Punching up: boxing and librarianship - a different UX perspective (UKLibs7 workshop)

Abstract

Libraries and librarians come from a range of experiences and work in a variety of environments. Many of these spaces are hybrid or completely online; some librarians work remotely so the chances to connect and engage with colleagues, library users and key decision makers can be challenging. Librarians tend to be open to new ideas and engage enthusiastically with the dynamics of our profession. That doesn’t mean it is easy – but the spirit is willing! Often, in my opinion, while librarians openly engage with ideas and people, they tend to be quite siloed in their approaches to challenges. We often look to the existing library world for models and structures; I suggest that it would be a good idea to look at other sectors, some that may not seem to be related to libraries at all. The idea for this workshop came about whilst thinking about ideas of what other sector, or environment that is very strategic, could be a source of ideas for librarians to consult and reference in dealings with challenging experiences. Especially when engaging with senior decision makers, where there is a requirement for negotiation and persuasion skills. The answer for me was the sport of boxing.