Slow Librarianship

What is slow librarianship? Julia Glassman first brought up the term slow librarianship in the 2017 article, “The Innovation Fetish and Slow Librarianship: What Librarians Can Learn from the Juicero.” Since then, Meredith Farkas has defined slow librarianship as “an antiracist, responsive, and values-driven practice that stands in opposition to neoliberal values. Workers in slow libraries are focused on relationship-building, deeply understanding and meeting patron needs, and providing equitable services to their communities.” Slow Librarianship: Reflections and Practices is an edited book that compiles chapters from librarians working in many different libraries throughout the United States, Canada, and Italy. The authors describe what slow librarianship means to them in their work and roles while sharing concrete practices and ways to enact the tenets of slow librarianship in your work.

Ashley Rosener (she/her) is an academic librarian whose work is rooted in care, community, and critical reflection. With over a decade of experience as a liaison librarian, Ashley has supported teaching and learning across a range of disciplines, bringing a thoughtful, student-centered approach to her work with faculty, staff and students. Her professional practice is informed by slow librarianship, contemplative pedagogy, and a commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. She mentors new librarians and practicum students, offering guidance grounded in compassion, empowerment, and mindfulness. She is also a frequent facilitator of faculty and staff learning communities and an advocate for slower, more intentional approaches to instruction and library work.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Ashley Rosener

Section 1: Reflections and Perspectives on Slow Librarianship 

Chapter 1:  Neoliberal Time and the Promise of Slow Librarianship
Meredith Gorran Farkas

Chapter 2: Seasoning Librarianship: Seeking Nourishment on the Tenure Path
T.L. Moorman

Chapter 3: Slow Librarianship as a Catalyst for Change: Reimagining Academic Library Culture while Maximizing Impact
Jacqueline Frank

Chapter 4: Building Collaborations and Connections through Slow Librarianship
Elizabeth Rivera and Laura Semrau  

Chapter 5: Three Perspectives on Slow Librarianship: Balancing Values and Demands in Different Career Stages
Christina R. Hilburger, Scott S. Richmond, and Kerrie Fergen Wilkes

Chapter 6: Slow Librarianship in Practice as a First-Year Academic Librarian: A Reflection
Amira Walker

Chapter 7: Reflective Practice for Slow Librarianship
Este Pope

Section 2: Slow Librarianship Throughout the Library 

Chapter 8: Fast Questions and Thoughtful Answers: Balancing Innovation, Inclusivity, and Slow Librarianship
Lorin Jackson, Jill Deaver, and Meredith Solomon 

Chapter 9:  Slow Assessment Revisited: Finding Space for Authentic Assessment in Slow Librarianship
Darcy I. Gervasio, Kimberly Detterbeck, and Rebecca Olin

Chapter 10: Slow Strategic Planning: Encouraging Relational Work in Archives and Special Collections
Melanie Griffin

Chapter 11: Scanning in the Name Of: A Call for Slow in Digitization and Digital Collections
Theresa Berger and Mikala Narlock 

Chapter 12: Relationship Building Through Collections: Working with Local Independent Booksellers to Meet Community Needs
Lindsay Gibb

Chapter 13: It’s Ok to Push Back: Successes and Challenges in Implementing Slow for Data Services
Joanna Thielen, Wanda Marsolek, and Mikala Narlock

Chapter 14: From Digital to Paper, From Remote to In-person. Slow Science as a Values-driven Practice in an Italian Research Library
Carrara, S. Mangiaracina, S. Marzocchi, and D. Mazza

Chapter 15: Reorienting Library Technology Through Slowness and Care
Sanjeet Mann 

Chapter 16: “They told me I was wrong, but they didn’t tell me why”: Slowing down IL lessons with contemplation and reflection
Christine Jansen and Brooke Duffy

Section 3: Advancing Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Through Slow Librarianship 

Chapter 17: Indigenizing Citations at the Camosun College Library: A Case Study for the Convergence of Slow Librarianship and Goodness Theory
Robbyn Lanning

Chapter 18: Quick, Quick, Slow: Responding to Urgency and Equity Work with Care
Sajni Lacey, Donna Langille, Melanie Parlette-Stewart, and Cecilia Tellis

Chapter 19: Beyond Mere Quantity: How Neoliberal Approaches to EDI Further Embed Inequities
Tina Liu and Jennie Fallis

Chapter 20: Exploring Slow Librarianship as an Intervention to Support Library Workers with ADHD
Liana Bayne-Lin and Valerie Linsinbigler

Chapter 22: Slow Metadata and the Paradox of Human(e) Systems
Bailey Hoffner

Chapter 23: The Paradox of Pace: Slow Librarianship Through a Disabled Lens
Brittni Ballard