Simultaneously Establishing Oneself in a New Field While Maintaining Current Life Goals

Abstract

We bring many skills and experiences when entering librarianship as a second or third career or after many years of being a stay-at-home parent. Yet, balancing previous life and work goals with new information and tasks in this career change can be daunting. New employers and new environments can be confusing as we try to successfully navigate the world of librarianship. In this column, we will look at who we were before this career change and what we want to be as we move forward. We will evaluate current expectations, future plans, and how they relate to already established life goals—not forgetting the strengths and skills that we bring with us from our previous work and ultimately balancing a thriving library career with our already formed life.