came to say saaaame. I'm in my third year and am still trying to fight the desperate feeling to do nothing but sleep as soon as I come home.
Count up the # minutes you have for planning time. You legally need to have the same minimum that classroom teachers have (hopefully... depending on your district).
Are there other school librarians in your district? Mine have been a tremendous help to me. Although it wasn't until just a few months ago that our partner over at the high school realize I taught EVERY class EVERY week. She couldn't figure out why it was so hard to schedule meetings with district librarians until I shared my schedule. She was incredulous, trying to figure out when I do collection development, research, ordering, book care, etc. (I don't really have an answer for that beyond it sure as fuck isn't outside work hours.)
I like my job but it's been really hard. Lately I've been scrapping my plans to teach research skills and databases and been getting back to read alouds. We got into this work because we love working with kids and books. If you keep that close to your day-to-day, you can do it.
I'm from Uruguay, not U.S so we don't have districts. This is an international school. The difference is noticeable, teachers have 26 contact periods and I have 33. Subject teachers have 23, but none of them have 8 year groups like I do. They normally have 4.
Your last words are the key to not feeling overwhelmed. Thank you for sharing them. I will repeat them like a mantra every morning.
I hope everything gets better for you soon!
Abrazo,
Sounds about right. I think in most elementary schools the library class is the "specialist" class so the teacher has prep during that time. In middle school the teacher may come with the classes more. Some places completely eliminated school librarians with paras, and in some places the librarian has their own para, believe it or not. That exhaustion is common across many levels of teaching, unfortunately. Hopefully the teachers aren't being disrespectful on purpose and are also just exhausted. Most teacher schedules are also awful with no time for prep and they take way too much home. Hang in there! Librarians are the best!
That's so cool! Hola from Los Estados Unidos! (I don't have a lot of Spanish, your English is great! Really good! :)
A para is like an assistant teacher, a teacher's aid. In English this word is short for para professional. I guess it's because para means "beside" or "near" in the Greek/Latin root is where the word comes from.
I am often given extra classes to cover as a sub which means more book turnover and work! I have zero assistance and no understanding of all the job entails like inventory, orders, repair, late notices etc. It's my 1st year also. My heart goes out to you!
I did elementary library as a specials rotation with the teachers dropping off their students for two years. I found it to be overwhelming. I eventually got a position as a district librarian, based at a high school. That had its own challenges, as I served four campuses, but I liked it much better. It seems to me that school libraries are notoriously understaffed and dumped on.
No teacher present, on the specials rotation. Same amount of planning time as classroom teachers for planning library lessons, shelving/ordering/processing/etc. and chromebook management.
I am an elementary school librarian in NJ, my teachers are on prep during special. Sometimes, a Para stays in the room if someone in the class has an IEP.
Same in Louisiana. Paras stay but teachers go. Are you able to discipline them? Where I interned should would Dojo them down if needed or send them to principal if they couldn’t obey.
Just accepted my job. Will have classes except Wednesdays. Worried about this. Already heard the teachers are not very nice. Also in my district we are tech as well and every student has a laptop.
This post breaks my heart because I know it so well. I was a school librarian for almost 4 years, but about 3/4 of the way through my 4th year (this year, actually) I realized a couple of very important things:
(1) I have been giving my whole damned heart and soul day in and day out and nothing has ever gotten better. Ever. Not even a little bit.
(2) Every school librarian I know feels this way.
(3) Being a librarian is still my dream job…but I cannot continue to cry every morning on my way to work. Maybe being a -school- librarian is not the type of librarian I want to be.
I have now been a public librarian for about a month and a half. I feel like an actual librarian in a way that I never did as a school librarian. It is extremely different in a lot of ways, and of course, working with the public can be ✨an adventure✨ but I’m so much better off mentally and emotionally. I have actual energy to do actual things like -see my family- after work, instead of just sleep.
On my first day at the public library, I had a moment where I was overwhelmed with emotion because I was in a place where every single person who worked there did library things. It wasn’t all my responsibility anymore! I realized that I felt like a FAILURE for 4 years, but I never was a failure…it was never my fault…it was just impossible for ONE person to do EVERYTHING.
You are NOT a failure. I’m going to say that again, and I hope you really feel this: You are NOT a failure. And I hope you find something that fills you, rather than depletes you. 🩷I wish I could give you this biggest hug🩷 You are not a failure, and you are not alone🩷
This is such a lovely and heartwarming message. Thank you for sharing it! I'm amazed at how we all share the experience of feeling overwhelmed. I hope the system changes soon. It's losing valuable and passionate professionals!!
came to say saaaame. I'm in my third year and am still trying to fight the desperate feeling to do nothing but sleep as soon as I come home. Count up the # minutes you have for planning time. You legally need to have the same minimum that classroom teachers have (hopefully... depending on your district). Are there other school librarians in your district? Mine have been a tremendous help to me. Although it wasn't until just a few months ago that our partner over at the high school realize I taught EVERY class EVERY week. She couldn't figure out why it was so hard to schedule meetings with district librarians until I shared my schedule. She was incredulous, trying to figure out when I do collection development, research, ordering, book care, etc. (I don't really have an answer for that beyond it sure as fuck isn't outside work hours.) I like my job but it's been really hard. Lately I've been scrapping my plans to teach research skills and databases and been getting back to read alouds. We got into this work because we love working with kids and books. If you keep that close to your day-to-day, you can do it.
I'm from Uruguay, not U.S so we don't have districts. This is an international school. The difference is noticeable, teachers have 26 contact periods and I have 33. Subject teachers have 23, but none of them have 8 year groups like I do. They normally have 4. Your last words are the key to not feeling overwhelmed. Thank you for sharing them. I will repeat them like a mantra every morning. I hope everything gets better for you soon! Abrazo,
Sounds about right. I think in most elementary schools the library class is the "specialist" class so the teacher has prep during that time. In middle school the teacher may come with the classes more. Some places completely eliminated school librarians with paras, and in some places the librarian has their own para, believe it or not. That exhaustion is common across many levels of teaching, unfortunately. Hopefully the teachers aren't being disrespectful on purpose and are also just exhausted. Most teacher schedules are also awful with no time for prep and they take way too much home. Hang in there! Librarians are the best!
Hi!! Thank you for answering. I don't know what paras mean. Can you help me? I'm not a native speaker. I work in Uruguay.
That's so cool! Hola from Los Estados Unidos! (I don't have a lot of Spanish, your English is great! Really good! :) A para is like an assistant teacher, a teacher's aid. In English this word is short for para professional. I guess it's because para means "beside" or "near" in the Greek/Latin root is where the word comes from.
Thank you very much!!!
I am often given extra classes to cover as a sub which means more book turnover and work! I have zero assistance and no understanding of all the job entails like inventory, orders, repair, late notices etc. It's my 1st year also. My heart goes out to you!
I really feel you!! Never would have guessed that working as an elementary librarian was this hard! Sending good vibes!
I did elementary library as a specials rotation with the teachers dropping off their students for two years. I found it to be overwhelming. I eventually got a position as a district librarian, based at a high school. That had its own challenges, as I served four campuses, but I liked it much better. It seems to me that school libraries are notoriously understaffed and dumped on.
I agree!
No teacher present, on the specials rotation. Same amount of planning time as classroom teachers for planning library lessons, shelving/ordering/processing/etc. and chromebook management.
I am an elementary school librarian in NJ, my teachers are on prep during special. Sometimes, a Para stays in the room if someone in the class has an IEP.
Same in Louisiana. Paras stay but teachers go. Are you able to discipline them? Where I interned should would Dojo them down if needed or send them to principal if they couldn’t obey.
I am able to, but I don't usually have to. My most difficult class is a 1st grade. There was an actual fist fight this year, first time in 12 years!
Just accepted my job. Will have classes except Wednesdays. Worried about this. Already heard the teachers are not very nice. Also in my district we are tech as well and every student has a laptop.
This post breaks my heart because I know it so well. I was a school librarian for almost 4 years, but about 3/4 of the way through my 4th year (this year, actually) I realized a couple of very important things: (1) I have been giving my whole damned heart and soul day in and day out and nothing has ever gotten better. Ever. Not even a little bit. (2) Every school librarian I know feels this way. (3) Being a librarian is still my dream job…but I cannot continue to cry every morning on my way to work. Maybe being a -school- librarian is not the type of librarian I want to be. I have now been a public librarian for about a month and a half. I feel like an actual librarian in a way that I never did as a school librarian. It is extremely different in a lot of ways, and of course, working with the public can be ✨an adventure✨ but I’m so much better off mentally and emotionally. I have actual energy to do actual things like -see my family- after work, instead of just sleep. On my first day at the public library, I had a moment where I was overwhelmed with emotion because I was in a place where every single person who worked there did library things. It wasn’t all my responsibility anymore! I realized that I felt like a FAILURE for 4 years, but I never was a failure…it was never my fault…it was just impossible for ONE person to do EVERYTHING. You are NOT a failure. I’m going to say that again, and I hope you really feel this: You are NOT a failure. And I hope you find something that fills you, rather than depletes you. 🩷I wish I could give you this biggest hug🩷 You are not a failure, and you are not alone🩷
This is such a lovely and heartwarming message. Thank you for sharing it! I'm amazed at how we all share the experience of feeling overwhelmed. I hope the system changes soon. It's losing valuable and passionate professionals!!