Kudos for Solos

Solo librarians have a lot to manage.  Everyday there are books to check out, reference questions to answer, cataloging to do, books to process,  books to shelve, books to repair and a hundred other things.  There are reports to write, statistics to analyze, licenses to negotiate, budgets to manage, development projects to manage, and funding to raise all while assuring that we are exceeding the standards of our industry. Added to all of the tasks that need to be done, librarians need to be educators, citation experts, authorities on copyright and plagiarism, gurus for technology.  Lucky solo librarians may have assistants or student workers, but at a small school one person may have to do more. It is like being a ringleader at a crazy circus.  Libraries are complex environments, and it takes a skilled leader to make them successful. If it sounds impossible, be thankful for the solo librarians who provide all of these services every day.