DO YOU SUFFER FROM GLAM ANXIETY?

GLAM Guide | Evelyn Feldman

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Librarianship has a term called library anxiety.

Library anxiety refers to a feeling of inadequacy in your research skills, and perhaps the sense that librarians are judging you for your lack of searching abilities. It often leads to a fear of libraries and librarians themselves. It is mostly used in the context of academic libraries, and can be liked to feelings of fear, helplessness, shame, or intimidation. The term was coined in a 1986 article by library science professor Constance Mellon.

Robarts is watching you. Source.

Have you ever talked to someone who declares that they got through their entire post-secondary degree without once using their school's library? This declaration--whether said with pride or shame--is probably related to library anxiety!

We can see how even public libraries can cause similar feelings, although the term "library anxiety" is not commonly used in relation to them. Do you have that one book that you never returned to your local library, and now you're afraid to ever step foot in the library again for fear of being judged? Or maybe you've racked up a lot of late fines, and cringe imagining the look the librarian will give you when you go in to pay them?

A lot has been written about library anxiety, and a big part of librarians' jobs is finding ways to make the library welcoming--for example by introducing fun gamification programs like escape rooms that subtly teach research skills, or by eliminating late fines altogether (although this is a controversial idea). Or, through broader policies like emphasizing the importance of customer service.

The Royal Ontario Museum. Source.

Museum anxiety?

Do we have the same phenomenon in museums? I would say, certainly!

Though again we don't use this term for it, museums can generate similar feelings of fear or helplessness. Art galleries and art museums in particular can create a sense of shame at one's inability to "appreciate" art.

The only mention I could find specifically of "museum anxiety" (that wasn't in the sense of museums helping people with their anxiety--interesting that museums can both help and hurt in this regard!) was in a Museum Hack article, which proposes strategies museums can use to combat the phenomenon.

Museum Hack makes its ideas sound revolutionary, but (as you probably know) museums already spend a lot of time thinking about ways to make their spaces welcoming and inviting, to break away from perceptions of museums being intimidating, overwhelming, elitist, or boring.

The Tate Modern in London. Source.

"Anxiety" as a category of barrier

If museums are already thinking about similar ideas, why write this post?

First, I like bringing to light another challenge shared across Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums. This is yet another area in which we can learn from each other to find strategies to employ.

But I also think that the term itself highlights an important distinction in types of barriers that keep people away. Museum anxiety is different from barriers such as high cost of entrance or physical inaccessibility. "Anxiety" does not just originate from an institution's policies or physical features, though they can be connected, as shown in the often-intimidating library and museum buildings. Instead, it uniquely also comes from within visitors themselves, created by (false) feelings of inadequacy, shame, or judgement, and inaccurate preconceptions of the institutions.

Furthermore, its causes can be hard to combat, because they often originate from characteristics inherent to our institutions. Academic libraries exist for research, and art museums exist to display art, but these very things can cause anxiety that keeps students and visitors away.

But maybe not "anxiety"?

While these ideas are useful to consider, it is also important to think critically about how we use a word like "anxiety," which is a very real mental illness for many people. Overusing the word might risk it losing its impact for those who need it the most. Maybe "GLAM nerves" would be better?

In the end, rather than coining a phrase for our GLAM vocabularies, what is most important are the ideas at work behind the term. Thinking about these ideas can help us better observe areas that might be creating specific barriers, and find strategies to make our spaces, which can be inherently intimidating, feel welcoming, inviting, and accessible.

The Geisel Library at the University of California San Diego. Source.

TAKING CARE

THE GRAD SCHOOL GUIDE

BY: AURORA CACIOPPO

As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, grad school has sometimes presented itself with a few extra challenges. My final column for Summer 2017’s Grad School Guide will be dedicated to the trials and tribulations of trying to balance academia with caring for my mental wellbeing.

For a long time, I did not understand my condition. I never imagined there were others that were struggling the way I was. After seeking help and working with a professional, I thought I had mostly gotten over this lonely/negative mentality. WRONG. I began grad school and the impostor syndrome was so real. I questioned if I was meant to be an academic almost daily. I found myself comparing my abilities to every person in the program and as a result, I convinced myself my thoughts were not valuable enough to share. Even making small talk with new classmates terrified me.

Me panicking about every. Single. Thing.

My anxiety was peaking; panic attacks crept up on me far too often and it resulted in me becoming very quiet and very afraid. If any of you have experienced these feelings, you’ll know it is beyond frustrating. I am a happy and goofy gal. I love to laugh, and I usually make friends by asking about a favourite treat, colour, and/or type of dog. I am passionate about so many things, especially art and museums. Not being able to act as my true self in a program I am so excited about was painful. My self-confidence, ability to learn, and overall happiness was on a steady decline.

It wasn’t until I finished my first semester of graduate school that I realized many of my classmates were juggling their education with their mental health just like me. Anxiety, for example, is ever-present in the classroom (!!!!!). This blew my mind. It was also comforting and calming in a very bizarre way. My out-of-whack illusions of classmates as competitors transformed into more positive thoughts of my peers as museum allies (even though I had no enemies to begin with).

I realized the following and remind myself of it as often as I need to (very often):

~ My classmates do not judge me. They are learning from me, just like I am learning from them ~

"Lean on me"... This is what students helping students looks like!

Once I became closer with my peers, we began to discuss the challenges and frustrations that come with maintaining a healthy mind, body, and lifestyle while dealing with the pressures of grad school. Encouragement and reassurance from my friends followed very quickly. Project and paper pitches became a regular occurrence on lunch dates and Facebook chats, which eased me into feeling more comfortable with discussing class materials, which led to feeling confident enough to participate in class!

Another helpful tip for anyone that wants to feel zen: the Inforum has a special corner with a meditation stool, yoga mats, an iPod with guided meditation sound clips, and more! It’s a great place to go for a work break if you’re studying at the iSchool. The University of Toronto also has mental health resources. You can go on their website to find someone to call, where you can go, or what you can do if you are looking for some guidance. 

Sync your breathing with this gif 

I am so grateful that the importance of mental healthcare is gaining recognition, especially in educational institutions. Providing options for those in need is critical. So, if you or someone you know is having a hard time, take action! Be open; offer yourself as a safe space, and do not be afraid to reach out to someone if you want or need help.

That's all she wrote, folks! Thanks for joining me this summer. I am signing off for now, but please send me a message if you're feeling unsure or alone. I believe in paying it forward!