Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"Becoming A More Confident Librarian: Practical And Spiritual Steps For Battling Imposter Phenomenon", Savannah Patterson, Ruth Slagle, Amber Wessies

The Christian Librarian

New librarians often feel as though they have something to prove. This desire can lead to feelings of inadequacy and failure in the workplace that manifest as anxiety and fear. The idea that someone is a fraud or only succeeding by luck is called Imposter Phenomenon or Imposter Syndrome. As early career instruction librarians, the authors set out to find tools for dealing with their Imposter Phenomenon. This paper outlines faith-based tools like exercise, counseling, and prayer for managing Imposter Phenomenon. Practical tools such as professional development, mentoring, and communities of practice are explained as solutions for lessening the effects …