Metadata Snippet: Drawing on Fobazi Ettarh’s notion of vocational awe, this essay by Lynne Stahl examines the ideological roots of libraries in Enlightenment ideals alongside the increasingly catch-all services offered by contemporary public and academic libraries. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, it calls for greater attention to professional boundaries as not only a matter of personal exigency but also a necessary political step in remediating the institution’s systemic failings.