Abstracts
Abstract
Why can’t librarians “Just Say No”? To answer this question, we look at workplace refusal through the fine arts, literature, and popular culture to construct a genealogy of workplace refusal. In it, we also begin to trace a lineage of crisis narrative critique alongside the library profession’s inheritance of vocational awe. We explore the librarian’s role and voice through the lens of both popular culture and academic publications. In our companion multimedia, hypertextual Scalar project also titled A Genealogy of Refusal: Walking Away from Crisis and Scarcity Narratives, we contextualize strategies of refusal in libraries through critical response to and annotations of film clips and illustrations. We examine gender differences in portrayals of workplace refusal. We laugh when in Parks and Recreation a stereotypical librarian ignores a stripper but warns noisy patrons: “Shh—This is a library!” We are horrified when aspiring librarians in Morgenstern’s Starless Sea, hands tied behind their backs, have their tongues torn from their mouths. Elinguation as a job prerequisite? No, thanks. The implications of saying “No” are many. We explicate ways librarians are made vulnerable by crisis narratives and constructed scarcity. We advocate for asset framing and developing fluencies in hearing and saying “No.” Looking forward, how long will it take librarians to reclaim “Yes” in a way that works for us?
Keywords:
- academic librarians,
- crisis narratives,
- refusal of work,
- scarcity narratives,
- vocational awe
Résumé
Pourquoi les bibliothécaires ne peuvent pas être en « refus global » ? Pour répondre à cette question, nous examinons le refus en milieu de travail à travers les beaux-arts, la littérature et la culture populaire pour construire une généalogie du refus en milieu de travail. Dans ce geste, nous entamons également la tracée d'une généalogie de critiques narratives de crise aux côtés de l'héritage de la révérence vocationnelle (vocational awe) du métier de bibliothécaire. Nous explorons les rôles et la voix des bibliothécaires à travers le prisme de la culture populaire et des publications universitaires. Dans le projet Scalar hypertextuel et multimédia qui accompagne ce texte (également intitulé A Genealogy of Refusal: Walking Away from Crisis and Scarcity Narratives (Une généalogie du refus : abandonner des récits de crise et de rareté), nous contextualisons les stratégies de refus dans les bibliothèques à travers une réponse critique et des annotations de clips de films et d'illustrations. Nous analysons les différences genrées dans les représentations du refus en milieu de travail. On rigole quand dans Parcs et Loisirs une bibliothécaire stéréotypée ignore une strip-teaseuse mais réprimande les usagèr.e.s bruyant.e.s : « Chut !!!! - On est dans une bibliothèque ! » Nous sommes horrifiées lorsque dans La Mer sans étoiles de Morgenstern des bibliothécaires en herbe se font attacher les mains derrière le dos et arracher la langue. L'élinguation comme exigence professionnelle ? Non, merci. Les conséquences du refus sont nombreuses. Nous justifions comment les bibliothécaires sont rendu.e.s vulnérables par les récits de crise et la rareté calculée. Nous défendons la reconnaissance des acquis et le développement de l'aisance à entendre et exprimer le refus. Dans l'avenir, combien de temps faudra-t-il aux bibliothécaires pour réclamer un « oui » qui nous serve ?
Mots-clés :
- bibliothécaires universitaires,
- récits de crise,
- récits de pénurie,
- refus du travail,
- révérence professionnelle
Appendices
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