New Job Means Changes

So I'll be starting my new job exactly one week from today.

I interviewed for the Senior Library Technician position at the Longmont Public Library a couple of weeks ago. The interview went great - and before the end of the week I had an offer. The background check took a bit of time (I guess it always does) but now my official start date is November 10th.

This is an awesome opportunity for me. This position involves IT support (maintaining and troubleshooting hardware, software, and network aspects), computer lab monitoring (helping customers with problems on the computer), and probably some management (directing, training, and scheduling the lab monitors). My library experience combined with my technical expertise made me an obvious fit for the library's needs - and the hiring group seemed to agree!

I'm very excited about this chance - it's a full-time position in an industry I've grown to love and the field I wanted to work in. It sounds like a small group of folks in the IT department so my input and ideas will be carrying some weight. It sounds like they're hoping for a 'visionary' to help them evolve their library - and after watching the Fort Collins Library grow and change over the course of 12 years (!) I've seen a lot of potential changes. These ideas I can bring to Longmont.

It's not without some sadness though that I leave the Fort Collins Library. As I mentioned, I've been with that library for over 12 years, starting as a humble shelver and working my way up to serve as a Shelving Crew Lead, a Library Services Representative (ie, Circulation Manager), and Desktop Support Specialist. After working in a place for so long, you get comfortable - you understand how things work and have an easy time flowing with things even on bad days. It's difficult to uproot yourself and try something new. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me that didn't want to leave the Fort Collins Library - but this is a good chance for me...and sometimes you just have to do something a little different if you want to grow.

Currently, Kate and I don't have any plans to leave Fort Collins for Longmont. Kate's hoping to get a position with the new Fort Collins library branch (recently dubbed "Council Tree"). This position would be full-time at a branch where the philosophy will be a bit different. Kate's eager for a chance to embrace that difference and likes the idea of being a part of the crew that forms the baseline for business at this new branch. So...we decided that we would see how that played out. If Kate gets the position, she'll still be able to take the bus to work and back very conveniently so it'd make more sense to let me do the commuting. We may eventually move a little closer to Longmont, but for the moment we're staying here in Fort Collins.

(Maybe the light rail project will one day get the green light and I'll be able to take that down to Longmont and back!)

I have to give a shout-out to our friend and co-worker Marg, who clued me in to the position at Longmont. I'd never have even known that it was there if she hadn't mentioned it to me. Thanks, Marg!

So I'll be spending this week trying to get stuff wrapped up at Fort Collins since my last working day will be tomorrow (Tuesday the 4th). I'll also need to chat with Fort Collins Human Resources to get organized about my accumulated vacation time and retirement funds. (I hope this job change doesn't affect my Christmas and Summer vacation plans!)

Thanks for reading my thoughts on this change in my life. I'm excited and nervous and regretful all at the same time. I'm certain that it will be a great job and that I'll enjoy it, but it's still hard to fight away that melancholy that comes from leaving a place you've loved for so long.

I'm certain everyone knows what I'm talking about. :-)

Thanks again for reading. Hope you're having a great day!