Library and archive workers face multifaceted and complex labour issues, many of which have been exacerbated by COVID-19. Additionally, the year 2020 has seen protests and increased action against state violence, eroded social services and community supports, and funding cuts for many organizations. These developments have highlighted the growing disconnect between services provided by libraries and what is expected from their communities, whether they happen to be students, members of the public, researchers, or administrators.

The theme of this year’s New Librarian Symposium is Libraries and Labour: Organizing for Action. This year, we would like to interrogate what labour challenges the profession currently faces. What questions do you want to explore around labour, working conditions, and power structures? What does action look like for you, in the context of your role or organization? How are current provincial, statewide, or federal governments impacting labour? What are the most pressing labour issues our profession or its organizations need to address in order to survive? What does labour mean to you and how do you engage in asserting or fighting for your rights?

Read the Call for Participation for more information.