Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.

What might motivate someone with a natural science degree to forgo the lab and pursue a non-traditional career in librarianship? Are there differences between LIS graduates with and without a science degree that might impact recruitment strategies? An analysis of data from a longitudinal career stu...

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Main Author: Shannon Walker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Alberta Library 2011-03-01
Series:Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship
Online Access:https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/istl/index.php/istl/article/view/1500
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author Shannon Walker
author_facet Shannon Walker
author_sort Shannon Walker
collection DOAJ
description What might motivate someone with a natural science degree to forgo the lab and pursue a non-traditional career in librarianship? Are there differences between LIS graduates with and without a science degree that might impact recruitment strategies? An analysis of data from a longitudinal career study, "Workforce Issues in Library and Information Science," sought to answer these questions. When compared to their peers with degrees in other fields, science graduates were similar in social motivation, service ethos, desired working conditions, and nearly all other variables. Science graduates were much more likely to cite interest in computers as a motivation to pursue LIS studies. Those with natural science degrees also showed a strong preference for research-oriented settings such as academic and special libraries versus school and public libraries. In addition, science graduates reported greater involvement in professional research and publications than those with degrees in other fields. In multiple ways, science graduates who entered library school expressed a desire to bring their knowledge of science and passion for analytical thinking to a new career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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spelling doaj-art-059a88a172574a1a95af17b32a48ce652025-08-20T03:56:46ZengUniversity of Alberta LibraryIssues in Science and Technology Librarianship1092-12062011-03-016410.29173/istl1500Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.Shannon Walker What might motivate someone with a natural science degree to forgo the lab and pursue a non-traditional career in librarianship? Are there differences between LIS graduates with and without a science degree that might impact recruitment strategies? An analysis of data from a longitudinal career study, "Workforce Issues in Library and Information Science," sought to answer these questions. When compared to their peers with degrees in other fields, science graduates were similar in social motivation, service ethos, desired working conditions, and nearly all other variables. Science graduates were much more likely to cite interest in computers as a motivation to pursue LIS studies. Those with natural science degrees also showed a strong preference for research-oriented settings such as academic and special libraries versus school and public libraries. In addition, science graduates reported greater involvement in professional research and publications than those with degrees in other fields. In multiple ways, science graduates who entered library school expressed a desire to bring their knowledge of science and passion for analytical thinking to a new career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/istl/index.php/istl/article/view/1500
spellingShingle Shannon Walker
Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.
Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship
title Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.
title_full Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.
title_fullStr Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.
title_full_unstemmed Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.
title_short Career Motivations of the Scientist-Turned-Librarian: A Secondary Analysis of WILIS Data.
title_sort career motivations of the scientist turned librarian a secondary analysis of wilis data
url https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/istl/index.php/istl/article/view/1500
work_keys_str_mv AT shannonwalker careermotivationsofthescientistturnedlibrarianasecondaryanalysisofwilisdata