Blended professionals: the problem of legitimacy for UK librarians as teachers in Higher Education

Abstract

The varied role of librarians in Higher Education increasingly includes a substantial amount of teaching, supported by expertise in learning design, pedagogy and technology enhanced delivery of learning. This role is demonstrably misunderstood or underestimated outside the profession, leading to difficulty for librarians achieving recognition for their expertise. This research analyses the job descriptions for 41 Higher Education librarian roles, advertised between Autumn 2016 and Summer 2017, cross-referencing them with the Higher Education Academy’s UK Professional Standards Framework, demonstrating the extent of librarian experience in learning and teaching. The job descriptions demonstrate that teaching forms a significant part of many librarian roles in HE and that Fellowship of the HEA is an attainable aim. It also indicates areas for development for librarians, in particular around assessing and providing feedback to learners. Potential further research is suggested to extend this project.