ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


C&RL News ■ February 2003 / 89

C o l l e g e  & R e s e a r c h  L i b r a r i e s  news

Recruitment, education, and retention
of librarians

A response to the top issues

by Keri-Lynn Paulson

Ed. n o te : In the November 2 002 issue, W. 
Lee Hisle put forth  the “Top issues fa c in g  a c a ­
dem ic libraries,” which resulted fr o m  the 
work o f  the Focus on the Future Task Force. 
The follow ing is a  response to the issues.

I love studente’ reactions when I tell them I’m 
a librarian. As a spunky 24-year old, I often defy 
their preconceived notions about librarianship, 
including the assumption that it is a profession 
attractive only to those who are generations older 
than they. While it is true that the profession is 
retiring faster than it’s recruiting, please don’t for­
get that there are young, energetic librarians to be 
found in academe and that we can be a valuable 
resource in addressing the recruitment issue.

Why not survey us to find out why w e re­
cently joined the ranks? Our comments may 
give the profession fresh ideas and renewed 
vigor for recruiting the next generation of li­
brarians. Although librarianship tends to be a 
second or third career for many, w e can make 
it a more visible option for young people on

the verge o f entering the w orkforce.
As a young person, however, I can tell you 

that it’s not easy to find an entry-level position 
in an academic library these days; available jobs 
increasingly require skills and specializations 
that can only com e from second  m aster’s de­
grees or significant time in other job sectors. It 
d oes require sacrifice on  the part o f libraries 
to admit new  librarians with little or no prior 
experience, especially in terms o f the amount 
o f time and p atience n eed ed  to edu cate and 
mentor us. But we, in turn, contribute exuber­
ance, creativity, and the ability to connect with 
younger generations o f faculty and students 
(and perhaps recruit som e o f them to the pro­
fession!).

If academ ic libraries will con sid er young, 
new  librarians as investments for the future of 
the profession, the returns will be enormous.—  
Keri-Lynn Paulson is reference an d  instruction li­
brarian fo r  Eckles Library at George Washington 
U niversity’s M ount Vernon Campus, e- 
maü:kpauhon@gwu.edu

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