NLSX questions – Resilience is relational
Responses to questions received following my NLSX presentation [slides/transcript].
Like the presentation, my responses draw from various conversations, lived experiences, research evidence, and reflections. This reflects that the concept of resilience will be operationalised differently for different communities and individuals in libraries.
Q1. Is vulnerability essential to resilience for oneself and others?
My perspective is it’s not essential but may be characteristic of a culture with more constructive support around resilience. It also depends on how someone is already experiencing resilience and vulnerability. Research shows the importance of community/connection for resilience, so being vulnerable may help build community connection and, thus, resilience. Vulnerability could also be part of resilience if asking for help is encouraged. While vulnerability can be a strength, the risk around vulnerability is experienced differently by different people, especially in a professional context. If an individual is already experiencing resilience as survival, they may have tighter boundaries around vulnerability. Vulnerability would not contribute to resilience in an environment where someone does not feel safe to be vulnerable, but that environment would still require resilience to navigate and remain in. Culture (trust) is going to play a part.
Q2. Would you say that a resilient community is only as strong as the least resilient member of the community? How do you measure the resilience of a community?
I’m unaware of evidence suggesting “a resilient community is only as strong as the least resilient member of the community.” It would also depend on the type of community (I adopted a very general definition). Most approaches to measuring community resilience assess if specific characteristics, being indicators or attributes of resilience, are present. I appreciate the qualitative dimensions of Gilmore et al. (2018) and Stone et al. (2022) because they explore what resilience means to the group/community themselves. I see this as having the potential to identify community priorities and concerns, contributing to future research directions and impact.
Q3. Would you say that we have a responsibility to build resilience in others?
In a professional context, I feel responsibility lies in providing an environment and support that is conducive to individuals/communities building resilience in ways that are also meaningful to them. Several people at NLSX suggested co-design and partnership. Alongside this, we have responsibilities to reduce barriers and inequalities that require continual and prolonged states of resilience where we can. I.e., making a space, event, or communications accessible rather than insisting on resilience in navigating them.
I prefer to ask ‘what can change?’ and see if/where action can be taken (and by whom). It creates an opportunity to listen to the different needs, understandings, and boundaries people have set around resilience first rather than immediately jumping to ‘build’.