“Why do you continue to work in libraries?"-Sarah Houghton-Jan (survey results)

 "Sarah Houghton-Jan (survey results)

• 67% – Belief in the library’s mission in society
• 64% – Love the work itself
• 32% – Good work environment
• 26% – Love the customers
• 23% – Love my co-workers
• 15% – Good pay/benefits
• 9% – Fear that I’m not qualified for anything else
• 9% – Other
• 7% – Convenience (e.g. job close to home)
• 4% – Laziness (changing jobs is too hard)
• 3% – Holding on a little longer to get vested/get better retirement benefits

I sincerely hope that most of us will stay.  But realistically, I think that libraries will be losing many quality library employees to other industries better positioned to reward them.  If we do have a comeback as a field, we’re going to have to figure out what we can offer these ex-patriots to motivate them to come back when we need them."