Healing Burnout: Incorporating Resilience to Refocus Stress and Workload Demands

Trending attitudes say a library should do everything, putting strain on the humans that run it. Libraries are the hearts of their communities, but sometimes we put ourselves at risk to keep those hearts pumping. Because of these expectations, library employees end up being glorified security guards, babysitters, social workers, and frontline staff. Burnout becomes inevitable if you don’t incorporate strategies to prevent stress from impossible demands. Learn about ways to avoid burnout and refocus your priorities on setting healthy boundaries and remembering the qualities that made you passionate about the profession.

• How to set healthy boundaries with library users and teammates
• How to identify and connect with administrators for support
• How to develop strategies in preventing and coping with stress
• How to shift your perspective to refocus on real priorities

Presenter

Jennifer Blair is the Head of User Services Librarian and Associate Professor at Azusa Pacific University (APU). Her role is dedicated to the user experience, including marketing the library, and teaching. She has extensive experience teaching online courses in design and library studies, including library management. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Graphic Design, an M.A. in Educational Multimedia, and an M.S. in Library and Information Studies. Her experience in academic and public libraries as well as work experience in art and design allow her to employ visionary strategies to enrich progress and enhance advancement for libraries.