Friday, August 7, 2009

Gripe of the week

Ok, what is it with staff wanting to collect money for every little thing? It's like this hidden cost of being employed at a library:

a) we're taking up a collection for X's birthday! How much are you going to give? Everyone else is giving $5.00, plus something for a cake.
b) We're making a snack run -- what do you want us to bring you?
c) Coffee fund!
d) We're out of bottled water, your share comes to _______.
e) fill in your own.

It's not that I don't want to be sociable, it's just that I don't have that much disposable income. Or rather I want to spend it on stuff I want or need.

Now I can see once in a while, for someone leaving or celebrating someone coming in. But why do we have to have a collection for 'National Duran Duran Appreciation Day' (August 10)?

Frankly, I wish I could just say "leave me out of it" but when I said the other day, "oh, all right! Bring me a Coke!" It was almost like I'd given them a raise! "Yay! Director is ordering something!"

Is there a nice way to say "Look, I'm not being anti-social, I'm just broke!" Without seeming to be asking for sympathy?

End rant. For now.

"The Director"

a) Cake? What's wrong with "Little Debbie" Cupcakes with a candles stuck in them?

b) Honest, I'm trying to watch my weight, plus I only drink water at work, thanks to being always thirsty because of blood-pressure meds.

c)I bring my own -- it's better than Starbucks, and cheaper! Publix buy one, get one free -- New England Coffee. Breakfast Blend or French Vanilla. Yum. NEVER Folgers, the coffee of choice of the Library. Ugh.

d) I don't drink bottled water. It just comes from a tap somewhere. I can show you the YouTube video of Penn and Teller proving it*. I buy one bottle, BPA free, and refill it each morning and at lunch (which I go home for, by the way).


*Language warning, may not be family friendly, these guys are crude and crass, but boy, do they make their point!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdvJOF-2mm0

1 comment:

Kewl Librarian 2 said...

You might be in a different jam since you are the director, but at my first job they had a water cooler. I didn't drink from it and I didn't participate. I don't drink coffee, so have never participated in a coffee fund.
As for the snacks, well, places I've been have done a "snack shack" kind of thing where one person stocks and if you get a snack you pay for it.

IMHO, you could easily opt out of the water and coffee funds by saying you don't drink coffee and you bring your own water.

This rant hit home. I've worked jobs where it seemed like every time I turned around there was an envelope for a collection for something. I've learned it's okay to sign off and not put anything in (depending on the occasion).