Impact of LIS professionals with doctorates on library services

Abstract

Encouraging patrons to engage in lifelong learning is a core function in many libraries. Librarians themselves also increasingly enrol in an ever greater spread of formal professional development opportunities, including doctoral study programmes. Generally, workplaces see having a PhD as a desirable qualification, but does it really make a difference to the service we provide in our respective organisations? And what is the role of the doctorate in the library?

This paper reports on a small-scale investigation (part of a Master’s degree in Education) into the perceptions of library and information professionals in the Republic of Ireland regarding the usefulness of holding a doctorate. Ten librarians with doctorates and ten library managers were interviewed individually using semi-structured interviews. Additionally, a focus group was held with librarians who worked with PhD holders. Adhering to a Phenomenographic theoretical framework, data was analysed with the aid of Framework Analysis. A so-called outcome space was created for each group of respondents consisting of three ways of experiencing this phenomenon (conceptions) as well as a number of themes, which were discernible across these categories (dimensions of variations). Results show an overlap of two outcome spaces of the librarian and employer cohorts. This was complimented by data from the focus group. The perceived impact of a doctorate depended on the category.

The discussion focuses on the likely implications for library services, the impact on the communities we serve, and what it means for the profession in Ireland. Unlike other countries, the number of librarians with a doctorate is very small and the paths for progression for these individuals are limited. Some recommendations will conclude the paper.