Top-down, hierarchical, low-freedom environment - Librarian Palm Beach County Library System Employee Review

Really fun environment, interview was easy

Hard interview questions i wasn’t prepared for.

I am earning what seems to be a lot of money. But this is after 25 years in my position. The good: Health insurance. Vacation/sick time. A few branches have good leadership and pleasant work culture. The county recently (2024) instituted an anti-bullying policy. Tuition refund.

Some branches have not such good leadership. Bullies are not called to task for their repeated, inappropriate behavior. I and several of my co-workers took demotions or took positions at other branches far from their homes to escape a bully in top leadership. (This particular bully has a history of making employees’ lives miserable, and yet was quickly promoted through the system). Administrative leaders have no clue about what is going on in the trenches. They tend to pick favorites for promotions. Pay for new to the system librarians with Master's degrees at the entry level is not a liveable wage in this county. The requirement to work in hurricane shelters. Leadership has chosen favorites that they advance quickly. The interviews are brutal and some interview questions are irrelevant.