Library 2.0 Mini-Conference on "Mental Health and Wellbeing" - 1300 Signups Already, Call for Proposals Now Open

Our first Library 2.023 mini-conference: "Mental Health and Wellness: Library Workers Thriving in Uncertain Times," will be held online (and for free) on Tuesday, April 4th, 2023, from 12:00 - 3:00 pm US-Pacific Time.

Libraries have the power to help transform lives, both for staff and patrons, through efforts that promote mental health and wellness. In this Library 2.0 mini-conference, we will focus specifically on helping library workers thrive in our current uncertain and complex times. We will also explore the “opportunity to reimagine our futures, to renew and adapt our institutions and to craft new stories about who we are and what we value” (United Nations' Human Development Report 2021/2022).

Our special conference chair is Loida Garcia-Febo who, as past president of the American Library Association, focused on workplace wellness areas including continuing education, creating a positive work environment, unions, gender equity, pay equity, and other activities designed to improve the salaries and status of library professionals. We are encouraging conference session submissions that focus on programs and initiatives supporting staff, team, leadership, and organizational health and wellness. Examples of topics that are encouraged include the following, but other related submissions are also welcome:

• staff burnout;
• trauma support;
• mindfulness practices;
• civility in ideologically or culturally polarized environments;
• quality of work-life;
• the “8 Elements of Wellness” defined by ALA-APA: Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Spiritual, and Social (https://ala-apa.org/wellness).

We look forward to gathering online with you for this event!

This is a free event, being held live online and also recorded.
REGISTER HERE
to attend live and/or to receive the recording links afterward.
Please also join this Library 2.0 network to be kept updated on this and future events. 

Everyone is invited to participate in our Library 2.0 conference events, which are designed to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing among information professionals worldwide. Each three-hour event consists of a keynote panel, 10-15 crowd-sourced thirty-minute presentations, and a closing keynote. 

Participants are encouraged to use #library2023 and #librarymentalhealthandwellness on their social media posts about the event.

SPECIAL CONFERENCE CHAIR:

Loida Garcia-Febo (@loidagarciafebo)
International Library Consultant

Loida Garcia-Febo is a Puerto Rican American librarian and International Library Consultant with 24 years of experience as an expert in library services to diverse populations and human rights. President of the American Library Association 2018-2019. Garcia-Febo is worldwide known for her passion about diversity, communities, sustainability, innovation and digital transformation, library workers, library advocacy, wellness for library workers, and new librarians about which she has taught in 44 countries. In her job, she helps libraries, companies and organizations strategize programs, services and strategies in areas related to these topics and many others. Garcia-Febo has a Bachelors in Business Education, Masters in Library and Information Sciences.

Garcia-Febo has a long history of service with library associations. Highlights include- At IFLA: Governing Board 2013-2017, Co-Founder of IFLA New Professionals, two-term Member/Expert resource person of the Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Committee of IFLA (FAIFE), two-term member of the Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning Section of IFLA (CPDWL). Currently: CPDWL Advisor, Information Coordinator of the Management of Library Associations Section. Currently at ALA: Chair, IRC United Nations Subcommittee, Chair Public Awareness Committee. Recently at ALA: Chair, Status of Women in Librarianship and Chair, ALA United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Task Force developing a multi-year strategic plan for ALA. Born, raised, and educated in Puerto Rico, Garcia-Febo has advocated for libraries at the United Nations, the European Union Parliament, U.S. Congress, NY State Senate, NY City Hall, and on sidewalks and streets in various states in the U.S.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS:

Proposals for 30-minute concurrent presentations are now being accepted.

More information and the link to submit proposals are HERE.

REGISTRATION:

This is a free event, being held live online and also recorded.
REGISTER HERE
to attend live and/or to receive the recording links afterward.
Please also join this Library 2.0 network to be kept updated on this and future events. 

FOUNDING CONFERENCE SPONSOR:

The School of Information at San José State University is the founding conference sponsor. Please register as a member of the Library 2.0 network to be kept informed of future events. Recordings from previous years are available under the Archives tab at Library 2.0 and at the Library 2.0 YouTube channel.