Change is Good

Lots of changes are coming to my life! I have accepted a position as the Adult Services Coordinator at the Plymouth District Library, and will be starting on August 31. This has made me start thinking of a few things:

First, I've worked at SSLDL for 13 years. That's a long time! I've collected a lot of "stuff" at work over the years, which I am now digging through. I'm not a saver, and really am very organized, but it's amazing the files that are on my computers from years ago. Lots of them have been deleted, but others are still relevant and useful. I've moved those to the shared staff server so that my co-workers can continue to use them when I'm gone.

Also, in preparing to leave, I've realized that there are a lot of things I know just because I've been around for so long. They're mostly little things, like who to call for certain information, quirks of different vendors and program providers, etc. It's not that anyone else can't figure it out or get it done a different way. It's just kind of frustrating to realize that I spent 13 years learning these things and if I don't pass them on, someone else will have to figure out the hard way what it took me all this time to perfect. Or, they won't even realize that they need to know these things until it is too late. I'm trying to create a month by month time line so that my successors will know what to do. (Don't forget to order a copy of the high school year books in September! Be sure to ask the local newspaper for the PDFs of the last year for the archives in January!) I'm just amazed at all the little things I keep remembering every day that I'm adding to it. I sure hope that the person who retired at Plymouth and left me in their position is doing the same for me!

I am really excited to start my new job, but I'm definitely sad to leave SSLDL behind. I have been so fortunate to work there and get to know the others who work there. I owe all of my success to this point to them, and I won't forget that. My decision to move on is purely a career move. After 13 years, it is time to take the next step in my career. I'm ready for bigger things, and I'm stepping into a role with more responsibility, a bigger budget, a bigger staff, a bigger building, a bigger collection, and more of a management role. I'm 35 years old, so if I don't make a move now I could get too comfortable and really...well, burned out and bored with my career. I don't ever want that to happen, so its time to shake things up.

Thank you, SSLDL, for 13 of the best years so far. Welcome, Plymouth District Library, to the next phase of my life!