Balancing Acts: Cultivating Compassion for Library Worker Wellness
Date & Time
May 03, 202410:00 am - 1:00 pm
Description
In an increasingly complex and less welcoming world, libraries are special. We actively promote inclusion, train in trauma-informed approaches, and continually adapt to meet the changing needs of our communities, but according to the American Psychological Association, the stress and mental health statistics of the U.S. are worsening. Challenging times can make for trying encounters and many staff members are now reporting increasing levels of stress, dissatisfaction and burnout. What our libraries and communities need most right now is compassion. Compassion has been identified as a key component of individual, organizational and societal well-being. Employees in compassionate organizations not only are more resilient to stress and burnout but have reduced anxiety, increased motivation, and are more engaged and collaborative. By cultivating our personal capacity for compassion and developing compassionate work cultures, we can better sustain ourselves, support our coworkers and transform our libraries and our communities for the better.
Join us for a half day in-person workshop as guest lecturer Jennifer Bollerman addresses:
● Why compassion is vitally important for individuals and our communities
● What compassion is and how it differs from empathy
● How to apply compassion in our workplaces to minimize suffering
● How to cultivate compassion through mindful self-awareness
Participants will be invited to attend four follow-up online mini sessions designed to help put into practice principals learned during the workshop. These will be held on:
● Tues 5/14 10:00 am – 10:45 am via Zoom
● Wed 5/29 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm via Zoom
● Thurs 6/6 10:00 am – 10:45 am via Zoom
● Thurs 6/13 1:00 pm – 1:45 pm via Zoom
Jennifer Bollerman is Assistant Director at the Patchogue-Medford Library and is certified as an Ambassador of Applied Compassion Program through Stanford University.
Seating is limited. Registration is restricted to MHLS member libraries.
This event is part of the MHLS Horizon Series where we bring you content on emerging issues that are impacting our communities and the work of libraries.
Please contact Laura Crisci, Library Sustainability Coordinator, if you have questions, lcrisci@midhudson.org.
Location
Mid-Hudson Library System Auditorium
105 Market St. Poughkeepsie 12601
Registration
