But when I was invited to put down some of my thoughts on returning to academic librarianship after spending four years working for a book vendor, that helmet came to mind again. The answer to those questions is complicated, of course, and so are my feelings at leaving YBP and returning to the academic world. In fact, a little bit of plodding drudgery would be a welcome relief at times. But one of the things I've loved about working in the vendor environment is exactly that fast pace, the feeling of a need to get things done right now , the emphasis on results over process. There are procedures that have to be followed, of course, but here they tend to be seen as a means to an end, an attitude that came as a relief after the years I had spent in an academic library.
Every day is different and no day is ever boring.
I should point out that one of the most pleasant surprises I've experienced at YBP is the degree to which everyone, at every level of the company, genuinely focuses on the needs and best interests of the libraries we serve. The fact is that YBP's corporate culture is one that encourages genuine care for the well-being of the libraries we serve. YBP bibliographer, was training me to describe and allocate books to customers based on their approval plan profiles. When we profile books we're not trying to sell as many as possible. Just focus on making sure the right book goes to the right customer.