Library Web Chic

I can’t help at laugh at the irony of the fact that on the heels of me reading Roy Tennant’s Library Journal article on The Gender Gap in systems librarianship and Dorothea and Meredith’s recent posts on gender, libraries and tech that I found out the other female librarian in systems resigned. Sigh! I want to say that my colleague’s resignation has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with blatant gender discrimination. However, being interested in the topic of women in systems librarianship, I asked her what factors contributed to her decision to leave. I wasn’t surprised that the usual suspects for why anyone changes jobs (money, workload). However, as the mother of two, she pointed out that a significant factor in her leaving was her lack of ability to effectively work on professional development at work (too much systems stuff to get done) and an unwillingness to bring this work home. The result of which she felt would be her eventual failing in the review for continuing appointment.

Listening to what my colleague had to say I couldn’t help but recollect a conversation I had with a friend of mine (female Doctoral candidate) regarding a having a career in academia. We talked about trying to balance family and work and the issue of “is there ever a good time to have children” when you are a female academic? I’ve met several women my age (late 20s early 30s) in academia who felt that it just wasn’t possible to have children before getting tenure. A part of me agrees, because I want to be financially stable before starting a family but also because I’m in the “high output” years of my career right now. It is expected that I’ll be writing articles, chairing committees, and be active in other ways professionally. Are these expectations unreasonable? No not at all. The problem is that in many households women are still expected to bear the brunt of domestic duties. Some people would say that women who are in those types of situations should have chosen a different domestic partner. But the fact of the matter is that a significant portion of society is still sees the world through the lens of Forbes’ infamous “Don’t Marrry Career Women” article. Those who don’t see the world through that lens are still tinted by it.

Meredith uses the word subtle, Dorothea insidious, but both are talking about the same thing, the underpinning that is societal expectations. The little things that Meredith mentions in her post “being talked to like a second grader” by guys in IT, for instance, happen. Everytime it does it sends me for a loop. A part of my feels like I’m on the wrong planet. Because like Dorothea, was raised to believe that the struggle for equality for women was over, that I could expect to be treated fairly, with respect and courtesy. Sometime in high school (probably Calculus class) a part of me realized that it just wasn’t the case. The result is that I find myself regularly trying to reconcile what my parents enstilled: that I could be whatever I wanted to be, with what the society seems to think I should be.

I’m still struggling to understand this disconnect and why it is happening. One great book I read a couple years ago that helped me understand things a bit better was Unlocking the Clubhouse Women in Computing which examined reasons why there continues to be a gender gap in computing. The book tried to tackle the issue from lots of different angles going back to looking at early childhood influences on girls as well as their experiences in college majoring in computer science. If you are really interested in the why piece of the puzzle, I think it is a worthwhile read.

As to how to make things better, I’ve posted before about things I think are important: participate, let other techie female librarians know you are out there, serve on conference planning committees, mentor a new female librarian, help one another on projects, the list goes on. For my own part, I’m excited about working with the other ladies on the Five Weeks to a Social Library project. It is a challenge I’m looking forward to. Plus, I’m hoping to get another personal project off the ground soon, that is if I can find the time.