Call for Participation

Empowering Neurodivergent Librarians Toolkit: Call for Participation

We are seeking participants for an IMLS-funded research project conducted by faculty and graduate students from the Information School at the University of Washington. We are inviting U.S. librarians aged 18 and older to participate in this study.

Please note that  we have reached full capacity for all of the design sessions.

Currently, neurodivergent librarians remain underrepresented in the profession, and there is very little research and few established practices to guide their recruitment, onboarding, retention, and advancement. The goal of our study is to is to build libraries’ capacity, at the team level, to improve employment outcomes of neurodivergent librarians, including representation, empowerment, equity, belonging, and advancement. Our research is cumulating in the development of a neurodiversity at work toolkit that will include training and resources for libraries and MLIS programs, as well as resources to empower neurodivergent librarians. To inform the design and implementation of this toolkit, we ask you to share your experience and expertise with our team by providing feedback on our initial design of the toolkit by participating in a 90-minute design session. Our team brings together an interdisciplinary and diverse group of scholars and practitioners with expertise to study neurodiversity in a broad range of workplaces.

Design Sessions

We invite you to take part in a 90-minute virtual session over Zoom to provide input and feedback on our toolkit design to improve neuroinclusion in library workplaces. During the session the research team will ask you to review our preliminary toolkit design and share your ideas. You will be led through simple activities to elicit your input on the preliminary pieces of our toolkit, including training, resources, and other tools to support neurodiversity employment in libraries. The research team will then ask participants to share their feedback in a group discussion. The session will be audio-recorded. Recordings will be transcribed, and all identifying information will be omitted. You may refuse to answer any question or item throughout the discussion. You may leave the session at any time. In appreciation of your participation, we will provide all participants with a $25 Amazon e-gift card after participation is complete.

We will be offering design sessions on the following days and times:

    • Tuesday, January 7, 2025: 10:00am-11:30am Pacific (1:00pm-2:30pm Eastern)
    • Wednesday, January 8, 2025: 12:00pm-1:30 Pacific (3:00pm-4:30pm Eastern)
    • Thursday, January 9, 2025: 4:00pm-5:30pm Pacific (7:00pm-8:30pm Eastern)
    • Tuesday, January 14, 2025: 10:00am-11:30am Pacific (1:00pm-2:30pm Eastern)
    • Wednesday, January 15, 2025: 10:30am-12:00pm Pacific (1:30pm-3:00pm Eastern)

Privacy Information

Your participation in this study and any information you provide will remain confidential. Design sessions will be recorded and used for research purposes only. Any sensitive and/or potentially identifying information will not be shared or appear in published forms. No names or identifiers will appear on any materials that contain your responses. There will be other participants in this group, so we cannot guarantee full confidentiality in the context of a design session. Thus, we urge you to maintain confidentiality for your fellow participants. Recordings will be transcribed and all identifying information will be omitted. Written feedback will be saved and anonymized. You may refuse to answer any question or item throughout the design session. You may leave the session at any time, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled.

Study Outcomes

This study has practical implications for diversity and inclusion practices in librarianship and society, and will deepen our understanding of neurodiversity employment in libraries. Your input will help improve our neurodiversity employment in libraries toolkit. This toolkit will include training and resources for libraries and MLIS programs, as well as resources to empower neurodivergent librarians. This toolkit will be available for free online to all librarians nationwide through the project website.

You only need to participate in one session. All session materials will be shared prior to the design session, but you will not be required to prepare in advance.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact our research team at neurodiversity@uw.edu.