Introduction

Kindness and wellbeing are interlinked and their practical applications in a library workplace setting are critical. Given the high-stress environment often prevalent in libraries, kindness becomes an ethical imperative and a significant contributor to organisational success. Kindness is now viewed as a critical component of leadership and team performance that positively influences wellbeing. A study by Harvard Business Review (Seppälä, 2014) suggests that leaders who exhibit kindness are more likely to boost employee engagement and productivity. Libraries are a microcosm for exploring these themes in depth, given their unique blend of organisational and communityserving roles.

This chapter will follow the journey of integrating kindness and wellbeing into library environments. We begin by exploring the crucial step of establishing kindness-centric policies and procedures. Regardless of the library type, be it public, business, corporate, health or university, the principles of promoting ethical conduct, inclusivity and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that prioritise kindness apply universally. This chapter explores the essential elements of creating such policies and procedures for libraries.

Once created, we focus on how these policies are translated into tangible actions and the everyday fabric of library life. From the theoretical foundations, we will seamlessly transition into the practical applications of these policies, providing a comprehensive view that encompasses everything from policy creation to real-life implications.