Before we get into it, I want to start here—with a little honesty.
Lately, I’ve found myself in a place I didn’t expect. I’m currently unemployed, and the circumstances that led me here were… difficult. Toxic. Retaliatory in ways that shook me more than I’d like to admit. If I’m being honest, I’ve started to question my desire to remain in public librarianship. I’m unsure if I want to stay in this field at all.
That’s a hard thing to say out loud. This work has been such a big part of who I am.
So when I asked:
“If you could give one piece of advice to a brand new youth librarian… what would it be?”
It wasn’t just a fun engagement post.
It was me, quietly asking:
Is this field still what I thought it was? Are there still good people here?
And what came back?
Was overwhelming. In the best way.
First Things First: We’ve All Been There
If there’s one thing your responses made clear, it’s this:
No one walks into youth services knowing exactly what they’re doing.
“It’s ok if you try out a new program and no one comes.”
“A program doesn’t necessarily fail because people didn’t show up.”
“You will plan programs for 200 and 5 will come. You will plan a program for 5 and 200 will come.”
That last one deserves to be framed and hung in every programming office everywhere.
Because wow… if that isn’t the truth.
The Advice That Had Me Laughing Out Loud
Some of you really understood the assignment.
- “You will move a lot of furniture. Get strong!”
- “I hope you can detangle headphones because that’s a daily for me.”
- “Be prepared to get sick a lot.”
- “Wash your hands. A LOT.”
- “Don’t. Use. Glitter.”
- “Puppets!”
- “Bubbles and stickers are your best friends.”
- “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star almost always calms them down.”
And my personal favorite:
“Run!”
The Hard Truths (That Somehow Feel Comforting)
There was a lot of honesty in these responses—the kind that only comes from lived experience.
You can’t please everyone
“You’re always gonna have someone complain.”
“You can’t make everyone happy all the time.”
“No matter how much you do, people will ask for more.”
And this one hit deep:
“If you’re at your capacity, that’s more than enough.”
Read that again.
Pace yourself… or burnout will do it for you
“Library service is a marathon, not a sprint.”
“Don’t try to do all the things all the time.”
“Have a life outside of work.”
“Try to prep during work hours—once you clock out, rest.”
And maybe the most important reminder:
“Sometimes good enough is good enough.”
Relationships matter more than anything
Over and over, you all came back to this:
“Prioritize relationship building.”
“Learn their names.”
“Talk to them like they are people (because they are).”
“Ask the youths what they actually want.”
And this one?
“It’s just books. Relationships build a library.”
That’s the heart of it right there, and my motto, too.
You Don’t Have to Do Everything
(And please stop trying to.)
“Ask for help.”
“Delegate.”
“Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.”
“Use the resources available—other librarians, Pinterest, anything!” (Um, HELLO!)
One response said:
“Execution is harder in reality than how you imagine it in your head.”
…which feels like it applies to literally every program I’ve ever planned (use my blog – learn from my mistakes!).
The Joy Is Still There (I Promise)
This was the part that got me.
Because underneath all the practical advice, the stress, the reality checks…
There was joy. So much joy.
“Have fun. If you like the programs, so will the children.”
“Don’t be afraid to be silly.”
“Channel your inner child.”
“Embrace the chaos.”
“Find and keep your joy!”
And this one, which is SO TRUE:
“Kids are very forgiving. They will follow your lead.”
They have no idea what you had planned! Just go with the flow! They will mirror your energy!
The Bigger Picture (Why This Work Matters)
Some of you zoomed out—and I’m so glad you did.
“Be the safe place.”
“You are their public resource.”
“Encourage parents to read with children so they associate reading with love.”
“Listen to the youth and follow their lead.”
And this one really hit me:
“The kids and caregivers will remember you years from now.”
And then this:
“My first storytime kids are adults now… and I’m still loving the librarian life.”
That’s legacy work. That’s what I wanted. That’s what I needed.
The Advice That Felt Like a Hug
Some responses didn’t just offer advice—they offered connection.
“Network with other librarians… I don’t hoard knowledge.”
“Feel free to DM me if you ever want to bounce ideas.”
“When in doubt, seek out others and ask for advice.”
And maybe the simplest, but most powerful:
“Thank you. Your work and commitment matters.”
I don’t think you realize how much someone might need to hear that on any given day.
Why This Meant So Much to Me
I asked this question because I needed reassurance.
Because my recent experience didn’t feel like the library world I believed in.
Because I wasn’t sure if I still had a place here.
And what you all gave back was something I didn’t even know I was hoping for:
Proof.
Proof that there are still people who care deeply about this work.
Proof that there is still kindness, humor, and generosity in this field.
Proof that the hard parts don’t define the whole story.
I’m still figuring things out. I’m still not ready to share everything.
But this? This helped.
More than you know.
Let’s Keep Showing Up for Each Other
If this post proves anything, it’s this:
We need each other.
We need the honesty.
We need the humor.
We need the “don’t use glitter” warnings.
We need the reminders that we’re doing better than we think.
So let’s keep asking the questions.
Let’s keep sharing what we’ve learned.
Let’s keep being the kind of community we wish we had on our hardest days.
Because somewhere out there, a brand new youth librarian is wondering if they’re doing okay.
And thanks to all of you, we can say:
They are.
And maybe… just maybe…
we are too.
Stop over to my facebook page to join in on more discussion: https://www.facebook.com/YouthServicesPlaybook
Have a story to tell? Reach out to me HERE!
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