I am not limiting the term to those who have the MLIS because vocational awe affects those who work in libraries at every level. Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: Sage Publications, 1993. Thank you for articulating this! That’s her duty as a hero. Linden, M., I. Salo, and A. Jansson. In addition, the sign on the library’s door stated, “During difficult times, the library is a quiet oasis where we can catch our breath, learn, and think about what to do next.” In this way, the library becomes a sanctuary threefold, a place where one can listen to the “still, small, voice,”12 a shelter for displaced populations, and a source of humanitarian aid. The society which scorns excellence in plumbing because plumbing is a humble activity, and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity, will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy. Thank you so much for all the work you do; I could never do that!” comments that I’ve always wanted to respond to with “Hmmm, yeah. Adrien is not among those huddling around that awful witch of a stupid liar, and neither is Nino, the two of them wrapped up in their own conversation. When all her attempts to set things right only earn her scorn from the very people she’s trying to protect? “Oh?”. Your writing is so smart and not all academically boring! My Vocational Awe Article is Out! Because the sacred duties of freedom, information, and service are so momentous, the library worker is easily paralyzed. “Emotional Labour in Librarians’ Instructional Work.” Journal of Documentation 65, no. Library Juice Press: Sacramento, CA, 2017. escholarship.org/uc/item/2mq851m0. Retrieved from http://escholarship.org/uc/item/4nj0w1mp [, R. Frankenberg. Representative Patrick Maloney of New York introduced the Life-saving Librarians Act2 giving the Secretary of Health and Human Services the authority to award grants for Naloxone rescue kits in public libraries. Librarians with disabilities are unable to make librarianship a whole-self career. Pingback : Steering Share: Considering Labor Models in Archives Work – Issues & Advocacy, Bringing Student Voices into the University Archives:
 A Student Organization Documentation Initiative Case Study, Spotlight on Digital Government Information Preservation: Examining the Context, Outcomes, Limitations, and Successes of the DataRefuge Movement. The air grows thin as he sits down next to her, and she fights not to hyperventilate. This should then hold true for other library values as well. Pity in his voice. “I mean, yes! Adrien Agreste is giving her the It’s not you, it’s me speech. Librarianship: Its Philosophy and History. She conjures the mental image of adorable hamsters frolicking in a lush meadow, and clings to it. Chicago: Association of College and Research Libraries, 2007. It is usually the taxpayer or generous donors who should be thought of in awe for their generosity. Face contorted in that sort of helpless expression that comes with not knowing what to do. [, Life-saving Librarians Act, H.R.4259 (2017-2018). So Marinette will lay low. Adrien’s laughter rings out, and Marinette sighs at its perfection. 7. To offer such a thoughtful critique gives space and pause to reflect and realize just how much a lack of critique can actually harm our professional stance. Thank you for articulating a sometimes subtle, yet harmful element of our professional bias in the idea/ideal of vocational awe. March, 2016. Through the language of vocational awe, libraries have been placed as a higher authority and the work in service of libraries as a sacred duty. [, See Garrison, 1972, 1979; Hildenbrand, 1996. Bivens-Tatum, Wayne. And, in the current sociopolitical climate, much of the discourse surrounding these libraries center them as “safe spaces.”. 6. This is a new term to me, but it’s a great way to explain the perpetually (earnest & well-meaning but) patronizing “Oh, you’re a teacher! 11/12: 17-18. The library’s purpose may be to serve, but is that purpose so holy when it fails to serve those who work within its walls every day? Denial [, David Kaser. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1993. 3 (2008): 379-90. One by one, thinking ten steps ahead, she eliminates the paths that don’t lead where she wants to go, leaving only a few moves open to her. Raising his chin toward the group gathered around Lila, he almost imperceptibly rolls his eyes. Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1997. “Fixing the First Job.” Library Journal, Aug. 2004, 44– 46. Do we expect those benefits to manifest, or librarians to again quietly suffer the consequences of their holy calling, saving society at the expense of their own emotional well-being? “You’re a wonderful girl. For whatever reason, I’m pretty good at maintating work-life boundaries. You might save a life when wandering outside for lunch, but you deserve the emotional support you’ll no doubt need as a result of that traumatic event. Part of it’s personality, and part of it’s growing up with a mom who’s a part-time librarian and full-time martyr. Which, to be fair. 2d 66 (D.Conn. Marinette’s head snaps up, a strangled squeak escaping her at the sight of Adrien’s gentle smile. I know I'm late to the Chameleon salt train, but hey, I still have many unresolved feelings about this whole mess so here we go. ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC),Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT), Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), etc. [, Emmelhainz, Celia, Seale, Maura, and Erin Pappas. It is the people who do the work. Again, the original libraries were actual monasteries, with small collections of books stuffed in choir lofts, niches, and roofs.9 The carrels still prevalent in many libraries today are direct descendants of these religious places. – Pursuing it with Eager Feet, New(ish) year, new(ish) editor! Marinette closes her eyes and chokes back the yell threatening to claw out of her throat. If you recognize institutional racism and oppression in librarianship, you must think all white librarians are racists. Worming her way deeper into the hearts and minds of their classmates, she aims to make sure that when hostilities finally do escalate, there will be people on her side. Honesty Allies are critical, and she can’t allow any of hers to be alienated. I believe Lesley Williams’ name is misspelled, however. 2, 131–159. Librarians with a lot of family responsibilities are unable to work long nights and weekends. Biven-Tatums notes that public libraries “began as instruments of enlightenment, hoping to spread knowledge and culture broadly to the people.”16 The assumption within librarianship is that libraries provide the essential function of creating an educated, enlightened populace, which in turn brings about a better society.