I want to be a French librarian

Now these are the kind of working hours that I aspire to. I was briefly in Picardy, France for the day job this week and saw this sign at a library:

It's good to be back home. Once I've tackled my mega pile of laundry I'll wrote a proper entry. Bon weekend, mes amies!

Comments

[1 · Posted by Kimmi · September 18, 2009 at 05:32 PM]

Now those are hours I can agree with!

[2 · Posted by Struggler · September 18, 2009 at 06:00 PM]

Priceless. I wonder if I should print out that photo and post it by my desk??

[3 · Posted by Anna · September 18, 2009 at 06:24 PM]

The trick is to work those hours, but still get paid for 40. Let us know when you've achieved that, I'd definitely like to know! =)

[4 · Posted by Julia · September 18, 2009 at 06:49 PM]

Hopefully you'll never have to be a French library patron! Those hours are crazy!

[5 · Posted by Quix · September 18, 2009 at 08:24 PM]

Welcome back, and I want those hours too! On my salary + a raise please. :)

[6 · Posted by Sweetie Pie · September 18, 2009 at 08:47 PM]

Welcome home!! That looks like a pretty sweet gig to me.

[7 · Posted by Sue · September 19, 2009 at 08:29 AM]

Oh yes that's my kind of job too but to keep the hours managable I would probably want to take it on as a job-share - fancy it?

[8 · Posted by Elvira · September 21, 2009 at 02:25 AM]

lol! ur sweet!

[9 · Posted by claudia · September 21, 2009 at 07:05 AM]

I´d love to be a librarian!

[10 · Posted by Diane Fit to the Finish · September 21, 2009 at 01:43 PM]

That, or a dentist! Here in the states, dentist's offices are often closed on Friday, and close early on Wednesday!!

[11 · Posted by Laardileidi · September 22, 2009 at 04:17 PM]

Whoah! I´ll never complain about poor public service again! Here in Finland we´re moaning because libraries are closed on Sundays... We´re sooo spoiled!

[12 · Posted by The B · September 23, 2009 at 12:01 PM]

Ha! I was in France earlier this year and we were looking for internet. We went to the local tourist office and the opening hours were the most confusing thing in the world. They had about 7 or 8 times listed that they opened during the week, times like 11.30am - 2pm or 3pm - 6pm, but each time only worked for every second or third or fourth saturday or sunday or monday or whatever in the month - and none of them on a consistent basis!

So we gave up and walked quite a long way to the next village (it said on the sign that there was another office there with longer hours), couldn't find it, and so gatecrashed the mairie (the mayor's office) where they said, oh, it's five minutes away. BY CAR. Another half an hour's walk in the wrong direction... so not really in that village at all, then?

But bless the mairie, they let us use their computer and everyone from the mayor to the maintenance guys came out to shake our hands and say hello to les rosbifs.

Happy days.

[13 · Posted by K · September 23, 2009 at 08:34 PM]

That wasn't in Amiens by any chance? I lived there for a year and never used the library for the simple reason that I could never manage to get there when it was open.

I wouldn't mind being a French librarian, but if it's anything like being a French archivist, they want you to have done the French qualification, for which there is stiff competition - now we know why!

[14 · Posted by Shauna · September 23, 2009 at 10:21 PM]

K - no it wasn't! but you have me thinking perhaps this is just a government issued sign for ALL libraries?!

cheers for your comments everyone :)

[15 · Posted by saoghalbeag · September 24, 2009 at 02:42 AM]

sounds like our local police station...the hours have to be printed in the local paper every week because they are so sporadic - and seemingly at the whim of the "if she's not on holiday then she's ill" receptionist. Most of my family don't even bother heading there for licence renewals or car rego - just drive to the next town where at least we can be sure they are open.

I applied for a librarian job with similar hours once. It was in Tasmania, and the hours were something like 4 - 430pm every 3rd Monday, 10 - 1015 and 12 - 1230 Wednesdays and Fridays when there is a full moon...

Sometimes it has to do with employers (usually government) trying to keep employees transient so they can avoid having to fork out benefits of more stable employment, which is a shame. Cut the pollies hours I say and bring on more librarians for everyone!!!