The sad truth about working smarter, not harder

The story of a teacher who doesn't want to teach any more...

I think a lot of us start off like this teacher--full of ideas, natural talent, creativity and a go-get 'em attitude that we use to attempt to overcome all of the "little setbacks" in helping people. We are realists. We know that there will be cuts and changes, and things will happen. We keep up the attitude that we will adapt and use our creativity to get through the cuts and changes, since that is what we're good at.

But every year we get more taken away from us due to "budgetary constraints" and we get a little more added to our workload. Eventually there comes a tipping point when our creativity and tenacity just don't allow us to make up for everything that's on our plate. For the last... I don't know how many years... I've heard in library circles that we need to work smarter, not harder, and we need to "learn to do more with less." If I hear that phrase again, it will be too soon. With that attitude, both on our part, as being complicit in accepting less and less, and on the part of those who award budgetary allotments, we'll eventually be running the library on a volunteer basis out of the back of our cars, while still being expected to provide everything from resume writing help, technology education and childhood enrichment services with childcare, adaptive technology and a constantly rotating best-seller list.

At some point we, collectively, need to value what we do enough, and place enough value in our patrons (and wanting to do what's best for them) that we will take a stand against the CONSTANT slashing of budgets. I'm not talking about the case of a budget crisis where something needs to be done in the short term... but have you EVER had money taken away that was later restored? Probably not. We don't place value, as a society, in education, enrichment, libraries, or the arts. Heck, we don't even place them in paying and supplying our police and emergency responders adequately. Not only do we need to advocate for ourselves, what we do, and the resources we need to do it with those who determine our funding, but with the public at large. It should be a social outrage to expect so much of society-building things like schools and libraries with so little resources.

It won't be until WE change hearts and minds. No one's going to do it for us. I'm not saying "go forth and prostletize." Ok, maybe I am. But my intention is to get everyone thinking about how our willingness to just accept what little morsels are given to us, and put our nose to the grind stone with it isn't working, is going to catch up to us at that tipping point, and is hurting our patrons in the long run.