New York Public Library reviews

Extremely disheartened and bitter staff from my first week of working there, using 'Information Assistants' like librarians and paying them less, lack of leadership, manager not open to new ideas

I used to feel great about working here. I really did. However, in around 2008, the library really began to lose its way. As true library professionals left, retired, or were forced out, the library's direction was gradually & dramatically re-routed by lawyers, MBAs, strategists & IT-types. Detached from our true mission, they were driven more by numbers & the bottom line. As the years have passed, I saw more good people let go. I see departments shuffled around haphazardly. Take for example our ILS department. In our profession, the system that controls circulation, cataloging, acquisitions, & so many other core functions of a library has been passed around like a hot potato for years. A team of nearly a dozen was combined when our branch & research libraries merged systems some years ago. Then they were moved out to Queens. Then some of them were moved to IT. Some more were then moved into our virtual reference team. Then another was moved to IT. Then someone was foolishly let go. Then they were moved again. under our Digital team. Then someone else left. Then they were moved again. I've heard their staff cannot even attend the annual professional conference, which is so crucial to the operation of our system, let alone our library - what good our we without a voice at that table? Meanwhile, the wrong people are promoted. Sycophants, Those who lack vision. Those detached from the daily rigors of work in our branches.