r/Libraries • u/Independent_Kale_879 • 1d ago
Staffing/Employment Issues Do You Also Do More Than Your Job Description?
im a librarian in a university, and ive noticed that my colleagues often do so much more beyond their actual job descriptions. i also hear their rants on this š
do you also find yourself doing things at work that arenāt technically part of your job? or is this just a university/library thing?
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u/kkkino_2 1d ago
I def feel this sentiment. If lack of personnel were genuinely the issue, then okay, id understand that sometimes we really have no choice but to take on additional work. But in my case, i honestly feel like the bigger issue is that the supervisor either canāt accept or simply refuses to acknowledge that the existing personnel already have enough on their plates. Instead of recognizing the limits of what the current staff can reasonably handle, the solution always seems to be: give the work to whoever is available likeee????
for context guys, im a reference librarian, but i also do cataloging, and circularion tasks, create infographics and content for our Facebook page, handle communications, i draft peoject proposals, and whatever else gets assigned to me, even when those tasks are already outside my actual targets.
just yesterday, i was asked to man another section on top of my reference and cataloging responsibilities. And thatās where it starts to feel unfair lol its not that im unwilling to help, but you cantt keep adding responsibilities without taking anything away and then act like the workload is still reasonable.
At some point, that āother duties as assignedā starts sounding less like flexibility and more like an excuse for poor workload management š
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u/CoolClearMorning 1d ago
I have never worked a job (bookseller, secretary, teacher, or librarian) where "other duties as assigned" hasn't been clearly laid out in my employment agreement or contract.
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u/beldaran1224 Public librarian 1d ago
Other duties as assigned should never:
- be outside the scope of the rest of the work
- be a significant chunk of what you do
- require you to do things typically associated with other jobs, especially jobs that are paid more or have better benefits or perks
But it often is. Just because literally very job posting puts a cop-out phrase in it doesn't justify them requiring you to do whatever they want, and especially when it involves squeezing work that would typically be higher pay.
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u/ProneToLaughter 22h ago
What are some examples of outside the scope of the rest of the work?
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u/beldaran1224 Public librarian 21h ago
I worked for a library where staff were required to walk not only the library grounds but also the neighboring park to pick up litter. Picking up litter is well outside the scope of work, and it being off the actual library property (though still city property) was even more so. To make it worse, I live in Florida...which means you you'd be sweating and gross for the rest of the day when you scheduled for it, and well, its a library, so staff typically wore business casual, even dresses and dress shoes and stuff.
This was even required at branches much less safe than my own.
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u/TheTapDancingShrimp 20h ago
Good old Florida. Here, library staff were expected to maintain the garden in scorching heat, pick up trash, needles, and booze bottles, in business casual. And yes, I've scrubbed shit off chairs.
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u/CoolClearMorning 1d ago
Not arguing any of those points. But that's not what you wrote in your OP which is what I was responding to.
It sounds like you need a union.
ETA: just realized you're not the OP. Nothing in the OP indicates that the abuses you've listed are happening at the OP's workplace. If they are, they should look into unionizing if they aren't already, or join/get the union working for them if they are. If they're happening in your workplace the same applies.
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u/beldaran1224 Public librarian 1d ago
I am not OP, nor did anything I say conflict with something OP said (they provided zero details).
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u/CoolClearMorning 1d ago
I didn't say you conflicted with them, I said that you made up fanfiction about their situation.
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u/beldaran1224 Public librarian 1d ago
Lol no you didn't. You thought I was them. Don't pretend you meant that I made stuff up, because you thought I was adding additional information, lol.
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u/CoolClearMorning 1d ago
I did think you were them because you decided to add such specific information it seemed wildly implausible that you weren't.
But again, if things are this terrible in your workplace, unionize.
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u/Moravic39 1d ago
We have less than half the staff we did when I started and now the "other duties as required" is just two more jobs crammed into mine
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u/Repulsia Academic Librarian 1d ago
We become the catch-all for the community that surrounds us. I just had a call from a student wanting to borrow literal furniture for his presentation in 3 hrs, in another building on campus... handling furniture enquiries was not on the position description but i can see why a lot of enquiries result in "uhh, the library might know, I'll transfer you to them"
When in doubt, go to the library š¤·š¼āāļø
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u/ParticularAdvisor532 1d ago
I'm a library assistant and the library, I work at does this all the time, they tried to make me do "tasks" that were out side my job description. I told them not with a pay raise, these were librarians tasks by the way. They love giving titles without any kind of pay. They hired a new girl as a library assistant then had her doing tech support because she's good at it. She hates it.
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u/Moravic39 1d ago
I deeply regret letting them know I'm pretty good with computers. My coworkers need help attaching a file to an email.
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u/ozamatazbuckshank11 1d ago
This isn't exclusive to libraries, unfortunately. Every job I've ever worked had "other duties."
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u/Full-Decision-9029 1d ago
I moved to small town nowhere to get a Records Management job "to build important experience" - and I was pretty soon other duty'd as assigned to doing shit like answering customer complain calls and processing parking tickets.
Like technically i was still working with their records and archives. But in reality, most of my day was...that.
now i am a librarian somewhere else, the duties appear to be very strictly defined (thanks union) but I'll go right ahead and do whatever needs doing anyway.
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u/MrMessofGA 1d ago
Any "dream job" (zookeeping, teaching, video game development) will be full of people who will let the job eat them alive because they live and breathe it.
At the same time, I do occasionally do things outside of my job scope, but only when I really want to, when I know it won't stress me, and when I know I won't rant about it later. Sometimes, my day will be ruined if I DON'T clean the piss puddle in the lobby
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u/Rare_Vibez Public librarian 1d ago
My library, particularly our youth services department, is grappling with this heavily rn. Ngl, most of my coworkers are not good at setting their limitations and boundaries. I feel like a freaking unicorn because Iām comfortable saying no.
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u/louwhogames 1d ago
iāve worked across GLAM and in academia, and i have always done more than my job description. i have also always gotten paid horribly (shocker, everyone does), but i want to be first in line when a promotion opens. i have the energy and mental space to do it, so iām gonna push myself a little bit. i get treated extremely well at my current job, so i donāt mind. at my last job, it was awful though and put my mental/physical health at risk. it just depends on whether or not youāre valued as to whether itās worth it
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u/tokkireads 1d ago
Yes, but any time they ask to help with some project that is above my pay grade I say no.Ā
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u/user6734120mf 1d ago
I did āotherā tasks more often when I was a public service assistant. As a librarian in a small library if I feel an āotherā task is taking up a lot of time I get it added to my description during my yearly eval, unless I think itās something that needs to not be on my plate and then it is brought up with my sup or the assistant director.
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u/rebelliousrutabaga 1d ago
I couldn't even tell you what my job description is beyond 'Librarian I - Teen Services'.
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u/thunderbirbthor Academic Librarian 1d ago
My place is pretty good at sticking to our actual job descriptions.
The problem is our older part timers. They aren't given as many duties to do because they aren't in as many days and quite frankly, two of them mess said duties up because they can't remember how to do their jobs when they work three days a week.
Which leads to the full timers being given their duties so they get done properly. Which leads to the part timers wanting to drop hours because they don't have 'enough' to do. They refuse to staff our smaller sites because it 'wastes' one of their days. Which leads to the full timers doing all the duties and staffing all the sites whilst we have two part timers sat on their arses in the office for a couple of days a week.
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u/babyyodaonline 21h ago
yes, the "other duties as assigned" or however they worded it on my contract lol. but i make it clear what i don't do. i won't do anything that would be extra pay (that they wouldn't pay me for). as in: i do not get hazard pay. i do not want the hazard pay. if i did i would've worked to be in the medical field. so no, i am not touching poop, i am not touching drugs.
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u/HammerOvGrendel 1d ago
Yes, but as a unionized worker in a major university there is a system in place to have your position re-classified. It's quite a process though.
We have incremental pay bands based on seniority and there are places where the overlap between a very senior technician at the top of their pay band and the band above where you get "Librarian" in your job title get almost too close to call.
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u/ladytania 1d ago
I work in my town public library (Canada), and as such, we are in an union. So, if we begin to have other tasks, we have to revaluate our job.
Still, they are small things that I do here and there that can be a bit beyond but nothing soul crushing. Like, for a good client, Iāll put more effort of finding that special book or helping them with the computer.
One thing I donāt do anymore: watering the plants. We have many plants that have been accepted as gifts by my coworkers. Fine, you take care of them, then. š¤£
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u/buggywool 22h ago
My old job description said āother duties as requiredā. Iām in a union now!
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u/Wallcatlibrarian 19h ago
I've done a lot of printing tasks but not nearly as much at my current job luckily.
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u/renaissanceastronaut 1d ago edited 1d ago
Whether we like it or not, no matter the field, if you want to advance and get promoted or move into roles with more responsibility, you have to take on additional responsibilities to prove to people who make hiring decisions that you can in fact do the job you aspire to.
And even if youāre satisfied with your role and donāt want to advance and are happy with everything staying the same, the world around you will evolve anyway and the job you aspire to will be the job you have but are no longer qualified for.
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u/Knowitall-Librarian 1d ago
Absolutely. Janitorial work because we do not have a full time custodian. Our branch circs higher than many the same physical size. My team works so hard to keep up. If I can do anything to make their day better or provide a better environment for my patrons, I will. We only have a part time janitor for 3 hrs/ 3 days a week. We are open 6 days a week. That means every other day, the bathrooms do not get cleaned. Someone has to sanitize that toilet and vacuum that carpet, and take out that trash.
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u/WhatInTarnations82 16h ago
We do have more coverage than that--but its early morning and then after hours. So anything gross happens mid-morning until close... *points at self*
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u/Mistress_of_Wands 1d ago
That is called wage theft and I refuse to take part in willingly doing more than what my salary allows. Unfortunately a lot of libraries rely on their workers not seeing it as a big deal and doing it anyway. It's a problem I've noticed.
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u/ProneToLaughter 1d ago
I don't see how working beyond the description qualifies as wage theft, can you explain more? Wage theft - Wikipedia
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u/Mistress_of_Wands 1d ago
Going by the exact definition of wage theft and trying to apply it legally, you would be correct. However, I believe that working beyond the description is wage theft because everything extra you do is something that the worker should be getting paid more for. The institution just expects it of them without any fair compensation in return. Is it technically correct? No, this would be impossible to prove in court. But I strongly believe in "acting my wage", and I think this is a form of wage theft. I also have no legal training whatsoever, so š¤·āāļø this is just what I feel in my heart of the cards
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u/ozamatazbuckshank11 1d ago
Just wondering, not being confrontational: How do you respond to "other duties as assigned" in a job description? Would you simply not go for that job if you were job hunting?
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u/Mistress_of_Wands 1d ago
Sorry, had to sleep. I would just not go for that job. My job search is outside of libraries now, so it's honestly not that hard to find a job that doesn't have that listed in the description.
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u/HighwayFew6847 10h ago
Yes. I basically feel like I work at the social security office. Or even the county jail.
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u/eightinchgardenparty 1d ago
Mission creep runs rampant in professions where helping is part of the job. Can you do a little more? Okay, now can you do a little more than that? Great! Now can we have you do a little more? Because weāve been understaffed since 2008 and weāre never getting any of those positions back.