Punching Above Our Weight: Reframing Visibility and Value for Small Academic Libraries

In the world of academic librarianship, visibility is often mistaken for prestige—and prestige, in turn, is confused with legitimacy. For those of us working in small colleges or under-resourced institutions, contributing to the broader professional discourse through writing, presenting, or publishing is sometimes viewed as “punching above our weight.”

Let’s pause there. Why is visibility from a small library framed as exceeding expectations, rather than as a reflection of expertise, insight, and initiative?

The Weight of Institutional Bias

During a conversation with a colleague at a large R1 university, I asked how he came to review so many titles on military history. His answer was simple: “The publishers just send them to me.” There was no outreach on his part. No gatekeeping. No waiting to be noticed.

In contrast, small academic librarians often feel they need to prove they’re worth noticing. We send the emails. We make the pitches. We volunteer. We write and present without an official platform or title. And when we do gain traction—when our work gets published, when we keynote, when we collaborate across institutions—it’s not uncommon to be met with surprise, even skepticism. As if our contributions don’t quite “match” our institutional size or our job titles.

Don’t Wait for an Invitation

Small academic librarians are often conditioned to believe they need permission to speak. We may wait for an invitation to write, to submit a proposal, to lead a panel. But the truth is: the invitation might never come. And that has nothing to do with our capacity or our insight—it has everything to do with how the field privileges institutional affiliation over lived expertise.

If you’re doing meaningful work in your library—integrating AI tools, supporting student scholarship, leading textbook affordability efforts, or reshaping instruction—your experience is valuable. You don’t need a large team or a research budget to have something worth sharing. You need a voice—and the willingness to use it.

Reframing Professional Legitimacy

Professional development narratives too often mirror institutional hierarchies. We equate R1 voices with authority, and assume that librarians at small colleges must be “aspiring” rather than contributing. This framing not only limits our field—it erases the leadership, creativity, and resilience that thrive in resource-constrained environments.

Librarians at small colleges are used to wearing multiple hats. We’re generalists, innovators, and collaborators by necessity. That agility should be celebrated, not dismissed. In fact, it’s often in small library contexts that the most integrated, inclusive, and community-focused work takes place.

Visibility Is Not a Luxury

Writing, presenting, and sharing our work is not self-promotion—it’s professional practice. It’s how we build shared knowledge, challenge assumptions, and advocate for our users. When small college librarians step into the spotlight, we’re not “punching above our weight.” We’re showing what’s possible, even without a team of ten or a sprawling research budget.

Let’s normalize this. Let’s uplift it. And let’s remind ourselves—and each other—that we don’t need to wait for gatekeepers to open doors that we’re fully capable of walking through ourselves.