encouraging research and publication among academic...
TRANSCRIPT
Encouraging Research and Publication
among Academic Librarians
Catherine Sassen, M.L.S., Ph.D. University of North Texas Libraries
Photograph of stack of books, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=stack%20books&ex=2#ai:MP900305811|mt:2|
Outline
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Why Support is Needed
Survey Methodology
Respondents
Library Research
Committees
Why is administrative support for research and publication needed?
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Photograph of pages within a book, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=book&ex=1#ai:MP900403049|mt:0|
Why does career development matter for academic librarians?
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=books&ex=1#ai:MP900178353|mt:2|
Evaluation Criteria
“Publication can account for up to 80 percent of a tenure evaluation, and an insufficient publication record is the most frequent reason for librarians being denied tenure.”
Hoggan, Danielle Bodrero. 2003. "Faculty Status for Librarians in Higher Education." Portal 3 (3): 437.
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http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=report+card&ex=1#ai:MP900174976|
Publication Requirements Over Time – For Promotion in ARL Libraries
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14.7%
30.9%
60.3%
41.7%
53.1%
72.5%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1980 1987 2011
All libraries [1980 (n= 68), 1987 (n = 81), 2011 (n = 73)]
Faculty status libraries [1980 (n = 24), 1987 (n = 32), 2011 (n = 40)]
Sassen, Catherine, and Diane Wahl. 2013. “Fostering research and publication in academic libraries.” Manuscript accepted for publication in College & Research Libraries.
Graduate Library Education
“Among the 49 American Library Association (ALA)-accredited LIS degree programs with online information about degree requirements as of February 2010, 61% list research methods as a required course in the curriculum.”
Luo, Lili. 2011. "Fusing research into practice: The role of research methods education." Library & Information Science Research 33 (3): 191-201.
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Holding books and mortarboard, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=book&ex=1#ai:MP900442442|mt:2|
Graduate Library Education
Only 26 percent of 815 respondents believed that their master’s degree programs in library and information science “adequately prepared them to conduct original research,” according to a 2010 study of academic librarians.
Kennedy, Marie R. and Kristine R. Brancolini. 2012. "Academic librarian research: A survey of attitudes, involvement, and perceived capabilities." College & Research Libraries 73 (5): 437.
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Time Management “… Most library faculty work a
relatively inflexible daily schedule. Using the terms of faculty in other departments, this might be stated as “Library faculty carry a heavy class and advising load every term, including summers.”
Hill, Janet Swan. 1994. “Wearing our own clothes: Librarians as faculty. The Journal of Academic Librarianship 20 (2): 74.
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http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=clock&ex=1#ai:MP900149124|mt:2|
Teaching Faculty are Supported
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Professor taking a question from a student, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=professors&ex=1#ai:MP900422591|mt:2|
Support for Teaching Faculty
• Bland, Carole J., et al. 2009. Faculty success through mentoring: A guide for mentors, mentees, and leaders. American Council on Education Series in Higher Education. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education, 2009.
• Rankin, Elizabeth. 2001. The work of writing: Insights and strategies for academics and professionals. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
• The Journal of faculty development. 2001- Stillwater, Oklahoma: New Forums Press.
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Justification for Support
• Publication expectations
• Lack of adequate preparation for research and publication in many cases
• Time management concerns
• Precedent of support for teaching faculty
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Survey “USA Today has come out with a new survey - apparently, three out of every four people make up 75% of the population.” – David Letterman
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Image: Group of people smiling, waving and celebrating, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=people&ex=1#ai:MP900422879|mt:2| Quotation: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/davidlette102678.html
Survey of Academic Library Research Committees
• Academic Writing Group
• Career Development Group
• Peer Mentoring Group
• Professional Advancement Group
• Research Work Group
• Tenure Support Group
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Literature review
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Reading glasses resting on an open book, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=book&ex=1#ai:MP900409038|mt:0|
Methodology
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Cup of coffee on a saucer next to a laptop on a table, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=laptop&ex=1#ai:MP900423031|mt:2|
• Online survey
• Fall 2012
• 68 usable responses
Limitations
• Exploratory study
• Nature of the sample
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Close-up of a person typing on a white laptop, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=laptop&ex=1#ai:MP900427676|mt:2|
Academic library respondents
“A university is just a group of buildings gathered around a library.” –Shelby Foote.
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Image: Willis Library, http://www.library.unt.edu/willis-library Quote: http://www.searchquotes.com/quotation/A_university_is_just_a_group_of_buildings_gathered_around_a_library. /335669/
Public or Private Institution?
19
88%
12%
Public
Private
N=59
Location?
20
4%
11%
11%
11%
23%
40%
Pacific Northwest
Canada
New Southwest
North Central
Northeast Atlantic
Southern States
N=47
How are your librarians classified?
21
N=59
5%
10%
17%
68%
Other
Mix of faculty and professionalstaff
Professional/academic staff
Faculty
How many full-time librarians are employed in your library?
22 N =52
13%
37%
27%
23%
1-19 librarians
20-39 librarians
40-59 librarians
60 or more
What are your employment agreements?
23
N=59
10%
17%
29%
44%
Other
Continuing contract (defined as acontract that is reviewedperiodically for renewal)
Mix of tenure and continuingcontract
Tenure (defined as a permanentemployment contract)
Publication
"I think I did pretty well, considering I started out
with nothing but a bunch of blank paper." --Steve Martin
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Image: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=paper&ex=1#ai:MP900316879|mt:2| Quote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/stevemarti158620.html
Is publication required at your library?
25
5%
9%
12%
21%
53%
For promotion
Not required
For tenure or continuing contract
Not required but stronglyencouraged
For promotion and tenure orcontinuing contract
What counts as a publication?
26
69%
71%
72%
72%
74%
86%
88%
91%
Book review
Book chapter in any discipline
Book in any discipline
Article in any refereed pub.
Article in any library pub.
Book in LIS
Book chapter in LIS
Article in a refereed pub. in LIS
N=58
Which conference activities count?
Paper presentation: 86% Poster presentation : 83% Workshop presentation: 83% Panel member/moderator: 76%
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N=58
Meeting room table with a pen and pad set for attendants, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=conference&ex=1#ai:MP900423018|mt:2|
What else counts?
Music/dramatic performance if related to librarian's specialty: 52%
Exhibition of art if related to librarian's specialty: 53%
28 N=58
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=violin&ex=1#ai:MP900411848|mt:2|
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=artist&ex=1#ai:MP900341622|mt:2|
Library Research Committees
“There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.”
--Marshall McLuhan
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Image: Earth from outer space, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=world&ex=1#ai:MP900430849|mt:2| Quote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/marshallmc100969.html
When did your group begin meeting?
30
2%
3%
5%
20%
30%
41%
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
unknown
2010s
N=61
What is your intended audience?
31 N=68
15%
7%
15%
63%
Other
Librarians without tenure orcontinuing contract
Librarians & paraprofessionals
Librarians
How many attend your meetings?
32
Average: 7.6
Median: 6.3
Mode: 5
Range: 3-20
N=62
People meeting at work engaging in a business discussion, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=conference&ex=1#ai:MP900422638|mt:2|
How often are your meetings held?
33
N=67
28%
12%
15%
45%
Other
No set schedule/meet as needed
Once every other month
Once a month
How do you meet?
Face to face: 86% Face to face and videoconferences: 6% Other: 8% N=66
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http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=meeting&ex=1#ai:MP900407375|mt:2|
Leadership
35 Image: Hand holding microphone, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=microphone&ex=1#ai:MP900442505| Quote: http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/42149.html
“The question, 'Who ought to be boss?', is like asking,
'Who ought to be the tenor in the quartet?' Obviously, the man who can sing tenor.”
--Henry Ford
Who leads your group?
One librarian: 61%
Multiple librarians: 29%
Library administrator: 6%
Other: 3%
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N=62
Glass of water on a conference table during a meeting, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=conference&ex=1#ai:MP900423065|
How are leaders selected?
37
8%
10%
13%
21%
48%
Other
Leaders are appointed by thelibrary administration
Volunteers offer their services
Leaders are elected
Volunteers are recruited
N=62
How long is a leader’s term?
Indefinite: 55%
Two years: 19%
One year: 13%
Other: 13%
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N=62
Close-up of hands on the face of a clock, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=clock&ex=1#ai:MP900407422|mt:2|
What are the leaders’ responsibilities? (pt. 1)
39
25%
25%
33%
73%
80%
Maintaining online presence (e.g. wiki) to share information …
Assessing the effectiveness of the committee’s activities
Making reports to the libraryadministration
Organizing committee activities
Scheduling meetings
N=60
What are the leaders’ responsibilities? (pt. 2)
40
N=60
18%
7%
12%
17%
Other
Moderating online discussion listfor committee participants
Assessing career developmentneeds of participants
Assisting participants in makingcareer development plans
Activities
“Like most meaningful activities, campaigns are team games.”
--Alastair Campbell
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Image: Canoeing, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=team&ex=1#ai:MP900448499|mt:2| Quote: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alastairca462019.html
What are your group’s activities? (pt. 1)
42
46%
56%
57%
64%
Discussing how to balanceresearch with other obligations
Brainstorming about researchstudy ideas
Sharing updates on researchprojects
Sharing information aboutpublication/presentation
opportunities
N=61
What are your group’s activities? (pt. 2)
43
N=61
31%
36%
41%
43%
Sharing info. about continuingeducation
Rehearsing conferencepresentations
Discussing readings aboutresearch/scholarly writing
Giving feedback on drafts ofarticles
What are your group’s activities? (pt. 3)
44 N=61
18%
15%
25%
25%
Other
Giving feedback on grantapplication drafts
Sharing information about grantfunding opportunities
Finding collaborators
What are your instructional topics? (pt. 1)
45
36%
44%
46%
46%
47%
Institutional Review Board
Scholarly writing
Research methods
Finding topics for research
Academic publishing
N=59
What are your instructional topics? (pt. 2)
46
15%
19%
19%
24%
Other
Presentation methods
Grants
Statistical analysis
N=59
How are group activities chosen?
47 N=60
52% 37%
12%
Selected byparticipants
Selected by libraryresearch committeeleaders
Other
What are the challenges?
48
N=56
27%
5%
9%
18%
18%
55%
66%
Other
No challenges identified
Finding time for activities/research
Getting support from lib. admin.
Finding qualified leaders
Finding times for meetings
Getting participants engaged
How are activities assessed?
49
N=50
24%
10%
36%
38%
Other
Informal assessment
Surveys on committeeeffectiveness
No assessment
What are the benefits? (pt. 1)
50 N=49
8%
10%
16%
29%
More national/internationalpublications
More collaboration
More peer-reviewed publications
Uncertain
What are the benefits? (pt. 2)
51 N=49
33%
6%
6%
6%
Other
None
Individuals feel supported
Better presentations/papers
Characteristics of Effective Peer Mentoring Programs
Carole J. Bland et al. 2009. Faculty success through mentoring: A guide for mentors, mentees, and leaders. American Council on Education Series in Higher Education. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield Education, p. 37-44.
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Characteristics of Effective Peer Mentoring Programs (cont.)
1. Clearly stated purpose and goals
2. Support from the administration
3. Clearly stated administrative structure
4. Regular meetings
5. Assessment
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Why Career Development Matters
• Librarians
• Libraries
• Profession
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Stacks of books on a library table, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=stack&ex=1#ai:MP900448290|
Topics for Further Research
• Library research committees with longevity
• Different models of library research committees
• Librarians’ involvement in research support groups at the university level
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Bibliography
http://tinyurl.com/bsfm9se
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Close-up on the spines of books, http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=book&ex=1#ai:MP900422452|mt:0|
Questions?
Catherine Sassen, M.L.S., Ph.D.
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