Also, many jobs do have components that lend themselves to distance work, such as collection work, reports, etc. But Amanda, you know what? I don’t think it’s right to say NO ONE can telecommute unless EVERYONE can telecommute. That feels sort of babyish. I’ve been in jobs that didn’t lend themselves to distance work and that’s just how it was.

In my first post-MLS library job I was once working in a cube and told to take off a walkman. That’s what “Jane” is talking about. Dumb stuff.

I think, once you are management, it is much harder to telecommute because most managers need to have some kind of face time with their employees.

I’m glad to have bosses who are not clock-watchers and somewhat flexible about schedules. However, I think there are some fairness issues in telecommuting. For example, I’m part of the public services staff, and have far more reference desk hours than the technical services staff. In addition, I’m a department head with staff to supervise. I’d love to telecommute (I could do all my collection development from home!), but I tend to multitask and get it done that way. I’d be a little miffed if the tech services staff could do a lot of telecommuting while the nature of my job doesn’t allow it.

As for music on the job, I love to listen to my music too, but I only do it in my office, and I’m only in my office for lengthy periods of time during interims. I think it’s rude to be listening to music out on the service desk, and I won’t allow my student workers to do it there (or while shelving or shelf-reading either). I want them to HEAR the patron asking them for help! If they are working during an interim, though, that’s a different story, but they have to use their own MP3 players and not download stuff to the machines.