MINDING THE GAPGenerational Differences in Attitudes toward Reference

Service in Academic Libraries

Eric JenningsHans KishelJill Markgraf

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Who we are:•Reference & Instruction Librarians•1 Boomer•1 Gen Y•1 Gen X

the forgotten middle child

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In this session:

•The changing library workforce

•What we did

•Assumptions and survey results

•Areas for further exploration

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The changing library workforce

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Planning for 2015: The Recent History and Future Supply of Librarians (2009 June). ALA Office for Research & Statistics, http://www.ala.org/ala/research/librarystaffstats/recruitment/Librarians_supply_demog_analys.pdf

Age distribution of librarians

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Number of retirements: •1995-2005: 14,800

•2005-2015 (projected) : 28,200

•Increase of 52%

Planning for 2015: The Recent History and Future Supply of Librarians (2009 June). ALA Office for Research & Statistics, http://www.ala.org/ala/research/librarystaffstats/recruitment/Librarians_supply_demog_analys.pdf

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Who are you?

Gen Z Gen Y (millennial)

Gen X Boomer Silent

Born… after 1988 1979-88 1965-78 1944-64 Before 1944

Age ≤21 22-31 32-45 46-66 66+

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Generations defined

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•Random sample of 200 U.S. college/university libraries from Carnegie classifications•Email sent to every library staff member we could identify at those institutions. •30 question online survey•Sent out 7000 emails, almost 1000 responded, for a response rate of 14%

What we did:

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Gen Z Gen Y (millennial)

Gen X Boomer Silent

Born… after 1988

1979-88 1965-78

1944-64 Before 1944

Responding 10 137 289 541 20

Our sample:

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Survey respondents by gender

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Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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Younger librarians are more willing to change and adapt; older, more established professionals often want to maintain the status quo.Quoted in Gordon, Rachel Singer. The Nextgen Librarian’s Survival Guide, 2006, p. 71

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The reference desk is obsolete and should be dismantled altogether

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Reference desk should be dismantled

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The reference desk is an essential service point that works well and should remain largely unchanged.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Reference desk should remain unchanged

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The reference desk should be merged with other service points in the library, such as the Circulation Desk and offer tiered levels of service.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Reference desk should be merged with other service points

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The print reference collection is becoming obsolete and should be dismantled altogether.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Print reference collection should be dismantled

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Academic libraries should begin circulating most or all print reference resources.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Print reference collection should be circulated

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Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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I don't think age has anything todo with adopting (and adapting to) new technologies, particularly when it'sinformation professionals we're talking about.Marydee Ojala, “Talk About My Generation,” Online. July/August 2005, p. 5

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The reference collection should be transformed into an online only collection.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Reference collection should be online only

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Wikipedia is an appropriate resource to use in the provision of reference service.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Wikipedia is an appropriate resource

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Virtual reference services (chat, IM, Skype, etc.) are effective.

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Virtual reference services are effective

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Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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Our assumption:

Younger librarians are less entrenched in traditional librarian roles.

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Reference librarians should have some responsibilities in the following areas…

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Reference librarians should have responsibilities in…

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Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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Nearly two-thirds of executives at large companies were most concerned about losing Gen Y employees, while less than half of them had similar concerns about losing Gen Xers…Irvine, Martha. “Recession intensifies GenX discontent at work,” USAToday, http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2009-11-16-generation-x-jobs_N.htm

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Only about 37% of Gen Xers said they planned to stay in their current jobs after the recession ends, compared with 44% of Gen Yers, 50% of baby boomers and 52% of senior citizen workers Irvine, Martha. “Recession intensifies GenX discontent at work,” USAToday, http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/employment/2009-11-16-generation-x-jobs_N.htm

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP Career plans, 3-5 years

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Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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Librarians who have been in their jobs for a while do not seem as open to new ideas and new people.Quoted in Gordon, Rachel Singer. The Nextgen Librarian’s Survival Guide, 2006, p 108

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I see younger folks with their ideas set in stone; they are very inflexible, and this is not a good thing.Quoted in Gordon, Rachel Singer. The Nextgen Librarian’s Survival Guide, 2006, p 109.

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Strength of Convictions

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Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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“NextGen librarians tend to be more narrowly focused. They seem to be much more interested in machines than in public serviceQuoted in Gordon, Rachel Singer. The Nextgen Librarian’s Survival Guide, 2006, p 109

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What % of their time should individual reference librarians be staffing the reference desk ?

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP % of time individual reference librarians should staff the reference desk

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What % of the reference desk’s open hours should be staffed by a librarian?

MINDING THE GAP MINDING THE GAP % of the ref. desk’s hours that should be staffed by a librarian

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Characteristics of Academic Reference Librarians Ranked by Importance

1. Interpersonal comm. skills

2. Adaptability/flexibility

3. Knowledge of online sources

4. Teaching skills

5. Knowledge of print ref.

6. Curiosity

7. Technology skills

8. Knowledge of disciplines

9. Creativity

10. Empathy

11. New and emerging tech.

12. Outgoing personality

13. Written communication skills

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Characteristics of Academic Reference Librarians Ranked by Importance

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Conclusions•Generational differences in attitudes not nearly as dramatic as assumed.

•Gen Y very supportive of traditional library services and roles.

•Resistance to change (in reference service) cannot be attributed to age.

•Interpersonal and “soft” skills are valued over technical ones.

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•Do attitudinal differences lie elsewhere? (i.e. gender, position…)

•Does culture of librarianship override generational differences?

•Explore why people feel the way they do.

•Longitudinal studies

Further study:

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For all that’s been written, discussed, debated and dissected concerning the issues today’s organizations face regarding the great “generational divide,” … multigenerational workforces are more united than not.Manhertz, Huntley, Jr., “The Generational Divide: Crucial Consideration or Trivial Hype?” Achieveglobal report, http://www.achieveglobal.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2BrjyvkB%2Bvgo%3D&tabid=78&mid=725 [2009]

Thank you for attendingEric Jennings

Hans Kishel

Jill Markgraf