Defensive and Disheartened about Directorship

I recently read a blog posting in the ACRLog (Association of College & Research Libraries).



StevenB makes the claim that Gen Y and Gen X are unfit and/or not interested in library directorship. He even titles his article "Sorry But You Can't Have It All." As a Millennial/Gen Y, I hear negative comments like that, and I think, "Oh really, I'll show you!"

Steven writes, "One director said.. the current generation of directors needed to give their Nextgen colleagues a dose of reality." What? As far as I know, Gen X and Gen Y are not generationally oblivious (or blind or deaf), and they are capable (human nature of all generations) to observe the issues that boss/directors encounter.

That same director continues: "Getting the job done.. requires certain personal sacrifices, and that a work-life imbalance, staying late, working weekends, getting emergency calls in the middle of the night, is occasionally necessary."

Let's see here.. So far we have: Gen X and Gen Y are: not willing to make sacrifices, need a dose of reality, are not willing to have work-life imbalance, are not willing to work late nights and weekends.

Really? That is a huge generalization. I would like to see some examples of this incompetence/laziness from Gen X and Gen Y librarians.

StevenB continues, "If the work-life practices and behavior of the current generation of directors establishes a model upon which the next generation forms its attitudes towards library administration then today’s library directors, as part of their effort to recruit and shape the next generation of leaders, needs to live and promote an image that will attract the best and brightest to academic library leadership."

To me, this is a threat that if we don't "shape" Gen X and Gen Y librarians into Baby Boomer clones, we risk damaging the field of academic librarianship.

Gen X and Gen Y can bring a lot of positive qualities to the field. I think they have potential to be great managers and library directors. They are fluent in needs of "diversity." Most were born into school systems that preached tolerance. Millennials show more tolerance of different viewpoints, genders, sexualities, races, etc. They are extremely accustomed to the web-world. Please see previous blog posting for more positive qualities of Millennials..

Thoughts?


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