Start embracing Slow Librarianship in January 2025
Learn skills to actually put the theory into practice in your own work.
Work through the fears that cause you to keep trying to do too much.
Practice setting and maintaining boundaries that protect the time you need to do your most important work.
Are you a librarian feeling overwhelmed by constant demands and an ever-growing to-do list?
It’s time to take control of your workload, find balance, and rediscover the joy in your work.
Welcome to Slow Librarianship for Sustainable Success, a transformative 4-month group coaching program designed to help you:
⭐️ Embrace the principles of the slow movement
⭐️ Reclaim your time so that you can focus on on doing high quality work
⭐️ Build a reflective practice that aligns with your values
Slow Librarianship for Sustainable Success will guide you through the principles of slow librarianship – inspired by the Slow Food movement – while equipping you with actionable strategies to manage your workload effectively. Each session is tailored to the unique needs of the group, offering personalized coaching and support.
Program Highlights
Interactive Group Coaching: Sessions are designed to be interactive and personalized, focusing on the real challenges you face. You’ll have the opportunity to share your insights and receive tailored coaching on areas where you need the most support.
Pre-Session Homework: To maximize the value of each session, you’ll receive homework assignments before each meeting. This could include reading articles, watching videos, or completing exercises that prepare you for deeper engagement during the sessions.
Community and Resources: Beyond the sessions, you’ll have access to a private community forum where you can connect with fellow participants, share experiences, and support each other’s journey.
January 22 – April 30, 2025
We’ll meet every other Wednesday
11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern / 7pm London
This program is for you if…
⭐️ You think slow librarianship sounds great in principle, but you don’t know how to actually put it into practice
⭐️ You feel like all you do is react to urgent demands, and that leaves you with never enough time to work on projects that matter most to you
⭐️ You can’t remember the last time you had time to reflect on how the pieces fit together or how to do better next time
⭐️ You got here because you care deeply about doing the best you can to support your community, but you’re realizing that being overloaded gets in the way of being able to show up as your best for anyone
⭐️ You’re in a position where you have at least some autonomy over which projects you take on and how you get them done. I love working with all library workers, but if your position is required to staff the circ desk for 7 hours per 8 hour shift, then you won’t be able to make that many changes to your workload.
What to expect…
⭐️ Meet in a small group of up to 10 people
⭐️ 60 minute meetings on Zoom every other week for 4 months (8 meetings total)
⭐️ Access to community forums in moodle for support between sessions
⭐️ Homework to prepare to get the most out of each session – a short video from me and either an article to read, a video to watch, or an exercise to work through
⭐️ You bring your insights and challenges from working through that homework to our discussions
⭐️ Meetings use group coaching to help you work through the spots where you’re getting stuck
Coaching involves asking you thought-provoking questions to help you work through a challenge. I don’t advise you on what you should do, because that would give you the answer that’s right for me, not for you. Instead, I help you think through the pros and cons and which of those are weighted more heavily for you, so that you can reach a solution that’s right for you.
Group coaching provides opportunties to share insights with and learn from one another, in addition to being coached specifically on the topic you bring to the group that day.
What you’ll learn…
⭐️ Slow Librarianship Fundamentals: Understand how the slow movement can revolutionize your approach to work, helping you resist the pressures of constant busyness and focus on what truly matters
⭐️ Workload Management Strategies: Learn how to clarify your priorities, delegate effectively, and even say “no” to tasks that don’t serve your goals—without guilt or fear
⭐️ Negotiation Skills: Gain confidence in negotiating your workload, advocating for yourself (and your team), and setting boundaries that protect your time and energy
⭐️ Enhanced Job Satisfaction: By focusing on what truly matters and creating time for fulfilling work, you’ll cultivate a deeper sense of purpose and satisfaction in your career
Why enroll in THIS program?
⭐️ It was created by a librarian for librarians. I’ve been there, working in an understaffed library and doing way too much to support our students. The program shares the strategies I used to get my workload under control while reporting to a supervisor who wanted us to “Do All The Things”. And I’ve been promoting saying “no” since at least 2015!
⭐️ Group coaching creates space to work through some of the blocks that are getting in the way of reclaiming your time (vocational awe, anyone?) and peer support for consciously reframing those thoughts.
Who’s facilitating the program?
Hi, I’m Angela!
My first couple of years as a librarian were 🍌 bananas. I was hired to do instruction and liaison AND outreach to the whole campus. And I was tenure-track faculty, so I had to present and publish and serve on committees and had no clear guidelines on how much would be enough.
I cared deeply about doing a good job and about supporting our students. But I’m only one person.
Before long, I was on the verge of completely burning out.
I had to work through making time to reflect on the work I was doing, set clear goals, figure out how to assess what I could stop doing, prioritize, and set boundaries around my time.
My first introduction to the Slow Movement was in a faculty study group of The Slow Professor: Challenging the Culture of Speed in the Academy.
And that put a name to and validated the work I had been doing on my own for years. I’m thrilled to see this discussion spread into the library field.
I can’t wait to help you embrace the principles of the slow movement in your library!
Cost to join
Early bird rate
Pay in full by Dec 20
Code = EARLYBIRD
$800 USD
Regular rate
Payment due by Jan 17
$1200 USD
I also have a Wise account to accept electronic transfers in British Pounds and Euros. Send me a message if this would be easier for you!
More FAQs
Can this count as professional development?
Yes!
This is a new program, but participants in my other group program have used professional development funding from their employer to pay for their enrollment.
What forms of payment do you accept?
I accept payment by credit card.
I also accept electronic transfers in British Pounds and Euros. Contact me directly and we’ll do the exchange rate math.
What is the refund policy?
I don’t offer refunds on this program unless something truly out of your control prevents you from participating. In that case, I will offer you the choice of rescheduling to join a later cohort or receiving a refund of the purchase price minus payment processing fees, available until the date of your cohort’s first meeting.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me to discuss them before you enroll. I’m happy to discuss the program via email or video chat.