u/Free-Sky2947

I have been working in academic libraries for 4 years. I do genuinely love the work I do and I think I’m pretty good at it, but the wages aren’t sustainable. I moved for a position and I’m not in a place where I can afford to move anywhere else for the time being. And even when other jobs in the area come up, it’s the same thing - pretty low wages for all the work the job entails. I have a lot of feelings about leaving - that I’m a failure, I wasted my money on the degree, I’m selling out to go corporate, etc.

For the folks who left libraries - do you regret it? Did you feel guilt over leaving? Do you wish you had stuck it out longer?