Key Highlights:
- A Reddit user turned down a children’s librarian position paying $13 an hour because it would not cover her broader financial needs.
- She currently earns $20 an hour as a department manager at Walmart but wants to leave because chronic pain makes standing for long periods difficult.
- Commenters connected the situation to “vocational awe,” the belief that library work is inherently valuable even when employers offer poverty-level wages.
Reddit User Rejects Children’s Librarian Job Over $13 Hourly Pay
A woman on Reddit says she turned down what she described as her dream job—a children’s librarian position at a small rural public library—after learning it paid just $13 an hour. Her post in r/GirlDinnerDiaries received more than 5,600 upvotes.
The Reddit user shared a photo of “ice cream with magic shell,” tagging it “sad girl dinner.” She said the interview had gone exceptionally well and that the library’s directors appeared enthusiastic about her experience and knowledge. “The directors seemed excited to meet me and impressed [by] my knowledge,” she wrote. “I was excited and fell in love with the position.”
The position included city-paid insurance, a retirement plan, a longevity bonus and a Christmas stipend. The Reddit user said those benefits, combined with the hourly wage, would have covered her bills and pet-care costs. However, she would have had no money left for loan payments, savings or even subscriptions.
Why the Library Position Was Financially Impossible
The $13-an-hour offer was substantially below the $20 hourly wage the woman earns as a department manager at Walmart. She wants to leave Walmart because a chronic pain condition becomes worse when she spends hours on her feet each day. Yet accepting the library position would have left her struggling financially. “I’m depressed (…), and I want to leave so badly, but I don’t want to just barely survive,” she wrote.
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The woman is pursuing a state certification and said the role was not a traditional credentialed librarian position. Instead, it was at a small facility staffed by a single librarian. That distinction helped explain why the offer was below standard librarian wages, although commenters still criticized the pay.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that librarians and library media specialists had a median wage of about $30.92 an hour in May 2024. Entry-level roles can pay less, but the agency reported that the lowest-paid 10% still earned at least $38,920 annually.
One commenter who identified as a U.S. library paraprofessional described earning more, while noting that pay varies widely and can depend on education. “[We] earn around $22 starting pay, but that’s with that master’s degree, and it really varies a LOT.”
Commenters Cite “Vocational Awe” in Libraries
Several Reddit commenters said the situation reflected “vocational awe,” a term coined by librarian and researcher Fobazi Ettarh in 2018. Ettarh defined it as “the set of ideas, values, and assumptions librarians have about themselves and the profession that result in notions that libraries as institutions are inherently good, sacred notions, and therefore beyond critique.”
The original poster said she encountered that attitude directly. According to her account, the outgoing library director told her it was “worth being broke to have such a wonderful job.” Another commenter, who identified as a librarian, argued that employers can use workers’ commitment to library services to justify low pay. “Librarian here,” wrote another commenter. “Find something that pays the bills. It’s insulting how badly this field pays (…) Employers know they’re getting people who have a love for the job, and they exploit that. Just look up ‘vocational awe’ and libraries.”
The Reddit user also noted that her mother works as a teacher and earns less than her daughter currently makes at Walmart. For now, she plans to seek a counteroffer if she receives a second interview with the city manager. Even with a higher offer, however, she said the financial calculation may still not work. “$13/hour simply isn’t enough,” she concluded.
Why This Matters
The discussion highlights the tension between the public value associated with libraries and the wages offered for some library jobs. The reported position included benefits and a path connected to state certification, but the hourly pay would have required the applicant to give up a higher-paying job while leaving little room for debt repayment or savings.
The comments also show how library workers and applicants debate “vocational awe”: whether dedication to public service can become a reason for accepting compensation that does not meet basic financial goals. In this case, the applicant may still pursue the position through a counteroffer, but her decision depends on whether the city can make the job financially sustainable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the children’s librarian job pay?
The position paid $13 an hour and included city-paid insurance, a retirement plan, a longevity bonus and a Christmas stipend.
How much does the Reddit user earn at Walmart?
She earns $20 an hour as a department manager at Walmart.
What does “vocational awe” mean?
“Vocational awe” describes the belief that libraries and library work are inherently good or sacred and therefore beyond criticism, including criticism of low wages or working conditions.
