Navigating Environmental Mismatch as a Neurodiverse Academic Librarian

Speaker Bio:

Priscilla Carmini (she/her) is the Digital Repositories Librarian at the University of Waterloo. She has been working in the GLAM sector since 2019, specializing in metadata, open source library technology, and open access publishing. During her spare time, she enjoys hyperfixating on a variety of special interests, such as 19th century fashion history, reading or listening to magical fiction, cozy computer games, and textile crafts.

Universities often present as complex environments characterized by unspoken contradictions, which can be particularly challenging for early-career, neurodivergent librarians like myself. Vague and high-level objectives from higher education administrators are communicated downward to library administrators, who then interpret and translate these goals for the libraries, leaving librarians to decipher which tasks should be prioritized (Newman, 2025). While principles of accessibility, inclusion, and belonging are celebrated across campus, the resources dedicated to supporting these values for students and staff remain insufficient (Dolmage, 2017, p.22). Additionally, flexible work arrangements and remote work are often framed as privileges rather than recognized as essential benefits for staff members in non-front-facing roles. While accommodations are available for staff, neurodivergent individuals are frequently asked to identify their own needs, effectively becoming their own experts in determining acceptable accommodations and navigating employer expectations.

Many neurodivergent individuals are driven by passion and core values and tend to thrive in environments that provide clear guidance and opportunities to engage in innovative or personally meaningful projects (Agha et al. 2024, p.144; Hartman, L. and Hartman, B., 2024). However, as we advance in our careers, we often discover that the institutional values and goals do not fully align with our own, or are completely misaligned. Managing the ongoing disappointment stemming from this realization, coupled with limited support in discerning task priorities and the need to self-accommodate amid inadequate accommodations, imposes significant social and structural barriers on neurodivergent librarians. These challenges contribute to a cycle of exhaustion, anxiety, and demotivation, often accompanied by feelings of guilt for not contributing as much as they feel they should.

In this session, I will share insights and strategies I have developed throughout my short career to navigate challenging workplace environments as an academic librarian across various institutional contexts. Topics include techniques for managing low motivation days, setting boundaries, advocating for oneself, and a toolkit of resources aimed at helping individuals retain their well-being—and potentially thrive—in difficult working conditions. While these strategies do not address the fundamental structural issues across post-secondary institutions, I hope that leading by example can inspire positive change at the local level.