A history of unquestioning faith

Vocational awe and the hope for a future of “bad” librarianship

Abstract

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