Balancing Act: Navigating Mental Health as Parental Caregivers in the Library Profession
October 16, 2024 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm MDT
Join us for our third Mental Health & Wellness panel, Balancing Act: Navigating Mental Health as Parental Caregivers in the Library Profession, on Wednesday October 16, 2024 at 1 PM MT.
- Breaking the Silence: Exploring Mental Health Challenges Among BIPOC Library Workers – – View the archive.
- Pride In Practice: LGBTQ+ Library Workers Perspectives on Mental Health – View the archive
- Leading from Within: Cultivating Managerial Self-Care for Resilient Organizations – November 20, 2024 at 1 PM MT
- Bridging the Divide: A Panel Discussion on Library Workers Loneliness – December 18, 2024 at 1 PM MT
Ellwood Colahan (he/him) is Music & Performing Arts Reference Librarian at University of Denver. He is active in Music Library Association, College Music Society, and Guitar Foundation of America. His work has been published in Music Reference Services Quarterly, Soundboard Scholar, and College Music Symposium. He was formerly a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea, where he worked in public health and community development. His research interests include classroom pedagogy, data sonification, early fretted instrument tablatures, and issues in contemporary Balinese music.
Ashley Fahey has worked in libraries for 20 years, starting in high school as a library aide during study hall. Over my career, I’ve worked in academic, school, and public libraries in a variety of positions-from volunteer to supervisor. I earned my MLIS in 2010 from Kent State University with a concentration in reference and library instruction. I slowly found myself loving public libraries and especially serving youth and their families. Youth librarianship has been my career focus now for the past 8 years. I’ve been with Douglas County Libraries for 8 years (in August).
Johanna Tuttle Smith (she/her) is the Teen Services Division Manager at Loveland Public Library where she manages a small but mighty team serving youth 6th-12th grade. Johanna has been in libraries for over a decade and worked at Campbell County Public Library in Wyoming as a young adult specialist, circulation specialist, and a reference specialist before landing her dream job in Loveland, CO. Johanna is the mother of two children, one of whom was a library baby, and stepmother to four more with another little one on the way in two days. Her experience as a single parent managing full-time work while going back to school for a bachelor’s degree, blending families with a new partner, and as someone who is passionate about serving teenagers (at work and home) helped her make the decision to volunteer for this panel.
Lauren Wilder attended Metro State University and has worked for Jeffco Library for eight years. She loves helping patrons and learning new things.
Alejandro Marquez (he/him), is a Science and Engineering Librarian at University of Denver Libraries. He also served in the Peace Corps in El Salvador where he worked as a Municipal Development volunteer. His research interests include library employee mental health and well-being.