Solidarity Builder

As libraries began closing their buildings in March 2020, Callan Bignoli noticed a disconnect between the message being sent by administrators—that libraries should continue to demonstrate value and resilience in the face of looming budget cuts—and what she was hearing from workers, that they felt unsafe being asked to continue working, even behind the scenes or providing curbside pickup; afraid for their jobs if they refused (or even if they didn’t); and dismissed by those telling them to step up.

Bignoli started the #CloseTheLibraries campaign to encourage reluctant directors to shut down, followed by #ProtectLibraryWorkers when some reopened without clear health guidelines. Those hashtags evolved into libraryworkers.net, a site offering resources and information around COVID-19, labor, and inequity issues. In May, she convened #LIBREV(olution), a free online conference. The conference in turn led to the LIBREV online Slack community.

Last year Bignoli says she heard from—and helped connect—hundreds of library employees looking for advice and support on their efforts to temporarily close buildings, improve safety once workers and patrons came back, and prioritize vaccinations for staff. “I hope, and have reason to believe, that this will remain a lasting change in our field,” says Bignoli. “I think that my efforts (and the efforts of countless others) led to a shift in prioritization about the people running libraries and ignited much larger conversations.”

It looks like those efforts are showing results, she adds. There has been an uptick in library organizations, including ALA, focusing advocacy and promotional materials around library workers and labor. “I give people the benefit of the doubt for a living,” says Bignoli. “One of the main lessons learned in the last year’s labor struggles is that we very much need to build solidarity.”

A broad view of the field has helped Bignoli advocate across sectors. Her first full-time library job, as web coordinator for the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, gave her a wide perspective on library practices. She has worked in academic, government/special, and public libraries; coauthored Responding to Rapid Change in Libraries: A User Experience Approach (ALA Editions, 2020) with Lauren Stara; and recently created a tech and privacy guide for Massachusetts libraries for the Library Freedom Project, analyzing data and trends about digital access pressures put on libraries during the pandemic. More workers should consider trying out a range of professional scenarios, Bignoli suggests, “or at least thinking about how we can ‘un-silo.’ ”