Lived Experiences in Librarianship

This book presents the lived experiences of library workers in evocative and vulnerable accounts of the inhospitable norms within librarianship in the globalized 21st century. Rigorously researched, this book promotes critical examinations of librarianship and solidarity among library workers.The nature of library work is constantly being transformed by forces in our environmental landscape such as war, reduced budgets, global pandemics, mass-disinformation, censorship demands, social work-based job functions, and shifting understandings of what it means to be a librarian. Amid this tumult, librarians are engaging both themselves and their communities in the transformation of libraries. Central to this monograph is the idea that individuals can find validation and paths to recovery through voicing our lived experiences. Lived Experiences in Librarianship gives library workers the space to self-advocate and find paths to recovery from dysfunctional library workplaces by cultivating positive norms for future workers. Through inclusive and embodied qualitative research methods (e.g., autoethnography, autobiography, storytelling, reflection) and theoretical lenses (e.g., emotional labor, critical race theory, anti-oppression, decolonial feminism, intersectionality) this book will present a shared and holistic understanding of dysfunctional library structures.This book will appeal to library sciences practitioners who are interested in understanding the professional and personal challenges faced by their peers. Readers may find value in comparing their experiences with other workers and they may find value in the insights into the shared challenges and unique circumstances of library workers.

Christina Holm, MLIS, works in academic libraries where she focuses on supporting students and faculty in their research endeavours. Since joining the library profession over 15 years ago, Christina has been an advocate for library employee well-being and critical investigations of our profession’s norms. She has authored multiple works regarding librarian burnout, workplace wellbeing, and student success.Nashieli Marcano (PhD, MLIS) coordinates existing digital archival efforts related to her institution’s history and in response to educational and research needs. Nashieli's current scholarly interests include critical librarianship and digital preservation. She brings over 15 years of experience in academic libraries, in areas ranging from doctoral library research support, instruction, and collection development, to outreach, project management, peer mentoring, and cross-campus partnership-building.Ana B. Guimaraes (MSLIS) is currently working for an academic publishing company, where she serves as a librarian for librarians and part of an Engagement Team whose mission is to support and advocate for libraries. With 20 years of library public services and collection management experience, she is passionate about library resources, process improvement, and promoting employee well-being and the needs of library workers.