Keywords
slow librarianship, burnout, impostor syndrome, professional fulfillment, goals, guardrails
Abstract
Many librarians’ self-doubt is arguably at a high point, leading to a distorted self-image and low morale. Beginning with the foundational problems of impostor syndrome and burnout, this chapter proposes a return to basics as a strategy for overcoming these problems. Librarians and other information professionals besieged by uncertainty around their abilities and status can find a way back to professional fulfillment through “burning it down and starting over” – in essence, demolishing one’s received understanding of one’s role by taking conscious stock of one’s duties, setting reasonable personal goals, recalibrating expectations of oneself, and reconstituting one’s professional identity on the basis of an accurate perception of one’s attributes. Overcoming impostor syndrome and burnout ultimately requires a recognition that library work is a process in which one plays a role as an individual – with all one’s individual strengths in play – not a destination.
Publication Date
3-2025
Original Citation
Ruud, J. and Phillips, J. D. (2026). Feeling Imposter Syndrome and Burnout? Time to Burn It Down and Get Back to Basics. In Martin, J. (Ed.), Creating Healthy Library Workplaces: Five Factors That Improve Employee Engagement and Satisfaction. New York: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Document Type
Book Chapter
Copyright Status
Publisher retained
Publication Version
Author's version
Publisher
Bloomsbury
Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
Department
UCF Libraries
STARS Citation
Ruud, Jordan and Phillips, Jason D., "Feeling Imposter Syndrome and Burnout? Time to Burn It Down and Get Back to Basics" (2025). Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works. 1323.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/ucfscholar/1323
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