Librarian offers advice to help students deal with library anxiety

How many of us can relate to this story? 

“As an undergraduate, I had a debilitating fear of the college library. After I was given my first research assignment, I agonized for weeks…I felt certain other students had already mastered library research…I worried that, if I asked questions, it would expose how little I knew.” 

These are the words of librarian Erin McAfee reflecting on her time as a college student. In her recent article, “Shame: The Emotional Basis of Library Anxiety,” she explains that the feeling of anxiety at using the library, and especially at asking for help, is very common among students.

 It seems to stem from a deeper concern over being judged as incompetent or unimportant. 

McAfee explains that this type of anxiety is cyclical, and feeds itself rather than lessening over time. First, a student thinks their research skills are inadequate. 

Second, they feel ashamed at their inadequacy and so hide it. Third, in hiding their perceived inadequacy they don’t ask for the help that would make it possible to strengthen their research skills and lessen their anxiety. 

So what’s a student to do? 

1) Recognize signs of library anxiety in yourself. 

You may feel confusion, awkwardness, slowed thinking, impatience, irritation, humiliation, or frustration. This may lead to procrastination, which makes the situation even worse. 

However, simply recognizing these various feelings as library anxiety can actually interrupt the anxiety/shame/hiding cycle, and open you up to asking for help. 

2) Know that you are not alone. 

Many people experience library anxiety, worrying that asking a question will reveal a lack of knowledge. None of us is born knowing how to do research, so it’s natural to feel we don’t know enough. However, asking for help is the best way to learn better research skills. 

3) We librarians want very much to be of help to you, and we invite your questions. 

Our job isn’t to judge your skills, but to invite everyone to participate in making better use of what we consider to be the very best resource on campus! 

If you still feel nervous about approaching the desk to ask a question, try out the “Ask a Librarian” chat on the library homepage (www.kirkwood.edu/library). 

You still get excellent help from our Kirkwood librarians, but it’s completely anonymous. Give it a try.