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Library Workforce Issues Now and in the Future

Library Workforce Issues Now and in the Future. Joanne Gard Marshall Alumni Distinguished Professor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science Cheryl A. Thompson Project Manager, WILIS studies UNC Institute on Aging.

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Library Workforce Issues Now and in the Future

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  1. Library Workforce Issues Now and in the Future Joanne Gard Marshall Alumni Distinguished Professor University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science Cheryl A. Thompson Project Manager, WILIS studies UNC Institute on Aging Aging Workforce Interest Group UNC Institute on Aging Chapel Hill, NC December 15, 2009

  2. The changing workforce • Most of the projected growth in the US labor force between 2000 and 2050 will be composed of workers aged 55 and over. • Workers aged 55 and over will account for a larger share of the US labor force (12.9% in 2000; 18.8% in 2050). Source: Toosi, Mitra. “A century of change: the US labor force, 1950-2050.” Monthly Labor Review, May 2002, Bureau of Labor Statistics

  3. Workforce challenges • Rapid growth of older population • Increased health concerns in later years • Need for flexible work arrangements for older workers • Need for ongoing training and support Source: He, Wan, et. al. US Census Bureau. 65+ in the United States: 2005.

  4. Implications of an older workforce • Labor shortages • Skill and talent shortages • Lost knowledge • Need for policy reform • Need to value and retain older workers Source: Center for Workforce Preparation, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The Voice of Business on the Mature Workforce: A Summary Report of the Pre-White House Conference on Aging Event Held June 15, 2005”

  5. Factors affecting the LIS workforce • Baby boomer aging • More late entrants • Lower hiring rates, 1980s/1990s • Occupational stability • More women in LIS field

  6. LIS as an aging workforce • In 2000, median age of the U.S. labor force was 39.3 years • In 2004, average age of U.S. nurses was 46.8 years • The WILIS median age of working LIS grads was 50.0 years

  7. Background • LIS workforce issues • Aging workforce and succession planning • Recruitment and retention • Diversity in the profession • Career patterns of LIS graduates • LIS program planning • WILIS 1 project goal: to build a comprehensive understanding of educational, workplace, career, recruitment and retention issues facing LIS graduates • How can this type of survey help LIS stakeholders prepare for the workforce changes that are occurring? • How are NC LIS leaders responding to workforce challenges?

  8. North Carolina – a profile • Demographics (Source: US Census Bureau, 2004-2007) • Population – 9,069,370 (2007 est.) • 51.0% Female • 74.0% White, 21.7% Black, 6.7% Hispanic • 12.2% 65 years or older • Median household income – $40,863 • Education • 78.1% of adults (25+) are high school graduates • 22.5% of adults (25+) have a bachelor’s degree or higher • Number of libraries (Source: National Center for Education Statistics) • Public – 383 service outlets, 40 bookmobiles (2005) • School – 1,877 public school library/media centers (2000) • Academic – 125 in post-secondary degree- • granting institutions (2006)

  9. WILIS isa collaborative research partnership of the UNC Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science and the UNC Institute on Aging, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through its Librarians for the 21st Century Program.

  10. The WILIS studies • WILIS 1 is a comprehensive study of the career patterns of graduates of LIS programs in North Carolina since 1964. • WILIS 2 is a project to develop a shared recent graduates survey that may be used by all LIS programs.

  11. WILIS 1

  12. Participating LIS programs • Appalachian State University Library Science Program • Central Carolina Community College Library and Information Technology Program • East Carolina University Department of Library Science and Instructional Technology • North Carolina Central University School of Library and Information Sciences • UNC Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science • UNC Greensboro Department of Library and Information Studies

  13. Research Design and Methods • Project advisory committee • Survey development and scope • 2 study phases • Graduates of university-based LIS programs (1964-2007) (n=7,566) • Graduates of community college-based LIS program (2000-) (n=58) • Education • Career outline • Job detail (up to 5 jobs) • Life and work • Overall career • Continuing education • Trends in LIS • Job before LIS program • Job after LIS program • Current/Last job • Longest job • Highest-achieving job

  14. Results

  15. Overview • Response rate – 35% (n=2627) • Demographic composition • 82% female • Average age 50, sd. 12 • 11% non-white • 76% live in Southeastern US, but all 50 states and 14 countries are represented • Employment status • 76% employed; 20% retired • Average salary • Librarians - $51,952 • Non-librarians - $73,471

  16. Respondents by graduation year • N=2627

  17. Respondents by degree • N=2653

  18. Current job Which of the following best describes your current job?

  19. Current job by type of library Working in Libraries N=1515

  20. LIS graduates are also working in… N=231

  21. Retention Do you expect to leave your current employer in the coming year? N=1917

  22. Workforce projections How many are likely to leave the full time workforce? (if intentions hold true) • 5 years from now (2013), 49% of those 62+ are likely to have left – 12% of workforce • 10 years from now (2018), 63% of those 62+ are likely to have left – 23% of workforce

  23. Retirement • 25% will definitely be working full-time after 62 (N=1912) • 8% will definitely be working full-time after 65 (N=1458) • 23% will definitely NOT be working full-time after 65 (N=1458)

  24. Workforce projections What types of libraries will experience the most retirements? • Of those who will likely retire 10 years from now (2018) (n=357) • 43% are school librarians (n=154) • 23% are public librarians (n=81) • 25% are academic librarians (n=88) • 9% are special librarians (n=34) • 78% are from NC, SC, GA, and VA, but the other 22% are distributed across the US

  25. Continuing education Keeping up to date with the LIS field • 91% of respondents consider conferences and workshops somewhat or very important • 70% of respondents consider formal CE courses somewhat or very important • Average number of hours of formal CE or training taken in the last 12 months - 11.4 (sd 23.0)

  26. Continuing education interests n=2194

  27. Career satisfaction Overall, I am satisfied with LIS as a career N=1580

  28. Using the data: evidence to support LIS stakeholders • Snapshot of the LIS profession • Retention • Career aspirations • Professional engagement • Continuing education needs and interests • LIS program evaluation and planning

  29. Using the data: evidence to support LIS stakeholders • Keys to retaining and motivating staff • Adequate salary/benefits • Career progression opportunities • Support for continuing education • Mentorship • Recognition • More flexible work arrangements • Job sharing • Phased retirement • Flexible schedules • Leave opportunities (e.g., caregiving, professional development) • Teleworking

  30. Implications

  31. Unique retention challenges for LIS • Older workforce • Bridge jobs / Recareering • Meaningful work vs. career development • Workplace accommodations for aging workers

  32. Unique retention challenges for LIS • Retirement and retention • Retirement and replacement • Organizational knowledge retention • Pension policy • Flexibility for re-hire • Flexibility related to benefits

  33. For more information… • Visit our website at http://www.wilis.unc.edu • Short reports highlighting results • Detailed overview • Recent graduates • Comparisons by work setting • Impact of race, gender, and age • Upcoming issues of Library Trends on workforce topics and trends • November 2009 • November 2010

  34. Acknowledgements The WILIS 1 and 2 studies were supported by grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The primary research team from the School of Information and Library Science at UNC Chapel Hill and the UNC Institute on Aging consisted of: • Joanne Gard Marshall, Lead Principal Investigator • Victor W. Marshall, Co-Principal Investigator • Jennifer Craft Morgan, Co-Principal Investigator • Deborah Barreau, Co-Investigator • Barbara Moran, Co-Investigator • Paul Solomon, Co-Investigator • Susan Rathbun Grubb, Research Scientist • Cheryl A. Thompson, Project Manager

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