Fear (Revisited) or Untenured Angst!

As a younger, untenured librarian I might be a good candidate for introducing new ideas or fresher ideas to the library. I’m encouraged to contribute my ideas and offer solutions to problems within the library. The problem is that those bearing the “untenured” status are vulnerable. The whole process requires that you be evaluated by your peers. You are told that you should be free to express your opinions or ideas without fear of reprisal from colleagues. I’m not too sure if that is actually the practice. As petty as it seems, your colleagues might hold grudges for ideas or projects that you might want to pursue or advocate. I hate to think that disagreements or differences in opinion might affect my career, but it is a possibility. What is the solution? Not sure. Just. Grin. And. Bear. It! OR…

Get a mentor who is aware of the political climate, allegiances etc. in the library and the overall institution (i.e. college or university). This mentor (preferably tenured) should be able to guide you through navigating the tenure process , advise you on your professional development and/or be a source of emotional support during the rough patches of this adventure. You might also want to get a mentor outside of the department or the institution to get another perspective on these areas of your career. I’ve turned to my mentor on a number of occasions and her advice has always been invaluable. With her assistance I’ve identified areas where I could contribute in the library (committees, projects etc.). I’m also aware of the political underpinnings in the library and where to tread lightly.

The tenure process makes you more aware of your performance and how others might perceive you and your work. I’m experiencing much fear angst about my vulnerability. It might be the whole process or I might be too much of a worrier.

Fear, Tenure and All that Jazz!

The Oxford English Dictionary has several definitions for fear:
1. In OE.: A sudden and terrible event; peril.
2. a. The emotion of pain or uneasiness caused by the sense of impending danger, or by the prospect of some possible evil.
c. An instance of the emotion; a particular apprehension of some future evil.
d. A state of alarm or dread.

However, I think they should add “tenure” to this list. I am in a state of alarm about going through the first round of the tenure process this year. I dread the thought of putting my file together and bearing my working soul for my colleagues to judge. The whole idea of the tenure process is scary. Imagine being under scrutiny for 6 years and working at a job for 3 years before you are evaluated. In essence you are taking 6 years to prove to your colleagues and employer that you are worthy to be included among the “elite” and, as one union representative mentioned recently, become one of the “untouchables”. After the 6 years if you are not “good enough” then you are fired!

There has been an innumerable amount of blogs, lists and articles debating whether librarians should have tenure or not. I don’t want to get into the debate, but for those tenure-track librarians the process is unbelievably stressful. Last year, while I was on contract (before my tenure-track position), a library school student mentioned that he had heard that many academic librarians suffered from burnout. In my naivety, I expressed surprise by this. Yes, the job is stressful at times, but there are cycles to this madness. I was in a fool’s contract fool’s paradise. Now the realities are becoming even more apparent to see as I plan ahead for the first round of the tenure process. I have a list of projects to start, papers to write and committees to join before the Fall semester. Why? Because I don’t like how I look on paper right now. I need to build my CV as well as think and plan strategically for my first review. That “sudden and peril event” will be upon me soon!