Child Development Knowledge among New Children’s Librarians in US Public Libraries

Abstract

The role of the children’s librarian has evolved to include providing many services to children and their caregivers, requiring the children’s librarian to have a knowledge not only of children’s literature but also of children themselves. However, how well competencies related to child development are supported or are being met has not been well investigated. This quantitative descriptive study addresses this gap by investigating child development knowledge among new children’s librarians, including potential sources of such knowledge and the relevance to specific aspects of children’s librarianship. A survey relying on a convenience sampling of new children’s librarians in public libraries was distributed through two online social media groups, and a content analysis of MLIS program websites was also performed. The results indicate that child development knowledge is relevant to many aspects of children’s librarianship, and that while new children’s librarians do have some knowledge based primarily on practical experience, many lack a strong academic foundation, which may lead to knowledge gaps. These findings indicate a need for more support in this area, which could be provided by a more intentional inclusion of child development content in LIS curricula and continuing education opportunities post-employment.