1

Towards A National Strategy for Library Human Resources in Canada

Ernie Ingles International Association of Technological University Libraries

24th Annual ConferenceAnkara, Turkey

June 2, 2003

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Introduction

The knowledge economy holds new opportunities and demands for librarians

Institutions must recruit, retain and develop a committed and talented workforce to maximize opportunities

Adequate numbers of skilled professionals is necessary to address these challenges

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The Issue

Anecdotal evidence of a coming professional shortage due to retirements and static recruitment

48% of Canadian librarians will enter retirement age by 2005. Weiler, “Libraries Face ‘Skills Gap’.” Quill & Quire. 66.1 Jan. 2000.

Forecasts of shortages have also been made for the United States and Australia

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Challenges and Opportunities Projected mass shortages present a challenge to

the ‘natural progression’ of the development of leaders and upper management within the library sector

This projected shift in personnel is also an unprecedented opportunity for the sustained growth and revitalization of the profession

This is a timely opportunity for in-depth research on the profession within Canada

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Current Data,

Aggregate Statistics

and Recent Research

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Projected Number of Retirements at Age 65 per Year Based on Projections for All Librarians in

CMA’s from the 1996 Canadian Census

20142009200720052003200119991997

Num

ber

of R

etire

men

ts

500

400

300

200

100

Age 65

Age 60+

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Projected Number of Retirements (cont.) CMAs = Census Metropolitan Areas or larger urban areas; this does

not include librarians in smaller centres

Two scenarios Assuming librarians retire at 65

Projected total retirements 2002-2014: 2,500 Assuming librarians retire at 60+

Projected total retirements 2002-2014: 4,000

The number of librarians turning 65 each year after 2006 is twice the rate of the previous ten years

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Education and Training Total numbers of MLIS graduates in the United States

have been called “stagnant”

Enrollment in Canadian MLIS programs appears to be increasing; this growth comes after a sustained decline

Students in SLIS tend to be older than in other professional programs

The employment requirement of an MLIS from an American Library Association-accredited program can limit employment opportunities for immigrants – Canada’s fastest growing workforce sector

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Enrollment in Canadian Library Studies Programs

820

840

860

880

900

920

940

960

980

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Full-TimeGraduateStudents

*Data source: ALISE Library and Information Science Education Statistical Reports

Enrollment in Canadian Library Studies Programs

820

840

860

880

900

920

940

960

980

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Full-TimeGraduateStudents

*Data source: ALISE Library and Information Science Education Statistical Reports

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Ages of Students Enrolled in Canada

20-2411%

25-3023%

30-3415%

35-3912%

40-4412%

45-4912%

50-547%

>542%

NA6%

20-24

25-30

30-34

35-39

40-4445-49

50-54

>54

NA

*based on total of 13,127 enrolled. Note: Pratt, Western Ontario and Toronto data not available. Source: ALISE Library and Information Scienc

Ages of Students Enrolled in Canada and U.S. MLIS Programs, Fall 2000

20-2411%

25-3023%

30-3415%

35-3912%

40-4412%

45-4912%

50-547%

>542%

NA6%

20-24

25-30

30-34

35-39

40-4445-49

50-54

>54

NA

*based on total of 13,127 enrolled. Note: Pratt, Western Ontariodata not available. Source: ALISE Library and Information Science Statistical Report 2000.

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Education and TrainingQuestions: If SLIS easily reach their quotas for students, does this

limit motivation for active recruitment?

How does the status of the profession affect recruitment of students with excellent potential?

Is the MLIS degree from an accredited school the most appropriate requirement for a library career?

Are immigrant librarians’ international credentials being ignored?

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Canadian Library Context Libraries have undergone enormous changes in

recent years New technologies Resulting competency shifts Greater expectations from patrons Sustained budget cuts

Budget cuts have resulted in a decreased capacity for new hiring during this time period

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Change in Canadian Libraries Paradigmatic shifts are currently taking place within libraries External pressures on the library sector and its resulting

reorganization complicate a simple examination of supply of new professionals

A thorough understanding of the demand factors that may limit or expand the need for professional librarians is necessary

Harris and Marshall (1998) surveyed directors and librarians in Canadian public and academic libraries Librarians now expected to perform generalist management roles to

the diminishment of traditional skill sets Skills and decision-making responsibilities have been redeployed to

paraprofessionals The result is the "compression" of the structure and a reduction in the

need for professional librarians

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Shortages in Positions and Staff

Budget cutbacks have resulted in the elimination or merging of middle and senior positions as they become vacant

Are there enough trained staff to fill upper management vacancies in a scenario of mass retirements?

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Diversity Issues Libraries are seen as not creating enough

opportunities for women and minorities, both at entry-level and in higher management

By 2011 all net labour force growth in Canada will be supplied by immigrant workers

How will this affect the MLIS hiring requirement?

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991

2000

The Great Depression

and World War II1939-1945

World War I1914-1918

Opening & Settlement of the West

Tho

usan

ds

Annual number of immigrants admitted to Canada, 1901-2000

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

2.2 million people immigrated to Canada in the last 10 years - the largest amount for any decade

Immigration currently accounts for 50% of all population growthProjected Canadian birth rate decline may increase this percentage

%

0

5

10

15

20

25

1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001

2001 – 18.4%

Highest proportion of foreign-born since the 1931 Census, but lower than at beginning of the century

Source: Statistics Canada, 1901-2001 Censuses

5.4

10.0

10.9

11.4

0 5 10 15

Managers: lib., arch., mus. &art galleries

Librarians

Technicians/assistants:libraries & archives

Supervisors: lib., corresp. &related info. clerks

Visible minorities (people non-Caucasian in race) were under-represented across the library sector

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census

Visible minorities as a % of population aged 25-44 in selected library sector occupations

Note: Population who worked in 2000.

%

8.8% in heritage occs. (14.0% in all occs.) were vismin.

79.1

74.0

0 20 40 60 80 100

Technicians/assistants:libraries & archives

Librarians

The vast majority of visible minorities in the library sector were foreign-born

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census

Foreign-born as a % of visible minority population aged 25-44 in selected library sector occupations

Note: Population who worked in 2000.

%

87.3% = all occs.

31.1

67.1

50.4

75.0

0 20 40 60 80 100

Techncians/assistants:libraries & archives

Librarians

Visible minority

Not a visible minority

Visible minorities were more likely to have a degree than non-visible minorities

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census

% of population aged 25-44 in selected library sector occupations with a bachelor’s degree or higher

Note: Population who worked in 2000.

%

47.1

44.5

43.1

40.9

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Librarians

Technicians/assistants:libraries & archives

Visible minority

Not a visible minority

Visible minorities were younger regardless of occupation within the library sector

Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census

Median age for the population aged 15 and older in selected library sector occupations

Note: Population who worked in 2000..

Years

Summary: visible minorities working in selected library sector occupations

Visible minorities tended to be under-represented in the library sector. Some groups are more under-represented than others.

Within the library sector, visible minorities were under-represented in all occupations.

Visible minorities within the library sector tended to be more highly educated and younger than non-visible minorities.

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Current Literature and Perceptions The majority of the literature considers the

American library context

Data sources for literature on the United States are aggregate and present only a sketchy picture

Some library sectors in the United States are reporting a shortage, including cataloguing, school libraries and academic libraries

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Current Literature and Perceptions

Factors that affect personnel supply and demand: no expansion of available places in MLS programs outflow of Canadian graduates to more buoyant US

library job market more lucrative opportunities in the knowledge economy continued staff cutbacks in publicly-funded libraries graduates of MLS programs are generally over 30, and

therefore have shorter careers than other professionals

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Human Resource Management Benefits of national succession planning include:

increased opportunities for newer professionals Improved employee morale easing restructuring or downsizing actions larger pool of promotable employees

Long-term planning and support from top management is necessary

Succession management could provide strategy for rejuvenation in the library sector

Individual libraries have started to take action

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The Core Problem

“There is a dearth of statistics examining the way in which the [library] profession is changing.”

Canadian Culture in Perspective: A Statistical Overview. Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2000.

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The Core Problem (cont.)

The majority of literature on the coming shortage is anecdotal

Available data is extrapolated from aggregate sources that show broad trends but can’t explain particulars

The Canadian heritage sector lacks data that can address questions of supply and demand

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Questions Arising from Problem

“Despite the wealth of literature on succession planning or succession management and its importance to organizational health and success, there is a paucity of literature on succession planning in libraries of any type.…”

Bridgland, Angela, “To Fill, or How to Fill- That is the Question: Succession Planning and Leadership Development in Academic Libraries.” Australian Academic and Research Libraries. 30.1 (March 1999).

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Questions Arising from Problem (cont.) Supply and demand of human resources

Attracting the ‘best and brightest’ to the profession Attracting talented recruits to all types of libraries e.g.

schools as well as post-secondary institutions Role of the paraprofessional or subject specialist vs. the

credentialed professional

What information is needed about issues of recruitment, retention and retirement?

How does the Canadian context differ from the American context?

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Questions Arising from Problem (cont.)

How do we obtain this information to prepare for succession planning? At the national level At the sectoral level At the institutional level

Who should care? What is the role of the national association? What is the role of sectoral associations? What is the role of library schools? What is the role of the library administrator?

How can associations and institutions use this information to address the need in a coordinated approach?

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Current Research Needs

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Research Needs Much of the current literature has stated a need for

formal investigation of trends in the professional ecosystem

“…more study is needed to identify trends in the library community…[and] should include sampling a larger library population, identifying geographical trends and sources of supply…and so on.” Summerfield, “CLA’s Human Resources and Succession Planning Survey: Analysis and Recommendations.” Feliciter 48.4 2002.

“Other disciplines have criticized library literature over the years as being too anecdotal and too little based on hard research…”David M. Harralson, “Recruitment in Academic Libraries: Library Literature in the 90s.” College and Undergraduate Libraries. 8:1. 2001.

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Research Needs (cont.)

“Studies of supply and demand should…be carried out at the national level with consolidated support...” Van Fleet and Wallace. “O Librarian, Where Art Thou?” Reference and User Services Quarterly. 41.3 Spring 2002.

We need a multi-level strategy in order to avoid replicating the problems encountered in other sectors

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Strategies Build a coalition of the library community

across sectors to undertake a national study

Undertake a comprehensive survey to examine issues of recruitment, retention and retirement in Canadian libraries

Initiate a national dialogue and widely disseminate the data and reports so that institutions, associations and even individuals can make strategic decisions that are in their best interests

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Research Scope A national strategy that can be tailored to

individual libraries will be the most effective and efficient response

The situation implicates libraries across the country, and within every field

It implicates professionals at all stages of their careers MLIS students and educators, paraprofessionals,

new professionals, mid-career professionals, senior management, and those about to retire

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Research Outline

The study includes participation of municipal, regional and national professional associations as well as institutions

New, mid-career and senior professionals and paraprofessionals in public, academic, school, and special libraries, as well as in SLIS programs will be surveyed  

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Major Questions Supply: Is there an impending shortage of

librarians exacerbated by a decreasing supply of new recruits?

Demand: How have external factors changed functional requirements and organizational restructuring of library operations and the role of librarians? 

Supply + Demand: How does a decreasing supply of professional librarians fit with a changing demand in library operations and for librarians?

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Objective Comprehensive investigation of issues around

recruitment, retention, remuneration, repatriation, rejuvenation, reaccreditation, retirement, and restructuring (the ‘8 Rs’) in the Canadian library context

The ‘8Rs’ Recruitment Retention Remuneration Repatriation Reaccreditation Rejuvenation Retirement Restructuring

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Outcomes

A toolkit of strategies of individual libraries and key recommendations

Baseline data to create a statistical analytic framework and standard indicators for long-range assessment Study data will be analyzed at local levels

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Recruitment Issues at the education level and for new

professionals Areas of investigation

Numbers of SLIS graduates anticipated over the next decade

Numbers of new hires made by Canadian libraries SLIS recruitment strategies Library recruitment strategies Diversity initiatives from SLIS programs and

libraries

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Retention Areas of investigation

Professional development programs offered to employees (entry level, mid-career, senior)

Experiences of librarians with regard to career progression and mentorship

Libraries’ financial resources for funding training programs

Librarians’ perceptions of major factors that encourage staff retention

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Remuneration Areas of investigation:

Salary expectations of librarians over their careers

Extent to which salary plays a role for new professionals, mid-career and senior librarians

Extent to which possibility of non-traditional opportunities influences importance of salary

How libraries compete with other industries

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Repatriation For MLIS graduates who obtain work in the U.S.

and in non-traditional sectors Areas of investigation:

Age groups seeking employment outside Canada

Numbers of Canadian librarians currently working in the U.S.

Motivations of Canadian librarians working in the U.S.

Long-term plans of Canadian expatriates in the U.S. (i.e. are they paying off education debt loads and planning to return?)

Numbers of librarians who work in non-traditional sectors

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Rejuvenation For librarians in the mid-career stage and nearing

retirement. Areas of investigation:

Mid-career motivation levels Individual innovation levels Libraries’ practices to encourage innovative

services and practices at the senior level? What mid- and senior level librarians want for

motivational strategies and practices? Extent to which libraries and professional

associations are identifying and working toward future competencies

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Reaccreditation To explore the extent to which institutions and

individuals are articulating their vision of appropriate accreditation and competencies for the realities of the industry.

Areas of investigation: Differences between programs that focus on

traditional MLIS coursework and those that focus on new technologies

Motivation for different accreditations based on focus

Extent to which libraries recognize immigrant professionals who hold a librarian degree from outside North America?

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Reaccreditation: Context Immigrants, with their higher education levels,

still have difficulty fully integrating into the workforce:

“There are many immigrants whose skills are underused because Canadian regulatory bodies and employers do not recognize their foreign-earned trades diplomas, professional licenses, academic credentials, or work experience.”

Source: Human Resource Development Canada, 2002

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Importance of Reaccreditation Immigration now accounts for more than

50% of total population growth

1990’s immigrants accounted for 70% of labour force growth

Increasing number of immigrants admitted to Canada in economic category since mid-1990’s

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Retirement Retirement trends in the profession Areas of investigation:

Numbers of librarians intending to retire at 60 or 65

Library strategies for dealing with mass vacancies Will the positions stay open, or will libraries close

them under budget constraints? Retention incentives from libraries for librarians

nearing retirement Incentives that would influence librarians’

decisions to remain in their positions until 65

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Restructuring An examination of professional librarians and

paraprofessionals Areas of investigation:

Numbers of librarians and paraprofessionals entering the workforce

Typical job duties of professionals vs. paraprofessionals?

Perceptions of role and status Restructuring efforts made by libraries to

redefine roles

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Key Study Elements• Review of relevant literature• Survey of heritage sector administrators• Survey of library management• Survey of mid-career library professionals • Survey of new professionals • Survey of paraprofessionals• Survey of library schools• Survey of post-secondary students regarding their

perceptions of librarianship• Wide dissemination of the data • Creation of toolkit for individual libraries

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Timeline

2003 April: Telephone survey of library administrators May: Survey of Heritage institutions September: National workshop for Heritage

institutions October: Final Heritage sector report

Interim Library sector report November: Survey of mid-career library

professionals Survey of new professionals

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Timeline (cont.)

2004 January: Survey of new professionals March: Survey of paraprofessionals May: Interim Report June: Survey of library schools September: Survey of non-SLIS students October: Survey of SLIS students

2005 February: Data and toolkit dissemination

Final report

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Steering Committee Ernie Ingles, Associate Vice-President (Learning Services)

and Chief Librarian, University of Alberta Dr. Marianne Sorensen, Methodologist Chuck Humphrey, Data Library Coordinator, University of

Alberta Kathleen De Long, Associate Director, Finance and Human

Resources, University of Alberta Dr. Alvin M. Schrader, SLIS, University of Alberta William Curran, Director of Libraries, Concordia University Carolynne Presser, Director of Libraries, University of

Manitoba Julia Goodman, Development Officer, Council of Federal

Libraries