, I tell ya! I also hear about it if I focus too much time/attention on one child. If I'm trying to help a student find a particular book, I might get yelled at to go do something else and have to leave that student on their own. I mean, I'm glad when a kid asks me for a particular book and I can find it for them, but I'd be glad regardless of the patron's age that I could find what they were looking for.

The only thing the helpers are supposed to do when they come in is put books away, so if they aren't kept busy, they'll start causing trouble. I've just decided to not care anymore about where they put books. If I find one that is obviously in the wrong place, I will put it where it needs to go, but like I said, I am no longer going out of my way to put shelves back in order. I actually think I dread them coming in more than the classes. If it were up to me, I'd just do away with the helpers entirely. I know my way around the library well enough by now that I could probably re-shelve at least most of the books on my own.

This is absolutely not the job for me, and I hate it almost as much as my old cold-calling job with my verbally abusive, micro-managing former boss. But I don't have a lot of useful skills (or degrees) that would make me a preferable job candidate anywhere else. I'm trying to find and implement suggestions from folks who have worked in libraries because I'm trying to adapt to a job I neither like nor am suited for, not so much seek sympathy. So I have a lot more to learn than someone who has worked with kids, who likes kids, or who has worked in a school or library before.

As said, it's not that I did not expect to work with children in a school library. I'm not that naive, folks! :) I just didn't know I would have to be an authority figure to them. I am not a leader by any stretch of the imagination.

>12 MegAnastasi:

I don't know if I can do a "three strikes" thing with students. There have been times when the librarian disciplined students and after said students' mommies stormed into the school and threw tantrums, the principal overturned the librarian's decision. It's just, on one hand, I get told to take charge of the class. On the other hand, I get told I must adhere to a specific routine and then I get in trouble if I deviate from it.

Someone suggested to me that I treat the classes like little adults, as in don't baby them, have expectations, etc.. I've been doing that and, well, it hasn't worked too well.

>16 amysisson:

See now, the library aspect of the job I actually like. I like doing the cataloging (adding in new items, editing items, etc.), I like repairing books, I like labeling them and getting brand-new books ready to go out on the shelves, and when I was still taking time to organize the shelves, I even drew enjoyment from having a perfectly-ordered shelf of (insert topic) books. I actually even like stamping the due date slips! If I had the opportunity to work in a normal library or maybe a college library, I'd do that.

But as much as I don't like this job, I still need money. So I'm doing my best to grin and bear it. Contrary to popular belief, I did not just come here to whine and complain. I genuinely wanted to ask folks who might have more experience with kids how to deal with them. Some people are just naturally good with kids - I am not one of them. But I'd settle for simply knowing how to better get them to listen to me so I don't get reamed by administration again.

I would love nothing more than finding a job I could tolerate a little more, but I need money. I'm up to my eyeballs in student debt and the piddly salary I make at this job is better than nothing. I have no choice but to keep it until I find something better.

>17 .Monkey.:

I just thought my job would be a little more behind-the-scenes compared to the librarian, that's all. I didn't expect zero interaction with students in a school (gimme a little more credit than that, guys!), but I thought I'd just be... well... assisting, not being the librarian! They never explained that to me until well after I was hired and my training ended.

>20 theretiredlibrarian:

I agree. The thing is I don't know how to manage a classroom, and for some effin' reason, the school did not require applicants to have something resembling past experience working with children in some way. So what potential the school saw in me, I'll never know. I guess they just wanted a warm, literate body to fill the job and... expected me to learn class management via osmosis from the other teachers?

Like you said, actual bona fide teachers may struggle with keeping their classes from descending into chaos, especially with more people doing mainstreaming now than ever before. So how the hell does the school expect someone like me - no teaching experience/certification, no past experience with children, very little babysitting - to figure all this out without being shown how? If you took a job as a cashier, would you not expect to be trained on how to use the register rather than being thrown behind a counter and told to figure it out on your own?

As much as I loathe my job, I have never, ever been mean to the students... even when I probably should have been to make my point to them when they were misbehaving. I have also never done anything that would impede/harm their learning/reading. There are days when I might even convince people that I enjoy my job because I am such a seasoned bullshitter. If I complain here, it's because I would like to vent to folks who can understand. Maybe not sympathize because I don't want hugs and back pats, but just people who get how demanding such a job can be. Venting is very therapeutic. I mean come on, you guys have entire topics here devoted to the annoying habits of patrons! :)

We have all had to accept jobs that did not suit us because of financial need. Is there a teacher you could approach and ask for advice on how to handle the children? Is there a school counselor or psychologist on staff (not necessarily at your school but within the district) who might have some insight?

>22 WilsonsGarland:

You said: See now, the library aspect of the job I actually like. I like doing the cataloging (adding in new items, editing items, etc.), I like repairing books, I like labeling them and getting brand-new books ready to go out on the shelves, and when I was still taking time to organize the shelves, I even drew enjoyment from having a perfectly-ordered shelf of (insert topic) books. I actually even like stamping the due date slips! If I had the opportunity to work in a normal library or maybe a college library, I'd do that.

Oh, I think you would just love working in the Tech Services / Cataloging department of a public library, then. Here's hoping you find a job like that! I am pretty astonished at the lack of support/training that you received.

>24 Taphophile13:

I didn't think of trying my luck with a counselor. Thanks for the suggestion! I don't know any of the teachers well enough that I could comfortably approach them myself, but a counselor might be able to help give me advice and/or help arrange a meeting with a teacher who can help.

>25 amysisson:

Yeah, me too. The principal was both shocked and pissed off that I didn't have my job memorized perfectly front to back in less than two months, including the parts I was not trained on. I was only trained on the library half of the job, and I've had that pretty well down to a science after about a month into employment. But they never once showed me how to properly handle students and I'm still very much struggling with it. They didn't even tell me I had to be in charge of the students until I got reprimanded! I operated under the impression that the teachers would manage their own students in the library and I'd do the library work when classes arrived (help locate books, check in/out books, etc.). In fact, I didn't even know I was doing anything wrong until I had a bunch of complaints submitted about me by teachers. Like I said, being an assistant, I didn't think I'd have to assume a role of authority and nobody told me otherwise.

At the time I was reprimanded, I was too astounded to bring up my concerns about lack of training. Just... how can they expect me to know how to manage entire classes without anything resembling prior experience with groups of kids? For an institution whose sole function is to educate children, they don't seem too concerned with ensuring their staff knows how to properly deal with those children.

If the teacher stays in the classroom during library time, shame on them for not managing their students' behavior.

Check Pinterest for "Classroom Management" ideas. I implemented several suggestions from there, with at least some success.

>27 theretiredlibrarian: When I volunteered I noticed that library often meant break time for the teacher. The librarian usually had a lesson plan for each visit which sometimes coordinated with classwork.

I've worked at schools that do it either way. Some schools library is a part of the specials' rotation (p.e., art, music, library), which is the teacher's conference time. Some schools, library time is scheduled separately from specials (rotation, co-curs; every district calls it something different); the teacher stays in the class. The theory is that there will be 2 teachers; in actuality, most of the time teachers graded papers or something. One teacher used the time for her Bible story. So they really weren't particularly helpful, but kids do tend to act better if their teacher is with them.

>27 theretiredlibrarian:
The teachers do manage their students' behavior when it gets too loud/rowdy, but I guess it was my fault for not doing it enough myself or something? Until I got ganged up on by administration, I did not even know what kind of authority I had as an assistant. Nobody ever told me anything.

_________________________________

I'm getting the distinct feeling that I'm going to be "that" employee - the one that gets blamed for everything. Every workplace has a scapegoat and I think I'm gonna be the person everyone sh*ts on. I've been that employee before and I just feel it in my gut that I'm gonna be that employee again at this job. I'm sorry if I sound like a professional victim when I say that, but I'm being serious. I got in trouble at least once a week at my old job for things that nobody else got in trouble for (as in I saw other people doing the same things I was doing or worse, but they never got reprimanded).

The library helpers were also horrible again today, straight-up not following directions and lying to my face. I should not have to babysit these kids - they are at an age where I should be able to take my eyes off them for three seconds and be able to trust that they won't be swan-diving off tables, rolling around on the floor, screaming or doing gymnastics between shelves. I might have to look away to put something back and that's when someone's misbehaving, and of course, that'll be right when some busybody teacher walks by and reports me. I am sick of their crap and I want them OUT. I am not getting into more trouble because they're too stupid to not act like apes on crack.

But I did manage to get a lead on someone to speak to about classroom management ideas/training, so here's hoping!

>31 WilsonsGarland: I don't think that they're being stupid specifically, they're being kids. Kids test limits, kids do "stupid" stuff because literally their brains are not yet formed enough to not do it. And, it's not personal from their point of view either. They're testing everyone's boundaries, not just yours. If they walk by a stranger on the sidewalk they'll make a disgusting noise because they're testing boundaries.

And unfortunately, you're never going to get them out since it's a school library. But, it sounds good that you might get some training in this sort of thing.

Do you have a Public Library in town? Perhaps see if one of the public librarians would come to the school and do that sort of talk about library etiquette? Tell the public librarian that he or she can also talk about all the programs going on at the public library and I guarantee you that he or she'll be on you like butter on a roll. :)

And remember to breathe. I know that a job in this economic time and such is more than just a job. But, in the end it is just a job. It isn't you, or a reflection of you, it's what you --do.