This weekend two of my friends spoke to my Saturday class. The topic was suppose to be providing reference service for kids and teens, but as always it veered off topic from time to time. This normally happens and it is usually interesting to see where the conversation goes. This time (however) one topic of conversation seemed to strike a sour note.

I don't know how it came up, but the class started discussing the extra mile. The extra mile is what I would consider to be all the little things I do for my job that are not necessarily part of my job description (or my expectations when I took the position). That can be anything from helping out with youth programs to working extra hours to baking cookies for our holiday open house. To put it nicely, I'm 99.9% sure that my guest speakers and the class did not agree on what should and should not be expected of them as librarians. One group was clearly on the side of I will be asked to do certain things that I will not expect, but I will do them anyway (graciously, without complaint). The other group was just as clearly on the side of I'm not doing anything without being compensated for it in some way, shape, or form.

And this has me thinking (scary, I know). When it comes to time, money, energy, or whatever, where do we draw the line as far as what we will do and what we won't do for our chosen profession? Do you ever find yourself working crazy hours or working for free just to get the job done? Should you be asked or expected to go the extra mile? Do these situations pop up in all professions or just a few?

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