Emotional Labor, Stressors, and Librarians Who Work with the Public

Abstract

Service jobs require regular interaction with customers and have certain expectations of specific emotions that should be shown during transactions. This use of expected emotional displays during service transactions is called emotional labor and it is an important part of service work, but there are significant consequences for regular use. This paper reviews the literature on emotional labor, and the consequences of the repeated use of emotional labor within the service workforce. It also reviews the literature on stressors reported by librarians and job-related stress. Relationships can be seen between emotional labor, the work of librarian professionals, and stressors in the library work field. By understanding this relationship librarians can better balance their stress and avoid burnout.