The academic librarians I meet at conferences seem quite happy in their work. There are the usual quibbles but all and all, they’re OK. There are a few though that . . . forget it. Why associate with Debbie Downers?
The Survey of Academic Librarians: Satisfaction with Library Employment
Primary Research Group, July 2010, Pages: 119
“The Survey of Academic Librarians: Satisfaction with Library Employment, presents the results of a survey of 555 academic librarians about how they view various aspects of their treatment as employees, their career prospects and their relationship with faculty, students, and library administration The report includes detailed information on levels of satisfaction with salary, retirement, job security and health benefits, office surroundings, physical security and other aspects of the library work experience. It also gives precise information on academic librarian experiences with sexual harassment, and views on the existence of prejudice related to race, income, ethnicity, age, gender and other factors. Data is presented in the aggregate and broken out by various characteristics such as gender, age, library work title or field, institutional enrollment, Carnegie class, level of education, USA or Canada and other factors.
This study presents the results of a survey of 555 academic librarians about how they view various aspects of their treatment as employees, their career prospects and their relationship with faculty, students, and library administration. Data is presented in the aggregate and broken out by various characteristics such as gender, age, library work title or field, institutional enrollment, Carnegie class, level of education, USA or Canada and other factors. The report includes detailed information on levels of satisfaction with salary, retirement, job security and health benefits, office surroundings, physical security and other aspects of the library work experience. It also gives precise information on academic librarian experiences with sexual harassment, and views on the existence of prejudice in the academic library setting related to race, income, ethnicity, age, gender and other factors.
Just a few of the reports many findings are that:
– Less than 6% of academic librarians were dissatisfied to any degree with their job security while more than 72% were satisfied.
– Twice as high a percentage of females than males were dissatisfied to any degree with their relationship with library management.
– Only 1.7% of librarians sampled report dissatisfaction with their relationship with students.
– 14% of librarians sampled are dissatisfied with the quality of the office, furnishings and general creature comforts in their library. Librarians in cataloging and technical services were the most unhappy.
– 11.35% of librarians sampled say that they have been the victim of sexual harassment in their current or some previous library job.
– 20.69% of Canadian librarians in the sample felt there was gender bias in their libraries.
– More than 87% said that they would take a job with their current library employer if they had to do it all over again. ”
All I can say is that I love my choice of career and would do it all over again. I’d rather do it all over again with what I know now. Where is my phone booth?
Stephen
3 Responses
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Hey Stephen, i wonder how did you able to come with the stats?? Thanks for sharing the survey result
I’m afraid you’ll need to click through and talk to Primary Research Group or purchase the study.
When I looked into library school, I was also considering Education programs. One major reason I chose librarianship was that professionals at the end of their careers seemed very happy; all of the public school teachers I know are counting the days (literally!) until they retire.