During COVID-19, academic library employees pivoted to predominantly remote work. Associate deans, associate university librarians, and equivalent managers at the top 50 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions were interviewed about benefits, challenges, pre-pandemic norms, necessary conditions, and the future of flexible work arrangements (FWAs). The findings suggest that successful FWAs require adequate technology and effective managerial communication and depend on the types of positions and individuals involved. Most managers believe FWAs will increase in academic libraries in the future. FWAs provide benefits for both organizations and employees and will likely have a positive impact on library space, recruitment, and retention. At the same time, careful communication and compassionate leadership are needed for successful FWAs.
Asians are underrepresented in leadership roles in U.S. academic libraries and higher education.Their challenges and coping strategies were uncovered through this systematic review of peerreviewed articles published between 2014 and 2021. The author performed a thematic analysis using NVivo through the lens of Asian Critical (AsianCrit) theory. Findings showed that their authority, expertise, and leadership capabilities are often questioned. They sometimes experience unfair performance and tenure reviews, xenophobia, negative stereotypes, and discrimination. To counter these harsh realities, they form alliances, find identity-informed mentors, collaborate with others, or seek visibility through scholarship or professional service.
While existing library literature tends to focus on various diversity programs and discuss lack of diversity in the occupation, research is lacking on what libraries, individual managers, and minority librarians can do to cultivate diversity based on findings from management literature. This study explores linking those findings with practical steps that libraries, managers, and minority librarians can take to increase diversity in libraries. Review of management literature found that successful minorities have sponsors who advocate for them as well as mentors who provide guidance and psychological support. It also found that voluntary initiatives such as awareness building through increased contact with minorities, eliminating biases through processes and structures, setting specific goals, and increasing social accountability were more effective than mandatory diversity training programs. Based on the findings from the management literature, libraries are advised to communicate management commitment through their websites, job posts and other venues, set specific goals, evaluate outcomes, and make managers accountable by incorporating diversity-related performance goals in their evaluation. Managers’ willingness to be bias interrupters and serve as diversity champions also contributes to the success of diversity efforts. Appealing to people’s desire to look good to others is also found to be more effective than coercive techniques. Structured hiring practices and objective evaluation criteria for promotion also eliminate biases and lead to improvement. Minority librarians are encouraged to seek out sponsors as well as mentors, build on their resilience, and establish genuine personal long-term relationships with people of different backgrounds to achieve success in their careers.
Academic libraries received numerous free offers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Existing business literature suggests that there are benefits and costs associated with free offers for both the businesses that provide them and their customers. This study analyzes the free offers received during a three-month period at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The author monitored direct offers from vendors, LIBLICENSE-L@LISTSERV.CRL.EDU, information obtained from peers, and publicly available data from the International Coalition of Library Consortia (ICOLC). The offers that would normally require paid institutional subscriptions were included in the study. Databases were the largest offer category (41%), followed-by e-books (20%). Most (76%) required registration by library representatives, allowing vendors to track usage data. Only a small portion (8%) of these free offers was already held at the study site, Penn State University Libraries (PSUL). The implication might be that most of the offers were either new, not high-priority or not affordable for PSUL. The findings of this study suggest free offers provide intangible value for both libraries and vendors that cannot be measured through cost-per-use data analysis. For example, libraries gained opportunities to trial new products without any risk, temporarily expand their collections, and help users during the crisis when access to the library buildings was disrupted. Vendors increased product visibility, gained customer information and usage data, identified potential customers, and created goodwill with the library community. This study is relevant to business librarianship not only because these free offers included business and related disciplines but also because some business librarians engage with vendor relations and need to understand different business models including free offers.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.