Pros
Working at the library is a great way to share your love of learning with lots of different people. Folks come to the library for a lot of different reasons. I worked with students in the Library's Out-of-School Time programs. I specifically worked in the branch libraries in the Bronx. I really loved helping a student learn something new, or to help them overcome their academic challenges.
Cons
People think if you work at the New York Public Library you work at the iconic 42nd Street branch in mid-town Manhattan. That is not the case. Part of the challenge of working at the library is educating people that the library is spread across the entire city. This is not a con, per se, but it is important to be an ambassador for all of the library's locations. All the branches, while serving the library as a whole, are unique and have their own culture, layout, programs, demographic, and goals. So if you start out at one branch, being relocated to another branch can feel like working for a different company. It is a great way to grow and learn how a great library system can be successful and effective.
