Slow Librarianship, with Meredith Farkas
Circulation Status
Slow down.
That's a lesson I have trouble learning myself, but partly due to my conversation with Meredith in the new episode of the show, I have been giving some thought on how to slow things down professionally, particularly around the podcast.
Starting in 2022, the show will go back to a monthly format, though there may be the occasional special episode sprinkled in there, with the right guest or the right topic. That also means this newsletter will be going monthly following the next issue, as the newsletter is tied to the production schedule of the podcast.
I still love doing the podcast, even when the schedule stresses me out sometimes, so I am going to do my best to not feel constrained by scheduling and just release episodes as they are ready to go. This new interval between shows should increase the quality, as well, as I will not feel as rushed in researching, recording, and editing the show.
I hope you enjoy this interview and get some inspiration on how to slow down your professional life without sacrificing quality.
CI213 Show Notes
In Circulating Ideas, Episode 213, I chatted with Meredith Farkas, faculty librarian at Portland Community College in Oregon, about her path to librarianship, the concept of slow librarianship, avoiding techno-saviorism, and why she ended her long-running American Libraries column.
Slow librarianship is an antiracist, responsive, and values-driven practice that stands in opposition to neoliberal values.
"For the past couple of years, I’ve been thinking about something I call slow librarianship. It was in response to the realizations I had about my workaholism and the ideas I explored around ambition, striving, productivity, self-optimization, and achievement culture on this blog two years ago. It felt like the answer to all this was to slow down, to notice and reflect, to focus more on being true to our values than innovating, to build relationships, to really listen (to our communities our colleagues, and ourselves), and to be in solidarity with others."
Building a Better Collective Future with Slow Librarianship
Slideshow for Meredith's presentation on slow librarianship.
Archive of Meredith's "In Practice" column for American Libraries
The Innovation Fetish and Slow Librarianship: What Librarians Can Learn From the Juicero
This essay reflects on the effects of capitalism and corporatization on the work habits of librarians, and critiques the profession’s emphasis on innovation for its own sake. First, the essay compares Juicero Inc., a Silicon Valley startup that faced criticism for producing an expensive machine that squeezed premade packets of juice, to projects undertaken by librarians for the purposes of career advancement and prestige that may unnecessarily complicate the services provided to patrons. The essay then outlines the burgeoning Slow Movement within libraries and recommends that librarians leverage the movement’s principles to push back against corporatization in librarianship.
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
In a world where addictive technology is designed to buy and sell our attention, and our value is determined by our 24/7 data productivity, it can seem impossible to escape. But in this inspiring field guide to dropping out of the attention economy, artist and critic Jenny Odell shows us how we can still win back our lives.
The slow movement (sometimes capitalised Slow movement or Slow Movement) advocates a cultural shift toward slowing down life's pace.
Vocational Awe and Librarianship: The Lies We Tell Ourselves
Vocational awe describes the set of ideas, values, and assumptions librarians have about themselves and the profession that result in notions that libraries as institutions are inherently good, sacred notions, and therefore beyond critique. I argue that the concept of vocational awe directly correlates to problems within librarianship like burnout and low salary. This article aims to describe the phenomenon and its effects on library philosophies and practices so that they may be recognized and deconstructed.
“Taken for Granted” – Adam Grant
Meredith mentions Adam Grant's "Taken for Granted" podcast series as a source of inspiration.
Recirculated
Back in 2016, I chatted with Meredith for the first time!
Early in the show's run, guest host Kate Sheehan assembled a panel to discuss work-life balance, including Meredith Farkas, Jenica Rogers, and Karen Schneider.
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