Northeast Ohio Regional Library System
Checking Out Despair: Librarians as Gatekeepers of Hope in a Digital Age
Date/Time
11/19/2024
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Eastern
8:30 AM - 11:30 AM Eastern
Event Description
Checking Out Despair: Librarians as Gatekeepers of Hope in a Digital Age
In an era marked by rising deaths of despair, librarians are positioned at a unique intersection between information and community well-being. This presentation explores how librarians across all sectors must take control of the narratives around their services—no longer seen as passive custodians of books, but as proactive warriors in the fight against isolation, addiction, and economic hopelessness. By re framing their role and engaging with communities on a deeper, more empathetic level, librarians can offer vital resources that combat despair and foster resilience.
Learning Objectives:
R. David Lankes is the Virginia & Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information. He is the recipient of ALA’s Reference and User Services Association 2021 Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award for distinguished contribution to reference librarianship. His book, The Atlas of New Librarianship won the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature. Lankes is a passionate advocate for librarians and their essential role in today’s society. Recently he has also been a contributor to
Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries.
In an era marked by rising deaths of despair, librarians are positioned at a unique intersection between information and community well-being. This presentation explores how librarians across all sectors must take control of the narratives around their services—no longer seen as passive custodians of books, but as proactive warriors in the fight against isolation, addiction, and economic hopelessness. By re framing their role and engaging with communities on a deeper, more empathetic level, librarians can offer vital resources that combat despair and foster resilience.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the role of narratives in library advocacy
- Be aware of the deaths of despair issue in the US
- Devise next steps based on examples
R. David Lankes is the Virginia & Charles Bowden Professor of Librarianship at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information. He is the recipient of ALA’s Reference and User Services Association 2021 Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award for distinguished contribution to reference librarianship. His book, The Atlas of New Librarianship won the 2012 ABC-CLIO/Greenwood Award for the Best Book in Library Literature. Lankes is a passionate advocate for librarians and their essential role in today’s society. Recently he has also been a contributor to Library 2035: Imagining the Next Generation of Libraries.
Location
UNITED STATES
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