This study analyzed the educational backgrounds of 104 academic library deans at Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions. It found that 35.6% had a Master's in Library Science only, while 38.5% had an MLS and a second master's degree. Only 24% had doctorates, with the majority in history or education. The study aimed to identify trends in degrees and explore how educational backgrounds relate to career paths and positions.
2. ABSTRACT
This study uses quantitative methods to study the
degrees and majors of all 123 academic library deans
at Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
institutions.
This study shows trends in hiring deans as well as
commonalities among those interested in
administrative library positions.
3. METHODOLOGY
sample size = 104 ARL* library deans
started with the 123 library deans currently listed in ARL
directory
listwise deletion of cases for those missing specific data
most of these were only missing a small amount of information, such as
the subjects of degrees or dates they were earned
chose ARL deans because:
well-defined group
small size = easy to gather information on majority of deans
may serve as a model for other libraries
* Association of Research Libraries
4. METHODOLOGY
document analysis:
library websites
staff directories
dean welcome pages
dean bios
university academic catalogs
faculty directories
faculty profiles
CVs
press releases
library newsletters
publications
ARL minutes, news, etc.
solicited any missing information by email
5. METHODOLOGY
information gathered includes:
presence or absence of a library science degree
presence or absence of a doctoral degree
other degrees earned
length of time in current dean position (year hired)
specific title of their position
major subjects of study
Carnegie classification of institution at which the
degrees were earned
7. RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Are newer deans:
more likely to possess a doctorate?
more likely to possess an advanced degree in addition
to the masters in library science?
What percentage of deans have a masters in
library science?
Are deans with PhDs more or less likely to also
possess a masters in library science?
How many deans’ PhDs are in library science?
8. DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS
total ARL Deans / Directors
56 male
69 female
current study includes 104
45 male
59 female
71% hired for current position after 2000
68% of doctorate holders were hired after 2000
only 24% have doctoral degrees
9. DEANS AND DIRECTORS HIRE DATES
Year Hired for Current Position
7%
35% 22% 1980-89
1990-99
2000-05
2006-10
36%
10. MLS ONLY
35.6% have MLS with
no additional
advanced degree
MLS only (by year of hire)
72.9% of MLS-only
2.70%
holders were hired
since 2000
1980-89
24.30%
43.20% 1990-99
2000-05
2006-10
29.70%
12. ADVANCED DEGREE SUBJECTS
(OTHER THAN THE MLS)
12.5% American or European History
7.7% MBA
6.7% Education
3.8% Public Administration
2.9%
English
Latin American Studies
1.9%
Music
Economics
Computer Science
Art History
Less than 1%
Agriculture, French, Middle Eastern Studies, Asian
Languages, Theology, Anthropology, Government, Liberal Studies
13. DOCTORATE HOLDERS
25 total
1 MD
1 DPA
23 PhD or EdD
9 History
6 Education
3 Library Science
3 Unspecified
1 Economics
56% male
45% female
all doctorate holders without MLS = male
14. INSTITUTIONS WITH DEANS OR DIRECTORS
WITHOUT MLS
UC Berkeley
Harvard
Yale
University of Michigan
Library of Congress
National Institute of Health
15. FURTHER RESEARCH
Regression analyses should be used to determine
if there have been any changes in degrees of
deans and directors hired in the last 40 years.
Further analysis needs to be done regarding the
relationship between the degrees of the deans
and directors and their other work experiences.
Many of these librarians completed their degrees in
the 60s and 70s – it may be helpful to see what other
experiences contributed to their success.
A comparison of the ARL deans with other types
of institutions would present a more
comprehensive picture.
16. FURTHER RESEARCH
None of the ARL Library deans and directors
earned advanced degrees in the hard sciences. Do
advanced studies in some subject areas provide
better preparation than others?
Is there a relationship between advanced study
subject area and type of institution?
17. ANY QUESTIONS?
Starr Hoffman, MLS, MA
Librarian for Digital Collections
Government Documents Department
UNT Libraries
PhD Student, Higher Education, UNT
starr.hoffman@unt.edu
find my presentations&CV here:
http://geekyartistlibrarian.wordpress.com
Annie Downey, MLS
Instruction Unit Manager
Research & Instruction Services
UNT Libraries
PhD Student, Higher Education, UNT
annie.downey@unt.edu
Editor's Notes
my colleague Annie Downey couldn’t be here today, so I’m presenting the results of the study we performed together. Annie and I are both librarians at the University of North Texas and we’re also both PhD students in UNT’s Higher Education program.
The 104 is the number of D and Ds that we have almost complete degree info for. I focused on degrees mostly for this because the data was complicated.
Need regression tosee if this actually means anything because more people were hired after 2000.
These will not equal to 100 because some have more than one degree or do not have a second degree. The way to look at this is to say “12.5% of the deans and directors hold a degree in american or european history.” No hard sciences with the exception of MD for NIH director.
A lot of historians become librarians. Males are more likely to hold doctorates. The MLS is still very much a woman’s degree and that the top librarians in the country are not MLS holders is meaningful.
Perhaps talk about what you think the meaning of this is. Harvard and Yale both have programs to help PhDs become librarians w/o the MLS. Berkeley has over 60 bibliographers – they value subject knowledge. LOC is appointed by president – current one in place since 1987 – typically a scholar rather than a librarian. Does it mean anything that these institutions do not seem to value librarians as deans?