Writing this book has sometimes felt overwhelming for me. There are so many aspects of our libraries where we could all be doing better at improving equity, encouraging diversity and ensuring we include everybody. If after having read this book you feel the same way, that's okay. You are not alone. The fact that you are not alone in this is one of the final thoughts I want to leave you with. Often social justice work is hard and lonely. You can find you are constantly pushing against those with more power than you. Forever trying to persuade others to let go of some of their privilege and set another seat at the table. It can be exhausting.

There are two analogies that shape the way I approach this work. The first is the oxygen mask. When you are on an aeroplane and the cabin crew give the safety briefing, they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. In the heat of the moment this can be hard to do, particularly if you are a carer or have small children with you. However, if you don't put on your own mask first, you won't be able to help others if you run out of oxygen.

Looking after yourself is really important. Give time for self-care and make sure that your workload is manageable. If you burn out, you cannot help anyone. However, the oxygen mask analogy relates to emergency situations, and you don't have to wait for it to be an emergency before you take care of yourself (Donahue, 2018).