Shifting Roles

Abstract

This paper examines the shifting roles of youth service librarians and museum educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. While changes in job duties, processes and day-to-day practices were inevitable, the article argues that practitioners viewed their service as continuous with pre-pandemic roles. Based on interviews with 20 practitioners, the article analyzes two constructs that emerged as professionals described their pandemic roles: guiding principles and collaboration. Not only did these discursive constructs provide a sense of continuity, they also served to advocate for the role of libraries and museums. These findings indicate the importance of reflecting and drawing on guiding principles and collaborations to make decisions about services during times of crisis.