Wellness in Libraries

WELLNESS IN LIBRARIES
Four Masterclasses with Loida Garcia-Febo
The Library 2.0 Mental Health and Wellness Program

OVERVIEW:

This is a professional development series supporting inclusive, resilient, and thriving library environments.

As demands on library staff grow—from digital overload to complex community needs—well-being is no longer a perk. It is essential to productivity, retention, and service excellence. This next-level wellness series builds on foundational practices by introducing forward-thinking strategies tailored for modern library environments.

Each session offers tools that foster focus, resilience, and authentic connection—helping both staff and administrators transform wellness into a shared cultural value.

WHY THIS SERIES MATTERS FOR LIBRARY WORKERS:

• Wellness must be inclusive to be effective.
  Library workers bring diverse identities, neurotypes, and cultural experiences. When wellness efforts recognize these differences, they foster a deeper sense of belonging, psychological safety, and full participation across the team. (Class 1)
• Empathy and connection are essential to service excellence.
  Transformational service cultures center emotional safety, collaboration, and human connection—within teams and with patrons. This series helps staff strengthen relationships in a digitally demanding and socially fragmented world. (Class 2)
• Resilience is a shared responsibility—before, during, and after crisis.
  Library staff often face high-stress moments with limited support. Building emotional readiness, trauma-aware communication, and thoughtful recovery protocols helps teams feel safer, stronger, and more confident in the face of uncertainty. (Class 3)
• Joy is a strategic tool for retention, renewal, and engagement. When joy, gratitude, and collective celebration are woven into daily routines, library teams feel energized, connected, and committed to their work. This session invites staff to co-create a workplace culture that uplifts and sustains. (Class 4)

OUTCOMES:

• Combat Burnout: Increased productivity through stronger focus and reduced burnout.Learn tools to manage emotional demands and stay energized.
  
• Support Everyone: Gain inclusive wellness strategies for diverse staff needs. Alignment with accessibility and community-building priorities.
• Find Balance: Reduce digital overload and reconnect with purpose. Greater staff satisfaction and retention.
• Work with Joy: Build a positive, connected team that delivers great service. Stronger service outcomes through emotionally and culturally equipped staff.

BENEFITS FOR LIBRARY AND STAFF MEMBERS:

• Practical tools to manage digital fatigue, emotional load, and crisis recovery.
• A deeper sense of inclusion, belonging, and connection with colleagues and patrons.
• Opportunities to co-create a joyful and meaningful workplace.

The individual masterclass descriptions are below the registration information.

DATES AND TIMES: Each masterclass is one hour.

• Wednesday, September 10, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time: "Inclusive Wellness Practices to Strengthen Staff Culture"
• Wednesday, October 8, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time: "Transformational Service Culture and Building Relationships"
• Wednesday, November 12, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time: "Crisis-Ready Libraries: Emotional and Operational Resilience"
• Wednesday, December 10, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time: "From Burnout to Joy: Cultivating Collective Energy and Renewal"

RECORDINGS: 

• The masterclasses will be recorded, and registered participants will have non-expiring access to the recordings.

INDIVIDUAL ORDERS:  includes any-time access to the recordings and the presentation slides and a participation certificate. If you have any question, please email admin@library20.com.

MASTERCLASS 1: "Inclusive Wellness Practices to Strengthen Staff Culture"
Wednesday, September 10, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time

Theme: Creating a workplace where everyone can thrive

Focus Areas:

• Beyond One-Size-Fits-All: Recognizing diverse wellness needs across race, culture, disability, gender, and neurodiversity
• Universal Design for well-being: from sensory needs to religious observances
• Strategies to create psychological safety and identity-affirming environments

Why It Matters:

• Inclusive wellness practices reduce chronic stress, increase belonging, and allow every staff member to fully contribute.

Deliverable:

• Inclusion in Action Toolkit – Equity-minded wellness checklists, conversation starters, and design prompts for inclusive spaces

MASTERCLASS 2: "Transformational Service Culture and Building Relationships"
Wednesday, October 8, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time

Theme: Balancing productivity, presence, and authentic relationships

Focus Areas:

• Practicing intentional, empathic service that centers belonging and emotional safety
• Designing libraries as hubs of connection to address loneliness and social fragmentation
• Strengthening coworker collaboration and meaningful public engagement across cultures and generations
• Balancing focus, empathy, and authentic connection in a digitally demanding world

Why It Matters:

• Creating a transformational service culture grounded in empathy and connection helps libraries build trust, foster belonging, and strengthen both staff collaboration and community engagement in an increasingly disconnected world.

Deliverable:

• Connection in Action Mini-Guide – Boundary-setting templates, phone-free zone strategies, and community re-connection tools

MASTERCLASS 3: "Crisis-Ready Libraries: Emotional and Operational Resilience"
Wednesday, November 12, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time

Theme: Preparing for—and recovering from—what we can’t predict

Focus Areas:

• Building emotional readiness and support systems before a crisis hits
• Trauma-aware communication and psychological first aid practices
• Post-crisis recovery: How to help teams regroup, reset, and move forward
• Identifying common workplace stressors and setting responsive protocols

Why It Matters:

• Staff who feel prepared and supported are more confident, capable, and less likely to burn out when navigating high-stakes situations.

Deliverable:

• Crisis Wellness Playbook – Emotional response templates, debriefing scripts, and emergency resilience planning resources

MASTERCLASS 4: "From Burnout to Joy: Cultivating Collective Energy and Renewal"
Wednesday, December 10, 1:00 - 2:00 pm US-Eastern Time

Theme: Prioritizing joy and gratitude as organizational practices

Focus Areas:

• Moving beyond individual coping to team-based rejuvenation
• Incorporating micro-moments of joy: gratitude, humor, creative play, cultural celebration
• Designing staff spaces and routines that spark energy and emotional renewal
• Reframing rest and joy as strategic tools, not personal indulgences

Why It Matters:

• Organizations that invest in joy and play build emotionally resilient teams, reduce disengagement, and attract top talent.

Deliverable:

• Joy Lab Toolkit – Ready-to-implement ideas for energizing meetings, staff bonding, and meaningful celebration