A review of advertisements for part-time library positions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
| Date | 11 January 2016 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-08-2015-0054 |
| Published date | 11 January 2016 |
| Pages | 68-80 |
| Author | Zara Wilkinson |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries |
A review of advertisements for
part-time library positions in
Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Zara Wilkinson
Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey, USA
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to examine advertisements for part-time professional library
jobs in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The goal is to gain a better understanding of what skills and
experience levels are being required of part-time librarians, as well as what their expected salary and
hours might be.
Design/methodology/approach –Advertisements for part-time professional library positions were
collected from online sources over the course of one year.
Findings –Part-time librarian positions tend to be public services positions in either public or
academic libraries. Advertisements for these position indicate a need for flexibility and often do
not contain information about salary or hours. Many are suitable for entry-level librarians with
no experience.
Research limitations/implications –Job advertisement studies are limited in that they can only
examine the information contained in the advertisements themselves and therefore may not reflect the
actual person hired.
Practical implications –This paper will provide useful information for librarians seeking part-time
positions, as well as for library and information science educators and library managers who wish to
mentor or hire new librarians.
Originality/value –This paper corrects an identified lack of research into part-time library employment.
Keywords Library management, Human resources, Entry-level employment, Library employees,
Part-time employees, Part-time librarians
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
In the USA, part-time library work is commonly understood as an opportunity for early
career professionals to gain experience and to better position themselves for a full-time
position when it becomes available (Wilkinson, 2015; Wamsley, 2008; Bruno, 2009).
However, many elements of part-time library employment remain understudied, such
as the prevalence and working conditions of part-time librarians, the motivations
behind part-time library work, and the greater implications for the field. Existing
large-scale job advertisement studies, even those with a focus on entry-level
opportunities in libraries, exclude part-time positions. In some studies, this exclusion is
by design, often because the explicit goal is to draw conclusions about the availability
of full-time professional positions to recent library and information science (LIS)
graduates. In others, part-time positions are excluded as a side effect of using a sample
comprised only of nationally advertised positions, which may be less likely to be
part-time or temporary because of the time and money required to have them posted
(Tewell, 2012). Excluding part-time positions from job advertisement studies has
resulted in a severe lack of reliable information about the duties, hours, and salaries of
part-time professionals and paraprofessionals in libraries.
To develop a greater understanding of what positions are being advertised as
part-time and what kind of skills are required of potential candidates, advertisements
Library Management
Vol. 37 No. 1/2, 2016
pp. 68-80
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-08-2015-0054
Received 11 August 2015
Revised 25 November 2015
Accepted 27 January 2016
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
68
LM
37,1/2
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