Library Anxiety: A Real Phenomenon

Library Anxiety. Yes, it's a real phenomenon. Not one I have, and probably not you since you're a mystery reader, but...

This article appeared on AtlasObscura. The Strange Affliction of "Library Anxiety" and What Librarians can do to Help.

Library anxiety is real. The phenomenon, which involves feeling intimidated, embarrassed, and overwhelmed by libraries and librarians, was first identified by Constance A. Mellon in 1986. Her paper, "Library Anxiety: A Grounded Theory and Its Development," reported that college students in particular are prone to library anxiety because they believe their research skills are inadequate, which makes them feel ashamed and unwilling to talk to the very librarians who might be able to ease their worries.

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