CFP: "Library Jackassery: The silly ideas that work and embracing working silly"
Gruzynski, Vicki
Passing along a unique CFP! See below:
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Call for Chapter Proposals for "Library Jackassery: The silly ideas that work and embracing working silly" book
Overview:
Do you need a good distraction from the state of the world? Need to shift your focus away from feeling overwhelmed?
This call for proposals is for chapters and case studies for a peer-reviewed, edited book on jackassery in libraries. There are very few resources that take the nature of doing silly things seriously, especially in the library world. This book aims to detail jackass ideas for other librarians to emulate as well as giving the scholarly backing needed to sell these ideas to the higher ups. I am looking for chapters from librarians of all types of libraries (school, public, academic, special, national/state, archives, etc.). This book is being proposed for publication by McFarland and Company, Publishers.
What is Jackassery anyway?
Merriam-Webster defines jackassery as, "a piece of stupidity or folly, doltishness." The opposite of what you would expect to find in a library. And yet it's what I strive to bring forth in my academic library every day. Is it an old-timey term? Yes. Is it the perfect term? Also yes.
Almost every librarian I know has had at least one jackass idea. Is this you? Have you had the kind of idea that when you're doing it, you say to yourself, "This is so dumb." And yet, it works? It ends up being the idea that engages the most people and makes your colleagues smile. It's the one that sparks your creativity and becomes the story that you share while networking. In fact, those ideas are the ones you want to hear about while networking, then you file them away and use them yourself. I am looking for chapters and case studies that would give practical, easily adaptable ideas that are just a little bit out there (or maybe a lot out there), for when our fellow librarians, of any type, just can't think of a new idea or are facing creative burnout.
Book Structure:
This book will include chapters that are a combination of the topic written in the traditional academic manner (case study with a literature review, potential for data, etc) that would be peer reviewed, (by other chapter authors) and then case studies on that same topic, which would be editor reviewed. Case studies can also include a literature review, if needed.
The academic chapters will be longer (4000-6000 words, APA style) and spell out the theme of the chapter. Case studies will be shorter (1000-2000 words) and be more practical and boots-on-the-ground, including details on what was done and how, best practices, things you would change, and even failures. I encourage both of these to be in more naturalistic language, rather than formal, due to the subject matter, as best you are able, because I also have had to write in that style and it can be harder than it looks!
Possible Topics/Major Themes:
- Instruction/teaching
- Programming
- Exhibits/Displays
- Social Media
- Marketing/Communications
- Jackass collaborations
- Leadership/the Approachable Librarian
- Building Buy-In
- Dealing with reactions (good and bad)
- Assessment
- Jackassery and Morale/Mental Wellness
Have another idea or topic? Submit it! No idea is too silly or inane.
Submitting a Proposal:
Proposals are being accepted via Google Forms. Please submit a brief summary (200-500 words), your proposed title, author name and affiliation, what major theme you anticipate your work to fall under, and a one sentence biography of your best jackassery moment. Authors whose proposals are accepted will receive more detailed guidelines for chapters/case studies.
Questions about the book can be directed to Rachael Muszkiewicz at rachael.m...@valpo.edu
Anticipated Timeline:
- Collecting chapter proposals March - April 18, 2025
- Responses to proposals by May 9, 2025
- Full chapters/case studies due by July 25, 2025
- Chapters will be sent to peer reviewers and returned to the editor by end of August, 2025
- Final chapters, with revisions, etc, by the end of November, 2025
- Completed book to the publisher no later than January 2026
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Rachael Muszkiewicz
Associate Professor of Library Science
Valparaiso University
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