Unmoored

Starting off as an on-call librarian is a bewildering experience for many. You may work for multiple systems, institutions, or organizations often juggling part-time contracts, bookings, and last minute phone calls. I currently work for 3 public systems and 1 academic institution for a grand total of 14 libraries. I drive approximately 1000 km each week. Over the past 6 weeks I have worked in communities that I have never before visited.

The most difficult part of working on-call has been navigating my way to new branches. Generally I use mapquest to formulate directions, but this process may need to be re-evaluated. Some directions have made absolutely no sense in the stark light of reality. There are streets I have never found. And never will find.

It just doesn't matter. All that is important is getting there. Alive.

Gas stations have been my salvation. There is something comforting about the helpfulness of a stranger with absolutely no obligation to be so. Particularly for a librarian, who spends all day on a reference desk helping others. It's nice to get some service in return.

One day when I was driving through on of those endlessly looping exits, going over, under and around the freeway, I thought about how unmoored I felt. Geographically lost yet again, feeling emotionally bereft missing the community and ideals of library school, suffering from the physical symptoms of job-related anxiety (always be nice to new people, remind them of breaks, show them where things are, and never snap at them when they ask a question)...There is something a little unethical about the on-call system....but that's for another day.