Naming patron-perpetrated sexual harassment in libraries

Abstract

Patron-perpetrated sexual harassment (PPSH) is increasingly recognized as a significant problem in the field of library and information studies (LIS) but is often described and treated as “unfortunate” and “part of the job.” The results from a large-scale survey (505 responses) where participants described incidents of PPSH in the workplace support widely held public statements that define PPSH as a form of gender-based violence (GBV), insisting that it must be named and treated as such. Naming PPSH as sexual harassment and a form of GBV has important implications for library workers, library workplaces, and the broader field of LIS.

Tami Oliphant

School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta