Pros
The most enjoyable part of working at the library was how closely I worked with the community. Some of the experiences that I had with the patrons impacted me significantly and it solidified a commitment to public service. For the most part, I thoroughly enjoyed working with the majority of my colleagues. The WPL funded continuing education after a year of employment, which is extremely helpful for people that are looking to get library experience and their MLS. Before I left, there was a concerted effort for EDI and the WPL looked to provide resources for its most vulnerable community members. Similarly, administration was extremely responsive to behavioral issues among patrons and banned those patrons if necessary.
Cons
The organization ran on favoritism and often failed to appreciate or support the talents of its paraprofessional staff. It was clear that the more important positions to the organization were professional ones. For example, professional positions get 4 weeks of vacation time after one year of employment while paraprofessional positions get 4 weeks after ten years (the justification for this is length of probationary period). There were no mechanisms to report issues with upper management where it would be dealt with fairly. There were no benefits in terms of compensation or recognition for taking on challenging projects, developing new ideas, or implementing changes. The WPL was very firm on not increasing salaries based on merit or the amount of vacation time. The organization offered minimal support or assistance when it was most needed. Since evaluations were never performed, there was no feedback or clear expectations for different positions. Significant changes were often implemented too quickly without consideration of initial or long term challenges or implications.
