New York Public Library reviews

Same coworkers feel too disempowered to disagree with management. Forget about being hired as a librarian as an internal candidate at one of the research libraries. The public libraries received an increase in funding to hire more librarians then proceeded to use the funds to hire paraprofessionals (who staff the reference desks) at the research branches. They are always looking for ways to cut costs via labor. Then we have to deal with the consequences of the administrations' poor decisions when we interact with the public.

The library system is a little too big to be properly and evenly managed. Some of it is government funded, but a big portion of the funding is private, and so branches in nicer areas of the city get big donations from their patrons, while branches in areas where the community is not as wealthy get nothing. And so the already nice branches get nicer while the branches that are really in need tend to suffer and get swept under the rug. Staffing is also an issue, in the sense that there is never enough. I found that it all also depends which branch you're placed in. The attitude of your manager really effects the whole staff. I have been to other branches where the manager really cares and loves the library, and it is very obvious that the staff at that branch appreciate are happier and want to work hard to make it a nice place because the manager is working hard. Sadly, that's not the case everywhere. Upper management is trying to make some changes for the better, and that is definitely in the works. But people who have been in the system for a long time, and just don't care anymore, can be a bit resistent to change.