Description
Perimenopause and menopause affect a significant portion of the workforce, with approximately 1 in 5 U.S. workers in this life stage and up to 65% reporting impacts on work performance. Despite this, these experiences remain largely invisible in professional environments, including libraries, where expectations around productivity and professionalism often do not account for cognitive, physical, and emotional changes.
This session will explore how perimenopause and menopause intersect with librarianship, particularly during peak career and leadership years. Drawing on leadership experience, a background in clinical psychology, lived experience, and current research, the session will examine common workplace challenges such as brain fog, fatigue, emotional variability, increased healthcare needs, and the pressure to maintain performance without acknowledgment or support.
Participants will be introduced to research and evidence-based guidelines to better understand this life stage and evaluate information and treatment options. The session will also address stigma and ageism in the workplace, including how silence around menopause can impact confidence, retention, and advancement.
In addition to increasing awareness, this session will provide practical, actionable strategies for both individuals and organizations. Participants will learn approaches to self-advocacy, boundary setting, and sustainable work practices, as well as ways leaders and colleagues can create more supportive, flexible, and psychologically safe environments. The session emphasizes shifting from a productivity-only mindset to one that values expertise, judgment, and long-term sustainability.
This event is important because it addresses a widespread but under-recognized factor influencing workforce well-being, leadership, and retention in libraries. By normalizing these experiences and providing concrete strategies, the session helps participants navigate this transition more effectively while also equipping organizations to better support and retain experienced professionals.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the common cognitive, physical, and emotional impacts of perimenopause and menopause and how they may affect workplace performance.
- Apply evidence-based strategies to support well-being, focus, and sustainable work practices during this life stage.
- Identify ways stigma and ageism influence workplace experiences and develop approaches to reduce their impact.
- Implement practical strategies to foster more supportive, flexible, and inclusive workplace environments.
About the Presenter
Dawn Behrend is the Associate Dean of Administrative Services at the University of North Florida. She holds an M.A. in Clinical Psychology, an MBA, and an MLS, and she has over 20 years of experience as both a library leader and a licensed mental health professional. Her work focuses on workplace well-being, leadership, and inclusion in libraries, and she delivers workshops, courses, and talks on mental health, neurodiversity, and self-care in library settings. Dawn is active in state and national library professional associations. You can connect with Dawn on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-behrend/ or view her online portfolio at https://dvbehrend.wixsite.com/dawnbehrend.
This event will be hosted in Zoom. Automatic captions will be enabled for this event. This event will be recorded, and registrants will receive access to the recording within a day after the event ends.
If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact us at ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.
