Featuring stories and examples from across the globe, Surviving The Stacks podcast seeks to increase support to library workers and administrators experiencing challenges, bring awareness of the public to common library concerns, improve understanding about the reasons why libraries are seeing these challenges, and share innovative solutions for libraries to consider using in their own community.
Hosted by Beth Wahler, PhD, MSW + Jane Garner, PhD.
Website: http://www.survivingthestacks.com
Sometimes it’s time to move on from a job, either because the environment is toxic and unhealthy, the job is not a good fit for the person’s interests, skills, or priorities, or just because the person is ready for a change or a new challenge in their career. In this episode, Beth and Jane talk with Alison King, a career coach, job search guide, and former librarian who specializes in what she calls “Leaping Librarians.” Alison talks about signs that it’s time to move on, other types of roles often pursued by library workers, limiting beliefs that often hold library workers back from new opportunities, and practical steps for exploring new career options.
Key Links:King Career Services (https://kingcareerservices.com/)Librarian Linkover Podcast (https://thelibrarianlinkover.com/)
2 Jun 2025
Restorative Practices (53:30)
Stephen Jackson, a licensed professional counselor, discusses restorative justice practices in libraries with Beth and Jane, offering strategies for preventing and responding to behavioral challenges for youth and adults in this interview episode.
5 May 2025
Hiring + Supporting Staff (46:20)
As library visitor needs have changed over the years, libraries have found that they often need staff to have different skills and characteristics compared to what they may have needed in the past. If there is a mismatch between someone’s skills and the needs of a particular position, this increases staff stress as well as impacting the customer experience of the library.
In this episode, Beth and Jane discuss some of the training needs of staff to help them be as prepared as possible for the contemporary realities of the work. They interview Anne-Maree Pfabe, Library Manager at the City of Melbourne (Victoria, Australia). Anne-Maree shares strategies she uses for hiring staff who are a good fit for the library environment as well as ways her library tries to support the ongoing professional development needs of staff.
7 Apr 2025
Meeting Your Community's Needs (38:22)
With libraries struggling for limited resources in many communities around the world, growing politically motivated protests, and some people questioning libraries’ relevance, it is more important than ever to ensure a library’s services and programs meet the needs of the local community. Small and rural libraries, in particular, struggle to survive if not well supported by their community members. In this episode, Beth and Jane interview Dianne Connery, previous Director and current Development Director of Pottsboro Area Public Library in Texas (US). On the verge of closing its doors, Dianne led a group of dedicated stakeholders who transformed this small, rural library into the vibrant community-gathering place it is today. She shares her experiences and strategies that worked for her to engage her local community and ensure the library met their needs. She also shares her opinions about how this process may look different for rural versus larger or more urban libraries.
3 Mar 2025
Partnering With Local Government (50:42)
Libraries can’t do their work alone, and many benefit from collaborating with local government partners. In this episode, Beth and Jane interview Leanne Mitchell, a private consultant and previous government worker from Australia who focuses her work on helping local government bodies address issues related to homelessness.
She has collaborated with a number of libraries throughout her work, including supporting libraries to implement and carry out innovative programs and services for their most marginalized patrons by partnering with other local government entities. She shares her experience and guidance for libraries trying to build collaborations with local government partners to meet the needs of their communities, users, and staff.
3 Feb 2025
Serving The Unhoused (55:21)
Libraries increasingly serve many people who are unhoused, especially since they are often one of the only free, accessible spaces in most communities for people without many resources. However, this population is one with many additional and sometimes complex needs, which can often cause stress for library staff. In this episode, Beth and Jane share strategies used by libraries to effectively engage and serve this population, including discussing the recommendations from the recently released Leadership Brief (https://www.urbanlibraries.org/assets/Leadership-Brief-Effective-Strategies-and-Models-for-Urban-Libraries-Addressing-Homelessness.pdf)for Addressing Homelessness distributed by the US Urban Libraries Council. They also interview Sarah Garnett, Managing Director of the Footpath Library in Australia. Sarah discusses her work bringing mobile library resources to communities of unhoused individuals, including sharing her reasoning for starting the Footpath Library, strategies for engaging and serving unhoused individuals, and recommendations for other libraries serving this population.
6 Jan 2025
Getting Buy In (55:48)
When libraries seek to add innovative programming or services, especially those that aim to serve vulnerable or marginalized populations, it can be difficult to get buy-in from decision-makers and stakeholders; without buy-in and support, these new programs or services can struggle and even fail.
In this episode, Beth and Jane interview Tonya Garcia and David Perez from the Long Branch Free Public Library in New Jersey (USA) about some of their library’s programs and how they successfully got buy-in. They have been successful implementing nontraditional library programs such as the Fade to Books Barbershop Literacy Program and the Fresh Start re-entry program, and were the first library in New Jersey to add an on-staff social worker. They share the strategies that have been helpful in their area and suggestions for other libraries seeking to gain support for new programs or services aiming to meet patron and/or staff needs.
2 Dec 2024
Lack of Resources: How Measuring Outcomes Can Help (42:09)
Beth and Jane discuss how measuring outcomes can help libraries secure financial resources with Darren Smart, Head of Service for Somerset Libraries in the UK.
4 Nov 2024
Trauma + Improving Staff Support (1:02:21)
Access This Episode Transcript (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1onninaLp72fLpvKs9QWXZCsCTvipRObV/view?usp=sharing)
In this episode, Beth and Jane discuss the need for trauma-informed care in libraries, not just for patrons but also for staff. They interview Linde Furman, Branch Manager at Pima County Public Library’s Juan Valdez Main Library, about strategies being used in her library to create and sustain a culture of care, reduce the trauma experienced by staff, and effectively respond when staff experience a traumatic workplace incident. Linde discusses the work happening in her library as well as lessons learned that can inform other libraries wanting to improve trauma-informed care and support for staff.
Resources:
PCPL Trauma Informed Care Team Timeline of Efforts (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qLxYPtGcfrdJSLkN3f9xtxsH-kyeB4u5/view?usp=sharing)
7 Oct 2024
Burnout + Low Morale (1:07:24)
Access This Episode Transcript (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1onninaLp72fLpvKs9QWXZCsCTvipRObV/view?usp=sharing)
This episode centers around library worker experiences of burnout, and organizational and workplace factors that often contribute to that burnout. Beth and Jane interview consultant and researcher, Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, about her research on low morale experiences in libraries and discuss strategies staff and managers can use to increase the wellness of everyone working in the library.
Kaetrena's Website: https://renewalslis.com/about/ (https://renewalslis.com/about/)
2 Sept 2024
Violence and Aggression (1:10:28)
Access This Episode Transcript (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1opwASicRKOGu_7bRgj19hDDE_S8zI77i/view?usp=sharing)
Beth and Jane discuss violence and aggressive behavior happening in libraries and how these behaviors are impacting staff. They also interview Kristy Gardenour about safety and security in libraries. Kristy provides helpful information about security officers and their training, and makes recommendations for ways libraries utilizing security guards can improve their overall fit for the library environment. She also discusses additional strategies with Beth and Jane for increasing library safety.
5 Aug 2024
All Things To All People (01:04:16)
Access This Episode Transcript (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kahmNO1Ldf4tk3Mc_iSaKbChgcH8gm0w/view?usp=sharing)
In this episode of Surviving the Stacks, Beth and Jane focus on the stress that occurs when libraries don’t have clear boundaries around their roles or clear expectations for staff. They also interview Noah Lenstra, who talks about how developing intentional collaborations and partnerships with other area organizations can help libraries expand their services and meet patron needs while also reducing pressure for staff to be all things to all people.
Dr. Lenstra also shares pointers for setting collaborations up for success and for libraries to advocate for their needs.
Key Resources
Dr. Noah Lenstra's Resource Toolkit:
https://letsmovelibraries.org/toolkit/
3 Jul 2024
Welcome to Surviving The Stacks Podcast! (21:24)
Access This Episode Transcript (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ScGaSBAr98a41jL37Oam1jdiUJ_1bvTf/view?usp=drive_link)
Featuring stories and examples from across the globe, this podcast seeks to increase support to library workers and administrators experiencing challenges, bring awareness of the public to common library concerns, improve understanding about the reasons why libraries are seeing these challenges, and share innovative solutions for libraries to consider using in their own community.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
7 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
36
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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