A Conversation with Elizabeth
1998
Work

From:          Elizabeth  
To:            LMixson@pec.com
Sent:          Friday, April 10, 1998 10:47 AM
Subject:       work
 
It's a hospital holiday, but I'm working because until I have six months in any holidays come out of my accrued vacation days.  I was glad to get a message, because it will be a long day.
 
About the computers here.  "My" computer is essentially only the one I use when I am here, i.e. it's not mine in a private office, although its apart from the more public part of the library, just by where I have a little sort of office--which again doesn't lock.  When I am here and especially when I am not, other people use the computer. At night, it's a free for all (although the library is locked all residents have keys.) I have one other on-line computer which during the day is used by people in the library, but if it is busy and I'm not actually at my computer, often they will use mine.  I know a lot of the residents have HotMail because I see them on it at times.  I guess what I don't know is what exactly can be monitored.  If there is monitoring of Hotmail, there's a lot going on using the library computers, in addition to mine.  Can "monitoring" distinguish.  When you say, "I guess they could monitor you while you are online to hotmail and see what you send/receive, but that is much harder...," what exactly to you mean by "what you send/receive."  I hope you don't mean the actual words/content.  I surmise that they could monitor addresses, both sent and received and possibly the "subject" line? I also surmise they could monitor the internet sites I visit.
 
I don't know.  I don't want to get overly paranoid, but I do want to be judicious and careful.  After the first messages I sent you, I quit using "our" internet service.  Even when I did, I deleted things right away.  I know that Hotmail mail "resides" elsewhere, and I'm not overly concerned, but something "ethical" keeps me from "downing" work, while I'm on e-mail at work even though I don't have a great deal to down.
 
I am having a little sort of "turf" problem with someone right now, which was what I was alluding to in not being able to frankly discuss.  One of the reasons I didn't get to write you until late was that I spent forever "composing" a letter to her, trying to be friendly firm.  It involves basically that I am the "Library Coordinator."  Anything with "library" could and should get associated here and to me.  As a program director for a new program the hospital is starting, she has decided to set up her own "library" and she has started calling it that.  There was NOT a decision by the hospital to have an official library "branch" at her site, and that was discussed in my interview when I clarified what responsibilities I would have at the new site, if any.  I am trying to build awareness and use of "the library," because some staff don't even know it exists.  Basically I told her or asked her NOT to call or refer to her collection of books and materials as "the library."  It all felt "stupid" at one level, but when she was first hired she got overtly bossy with me right away, and I chatted with my supervisor about it.  He clarified, "I'm it" in terms of your bosses.  Also, I've noticed that when I information share with her, she withholds.  I let her know about things to and for her benefit (helping her cover her a), but she doesn't recipocrate.  I finally decided "No more Mr. Nice Guy" or whatever the female equivalent is.  I HATE institutional politics; I don't play well; I don't want to play.  She has been the only glitch in me not EVER having to do this sort of thing since I have been here.  The ONLY time I ever took my work home, in an unfavorable light, was after interacting with her.  Basically, when I leave here, it's over, although I might think about something, there is no "stress" (except from her).

Some things never change. What was going with Elizabeth at work was the same thing I had seen at places she worked at back in the 70’s. She is right about her not playing well with others at work.

Continuation