A history of unquestioning faith

Abstract

Vocational awe is an emerging concept within LIS used to highlight how narratives andmetaphors involving professional self-reverence and sacredness serve to absolve librarianship ofaccountability for the complex and problematic legacies of institutional oppression andexploitation. This panel explores the vocational awe narrative and its implications for LISresearch in two ways. First, by sharing panelists’ experiences and struggles with vocational aweand second, by engaging the LIS research community in appropriate responses to vocationalawe, such as advocating for library workers and responsible allyship with marginalized groups.