Career patterns of academic librarians in Brisbane

Abstract

A review of the literature relating to women's current status in the profession of librarianship points to the high proportion of male librarians compared to women in senior library positions. While women's initial entry into librarianship was dependent on their conformity to a feminine model, their success today is measured against the male work standard. Some of the explanations explored in the literature as to women's lack of achievement in the profession (in terms of their under-representation in the higher administrative positions) focus on issues such as women's role within the private sphere, their personalities, career breaks, the different values women and men place on their jobs, and institutional discrimination. The current status of women librarians in Brisbane academic libraries was examined against this background.