u/InfertileStarfish

I used to work at a local library system in my county. I (regretfully) left for full time work (I was a 12 hour weekly library page).
I’m currently trying to get back into the library system. I’ve been interviewing for Public Service Assistant and Library Technical Assistant and similar positions at another library system in the area for a long time. Had some success in getting interviews, but no success in getting hired.

I’m still waiting to hear back from an Interim position at another library system near me. I’m even applying for Page positions again because….i miss this job. It was the job I was happiest at, and I gave it up for a full time job I hate.

I don’t have a library science degree, but the positions I’m applying for don’t require them. I do suspect that people with their MLIS degrees are getting favored though.

I’m wondering if anyone here has any tips on what I can do with my resume, application, or cover letter to make it stand out. Especially if a system may be using ai to screen applicants. 🙄

I started this work back in November last year, and….the company is a mess. So many managers that were hired around the same time I was up and quit. Some people got fired.
Communication is shoddy at best, and I absolutely HATE having to find my own coverage for vacation.
Not to mention, I’m going through a breakup and I have until the end of June to move out of my current place. I’m going through a lot of mental health issues and….I’m just so tired.

I used to work at a library shelving books which I LOVED, and I had to give that job up because of a divorce and needing full time work. Both situations I was PRESSURED by people to get into my current situation…and I just want to be at a job I love again.

The clients I’ve worked with are lovely. They can have their bad days and behaviors, but I do enjoy being able to help them. The wage is not sustainable, and while I have help as far as finding a place goes, it’s taking me forever to get back into the library.

I have my own mental health issues so working this job is very hard on my brain and body. I’m just hoping I can get out of it soon and get to a place I actually love and can breathe at.

I’ve been a DSP since November at my current job and have been a DSP in the past before.

Here, when it comes asking for time off, they require you to find your own coverage. At my previous DSP job I never had to do this, granted this was awhile ago. I’m told it’s considered bad practice, but is this trend becoming more common in the field?

Also, my manager and I had an…encounter where she essentially yelled at me on the phone for emailing her and HER boss a few times when asking about time off I got coverage for. (It hadn’t been approved, though I asked months in advance and found coverage.) She demanded “Are you going out of the country?” I replied no. She approved the time off, but essentially told me “next time we may not be able to approve it”. And she essentially said “you don’t need to message all of these people, only I can approve your time off.” I cced her boss, the scheduler, and another supervisor who is essentially HR on behalf of the clients (who encouraged me to email her when I told her my situation of having to message my boss about this several times.) In general, I felt my manager was very rude and unprofessional with me, especially with asking an invasive question like “are you going out of the country?” Why does that matter? Is it work related?

Anyway, is any of this normal/typical in the field? I feel like even at the most understaffed and underfunded places, finding coverage for a shift is a manager’s job, not mine. I’m not getting paid manager’s wages, let alone a livable wage.

And yes, I’m seeking leaving or at least an LOA cause all of this is just the tip of the iceberg of what is giving me psychic damage. 🙃🙃🙃