Seeding Wildflowers: the role of self-compassion in creating neuro-affirming libraries

Libraries are often under-resourced, and workers at under-resourced institutions have a tendency to begin assuming that all things must be treated with austerity, most disturbingly, our own well-being. We work harder with less, not taking breaks when we need them. We push ourselves in service to our missions, and often end up burned-out, apathetic, and even resentful of others that don’t seem to have to do as much.

When you add neurodivergence and accommodations to the mix - regardless of diagnoses or official ADA accommodations - things can start to seem like a fight over a small pie that can never feed us all. Fortunately for us, compassion isn’t a pie, with only so many pieces to be doled out. Instead it’s a wildflower, that once bloomed, seeds more compassion, wildly, where and as it will.

Inspired by Tricia Hersey’ Nap Ministry and the disability rights movement, this session will push you to ask yourself questions like:

• What compassion do you not yet have for yourself?
  
• Have you ever resented a colleague or patron because they seem to be getting 'special treatment'?
• How might you begin to seed the wildflower of compassion by tending to yourself, rather than denying your needs and resenting those around you?

We’ll go over some basic accommodations that might be helpful for neurodivergent library workers and patrons, and brainstorm ways to imagine equity across library staff and communities that allow us to say not “why are they getting special treatment?” but instead, “what part of me is hurting/tired/angry and needs gentle tending?”