Seeking Solidarity: Challenging the Binary of the Librarian/ Staff Divide

Abstract

We invite attendees to critically reflect on the library’s internal power dynamics and consider: How do you understand the ‘librarian/ staff divide’? Co-presenters Alicia (staff) and Monica (librarian) will share insights from the literature alongside personal observations. By historicizing the professionalizing of librarianship, we can better reckon with the ‘zero sum game’ fallacy which pits Us versus Them. Organized labour and feminism have the goal of a more just society for all: We argue that reinforcing the workplace binary undermines solidarity while working against shared values. Three topics which reveal this tension include work-from-home, the impact of AI, and decision-making bodies.