Staffing trends in college and university libraries
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to discern, document, and analyze current staffing trends in college and university libraries.
Design/methodology/approach
The author gathered information from the literatures of library and information science and higher education.
Findings
The paper details six trends across public and technical services affecting librarians, non‐MLS professionals, and paraprofessionals. The presentation of trends is followed by a discussion of three concerns the author has about these trends.
Research limitations/implications
The paper covers trends in college and university libraries but does not specifically address community college libraries. Community colleges may have similar issues, as well as unique trends; further research is encouraged.
Practical implications
Library managers will be able to compare developments in their libraries to the profession‐wide trends. They will also be able to link to a large body of literature on the topic.
Originality/value
This kind of comprehensive look at academic library staffing does not seem to have been published recently.
Keywords
Citation
Gremmels, G.S. (2013), "Staffing trends in college and university libraries", Reference Services Review, Vol. 41 No. 2, pp. 233-252. https://doi.org/10.1108/00907321311326165
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited