Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-mkpzs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T13:46:41.114Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Art librarians’ professional paths: a careers survey with implications for prospective librarians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

Eamon C. Tewell
Eamon C. Tewell*
Affiliation:
Sarah Lawrence College, 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY 10708, USA
*
Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Is there such thing as a ‘typical’ career path for art librarians? This article presents the results of a survey of art librarians’ motivations for selecting the profession, and also their educational backgrounds, current employment and professional experiences, and presents advice for graduate students and prospective librarians. A questionnaire was sent to six email discussion groups related to art librarianship, from which 280 responses were received from across the world. The results indicate that art librarians typically work in academic settings, chose the field of art librarianship while already employed in libraries, have an educational background in the arts at the undergraduate and/or graduate level, and selected librarianship primarily because they were attracted to the duties and work settings of the job. This study includes advice from current librarians for graduate students seeking employment as art librarians in today’s challenging job market.

Type
Research Article
Information
Art Libraries Journal , Volume 37 , Issue 1 , 2012 , pp. 41 - 45
Copyright
Copyright © The Art Libraries Society 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Dewey, Barbara I., ‘Selection of librarianship as a career: implications for recruitment,’ Journal of education for library and information science 26, no. 1 (1985): 16–24.Google Scholar
2. Van House, Nancy A., ‘MLS students’ choice of a library career,’ Library and information science research 10 (1988): 161, 172.Google Scholar
3. Kyung-Sun, Kim et al., ‘Recruiting a diverse workforce for academic/research librarianship: career decisions of subject specialists and librarians of color,’ College & research libraries 68, no. 6 (2007): 533–552.Google Scholar
4. Ard, Allyson et al., ‘Why library and information science? Results of a career survey of MLIS students along with implications for reference librarians and recruitment,’ Reference and user services quarterly 45, no. 3 (2006): 236–248.Google Scholar
5. Taylor, Stephanie D. et al., ‘A follow-up study of the factors shaping the career choices of library school students at the University of Alabama,’ Reference & user services quarterly 50, no. 1 (Fall 2010): 35–47.Google Scholar
6. Bierbaum, Esther Green, ‘Museum, arts, and humanities librarians: careers, professional development, and continuing education,’ Journal of education for library & information science 29, no. 2 (Fall 1988): 127–134.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Ferrari, Roberto C., ‘To PhD, or not to PhD: a question for art librarians,’ Art documentation 26, no. 1 (Spring 2007): 51–55.Google Scholar
8. Abid, Ann B. and Pisciotta, Henry A., ARLIS/NA salary survey, 1990 (Tucson: Art Libraries Society of North America, 1991).Google Scholar
9. Dodds, Kathrin and Ball, Heather, comps., ARLIS/NA 2004 Art/Architecture librarians and visual resource professionals compensation survey (Art Libraries Society of North America, 2005), http://www.arlisna.org/pubs/onlinepubs/compensation.pdf.Google Scholar
10. Visual Resources Association Ad Hoc Professional Status Survey Committee, ‘2007 professional status survey: 2008 final report,’ VRA bulletin 36, no. 1 (Spring 2009): 60–107.Google Scholar