Sustainability Beyond the Desk: A Balancing Act of Mental Health, Burnout, and Work-Life Harmony in Early Career Librarianship

Sustainability Beyond the Desk: A Balancing Act of Mental Health, Burnout, and Work-Life Harmony in Early Career Librarianship

Murphy, Michael; Chung, Sunny; Lau, Natalie

Chinese American Librarians Association

2025-06-29

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

application/pdf

eng

Posters

The question on many academic LIS practitioners' minds today revolves around mental health and retention, especially as a new generation of librarians enters the field. Especially amid experiences of significant upheaval due to technological advancements and institutional challenges. Are high turnover rates or departures from the field due to career expectations rooted in generational differences? Or is it reflective of a broader disconnect between institutional demands and individual well-being? This poster will explore the mental health experiences of three early-career librarians across various subject areas and institutional settings, seeking to identify the key factors contributing to burnout. By focusing on the personal experiences of these librarians, we aim to offer insights into preventing burnout through mentor relationships and strategies for self-management, ultimately enhancing job satisfaction and retention in academic libraries. Our research argues that burnout is closely tied to managerial practices, institutional culture, and the balance between work and personal life.