ULA Annual Conference 2025

Mid to late career librarianship is experienced differently by all of us, but can predictably have a powerful impact on our professional lives that can be measured and examined. For example, have you ever had a colleague say something like, "wow! you know everything about the library!" OR "you've been here that long!?" The mid to late career librarian can experience phenomena such as professional identity stressors, career plateaus, changing family responsibilities, leadership opportunities, burnout, political change, professional growth, working with younger generations, technology paradigm shifts, needs for refreshment & community, and plenty more. While this is well documented in the literature of management, private industry and elsewhere, the post-pandemic library is in a great position to foster this valuable conversation as we grow and contribute to the next generation of academic libraries. Panelists come from a variety of institutions in Utah and their panel interests follow:

This session will outline a process for achieving a participatory, function-focused organizational realignment on a 6-month timeline. Presenters will share an in-depth look at the activities, structure, and ultimate outcome of a recent reorganizational process for a collections-focused department that included visioning, conducting a functional analysis, and providing a space for participatory organizational modeling.

Libraries offer a range of programs and spaces that can be noisy, but many patrons come seeking a quite environment. We investigated the impact of noise on student stress in the library using wearable biomarker devices. We measured participants’ heart rate variability (HRV), skin temperature, and blood pressure while studying in loud and quiet areas. We also surveyed participants about their overall stress, well-being, and reasons for visiting the library. Our research can be used to inform future programing and space allocations in libraries.