Resilience in library work is often framed as an individual responsibility, yet exhaustion persists even among staff who prioritize sleep and self-care. This session introduces the seven types of rest: physical, mental, sensory, emotional, social, creative, and spiritual, and examines how library work places demands on each of these areas.

Participants will explore how workplace design, staffing, meeting culture, and organizational expectations shape staff energy and recovery. The focus is on planning and designing systems that support sustainable work rather than asking individuals to compensate for structural strain.

Attendees will leave with practical tools to identify rest deficits and concrete ideas for building more resilient, humane library workplaces.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the seven types of rest and describe how each one relates to daily library work.
2. Recognize signs of non-physical exhaustion, including mental, sensory, emotional, and values-based fatigue.
3. Distinguish between individual-level rest strategies and organizational factors that contribute to staff resilience or burnout.
4. Analyze at least one aspect of their workplace (e.g., scheduling, meetings, workspace design, or expectations) that affects staff rest and recovery.
5. Identify one actionable change, individual or institutional, that can support more sustainable, resilient library work.

Presenter

Bobbi L. Newman (she/her) is a nationally recognized speaker, consultant, and educator specializing in workplace well-being, psychological safety, and burnout prevention. As the founder of Thrive, Culture Shift Consulting and Bobbi L. Newman Consulting, she helps organizations create healthier, more equitable work environments. She is an Associate Professor of Practice, where she teaches future library leaders. Bobbi is also the founder of ThriveLib, a virtual conference dedicated to advancing the well-being of library staff across the profession.

As a certified Wellness Practitioner, Bobbi draws on nearly a decade of experience and evidence-based strategies. She is the author of Fostering Wellness in the Workplace and editor of Well-Being in the Library Workplace. Known for her practical, engaging approach, Bobbi delivers keynotes and workshops that inspire meaningful change, and help teams shift from burnout to balance.

REGISTER

The recording will be available for 30 days for registrants only.