Are We Burned Out Yet? Librarians Experiencing Burnout in their Careers

Abstract

Our profession has been perceived historically as one that carries low levels of stress (Sheesley, 2001), a gentle profession which takes place in a quiet and peaceful space. But as any librarian can tell you, the work is complicated with multiple responsibilities, and a dynamic, fast-moving work environment. The topic of burnout among librarians will be explored in this presentation. The researchers will present the results of a survey based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which was distributed among librarians working at academic institutions that are members of the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL). The survey was sent to 1769 librarians working at ASERL member institutions. The survey was completed by 614 librarians. The main research questions explored in this project are: Do academic librarians experience burnout? Is there a relationship between the level of burnout and the type work performed in the library? Is there a relationship between burnout and independent variables including: gender, race, sexual orientation or family situation? This research will be a starting point for managers trying to improve work conditions and for librarians to reflect on which areas of their professional life they need to rethink in order to become more satisfied professionals.