Library Employees Research Articles

Community College Libraries and Professional Development

The inception of this research inquiry showcases the PI’s past academic library and current LIS faculty experiences, which focuses on the need to provide continuous learning opportunities for community college library employees. With that in mind, the PI will distribute an online invitation to various lists of community college library employees to participate in this study. In this mixed-methods study. The online survey will have two portions: Likert-scale questions and open-ended inquiries to assess participants' preferences and perceptions of professional development at their respective institutions. The platform used to obtain the respondents' data will be Qualtrics. Each research method will be assessed for commonalities and differences. Any data triangulation will be presented and disclosed in a future peer-reviewed publication. Gaining a better understanding of community college library employees concerning professional development can assist current leaders and provide additional research opportunities.

“Begging to be heard”: The Profession’s Exclusion and Marginalization of Neurodivergent Librarians

While libraries are increasingly implementing practices and services designed to serve neurodivergent patrons, such efforts have not yet been extended to neurodivergent library employees, resulting in a lack of research or best practices for workplace neuroinclusion. This research addresses that gap by investigating neuroinclusion in public and academic library workplaces and identifying barriers to and enablers of inclusion and empowerment. This work highlights the voices of neurodivergent librarians and their journey of negotiating identity and deploying embodied knowledge to navigate the barriers and enablers they encounter in their workplace and profession. This study will inform how libraries can alter their workplace environment, practices, and professional norms to improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of neurodivergent librarians. Historically, neurodiversity research has been conducted on neurodivergent people from a medicalized perspective, focusing on diagnosis and characteristics of individuals and proposing interventions or changes to the individual or their behavior. This study instead centers neurodivergence by adopting a neurodiversity paradigm and critical disability approach to conducting research with and by neurodivergent people themselves, in accordance with their priorities and values. This study will expand library literature by attending to the various intersecting identities of neurodivergent people and analyzing the impact of professional norms and expectations on the workplace experiences of neurodivergent librarians. Through the development of this unique critical approach to ‘centering neurodivergence,’ this work will also contribute a new research paradigm for future research on neurodiversity. Furthermore, this dissertation will highlight neuroinclusive workplace practices that librarians can enact in their library workplaces.

Academic Libraries’ Obstacles and Problems During Covid-19 pandemic: Librarians’ Response to Service Model

This research articles explore about problems and obstacles faced by academic librarians due tocovid-19 outbreak through analysing of multiple data volumes. Covid-19 outbreak raised multiple problemsnot only for entire society but also for academic librarians, to explore the pattern of obstacles and problemswhich were faced by academic librarian a survey approach was utilized to get data needed for the currentresearch paper. The Covid-19 pandemic had an impact on how all associations and institutions operated,which led to the emergence of numerous issues and challenges that human had never before faced,similarly academic librarians also faced many problems such as total shut down of academic libraries,budget constraint, problems in collection development, mentally health of library employees, providingstandard services during covid-19 outbreak and many more. In response to these obstacles and problemacademic librarians adopted new approach to provide standard services to library patrons. The outcomeof this research will definitely help the academic librarians to deal the situation like SARS 2 pandemic inthe future.

Women and men in library and information science scholarship: Authorship trends from 2003 to 2021

Library and information science (LIS) has long consisted of more women than men, at least in sheer numbers of library employees, but men are the primary authors of library literature. This study explores LIS literature published between 2003 and 2021 to identify if there are differences in the publishing patterns of women and men. The authors used content analysis to code the entire sample to identify overall subject trends after authors were categorized as women or men by mainly automated methods, using two R packages, genderize and ssa. The results show that there are overall inequities when compared to the profession as whole between the publishing rates of women and men in LIS, as well as differences in publication patterns by subjects and within specific journals. Shifts in subjects over the period under investigation did not increase the percentage of women publishing in the selected LIS journals. The authors conclude more research needs to be conducted to determine the cause of inequities in publishing not just among women and men, but all underrepresented voices in LIS.

Successfully Managing a Library Employee’s Leave: Some Considerations

This column article examines the complexities surrounding employee leaves due to disabilities, pregnancy, or other extended absences. Also discussed are some of the legal considerations around employee leave, including a brief review of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The author advocates for proactive planning when possible and a person-centric approach to effectively support employees during absence and upon return. These strategies aim to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals requiring leaves within library settings, promoting equitable representation and effective support.

Conditions for Creativity and Innovation in the Work Environment of Academic Libraries in the United States and Canada

Creativity, the development of a new product, idea, or problem solution that is valuable within the local context, is vital to innovating, problem-solving, and facilitating change. An individual’s ability to be creative largely depends on whether their environment supports creative work. This study explores how academic library employees in the United States and Canada perceive their work environment to better understand whether current academic libraries facilitate creative work in relation to management practices, organizational motivation, resources, and outcomes. The study finds that academic libraries fall at or below the median in all four categories.

ILead with an EDI Lens

ABSTRACT This conceptual paper introduces the joint San José State University, School of Information and Simmons University, School of Library and Information Science, IMLS grant planning project: iLead: Preparing Tomorrow’s Library Leaders. During 2023–24, the grant team project members are designing an asynchronous online program where library employees may earn micro-credentials. The online program focuses on developing leadership skills with an equity, diversity, and inclusion lens. Contributions from national, state, and local library partners during the development of this curriculum will assist in applying for a future IMLS implementation grant. For more information on iLead: https://www.ileadedi.org/.

Library Internal Reviews for Value Description and Strategic Planning

In between university level assessments, the BYU Library conducts internal reviews of each library department, describing its value to the library and university, and providing recommendations for improvement. The process used a team of library employees in departments not under review and an external reviewer to conduct the internal review. Using a case-study approach, the development of an internal review system, its meta-evaluation at the end of its first cycle, and the on-going efforts to improve the internal review process are described. Using a graduate level evaluation class followed by a task force, changes were made to the internal review process that has standardized assessment, allowed flexibility for each department, and solidified training for both the department under review and the review team. Each of the findings and recommended changes helped to address the internal review’s first-round weaknesses and struggles. The result is a stronger, consistent process that provides additional training and guidance for each internal review. This article is a case study that describes a library wide process used by an academic library to describe the value of each department and to provide feedback for improvement between university reviews. The process engages all library employees as each department is reviewed and helps to create a culture of assessment. This article reviews the history and progress of a LIR to evaluate an academic library’s value and to provide data for improvement. The process may be used or adapted by other libraries.

An Analysis of Organizational Citizenship Behavior and its Impact on Employee Well-being and Task Performance among Library Employees

Employees at the library have opinions about things like equality, processes, and how people should act around each other at work. Library workers are more likely to show organizational dedication, do their jobs, take on extra tasks, and be happy with their jobs when they think the workplace is fair. According to an Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) study, library workers who feel unfairly treated are likelier to do bad things like not doing their jobs or trying to get something they do not deserve. To find out what makes library management work, a poll is given to librarians and the library management system to see how well organizational backing, Employee Well-Being (EWB), work liberty, Task Performance (TP), job expectations, and job stress are met. The results show that library management can be improved by giving workers more useful comments on their work and improving how they feel about the organization's help and their level of freedom. Executives make their workplaces more fair using methods focusing on library support, autonomy, and assessment. These methods aim to minimize views of inequality among workers

Building Workplace Camaraderie Through Library Employee Programming

ABSTRACT Employees at libraries of all types are looking for ways to form and strengthen relationships between colleagues who may be physically and socially disconnected after a period of remote work or staff turnover. At East Tennessee State University’s Sherrod Library, some library faculty and staff formed a committee to plan monthly events to encourage community among library employees. Events have included craft and poetry workshops, music and book discussions, potlucks, and professional development sessions. Recommendations to the reader for planning similar events include considering accessibility and scheduling, drawing from local talent and resources, and experimenting with a variety of activities. The committee’s efforts have strengthened relationships among library employees, improved leadership skills for early career librarians, and inspired new outreach projects to engage the campus community.

Satisfaction with Remote Work Options Among Academic Library Employees: Implications for Recruitment and Retention

This article discusses results from a study of U.S. academic library employees’ satisfaction with their remote work options, the conditions under which they would consider leaving their position for one with remote work or better remote work options, and the extent to which they agree or disagree that remote work options can play a positive role in academic library employee recruitment and retention. The study’s Qualtrics-hosted survey was distributed through 18 listservs serving a range of library professional areas and was open for responses for one month in the autumn of 2022. The survey results reveal that 47% of participants were satisfied with their job’s remote work options or lack thereof and that approximately 83% of participants who do not have remote work options expressed dissatisfaction with their lack of options compared with approximately 43% of those who do have some remote work options. Also, approximately 27% of participants indicated that they would consider leaving their current position for one with remote work options or more remote work days, and a smaller percentage would even consider leaving for less pay. Further, 97% believed that providing employees with remote work options could play a positive role in academic library recruitment and retention. These findings address a gap in the academic library literature and may serve to inform recruitment and retention strategies among libraries.

Description of A.N. Minh’s trip from Volga to the Caucasus in 1868 as a source on the history of Russian regions and everyday life

A review of the publication «Trip to Pyatigorsk in 1868» by the famous local historian, cultural and educational figure A.N. Minh is presented. The manuscript is stored in the State Archives of the Saratov Region. Before publishing, it was available only to a narrow circle of researchers. Now, thanks to the efforts of the workers of the State Archives of the Saratov Region and their assistants, numerous historians and specialists in other fields of scientific knowledge, employees of museums, libraries and other cultural institutions, students of higher and secondary schools, all those who are interested and fascinated by history Russia and its regions can familiarize themselves with it in detail. Minh’s work combines the characteristics of a personal diary, guidebook, statistical, geographical, historical and ethnographic researches. It is an interesting source and gives food for thought to everyone involved in the history of Russian regions (Saratov and Volgograd regions, Don and Stavropol territories, Pyatigorsk, Kislovodsk, Yessentuki and all Caucasian Mineral Waters), the history of everyday life and culture (especially related to travel, spa treatment and relaxation). There is extensive literature on the issues raised in the new publication, but Minh’s book clarifies and supplements the accumulated information with important details. The information was obtained as a result of personal observations, conversations with contemporaries, attention to materials of folklore, «oral history», archival documents, books and periodicals, inspection of museum collections, historical and natural attractions. The publication provides an opportunity for a wide range of specialists and readers to study “Trip to Pyatigorsk in 1868” by Minh.

Promoting Library Employee Wellness & Community Building with a Creativity Wellness Challenge

ABSTRACT During the pandemic, in an effort to improve employee wellness, the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library (EHSL) launched a series of virtual wellness challenges. Participation counts toward a university-wide wellness initiative that provides a discount on the employee health care plan. Following several successful movement, mindfulness and nutrition challenges, the Wellness Committee developed a challenge centered on creative projects and community building for a change of pace. Participants engaged in creative pursuits, periodically reflected on their progress and regularly attended Craft Club meetings to connect with colleagues and friends while working on their projects.

지역문화매개인력의 근로실태와 근로환경 개선 방안

This study aims to investigate the working conditions of cultural mediators in Jeonbuk and explore ways to improve their working environment as a specialized professional group. The study surveyed 203 individuals, excluding public library employees, among the entire staff of cultural facilities, including employees (5 cities and counties, 1 in Jeonbuk), with proportions determined by facility and institution.
 When compared to the results of the 2012 survey, the total monthly salary in 2023 has increased by 52.5%. The total number of working hours decreased with time. While the legal maximum working hours used to reach 208 hours in the past, it decreased to a level similar to the average working hours of other occupations in 2023.
 Under the same conditions, men had a total monthly salary of 195,342 won higher than women in the 2012 survey, indicating gender discrimination. However, there was no statistically significant difference in total monthly salary based on gender in the 2023 survey. There was a wage gap based on education in the 2012 survey, which was interpreted as an indicator of professional recognition. However, there was no statistically significant difference in total monthly salary based on education in the 2023 survey.
 Based on the results of the working conditions survey, interviews with workers, and relevant literature research, this study recommends two strategies for enhancing the working environment of cultural mediators. First, it suggests establishing the identity of the professional occupation and creating an environment where they can act as professionals. Second, it recommends realizing fair compensation and strengthening welfare benefits.

Children in the Workplace

Children in the workplace are becoming a more common discussion in various work environments, including libraries. Since the university has no policy addressing this issue, a task force was charged to draft a recommended policy for the university library regarding bringing children to the workplace. The task force reviewed existing policies and conducted a survey and interviews with library employees. The resulting policy provided guidelines for employees and their supervisors without being overly prescriptive. This article provides a case study of how the task force used assessment methods and tools to create an appropriate and inclusive policy. While the specific policy and results are unique to this institution, the framework used to create a policy can be more broadly applied to all types of libraries.

Management of cyber risks in the library: analysis of information security awareness of Estonian library employees

PurposeThis article surveys why libraries are vulnerable to social engineering attacks and how to manage risks of human-caused cyber threats on organizational level; investigates Estonian library staff awareness of information security and shares recommendations concerning focus areas that should be given more attention in the future.Design/methodology/approachThe data used in this paper is based on an overview of relevant literature highlighting the theoretical points and giving the reasons why human factor is considered the weakest link in information security and cyber security and studying how to mitigate the related risks in the organisation. To perform the survey, a web questionnaire was designed which included 63 sentences and was developed based on the knowledge-attitude-behaviour (KAB) model supported by Kruger and Kearney and Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q) designed by Parsons et al.FindingsThe research results show that the information security awareness of library employees is at a good level; however, awareness in two focus areas needs special attention and should be improved. The output of this study is the mapping of seven focus areas of information security policy in libraries based on the HAIS-Q framework and the KAB model.Originality/valueThe cyber awareness of library employees has not been studied in the world using HAIS-Q and KAB model, and to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no research has been previously carried out in the Estonian library context into cyber security awareness.

Efektivitas Pembuatan Sistem Informasi Manajemen Perpustakaan SMPN 1 Pantai Labu Berbasis Digital oleh KKN 110 UINSU

This application is built with a user-friendly user interface, so that users i.e. library employees can use it easily. The purpose of developing this system is to improve the operational efficiency of the library and support SMP N 1 Pantai Labu in becoming a public school that focuses on information technology in the future. The methods in this research are field research (field research) and literature research (library research). The results show that the implementation of the library management information system in the SMP N 1 Pantai Labu Library will already be carried out but still has constraints on infrastructure and human resources.

The Role of Libraries in Creating a Safer Cyberspace: Awareness of Estonian Library Employees in Information Security

The purpose of the study was to find out the knowledge, attitude and behavior of library employees related to information security in seven areas of the information security policy involving employees: password management, use of email, use of the Internet, use of social media, use of mobile devices, handling of information and reporting of cyber incidents. The theoretical part provides an overview of the importance of the topic in the context of libraries, the reasons why information security and cyber security must be at the same high level in libraries as, for example, in banks or healthcare institutions – we can only imagine what would happen if the digitized cultural memory of Estonia disappears or user data is leaked. The HAIS-Q (Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire) developed by Parsons et al. was used to collect data in order to assess information security awareness (ISA) within the organization. The method is based on three factors developed by the same authors: the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior (KAB) model, which determines the security awareness of employees. The target group of the online questionnaire was Estonian librarians. A total of 388 librarians from public, research, school and specialist libraries responded to the survey. The mean and standard deviation of each focus area, descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s coefficient and Pearson correlation analysis were used to achieve the research objective. The results revealed that the chosen methodology is well suited for assessing the cyber literacy of not only library staff, but also the staff of all memory institutions (archives, museums) and identifying training needs.

Zabawy literackie pracowników Biblioteki Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności: powinszowania imieninowe dla dyrektora Karola Piotrowicza z 1938 r.

Literary games of the employees of the Scientific Library of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences: 1938 name day greetings for Karol Piotrowicz The paper is a preliminary study for the biography of Karol Piotrowicz (1901–1940), a respected historian, Jagiellonian University professor, academic activist and a publisher. Since 1931 to 1939, he has also been the Director of the Scientific Library of the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences; he successfully managed and modernised the Library. In Summer 1939, he was called into the Polish Army, and after the September Campaign was taken into Soviet slavery. In April 1940, in Kharkov, together with hundreds of other Polish prisoners, he was murdered by Russians. He bereaved wife and two daughters who stayed in Krakow. Among the Karol Piotrowicz’s family documents kept by his grand daughters Teresa Wolska and Elżbieta Wolska, there are still some personal documents of Piotrowicz which will by donated to our Library in the future. Now we present the edition of one of these papers. It is a humorous work by some librarians, Karol Piotrowicz’s employees, given to him for his name day on November 4, 1938. It consists of 10 pages and contains a bibliography of works allegedly written by the library employees which is light-heart and full of allusions, accurately pointing at their professional interests as well as private passions and even weaknesses. The following pages contain short poems, anecdotes, humoresques and riddles. The author is not given but it may be assumed that the text was mainly created by Władysław Ogrodziński, a writer and a culture activist who became famous in the post-war period. Such literary games practice was known among that time librarians and archivists. Some similar works written in the Jagiellonian Library or Ossolineum have also survived. The small miscellany presented here is not only a moving piece of work and a preliminary study for Karol Piotrowicz’s biography but also an interesting example of a bottom-up culture of our Library in the 1930s.

Influence of Leadership Style, Motivation, and Stress on the Performance of Denpasar Public Library Employees

Purpose:This research aims to test and analyze the influence of leadership style, work motivation and work stress on employee performance.Methodology:This research was conducted at the Denpasar City Public Library with a research sample of 37 respondents taken using the saturated census technique. All data obtained from the questionnaire distribution is suitable for use, then analyzed using multiple linear regression and hypothesis testing (t-test and f-test).Findings:The research results show that (1) Leadership style, work motivation and work stress have a positive and significant effect on employee performance at the Denpasar City Public Library, (2) Leadership style has a positive and significant effect on employee performance at the Denpasar City Public Library. It means that the better the leadership style, the greater the employee performance at the Denpasar City Public Library. (3) Work motivation positively and significantly affects employee performance at the Denpasar City Public Library. It means that the more work motivation increases, the greater the performance of employees at the Denpasar City Public Library (4). Work stress negatively affects employee performance at the Denpasar City Public Library.Implication:It means that the greater the work stress, the lower the employee performance at the Denpasar City Public Library.