As librarians, it’s generally assumed that we read. It’s practically a part of our job descriptions, right? However, whether we actually read for pleasure often feels irrelevant. Reading is so tightly woven into our professional identity that it rarely gets questioned, named, or – ironically, protected. And yet, if we’re honest, many of us aren’t reading as much as we’d like to. Not because we don’t care, but because the work is heavy, the days are full and the “other duties as assigned” keep multiplying like overdue notices.
I still miss quiet desk shifts, the ones where you could sit with a book while keeping half an eye on the library. Those moments felt like a small miracle, in hindsight. I didn’t realise then how rare they wouldd become, not just for me, but for library staff in general.
Now, working behind the scenes and reading during the workday happens mostly during lunch, if at all, and often feels like something I’m sneaking in rather than something that belongs there.
Libraries are changing fast with social media reshaping reading culture at a rapid speed. BookTok now drives demand overnight. Readers arrive with screenshots, titles and very specific expectations. This is a good thing as it means people are excited about books. We love that for them (and us). At the same time, many library staff are exhausted. We’re stretched thin, juggling engagement, visibility, targets, access and gate counts. All of this matters but somewhere in this constant motion reading quietly slips down the priority list – something we’ll return to when things calm down. Spoiler alert: they don’t.
What’s become clearer to me is that reading is one of the simplest ways to care for our professional health. It steadies us. It sharpens our thinking. It gives us language, context and perspective. It helps us zoom out when we’ve been stuck in the weeds of daily tasks. We need to remind ourselves that reading doesn’t have to be ambitious or impressive. It can be a chapter, an article or simply a report read properly instead of skimmed. Professional reading counts, people.
We teach information literacy. We promote lifelong learning. But we don’t always apply those same principles to ourselves. And while reading alone doesn’t make someone a better librarian, not reading can quietly erode confidence, clarity and our ability to engage meaningfully with change. What I hope for is a shift in the perception of reading. Reading not as a hobby we squeeze in, but as a quiet, sustaining practice. One that helps us think beyond urgency and helps us return to our work with more curiosity, patience and depth.
We don’t need to read everything or keep up with every trend. We just need to keep reading in ways that feel sustainable and meaningful. In ways that nourishes our thinking and quietly supports our practice. Because steady, intentional reading keeps us connected to our work, our values and the responsibility we carry as stewards of knowledge.
And honestly? That is more than enough.
Taybah Taliep
Assistant Professional Officer
Columnist: Collection Development Unit