Diversity and inclusion in libraries

It’s a critical moment for those of us working in libraries to talk about issues of diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice, and for us to make it the center of our work. I’m fortunate to work in a ‘slashed career’ where I get to foster diversity and inclusion in different contexts. For three days …

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Undefining disability

Last year, I was sitting in the waiting room of a hearing centre, along with a young mother and her toddler. The mother was talking to the receptionist and she said something that resonated with me. She said, “The moment I stopped being ashamed of my own disability was the moment I put hearing aids …

What resilience is not

I’m not going to lie; 2018 has been tough so far. And I haven’t been feeling very resilient in the face of it all. I have a complicated relationship with the concept of resilience; what it is, how we build it, and all the opinions, psychology and sometimes superficiality that comes with it. So for …

Being a change agent and creating a “speak up” culture

I believe everyone is a change agent. I also believe in creating a “speak up” culture in your workplace. Speaking up is important because in order to create change, people need to know. People who don’t know about certain workplace issues, wrongdoings or even opportunities cannot do anything about them. And people who want positive …

Learning to love failure

Society has a taboo around failure. It’s fine to talk about once we’ve overcome it but when we’re in the thick pit of it, failure isn’t very romantic. It’s uncomfortable and it hurts. This week I went home to my family and friends, declaring that “I’ve failed.” Because my family and friends are the most …

Professional development: how do we seek, sense & share?

I love learning and I love professional development (PD) opportunities. PD is an important part of any career path, but more importantly, it catalyses lifelong learning. Recently, I've been thinking a lot about how I seek, make sense and share my PD. Personal knowledge management (PKM) is a critical part of learning and PD, so …

The paradox of being an INFJ

INFJs are unusual. Not only are they the rarest personality type (making up 1-2% of the world’s population) but the elements of their personality are contradictory. I’m an INFJ and sometimes I feel like I’m two different people. Here’s why: I’m an extroverted introvert Here’s the dialogue of my life: “I love everyone! I want …