Temporary librarians in academe: current use, future considerations

Abstract

Purpose

The primary aim of this study is to determine the uses and prevalence of temporary librarians in libraries at four‐year universities during the current economic downturn. The paper also seeks to determine the temporary librarians' conditions of employment.

Design/methodology/approach

These objectives were achieved by surveying a representative sample of four‐year institutions in both the authors' state and nationwide.

Findings

The study found that, as in several previous surveys, temporary librarians are still being used sparingly. They are used to fill vacancies due to open positions or faculty leaves of absence, special projects, grant‐funded projects, fellowships and sometimes to offer spouses of teaching faculty an employment opportunity. They are employed in both technical and public services roles, but not in managerial positions. They are expected to have the same education as full‐time librarians, are compensated similarly and sometimes also receive benefits. Conditions for contract renewal included employee performance, availability of funding and perceived need for the continuation of their duties.

Research limitations/implications

The study was limited by a small pool, so results may not be generalizable to a larger population. Because of many of the participants being in the same state, there may be unintentional consistency in the responses.

Practical implications

This study may provide guidance to administrators in making decisions on the future use of temporary librarians, both in how many to hire and in what ways to employ them.

Originality/value

The value in this study lies in the fact that it updates previous studies by generating current data on the topic.

Citation

Mayo, J.L. and Whitehurst, A.P. (2012), "Temporary librarians in academe: current use, future considerations", Reference Services Review, Vol. 40 No. 3, pp. 512-524. https://doi.org/10.1108/00907321211254724