On the Clock: Time Management Experiences of New Librarians

Abstract

This short column will be a discussion of what is expected of librarians versus what they are given time to do, from the unique perspectives of an Academic Cataloguing Librarian and a rural Public Librarian. As new librarians themselves, they will discuss the challenges of librarianship across disciplines. “I’ll do it on the clock” means the task will be completed when one is being paid for their efforts. Yet when “this needs to be done,” it doesn’t matter what the clock says. They will discuss their day-to-day tasks, as well as their commitments like service and publication, to engage with the well-established conversation of work-life balance in a profession known for giving as much as it takes.