非典型勞動是近代勞動社會學中重要的研究議題。非典型工作常被認為是低保障、低穩定的次級勞動，但過往社會學文獻缺少公部門非典型勞動的研究，本研究旨在探討公共圖書館非典型勞動者為何要選擇這份工作以及持續從事這份工作的原因。本文透過深度訪談並輔以現場參與觀察，以新北市圖書館為例採討公部門非典型勞動的圖像。研究資料分析結果顯示，勞動者因穩定的公家頭路、簡單輕鬆以及文人生活品味的公共圖書館聲望而選擇從事這份非典型工作，研究對象在結構限制下『自願』從事非典型工作。一群在勞動市場競爭力較弱的勞動者依靠著政治關係獲得這份工作，讓他們在政治關係的庇護下能擁有一份永久的工作。對於一群二度就業的中年族群而言，這份非典型工作是人生中額外的經歷，其中二度就業婦女更從中得到自我肯定。而許多年輕人將這份工作視為人生的跳板，並視此份工作為職業生涯的避風港，可以暫時不用投入勞動市場的競爭。公共圖書館非典型勞動為這群人帶來正面的意義，他們為了獲得生命的安定感、額外的人生經歷與暫時的安定感選擇這份工作。實際從事這份非典型勞動後，原本對於公共圖書館的印象一一破滅，在整體勞動市場高薪工作少、低薪工作多，以及失業風險難以衡量的情況下，社會大眾對於就業市場抱持著不樂觀的態度，公共圖書館的安定特質讓勞動者願意持續從事這份工作，甚至逐漸安於安定的工作環境而變成長久的工作。追求安定的工作，支持Beck的風險社會論點，現代風險社會下，社會的價值系統由不平等轉變成不安全，從過去大家想辦法脫貧到現代社會大家想辦法尋求安定。
Atypical labor is an important research topic in the sociology of labor in modern society. An atypical job is considered to be secondary labor with no guarantees and little security. However, few studies in the sociological literature have examined atypical labor in government sector. This study used in-depth interviews and participation observation in a public library to explore why people chose to engage in atypical jobs in government sector.
This research showed that workers chose to engage in the atypical job at a public library because of the job characteristics; the library offered security, simple and easy work, and an intellectual life style. Most of these workers “voluntarily” engaged in this atypical job under structural restrictions. Their job brought positive meaning to the workers, although some of them who had weak competitiveness in the labor market got the job through their connections. In addition, for some middle-aged people who sought re-employment, engaging in this job enriched their life experience, but many young people regarded the job as a rebound job that provided a paycheck while they looked for a better job or devised a life plan. The “temporary” nature of the atypical job was also used as an excuse to delay finding permanent work.
The workers found that their original impression of the public library was shattered, and they also found security after engaging in this atypical job. Because a general feeling of job insecurity prevails in Taiwan society, the security characteristics of the public library induced the workers to stay there. Finally, to a certain extent, the conclusion supported the theory of risk society proposed by modern German sociologist Ulrich Beck. The social value system has shifted from taking a job to avoid poverty to taking a job to avoid insecurity.
