From Librarian Burnout to Boundaries: ThriveLib

When I first had the idea for ThriveLib, it came from hearing so many librarians and library workers across public, academic, school, and special libraries quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) express how exhausted, overwhelmed, and disconnected they felt. I kept hearing variations of the same sentiment: “I love this work, but it’s taking everything out of me.”

I knew there was a need for something different. Something that didn’t just patch the symptoms, but that offered space, support, and strategies for genuine well-being. But I’ll be honest: I had no idea if this idea would work or be successful. Would people be willing to pay to attend? Could we cover costs? Would the library community show up for something like this?

You did. And it’s clear: the need is real.

The idea was to build a space where we can talk honestly about burnout, boundaries, and the culture of “always on” that so many of us have internalized. But more than that, it’s a space for hope and for action. It’s a chance to learn from each other, connect, and start making meaningful change in our workplaces and in ourselves.

One of my goals in creating ThriveLib was to fairly compensate speakers. Too often in our field, we’re expected to share our expertise for free – reviewing and writing journal articles or underpaid speaking gigs. I believe that labor deserves compensation.

Hosting an online conference isn’t free or easy. There are real costs involved – Zoom licenses, HeySummit platform and ticketing fees, PayPal fees, not to mention the time of our technical support staff, the guidance of an incredible advisory board, and my own time organizing, managing, and making this happen. But we kept prices accessible because we want this event to be for everyone who needs it.

If you have suggestions or feedback, I would love to hear them. We’ll have an anonymous survey for all attendees, but feel free to send an email to [email protected] too.

If you believe in this work, I’d be so grateful if you’d help spread the word. We have spaces still. Share it on listservs and SharePoint. Repost it on social media (Bluesky, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and mention it to a colleague.

This is just the beginning. I hope to host ThriveLib in future years and grow it into something even bigger, because the need for this kind of space in our profession isn’t going away.

ThriveLib: Reclaiming Joy, Balance, and Boundaries in Libraries is a virtual conference built by and for library professionals who are ready to reimagine what well-being looks like in our field. We’re talking about psychological safety, setting boundaries, addressing burnout, building community, and shifting the culture of library work to something more sustainable and more humane.

Tickets:

• $100 Standard
• $75 Subsidized – for the unemployed, underemployed, and LIS students, I cannot stress enough how much I want people to use this ticket price if they need to!
• $125 Pay it Forward – for those able to help support someone else’s access.

Every ticket includes:

• Access to all live sessions
• Recordings available for 30 days
• Downloadable handouts
• Completion certificates
• A chance to win one of three essential titles on library well-being

Register now at https://thrivelib.heysummit.com/

Let’s make library work sustainable. Let’s make it joyful again.

With gratitude,

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