I have worked for the same academic library for more than 15 years. In my career, I have progressed from reference and instruction to management and leadership. I’m now the second in command in the library and two teams report to me. It all sounds great and like something I should want but I am so unhappy in my job and I cannot imagine doing this for another 15 years. Some of these feelings are about the state of public higher education, low institutional morale, and a general sense that we’re all hurtling towards our doom. I do also supervise some relentlessly passive aggressive humans who don’t help.
Conveniently, my local public library is hiring an adult services librarian. I applied and will interview in a few days. It’s not a senior management role but some scheduling and supervision is involved. The parts I’m excited about are consistent public service, the expectation that programming would be a major part of the role, the variety of work, and fewer management responsibilities. Public service and programming are among the few professional joys in my current job and I rarely get to do either.
My current employer, a local public university, allows me a lot of scheduling flexibility. The position I’m interviewing for at the public library would be much more structured, 40 hours a week, with rotating weekends and evenings.
It would also be a significant pay cut. I could handle the changed compensation but I’m really questioning my judgement here. What would you do? I welcome all advice!