Thrive Core

Is your organization looking for a meaningful way to support librarians and library workers this year?
Sponsoring ThriveLib 2026 puts your name behind something that matters. Every sponsorship directly funds subsidized tickets, keeping the conference accessible to library workers who need it most, regardless of budget.
Learn more at thrivelib.com/sponsors or reach out at [email protected].

Three in four (73%) would take at least a 5% pay cut to work for an employer who genuinely prioritizes their wellbeing. One in five (20%) would accept a salary that was 15% below their target. Gen Z (80%) and Millennials (79%) are the most willing to sacrifice pay, compared with Baby Boomers (61%). Americans of all generations continue to place a clear premium on their workplace environment, but younger employees generally drive this trend.

73% of U.S. Workers Would Sacrifice Pay for Workplace Wellbeing New PensionBee data reveals “offboarding is the new onboarding” as employer communication gaps leave 401(k)s exposedKEY FINDINGS: 73% of U.S. workers would take a pay cut for workplace wellbeing92% say employers bear at least some responsibility for guiding benefit decisions71% received clear be...

This is what one ThriveLib 2025 attendee walked away thinking about.
ThriveLib 2026 is coming back August 11-13, and registration opens June 15. Fifteen sessions, 28 speakers, and three days dedicated entirely to the well-being of library workers. Replays available for all sessions.
Find out more and register at thrivelib.com.

English speakers often rely on social media that are "me-oriented" & substitute real relationships. In other countries, platforms are used to cultivate relationships & build connections. One is consuming content from strangers, the other is maintaining relationships

Happiness expert says if Americans used social media like non-English speakers it would fix everything Happiness researcher Arthur Brooks says Americans and non-English speakers use social media differently, and it affects their mental health.

"When we talk about trauma in the context of library work, it’s important to remember that trauma rarely exists in isolation. It often intersects with other forms of stress, exhaustion, and harm that shape how we experience our jobs and relate to our communities. Some of these experiences may not qualify as trauma in a clinical sense but are still deeply impactful. Understanding the range of related terms can help us more accurately describe what we’re going through, validate our own and others’ experiences, and begin to imagine healthier, more supportive workplace cultures. "

A Vocabulary for Library Worker Wellbeing – Urban Librarians Unite A Vocabulary for Library Worker Wellbeing May 22, 2026 by Leah Dudak When we talk about trauma in the context of library work, it’s important to remember that trauma rarely exists in isolation. It often intersects with other forms of stress, exhaustion, and harm that shape how we experience our jo...

"I get asked a lot to do something that feels contradictory to me, and I’ve been struggling with it for a while. How to reground librarians in their work or help librarians find joy in their work. I think this topic is both incredibly important and it makes me anxious because it feels like it could slide into vocational awe very easily, either on my part or through the interpretation of the audience. The word “joy” has been everywhere lately, and I worry it’s starting to sound like toxic positivity, like we’re asking people to feel better about hard situations instead of changing the situations.

But I keep coming back to something Fobazi Ettarh said. One of the questions she gets often is whether she’s saying we’re not allowed to love our jobs. And she’s clear: that’s not what she’s saying. We spend most of our lives at work. It should be a place where you feel good.[i] And that we need multiple ways to survive, work is just one of those."

Find the Cracks: That’s How the Light Gets In. on reclaiming joy in library work without losing yourself to it I get asked a lot to do something that feels contradictory to me, and I’ve been struggling with it for a while. How to reground librarians in their work or help librarians find joy in their work. I…

Workers who enjoy what they do each day rate their lives more than a full point higher on Gallup’s zero-to-10 life evaluation scale than those who don’t enjoy what they do. But the analysis also reveals that job choice and purpose play an outsized role among specific populations, including full-time employees, workers in their peak career-building years, and those living in lower-income economies.

Work Enjoyment Strongly Linked to Overall Wellbeing Of three aspects of workplace wellbeing measured globally, enjoyment in daily work is tied to the largest increases in how workers evaluate their lives.

Small business? Independent professional?

ThriveLib 2026 has a sponsorship tier designed just for you.

Our Seed tier is for small businesses and independent professionals who want to show up for library workers — on any budget. Get a booth on our HeySummit platform and be listed on our sponsors page.

Contact us to discuss. We'll make it work.
https://thrivelib.com/sponsors/
[email protected]

There are 4 pay-what-you-can spots available for this launch of Trauma-Informed and Relational Care for Libraries, and only ONE person has applied so far!

Applications close Friday, 5/29: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2xFJZTM7ji83_jJ9oD-N1dXiUPpMeBgj1-pyYMB7RoBJ4BQ/viewform
(Forward this to someone who could use it!)

If you're a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color, a student, if your institution doesn't fund professional development, if you're between jobs, or if you're disabled or chronically ill, the form takes just a few minutes.

Applications close May 29, and I have four spots.
👉🏾 1 for BIPOC
👉🏾 1 for disabled/chronically ill folks
👉🏾 2 for people impacted by budget cuts

The orientation is June 23, and I really don't want cost to be the reason you're not there.

Trauma-Informed & Relational Care for Libraries - Pay-What-You-Can I am committed to making this course accessible for everyone! I understand not everyone is institutionally supported for professional development, especially due to recent budget cuts. I am offering 4 pay-what-you-can spots: 1 for BIPOC 1 for disabled folks 2 for people impacted by budget cuts Pleas...

ThriveLib is now open for sponsorships!

If you work for a library vendor, a professional organization, or any company that cares about library workers, this is a great way to show it. ThriveLib 2026 is a virtual conference running August 11–13, focused entirely on well-being for librarians and library staff.

Here's what makes sponsoring ThriveLib different: every dollar goes toward keeping tickets affordable. We run a subsidized ticket pool so that no one is priced out of attending.

Sponsorship tiers start at $250 (Root), with options up to $1,000+ (Canopy), plus a flexible Seed tier for small businesses and independent professionals.

All sponsors get a customizable booth on our HeySummit platform. And we'll never share or sell your attendees' contact info, that's a promise.

Head to thrivelib.com/sponsors to learn more, or email us at [email protected].
https://thrivelib.com/2026/05/15/were-now-accepting-sponsors-for-thrivelib-2026/

We’re Now Accepting Sponsors for ThriveLib 2026! We have exciting news to share: ThriveLib is officially open for sponsorships for our upcoming virtual conference, August 11–13, 2026. If you’re an organization, vendor, or small business tha…