Description: Feeling overwhelmed in your new academic position? This session will explore how to navigate life as an early career librarian and highlight some common pitfalls new professionals often encounter. Using perspectives from different areas of librarianship, including patron-facing and internal positions, presenters will discuss methods for achieving work-life balance. Other topics, such as ways to combat imposter syndrome and the value of openness and vulnerability, will seek to normalize the first-time academic librarian experience. This session is also useful for supervisors and administrators who are interested in providing a supportive environment for new librarians entering the field. 
 

Presenters: 

Tiffany Pardue

User Access Librarian

University of Alabama at Birmingham Mervyn H. Sterne Library

Tiffany Pardue is the User Access Librarian at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In her role, she works to enhance user services and experiences through the User Access Department. She is passionate about higher education as a transformative experience and works to ensure all users have the tools they need to be successful. In her prior positions, she worked in library acquisitions and serials management and supervised an undergraduate tutoring center. She holds a BA in History from the University of Montevallo (2018) and an MLIS from the University of Alabama (2020). She lives in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband, two children, and their two cocker spaniels Tilly and Penny. She loves cozy mysteries and collecting hobbies.

Kelsey Robertson

Metadata Librarian

University of Alabama at Birmingham Mervyn H. Sterne Library

Kelsey Robertson is a Metadata Librarian at The University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to her other duties, she is responsible for cataloging the juvenile and textbook collections, which are particularly utilized by the university’s School of Education and Human Sciences. Prior to this role, she worked as a children’s librarian at a public library. Now, she is embracing new responsibilities in tech services. She holds a BA in History from UAB (2015) and an MLIS from Kent State University (2020). She resides in Birmingham, Alabama with her husband and their dog, Allie.  

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