Last month, the British Columbia Library Association (BCLA) hosted the first of two Renewals Colloquia to registered attendees. During the 90-minute event, over 100 folks explored aspects of low-morale experiences for public and academic library workers, as well as differentiation for formal library leaders.
Before the Colloquium
Renewals Colloquium attendees are offered some pre-work that offers space for reflection and experience-sharing. They are also offered an opportunity to explore their own experiences. Here are some selected data from the low-morale experience assessment:
- 67% of those who responded have dealt with/ are currently facing a low-morale experience
- 67% have experienced negligence and/or system abuse
- Top Impact Factor: Uncertainty & Mistrust (78%)
- Top Enabling System: Staffing & Employment (44%)
- Top emotional experience: Frustration (83%) and Anger (78%)
- 55% noticed increased procrastination
These results reveal in real-time the memories and/or currency of harmful experiences for library workers.
During the Colloquium
After a brief introduction to my low-morale experience research, I asked attendees to share descriptions of their own low-morale experiences. Responses included:
- “I do so much and my boss looks for small errors.”
- “No faith in leadership to solve problems.”
- “Limited agency to change/have input toward systemic issues in org that affect morale of team members.”
- “I feel like I’m letting down my colleagues who are having a low-morale experience because I don’t know how to help.”
Do any of these descriptions resonate with you?
After some discussion of frameworks connected to low-morale experiences, I shared some salient low-morale experience impact factors that formal library leaders face. I asked folks to rank these factors from most to least resonant:
Figure 1. BCLA Colloquium attendees’ rankings of presented leadership low-morale experience Impact Factors from most to least resonant.
We ended with conversation about countermeasures, which included planning for self-preservation. I was excited to see that when asked which they would try, self-preservation planning was the top response!
Colloquium Evaluation
Share something you learned during the Colloquium or a concept that was defined more clearly during the Colloquium:
- “triangulation, potemkin power, freeze and fawn, [and] resilience narratives”
If there was a concept that you wished were covered during the Colloquium, please share it:
- “Would like to learn more about the behaviours that contribute to low-morale, as well as being able to address them.“
Share how the information offered at the Colloquium may impact your daily or long-term library practice:
- “Having the terminology helps a lot for communicating and addressing behaviours.“
If you are a formal leader, share how the information offered at the Colloquium may impact your daily or long-term practice:
- “Being more able to spot low-morale sustaining behaviours and address them.”
If you have faced low morale, what are your immediate plans to continue your positive recovery (personally or at work)?
- “Continue to learn about the experience and debrief as necessary.”
If you’re not currently experiencing low morale, what are your immediate plans to support those who are facing this experience?
- “I want to be there for them to talk, should they want to, and be willing to share my experience with same.”
Thanks so much to Rina Hadziev (BCLA Executive Director) and Natalie Porter (BCLA Provincial Professional Development Coordinator) for inviting me to be in community with our colleagues in British Columbia! I’m looking forward to the second Renewals Colloquium, which will be focused on BIPOC/IBPOC. It’s scheduled for mid-September and open to BCLA members who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or a Person of Color.
Are you looking for an empathetic speaker who centers action-based care – and who resonates with and inspires your team members? Let’s schedule your event!
