Why We Do What We Do: Exploring Priorities within Public Services Librarianship

Abstract

Public services librarians perform an increasingly diverse set of duties, and this study explores which job components are most important to librarians. The researchers surveyed public services librarians at ARL libraries to gather data on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence how public services librarians spend their time. The study examines librarian opinions about job aspects that are most personally satisfying and issues related to tenure and librarian education. The results show a disconnect between what librarians view as important to users and what is important for achieving tenure. The year of graduation also appears as a key factor in perceptions and practices, including a perceived lack of library school training for instruction work.