Abstract
This grounded theory project asked: “How do Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates in non-library roles experience professional identity?” This is an important question for current LIS practitioners and students because job opportunities are increasingly available in non-library work settings. There is limited research available on the professional identity experiences of LIS graduates in general and even less available on the professional experiences of LIS graduates in non-library roles. The study produced the theory of Personalizing Professionalism which found that individuals possess two identities which interact with each other throughout one’s career. The first is an internal appraisal of self which represents an individual’s assessment of who they “really” are as a professional. The second is an externally expressed identity, which represents who that individual presents him or herself to be. Interactions with others impact individuals’ internal appraisal of self and externally expressed identity and represent an area of potential conflict. This study contributes to the research literature on professional identity and identity formation and expression. For the LIS community, understanding how these professionals experience professional identity can help practitioners, educators, and professional associations to take advantage of a wide range of employment options.
Highlights
This introductory chapter provides an overview of the research problem explored in this project and the context that inspired that question
There are multiple strategies that can be undertaken to respond to a perceived conflict between these two identities which can be grouped into three categories: (1) Assimilation, in which participants change themselves in order to fit into the communities with whom they wish to engage, (2) influencing or attempting to change the perceptions or beliefs of the group, and (3) withdrawal, in which individuals elect only to associate iii with communities of likeminded individuals and to avoid those who do not share their perceptions of the profession
Participants exhibited multiple strategies to respond to a perceived conflict between these two identities which can be grouped into three categories: (1) Assimilation, in which participants change themselves in order to fit into the communities with whom they wish to engage, (2) influencing or attempting to change the perceptions or beliefs of the group, and (3) withdrawal, in which individuals elect only to associate with communities of likeminded individuals and to avoid those who do not share their perceptions of the profession
Summary
Two interviews do not provide a sufficient sample to create coding categories, but they do allow for the beginning of the constant comparison process. The first participant’s group is involved in developing information management tools for government employees while the second participant’s group creates tools for libraries (i.e. integrated library systems and related software) This difference in clients meant that some differences in skills were required in their workplaces. In the second participant’s workplace a knowledge of librarianship (and experience working in a library setting) was seen as just as important as transferrable and technical skills in terms of being able to perform the work effectively. The second participant described the value of library instructors sharing their practical experiences in libraries and dealing with different situations that may arise in library work settings – situations that members of the general public who are not familiar with library work would never even consider This suggests that there may be different perceptions of what constitutes the core of LIS education. The pilot interviews provided several areas for comparison and discussion, but as mentioned in the introduction of this memo it is too early to determine which of these will turn into coding categories in the full study
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