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Call for Chapters: Autistic Academic Librarians

  • 1.  Call for Chapters: Autistic Academic Librarians

    Posted Sep 28, 2023 08:50 AM

    Call for Chapter Proposals: Autistic Academic Librarians: A Guide for Success 

    Editors: Rachael Cohen, Karen Stoll Farrell  


    We are excited to invite chapter proposals for Autistic Academic Librarians: A Guide for Success an edited volume to be published by ACRL. Please email Rachael Cohen at rachcohe@indiana.edu or Karen Stoll Farrell at karsfarr@indiana.edu with any questions.  


    About the book: 

    This book will highlight the lived experiences of autistic academic librarians. Chapter authors will discuss their experiences in various components of the employment lifecycle, from hiring to navigating the tenure process to their daily work lives. As conversations about diversity and inclusion spread amongst libraries, voices from autistic communities are important to highlight. Much of the published work that is focused on people with autism is heavily focused on children. However, these neurological conditions are lifelong; children with autism grow up to be adults with autism.  

     

    Rates of Autism diagnoses continue to rise, with the CDC reporting in 2023 that 1 in 36 children have received a diagnosis. On the other hand, employment rates for Autistic adults remain low. According to a recent study, 20-somethings with autism were less likely to be employed than their peers with other disabilities, with only 58 percent employed. (Solomon 2020). Clearly, there is much more that can be done to create workplaces that include and support autistic adults. We hope to offer their perspectives on academic libraries as a place of work and offer readers the opportunity to consider how they can create change in their own libraries to be more inclusive of neurodiverse people. Chapters will all include recommendations from the authors that will inform readers how to better work with their neurodiverse colleagues and offer specific suggestions to create more inclusive work environments. 

     
    A note on language: the editors use both person-first and identity-first language throughout and will address this in the introduction. Authors are welcome to use whichever language they are comfortable with. 

     

    Call for chapter proposals: 

    We are specifically interested in chapter proposals from librarians with autism, though unconcerned about the type of diagnosis. Do not feel limited by the following suggested topics! We encourage proposals from first-time authors and authors based in any type of college or university setting.  

     
    Introduction 

    Navigating Library School 

    This section will focus on the experience of autistic students getting an MLS. 

     Potential topics:  

    1. Current or previous experiences with getting into library school 

    1. Navigating classes 

    1. Understanding and working internships. 

    1. Group work 

    1. Other related issues  

    Hiring and Recruitment 

    This section will focus on the hiring process experience in academic libraries and how it can better serve neurodiverse job seekers. 

    Potential topics: 

    1. Experiences on the job market 

    1. Navigating the "coming out" experience on the job market as a librarian with autism 

    1. Academic library interview experience 

    1. Hiring perspective 

      

    Supervision and Mentoring 

    This section will offer insights on successful and unsuccessful strategies for helping neurodiverse librarians succeed in the workplace.  

    Potential topics: 

    1. Onboarding 

    1. Advocating and requesting accommodations 

    1. Setting deadlines and tasks  

    1. Successfully working on group projects 

    1. What your supervisor did right  

    1. What your supervisor did wrong 

    1. Setting expectations  

    1. Communication 

     

    Tenure and Promotion  

    This section will focus on the specific challenges around tenure as an autistic librarian. We also welcome chapters from librarians working in similar systems, such as non-tenure track academic appointments. 

    Potential topics: 

    1. Navigating a successful path to tenure 

    1. Experiences with mentoring 

    1. When tenure doesn't fit – stepping off the tenure path 

    1. Choosing NTT – finding success outside of the tenure system 

    Success in Academic Librarianship  

    This section will focus on specific job areas (e.g., Tech Services, Public Services, etc.) and the experiences of those working in those areas.  

    Potential topics: 

    1. The benefits of working behind the scenes: successful work in technical services 

    1. Going beyond stereotypes: autistic librarians and public services work 

    1. Navigating library trends: learning skills and working in new library fields 

    Leaving Academic Libraries 

    Masking and non-inclusive workplaces are major causes of autistic adults leaving the workforce, either for extended periods or, in some cases, permanently. In this section, we hope to highlight voices of librarians who have had this experience and can give their recommendations for creating more inclusive workplaces that allow them to do their best work. 

    Potential Topics: 

    1. Masking 

    1. Recommendations for inclusive workplaces  

    1. Autistic Librarians who can't get into Academic Librarianship 

    1. Reasons for leaving librarianship  

    1. What would have made you stay?  

     

     

     
     

    Proposal Instructions: 

    To submit a proposal, please email the editors (karsfarr@iu.edu and rachcohe@iu.edu) with the following components: 

    • Name 

    • Email where you would like to be contacted 

    • Affiliation if you have one 

    • A proposal abstract of less than 500 words OR a request to meet with the editors to discuss potential topics 

    • A sentence or two about why you are interested in writing for this book   

    Submissions are due by Nov 29, 2023. We expect to notify authors of acceptance by Jan 12, 2023. See below for the proposed project timeline. Please email Rachael Cohen at rachcohe@indiana.edu or Karen Stoll Farrell at karsfarr@indiana.edu with any questions. 

     

    Project Timeline: 

    • CFP closes Nov 29, 2023  

    • Authors notified of acceptance by Jan12, 2023  

    • Chapter outlines sent to editors by Mar 13, 2024  

    • First drafts due June 28, 2024  

    • Draft reviews completed and feedback provided to authors around August 30, 2024  

    • Second drafts due Oct 28, 2024  

    • Editor reviews completed around Nov 29, 2024  

    • Final draft submitted to ACRL by Jan 31, 2025 

     



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    Karen Farrell
    Head, Scholarly Communication Department
    Indiana University
    she/they
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