"With love, bell hooks reminds us that healing is done in community – not alone. Therefore, in addition to sharing information about rest ...we must also offer spaces for people to imagine, craft, engage, and be held accountable for protecting space(s) to and practices of rest." tinyurl.com/5epjpvaa

Much love to the library workers in Minneapolis...and Chicago...and Portland...and...[your city]. Library workers, take care of each other, too!

"As library worker exposure to library values rejection, systemic harm, and compromised safety continue ... we need to revisit and to acknowledge the very real interruptions to rest practices – especially for truamatized workers and those with historically ignored identities." - tinyurl.com/2jw76hjv

Passive-Aggressive Communication is one of the main causes and manifestions of dysfunctional workplaces, and figuring out responses to ambivalent but harmful comments are one of the primary areas of rumination for harmed workers. Try these responses to help support or model clearer communication.

A new issue of our open-access journal, The Political Librarian, includes ‘We Already Know (Better): Private Thoughts, C/overt Harm, And A Call to Center Beneficence in Librarianship’ by Kaetrena Davis Kendrick. buff.ly/8eRRWmH

If you bypass emotional pain, the joy you're running too fast to meet will always feel forboden.

1/ Colleagues, my newest article, "We Already Know (Better): Private Thoughts, C/overt Harm, And A Call to Center Beneficence in Librarianship" has been published in The Political Librarian. tinyurl.com/3s7s282v

NEWS: The Institute of Museum & Library Services has restored ALL previously canceled federal grants to libraries, following a ruling by a federal judge in Rhode Island last month. This is a massive win for libraries & communities in every state & territory! Learn more: www.ala.org/news/2025/12...

It's December 1 - today, start practicing leaving your job on time so you have the habit established by January 1, 2026. If that's not possible, start taking your lunch on time (and as soon as you can - start leaving on time). Stop giving these workplaces your free time.

Colleagues, I'm excited to share that applications are being accepted for the 2026 Minnesota Institute for Early Career Libarians! I'll be co-leading the Institute with Pamela Espinosa de los Monteros, and with support and participation of Ione Damasco! Learn more & apply here: tinyurl.com/yc6yhbha

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"Despair is a tool of your enemies." - Audre Lorde

Last week I offered a keynote at the Library Marketing & Communications Conference. I asked attendees to share their hopes for libraries & library workers. Which of these resonate with you? See more here (and add your hopes below): tinyurl.com/3cydfvkz

If you're navigating an active low-morale experience, which of these worries resonate for you?

Colleagues, if you've taught or facilitated about Assertive Communication in libraries, I'd love to chat with you (or, if you know of someone who has done this work, please send recommendations) - thank you!

Toxic co-workers/organizations won't onboard you when you arrive at the job - and will plan/throw you a party when they've forced you to leave it.

Toxic bosses/organizations won't reward you when you stay late often - and will punish you if you arrive late once.

I'm excited to share that in January, I'm slated to teach my special topics course, "Critical Hope and Self-Preservation in Contemporary Librarianship" at Dominican University's School of Information Studies! Learn more at tinyurl.com/mrxbchz

Here are a few mindsets that haunt #LowMorale workplaces. These entrenched mindsets are even scarier since we see may not immediately see damaging results - only to one day find ourselves among buried plans and goals and petrified and paralyzed employees. Which ones haunt your workplace?

This Tuesday afternoon I'll be presenting at the South Carolina Library Association conference, so don't forget to add my session if you're attending. See you there!

I'm brimming with joy to share that I'll be facilitating the 2026 Virginia Library Leadership Academy (my second cohort)! If you're a Virginia library employee interested in cultivating humane leadership and library workplaces, applications are now open! Learn more: tinyurl.com/3w62629x

Renewers, if you're attending the Library Marketing & Communications Conference this year, I'm looking forward to seeing you! Learn more: tinyurl.com/9t8zvxkt

This Wednesday, I'll be in community and connection with colleagues coming to The Renewals Workshop, hosted by OhioNet! It will be an intentional day of reflection, clarification, exploration, and practice. See you there! tinyurl.com/443yd4wx

Stop thinking in binary when it comes to your response(s) to early signals of workplace harm. You can give the offender grace AND document their behavior. The grace may leave -- and your record will remain.

Please read this chapter to see applied practices of slow librarianship (H/T: @librarianmer.bsky.social), & to see real responses when resilience narratives are presented to library employees. Reveal the gaps & show the impacts for more humane results! Thank you @amandaelaan.bsky.social

Hi CDC and friends, CDC current and former staff have created a mutual aid network called CDC mutual aid 💚 If you are looking for resources or want to help support cdc workers check out this website: www.cdcresourceportal.org @cdcmutualaid.bsky.social

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Nobody in the world, nobody in history, has ever gotten their freedom by appealing to the moral sense of the people who were oppressing them. - Assata Shakur Pic of the day #photography

A quick reminder that mean people do can do nice things. In fact, they'll remind you of The Nice Thing They Did while they are planning or perpetuating harm - and when they're trying to distract you from it.

Does your organization have a GOTCHA Culture?

When we're excited about our work & its potential for good is exactly when we should be most aware & honoring of our capacity. Otherwise, excitement will be subsumed into others' ideas of passion - allowing reduction of resources and valorization of overwork. Honoring capacity = self-preservation.

Implementing a "Free to Focus" mandate while relying on Google Classroom is nasty work.

Hey hi hello - a quick reminder: If you want a bully to let up, giving them what they are demanding will intensify their intimidation/manipulation tactics. They want the power - not the deal.

You don't need to refresh your house for fall. Put that card back in your wallet and face what you're feeling. You have everything you need.

Keeping Toni Morrison at the front of my mind and as a salve to my heart today. The ancestors have told us who we are and remind us of our purpose and innate humaneness.

People often ignore empathy and seek performances of niceness instead.

Renewers, I'm rounding out the year with a few more facilitation and teaching events. I hope to see you so we can learn and practice in community! Learn more and register: tinyurl.com/jhcmayku

I'm bringing back my #HoorayOfTheDay...

#SongOfTheDay: "Love Zone" by Billy Ocean: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYAm...

At a toxic workplace, the interview process/seat is the first site of employee harm.

Anger hides and prevents the presence and processing of relationship/community-building emotions and conversations.

What is an interview question you've fielded (or feared) that potentially causes you to remember (&/or figure out how to side-step/minimize/hide) workplace harm you've faced? Here's a popular one: "Why do you want to leave your current position?" (See an alternative question to use in the comments)

Bullies take pleasure in both expecting you to please them and never being pleased by you.

Renewers, I'll be facilitating an on-site Renewals Workshop with OhioNet in October! Learn more and register soon for this community-building and practice event. www.ohionet.org/event/the-re...

Caelin Ross’ reflection on navigating White fragility and confronting/navigating accountability while facilitating in decolonized contexts reveals vulnerability and resonance – and is soundly situated within the realm of Critical Hope practice. Read on: tinyurl.com/z7wbhuc8

A good Fall reminder: "If you feel like you’re overworking, that you can’t slow down when you need rest, if you feel guilty for taking sick days when you need them, if you rely on getting things done for your self-worth, it’s worth interrogating the stories you tell about yourself and your work."

Today, and everyday: #YIBAMBE #ChadwickBoseman #RIP www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIA3...

Yoga classes don't stop workplace bullies.

What worries have decreased for you since you left your toxic job?

If you have flexibility to leave your toxic job & find yourself struggling to solidify your exit plan, check out some common mindsets & affirmations to help you reset. Which one of these is familiar? (my study on leaving toxic libraries includes participant advice on leaving: tinyurl.com/234fd7hj).