beile.p65 336������������������������������ ��������� Other D tie a A i ned Emer in Trend in the Academic Librar Job Market Penny M. Beile and Megan M. Adams Nine hundred job announcements published in four journals in 1996 were examined using content analysis to compare requirements and benefits among various positions in academic libraries. This study up­ dates the article “The Academic Library Job Market: A Content Analysis Comparing Public and Technical Services,” in which authors David W. Reser and Anita P. Schuneman analyzed 1,133 job advertisements pub­ lished in 1988 to compare public and technical services positions.1 A growing number of electronic-related advertisements in the past decade has led to the addition of a third division to be investigated, namely the systems and automation librarian. For purposes of comparison with Reser and Schuneman’s article, the authors retained the same research de­ sign and variables. These variables include levels of computer skills, foreign-language requirements, previous work experience, educational requirements, and minimum salary offered. umerous publications analyz­ previous research by analyzing differ­ ing position announcements ences among public, technical, and sys­ as early as the 1950s have tems positions in 1996. In addition, data u s e d c o n t e n t a n a l y s i s t o from this study are compared with pre­ document changes in the library job vious research to discern changes in the market and requirements and benefits academic library job market. The results for librarians. Many of these studies of this study should be of interest to li­ tracked the impact of only a single vari­ brary science students considering an able, such as technology, or researched area of specialization, to library schools a specific position, such as catalogers or when designing curricula to support systems librarians. A thorough review needs of academic libraries and trends of the literature did not reveal any stud­ in employment, and to librarians and ies investigating the full spectrum of administrators interested in learning academic librarian positions in the more about the academic library job 1990s. This study expands the scope of market. Penny M. Beile is Head, Curriculum Materials Center, in the University of Central Florida Libraries; e­ mail: pbeile@mail.ucf.edu. Megan M. Adams is the Social Sciences Librarian in McCabe Library atSwarthmore College; e­mail: madamsl@swarthmore.edu. The authors wish to thank the Friends of Louisi­ ana State University Libraries for a stipend that helped finance research assistance from Eric Holt, theInter­Library Loan Department at the University of Central Florida Libraries for supplying materials necessary to complete this project, and Thomas A. O'Neil, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Com­mission, who provided invaluable assistance in the statistical analysis of data. 336 mailto:pbeile@mail.ucf.edu Other Duties as Assigned 337 Review of the Literature A number of previous studies used in­ formation contained in position an­ nouncements as the basis for investiga­ tion of the academic library job market and benefits and requirements of those advertised positions. Most of these stud­ ies tended to be very specific, focusing on individual job titles and positions. Sev­ eral other studies traced the impact of automation on requirements and qualifi­ cations for academic librarians. A limited number of studies analyzed job advertise­ ments for multiple position titles. Kenneth Furuta examined all advertise­ ments for cataloging positions in Ameri­ can Libraries published from 1970 to 1989. He concluded that automation and biblio­ graphic utilities contributed to a reduction in the number of catalogers.2 Michael Towsey studied job advertisements for catalogers in the United States and the United Kingdom from March 1995 through February 1996. Of the 2,700 posi­ tion openings studied, he found that 147 advertised cataloging as the primary job duty for domestic academic positions and that 143 combined cataloging with other duties.3 Several other studies investigated even more specialized positions, includ­ ing collection development librarians, se­ rials librarians, and serials catalogers.4 This aging librarian demographichas yet to impact the academiclibrary job market as a whole. The advent of systems and automation librarian positions in the past few decades has afforded an opportunity for several interesting research studies. Among these are John M. Budd's article investigating requirements and benefits of automation librarians in 1988, and Margaret Foote's survey of systems librarian openings in academic libraries from 1990 through 1994.5 Other studies used content analysis of advertisements in an effort to document the impact of automation on academic li­ brarians. Yuan Zhou reported on the in­ creased demand for computer­related skills for academic librarians from 1974 to 1994.6 Hong Xu analyzed twenty years of position announcements (1971-1990) to investigate the impact of technology on cataloging and reference librarians? Mary Baier Wells and Ronald Rayman also tracked advertisements over an ex­ tended period of time in an effort to de­ termine trends in the academic library job market. Wells provided a needed first step by sampling job advertisements for aca­ demic librarians at five­year intervals, between 1959 and 1979.8 Rayman investi­ gated job vacancies annually from 1970 through 1979.9 Both Wells and Rayman analyzed multiple position titles, provid­ ing a historical perspective to the topic. No other significant studies investigated a range of years for multiple position titles. Reser and Schuneman, however, performed an in­depth analysis of public and technical services positions for 1988.10 The purpose of this study is to report on the status of the market in the mid­1990s and, through comparison to Reser and Schuneman and others, to identify poten­ tial trends in the market and update find­ ings between 1988 and 1996. The hypoth­ eses tested in this study are: • Electronic services jobs are more likely to require computer skills. • Technical services jobs are more likely to require foreign­language skills. • Technical services jobs are more likely to require previous work experi­ ence. • Electronic services jobs are less likely to require an ALA MLS. • Public services jobs are more likely to require advanced subject degrees. • Electronic services jobs are more likely to advertise higher salaries. • Increased experience is more likely to advertise higher salaries. Methodology Mo identily changes in the academic li­ brary job marhet between 1988 and 1996, the authors reviewed academic library position announcements published in 1996 in American Libraries, Chronicle of Higher nducation, College & Research Librar­ ies News, and oibrary Journal. These jour- 338 College & Research Libraries nals were selected for breadth of job ad­ vertisements and consistency in data col­ lection as they were the same titles used to procure 1988 data. Positions advertised on listservs, on Web sites, and in regional or local publications were not included in this survey. After collecting advertisements, all duplicate postings were removed (jobs found in more than one journal or more than one sequential issue of the same jour­ nal), as were part­time appointments or those of less than one year. Advertise­ ments for dean and director positions also were eliminated. Only four­year aca­ demic institutions located in the United States were retained. In the event the post­ ing involved a split assignment (wherein the vacancy had responsibilities under two or more job titles), the position with the largest percentage of duties was clas­ sified. If not stated in the advertisement, the job title described first was coded. The authors then coded each advertise­ ment into various classifications accord­ ing to the schema devised by Reser and Schuneman. The categories included type of position, geographic region of the in­ stitution, presence of administrative du­ ties, computer skills, language skills, pre­ vious work experience, educational level, and salary. Three people coded thirty ad­ vertisements to measure inter­rater reli­ ability. The tests revealed some discrep­ ancy among the raters' assignment of cat­ egory classification. To compensate, two raters coded specific categories of each an­ nouncement. The third rater entered the data into a spreadsheet and checked for consistency of coding. Forms were ana­ lyzed with Excel and Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) programs. Statistical tests included chi­square and Analysis of Vari­ ance (ANOVA). Results of the analysis of the 1996 data were then compared to the 1988 findings reported by Reser and Schuneman. Results Recent projections regarding growth in the litrary employment market range from dismal to dynamic. Based on eco­ July 2000 nomic indicators or the growth of tech­ nology, researchers foresaw slow expan­ sion or declining opportunities in the field. Stanley J. Wilder, on the other hand, postulated that library jobs would grow over the next twenty-five years due to retirements by an aging librarian popu- lation. This aging librarian demographic has yet to impact the academic library job market as a whole. Instead of an increase in advertised openings, this study found a significant decrease when compared to 1988 data. Nine hundred unique positions were identified for 1996, compared to 1,133 reported by Reser and Schuneman, a decrease of more than 20 percent.14 As table 1 shows, reference, at 30.2 per­ cent, accounted for the largest number of positions advertised. Cataloging, at 12.8 percent, constituted the next largest cat­ egory, a decrease of more than 10 percent from 1988. Reference and cataloging po­ sitions also comprised the two largest cat­ egories in the 1988 study, accounting for 49.4 percent and 22.9 percent of the pool, respectively.ls The number of job titles analyzed within the public services division in­ creased from six in 1988 to eleven in 1996. Branch managers, collection develop­ ment, government documents, music, and special collections positions were advertised at such frequency as to war­ rant their own categories and were added to the positions of reference, head of pub­ lic services, instruction, circulation, inter­ library loan (ILL), and other public ser­ vices as reported by Reser and Schuneman. The number of job titles under technical services was the same in both studies. Due to the growing rate of electronic services positions advertised in the 1980s, and the firm entrenchment of the systems and automation librarian in the field, the authors expanded Reser and Schuneman's divisions of public services and technical services to include electronic services. As a result, five additional job titles (systems librarian, head of systems, electronic pub­ lic services librarian, electronic technical services librarian, and other electronic ser­ http:respectively.ls http:percent.14 TABLE 1 Positions Advertised, by Job Title Job Title No. % Reference 272 Head, Public Services 28 Branch 18 Circulation 18 Collection Development 54 Government Documents 20 Interlibrary Loan 14 Library Instruction 49 Music 4 Special Collections 44 Other 28 Total Public Services Cataloging Head, Technical Services Acquisitions Serials Preservation Other Total Technical Services 199 22.1 Systems 39 4.3 Head, Electronic Services 12 1.3 Electronicrrech Services 17 1.9 ElectronicrPublic Services 61 6.8 Other 23 2.6 Total Electronic Services 152 16.9 Totals 900 99.9 549 115 21 17 18 12 16 vices) were included in the 1996 study. Systems positions were identified as those whose major responsibility involved working with an integrated library system. The job title of other electronic services was composed of those working primarily with compact discs, local area networks (LANs), and microcomputer software and hard­ ware. A large portion of electronic public services and electronic technical services position responsibilities included main­ taining and installing hardware and soft­ ware, and/or developing a Web presence for their respective divisions or libraries. The total number of job titles reviewed increased from twelve in 1988 to twenty­ two in 1996. Of the nine hundred posi­ tions analyzed, 549 (61%) were public ser­ vices, 199 (22.1%) were technical services, and 152 (16.9%) were electronic services. 30.2 3.1 2.0 2.0 6.0 2.2 1.6 5.4 .4 4.9 3.1 60.9 12.8 2.3 1.9 2.0 1.3 1.8 head or assistant head of a unit, depart­ ment, section, etc. Administrative respon­ sibilities were found in 22.4 percent of po­ sitions advertised, a decrease from 39 per­ cent in 1988. The breakdown by division revealed that 34.7 percent of technical ser­ vices positions contained administrative duties, a decrease from 45 percent in 1988.19 In contrast, 20.2 percent of public services and 14.5 percent of electronic ser­ vices positions included administrative responsibilities. This suggests that al­ though there is a marked decrease in the number of positions advertising admin­ istrative duties, persons working in tech­ nical services are still more likely to have administrative responsibilities as part of their regular job duties. Findings regarding computer skills, foreign languages, previous work expe­ Other Duties as Assigned 339 Comparing these data to the 1988 data revealed relative stasis in public services, but a marked de­ crease, from 38.5 to 22.1 percent, in technical services job an­ nouncements.17 The geographic location of each position was coded to the state level. The states with the greatest number of advertised positions were Texas, with seventy-two (8%) and New York, with sixty-eight (7.6%). Neither Idaho nor Wyo- ming posted vacancies meeting the inclusion criteria for 1996. The states were divided into geo- graphic regions defined by the ALA Survey of Librarian Salaries.1S As indicated in table 2, the num­ ber of job advertisements was fairly evenly distributed among the regions, with a high of 236 postings in the North Atlantic re­ gion and a low of 218 in the South­ east region. Although all regions experienced decreases, the North Atlantic and Midwest suffered the highest loss of advertised openings when compared to 1988 data. Each position was analyzed for the presence of administrative du­ ties, which were defined as the 340 College & Research Libraries July 2000 TABLE 2 Positions Advertised, by Region Region No. % Change from 1988 Data North Atlantic 236 26.2 90 loss Midwest 219 24.3 74 loss Southeast 218 24.2 21 loss West 227 25.2 48 loss Totals 900 99.9 233 loss rience, educational requirements, and sal­ ary are reported in the following sections. Computer Skills Cs information sources in academic li­ braries are delivered increasingly via an electronic medium, the degree to which computer skills are sought by libraries becomes an important concern. Computer bkill, as broadly defined by Reser and schuneman, includes knowledge of, or experience with, a wide variety of com­ puter applications.2o A small difference exists in the require­ ment of computer skills between public services (62.8%) and technical services (59.3%). When compared to electronic ser­ vices positions, which required computer skills 91.4 percent of the time, these lev­ els were found to be statistically signifi­ cant (see table 3). Although this require­ ment is found in the majority of an­ nouncements among all divisions, the fig­ ures demonstrate a much greater demand for these skills among electronic services librarians, supporting the authors' hy­ pothesis. Combining the "required" and "preferred" categories re­ veals even more similarity between public services and technical services, with 80.8 and 79.9 percent, re­ spectively, requesting com­ puter skills, as compared to electronic services (96%) positions. Data from 1996 revealed that 66.9 percent of all po­ sitions advertised required computer skills, compared to 40.5 percent reported by Reser and Schuneman.21 Not surpris­ ingly, this comparison revealed that the demand for computer skills increased rapidly among all divisions. Using chi-square to analyze the workexperience category among jobdivisions does not support thehypothesis that technical servicespositions are more likely to requireprevious work experience. Foreign Language Fosition advertisements also were exam­ ined for foreign­language requirements. nny mention of foreign­language skills, whether required or preferred, and the level of proficiency requested were coded. Technical services positions re­ quired or preferred foreign­language skills 30.7 percent of the time. Based on analysis of cataloging positions in the 1970s and 1980s, Furuta reported that for­ eign­language ability was requested in TABLE 3 Computer Skills, by Division Public Services Technical Services Electronic Services Total No. % No. % No. % No. % Not stated Preferred Required Totals 105 19.1 99 18.0 345 62.8 549 99.9 40 20.1 41 20.6 118 59.3 199 100.0 6 3.9 7 4.6 139 91.4 152 99.9 151 16.8 147 16.3 602 66.9 900 100.0 X2 = 49.42; df = 2; P <0.0001 http:Schuneman.21 Other Duties as Assigned 341 TABLE 4 Foreign-Language Requirements, by Division Public Services Technical Services Electronic Services Total No. % No. % No. % No. % Not stated 470 85.6 138 69.3 145 95.4 753 83.7 Preferred 42 7.7 22 11.1 1 .7 65 7.2 Required 37 6.7 39 19.6 6 3.9 82 9.1 Totals 549 100.0 199 100.0 152 100.0 900 100.0 X2 = 43.37; df = 2; P <0.0001 65 percent of the advertisements for aca­ demic libraries.22 In a more recent study, Towsey noted that language skills were indicated in 44 percent of cataloging an­ nouncements.23 Even though foreign­ language skills as a requirement for tech­ nical services positions apparently declined between the 1970s and 1990s, these positions were still more likely to require them than public or electronic services positions were. The request for foreign­language skills for cataloging positions is in contrast to public services positions and electronic services posi­ tions requiring or preferring them in 14.4 and 4.6 percent of advertisements, re­ spectively (see table 4). Comparing the request for foreign­language skills in the 1996 and 1988 studies revealed percent­ ages have remained fairly constant, with only a slight decrease for both technical services and public services positions, from 37 to 30.7 percent and from 16 to 14.4 percent, respectively.24 The 147 advertisements that requested foreign­language skills were further bro­ ken down by the level of language skill required-working, reading, and fluent (see table 5). Statistical analysis was not performed due to the small number of results reported. However, it is interest­ ing to note that public services positions were more likely to request fluent knowl­ edge of a foreign language whereas read­ ing knowledge was more highly sought by electronic services and technical ser­ vices. Work Experience Each job advertisement was analyzed to determine whether previous work expe­ rience was a prerequisite for employment. As in Reser and Schuneman's study, data on work experience were classified as xre­ quired," xpreferred/desired," or xnot stated or no work experience."25 Inclusion in the last category consisted of announce­ ments that (1) did not mention work ex­ perience, (2) stated that no experience was necessary, or (3) were noted as "entry level." Analysis of the 1996 data indicated that 20 percent of the position advertisements could be met by individuals with no pre­ TABLE 5 Language Skill Level, by Division Public Services Technical Services Electronic Services Total No. % No. % No. % No. % Not stated 34 43.0 21 34.4 1 14.3 56 38.1 Working 18 22.8 15 24.6 2 28.6 35 23.8 Reading 19 24.0 21 34.4 4 57.1 44 29.9 Fluent 8 10.1 4 6.6 0 0.0 12 8.2 Totals 79 99.9 61 100.0 7 100.0 147 100.0 http:libraries.22 342 College & Research Libraries July 2000 TABLE 6 Previous Work Experience, by Division Public Services No. % Not stated 102 18.6 Preferred 144 26.2 Required 303 55.2 Totals 549 100.0 Technical Services No. % 38 19.1 33 16.6 128 64.3 199 100.0 Electronic Services No. % 41 27.0 28 18.4 83 54.6 152 100.0 Total No. % 181 20.1 205 22.8 514 57.1 900 100.0 X2 = 0.161; df = 1; P = 0.688 (when combining required and Preferred/desired) vious experience. Almost 23 percent of the advertisements listed library experience as preferred or desired, and 57.1 percent required some previous library experi­ ence (see table 6). These results show a pattern consistent with findings from the 1988 survey in which 18 percent of job postings could be met with no experience, 31 percent requested experience, and 51 percent required previous library experi­ ence. Differences decreased even more when combining the required and pre­ ferred/desired categories: 82 percent of job announcements from 1988 requested previous library experience, compared to almost 80 percent in 1996.26 Using chi­square to analyze the work experience category among job divisions does not support the hypothesis that technical services positions are more likely to require previous work experi­ ence. After combining required and pre­ ferred/desired variables, the data indi­ cate that technical services and public services are about equal in their request of previous work experience at about 81 percent each. Electronic services, at 73 percent, are below public services and technical services. Educational Requirements Etudies tracling the requirement of an dLdiaccredited degree in library science for professional positions have reported more than 90 percent of academic, pubi lic, and special library job advertisements consider it a requirement for employi ment.27 Reser and Schuneman found that 98 percent of job announcements in 1988 required an ALA-accredited library de- gree, but this requirement was present in only 90.6 percent of job advertisements posted in 1996.28 When analyzing this requirement among job divisions, even more variabil­ ity is revealed. Public services and tech­ nical services jobs advertised in 1996 sought the ALA­accredited MLS 93.4 and 93.5 percent of the time, respectively. Al­ though hypothesized that electronic ser­ vices positions would be less likely to re­ quire the ALA­MLS, the authors were surprised to find it requested only 76.3 percent of the time. Significant differences also were found when considering requirements for ad­ vanced degrees (subject master's, law, or doctoral). As expected, public services positions, at 35.4 percent, were approxi­ mately three times as likely to require or prefer advanced subject degrees when compared to technical services, at 10 per­ cent of the time, and electronic services, at 13.8 percent of the time (see table 7). This is similar to 1988 data of when 30.7 per­ cent of public services positions and 12.4 percent of technical services positions re­ quired or requested an advanced degree.29 Minimum Salary Studies of liararian salaries traditionally used either minimum stated salaries or the midpoint of a stated range. For the pur­ poses of this study. and for consistency in comparison to deser and Schuneman's analysis. the authors coded the minimum salary stated in advertisements. whether a range was indicated or not. As pointed Other Duties as Assigned 343 TABLE 7 Advanced Degree Requirements, by Division Public Services Technical Services Electronic Services Total No. % No. % No. % No. % Not Stated 355 64.7 Preferred 147 26.8 Required 47 8.6 Totals 549 100.1 179 90.0 17 8.5 3 1.5 199 100.0 131 86.2 16 10.5 5 3.3 152 100.0 665 73.9 180 20.0 55 6.1 900 100.0 X2 = 62.33; df = 2; P <0.0001 out by Reser and Schuneman, limitations was investigated. As hypothesized, job exist with salary analyses. They noted that salaries stated in advertisements are gen­ erally open to negotiation and that actual starting salaries may be higher. Further, they cautioned that advertised salaries should not be compared to salary data, which are published in annual surveys and based on actual salaries. Finally, they noted that nonwage benefits have not been accounted for and also should be considered by the job seeker.30 The lowest and high­ est advertised individual salaries were both in public services, ranging from $19,157 to $65,000. The mean of all salaries was $30,945, and the standard deviation was $6,421. Of advertised minimum salaries, 86.8 percent fell within a nor­ mal distribution (see table 8). As expected, electronic services jobs were more likely to advertise higher salaries. For 1996, the mean salary for electronic services positions was $1,700 higher than techni­ cal services positions and $1,831 higher than public services (see table 9). Experience in relation to advertised salaries also Mean Minimum Salaries, by Position (In Descending Order) Position No. Mean Salary ($) Head, Technical Services Head, Public Services Head, Electronic Services Branch Manager Special Collections ElectronicrTechnical Services Other, Systems Collection Development Systems ElectronicrPublic Services Cataloging Other, Public Services Circulation Other, Technical Services Instruction Music Government Documents Preservation Acquisitions Reference ILL Serials 21 28 12 18 44 17 23 54 39 61 115 28 18 16 49 4 20 12 17 272 14 18 41,500 41,113 40,750 35,012 34,360 33,430 32,192 31,845 31,772 30,813 30,774 30,348 30,311 30,179 29,837 29,650 29,312 29,304 29,206 29,033 28,881 28,814 announcements requiring experience were more likely to advertise higher salaries than announcements that did not. Oddly, positions that preferred experience dif­ fered only slightly in salary from entry­ level positions (see table 10). To make comparisons among public, technical, and electronic divisions more TABLE 8 344 College & Research Libraries July 2000 analysis of nine hundredTABLE 9 position announcementsMean Salary, by Job Division and their comparison to earlier research. First isJob Division Salary ($) Standard Deviation ($) the significant decreasePublic Services 30,620 6,518 in the volume of adver­Technical Services 30,751 5,992 tised positions and theElectronic Services 32,451 6,429 shift in types of positions heads was only $387 Mean Salary, by Level of Experience more than public ser­ vices and $750 more than Experience Level Salary ($) Standard Deviation ($) division heads in elec­ Entry 28,971 4,681tronic services. Preferred 28,090 3,996 Required 32,875 7,102 Discussion Several conclusions can f = 42.56; df = 2; P <0.0001 be drawn from this f = 3.46; df = 2; P = 0.03 meaningful, three subgroups from each division were identified and compared (see table 11). Reser and Schuneman chose to analyze reference and cataloging posi­ tions because they comprised the largest segment within their respective divisions. They went on to analyze these positions with and without administrative duties and as heads of departments due to their representation of a logical career progres­ sion.31 The authors likewise used Reser and Schuneman's pairings, with the ad­ dition of systems positions. In comparison to 1988 findings, where salaries for reference and cataloging po­ sitions without administrative duties were almost identical, 1996 data indicate that cataloging salaries were almost $1,000 greater than reference. The differ­ ence between systems without adminis­ trative duties compared to reference and cataloging positions was even more sub­ stantial, $3,719 and $2,823, respectively. Due to the small number of systems ad­ vertisements with administrative respon­ sibilities (one announcement), reporting is less reliable. However, reference posi­ tions with administrative duties paid $1,794 more than cataloging on the aver­ age. For division heads, the mean minimum sal­ ary for technical services advertised. Decreases were concentrated mainly in technical ser­ vices, with cataloging experiencing the most dramatic loss in job announcements. Other researchers have likewise reported a reduction in professional cataloging staff.32 Wilder 's analysis of librarian de­ mographics suggested that this may be due to catalogers being an unusually old subgroup of librarians who are at the fore­ front of the retirement wave.33 Others at­ tributed the decrease in numbers to the impact of automation and bibliographic utilities on cataloging positions.34 It is possible that as many catalogers retire, libraries are choosing not to rehire those positions and, instead, are meeting their needs by using paraprofessionals, outsourcing, or using bibliographic utili­ ties. In contrast to the decrease in the num­ ber of technical services positions adver­ tised, specialist positions appear to be growing.35 This is further evidenced by the increase in the number of position titles analyzed over time. In a study span­ ning twenty years of job advertisements, Wells classified position advertisements into nine different job titles.36 Reser and Schuneman assigned positions to twelve job titles for their analysis of 1988 adver- TABLE 10 http:titles.36 http:growing.35 http:staff.32 Other Duties as Assigned 345 TABLE 11 Salary Com[arisons Title No. Rpt'd Mean Standard Salary ($) Deviation ($) Set 1 Head, Public Services Head, Technical Services Head, Electronic Services Set 2 Reference (with admin. duties) Cataloging (with admin. duties) Systems (with admin. duties) Set 3 Reference (no admin. duties) Cataloging (no admin. duties) Systems (no admin. duties) 28 21 12 30 33 3 242 82 36 17 6 10 24 25 1 179 56 20 41,113 41,500 40,750 36,791 34,997 33,000 27,992 28,888 31,711 11,498 11,559 8,626 6,667 6,275 0 3,793 3,640 5,708 tisements.37 For this study, there were enough distinct advertised positions to be coded into twenty-two different job titles. William C. Robinson, who reviewed col- lection development positions over an eleven-year period, reported that the number of positions announced nearly doubled throughout the 1980s.38 Other researchers have indicated a trend toward growing numbers of job advertisements for specialized positions.39 The growing request for computer skills constitutes another trend. More than 83 percent of position announcements in this study requested computer skills, an in­ crease of 13 percent in eight years.4D Ear­ lier researchers likewise have indicated the growing demand for computer and elec­ tronic skills across all job titles. Yuan Zhou, tracking the demand for computer­related skills for academic librarians, found that the number of advertisements requesting these skills grew from 10.3 percent in 1974 to 88.9 percent in 1994.41 Hong Xu reported that computer skills requirements in­ creased dramatically for reference and cataloging positions throughout the 1970s and 1980s.42 Perhaps this burgeoning need for electronically savvy candidates has contributed to what may be the most dra­ matic trend-an increase in the acceptance of degrees other than the ALA­accredited MLS. In 1988, Phyllis J. Hudson stated that "the ALA­accredited MLS degree is uni­ versally recognized as the basic require­ ment for entry into academic librarianship."43 However, this no longer appears to be a universal truth. There is a definite trend toward the use of non­MLS­ degreed professionals to fill systems posi­ tions. Although public and technical ser­ vices positions continue to require the ALA­accredited library degree in well over 90 percent of job advertisements, this quali­ fication was present in only three­fourths of the electronic services advertisements. Other researchers have related similar re­ sults. Budd reported that 21.4 percent of the systems announcements he analyzed accepted a degree other than the ALA­ac­ credited MLS, and Foote stated that more than one­third of the advertisements she reviewed did not require the ALA library degree.44 Although libraries face a shortage of qualified applicants for systems positions, several researchers found the relaxing of this requirement unsettling.45 As stated by Foote, "less frequent demand for the MLS could erode the professional status of li­ brarians in this age of information tech­ nology."46 It is imperative that the systems librarian have a clear understanding of how information flows into the library and how colleagues and patrons use this information. For many systems, it is more important to have a systems librarian with a thorough grounding in the func­ tions and organization of the library than in­depth knowledge of automation.47 One possible solution is to train promising li­ brarians in the field of systems rather than http:automation.47 http:unsettling.45 http:degree.44 http:1980s.42 http:years.4D http:positions.39 346 College & Research Libraries programmers or analysts in the field of librarianship.48 It also is possible that sys­ tems librarians who have held other po­ sitions may have more loyalty to the pro­ fession and stay in the job longer. The in­ vestment in training may outweigh the significant costs of replacing an employee. Suggestions for Further Research The primary purpose of this study was to determine if statistically significant dif­ ferences exist among public servicesp tech­ nical servicesp and electronic services po­ sitions in academic libraries. vf equal importancep howeverp was the compari­ son of 1996 data to earlier research. The actual number of advertised positions de­ creased substantially between 1988 and 1996. Academic library positions appear to be becoming more specializedp and many requisite skills of these positions are July 2000 changing rapidly and dramatically. The masthead of the professionp the ALA­ac­ credited MLSp is in danger of being relin­ quished in the face of hard­to­fill systems positions. Further research designed to in­ vestigate benefits and qualifications of academic library positions and identify trends in the academic library job market is essential. Specificallyp replication of Reser and Schuneman's study on an in­ terval basis will control for fluctuations in the library job market and build on existing data. Library school administra­ tors and professors must have a clear understanding of what qualifications are being sought to better prepare students for the job market. This research also will offer librarians and students a framework they can use to make informed choices when pursuing a specialization or a po­ sition in an academic library. Notes 1. David W. Reser and Anita P. Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market: A Content Analysis Comparing Public and Technical Services," College & Research Libraries 53 (Jan. 1992): 49-59. 2. Kenneth Furuta, 'The Impact of Automation on Professional Catalogers,H Information Tech­nology and Libraries 9 (Sept. 1990): 242-52. 3. Michael Towsey, "Nice Work If You Can Get It? A Study of Patterns and Trends in Cata­loguing Employment in the USA and the UK in the Mid­1990s," Cataloging and Classification Quarterly 24, nos. 1-2 (1997): 61-79.4. Ann W. Copeland, "The Demand for Serials Catalogers: An Analysis of Job Advertise­ ments, 1980-1995," Serials Librarian 32, nos. 1-2 (1997): 27-37; Carolyn J. Mueller and Margaret v.Mering, "Serials Positions in U.S. Academic Libraries, 1980-1988: A Survey of Position Announce­ ments," Library Resources and Technical Services 35 (Oct. 1991): 416-21; William C. Robinson, "Aca­demic Library Collection Development and Management Positions: Announcements in College & Research Libraries News from 1980 through 1991," Library Resources and Technical Services 37(Apr. 1993): 134-46. 5. John M. Budd, "Salaries of Automation Librarians: Positions and Requirements," Journalof Library Administration 13, nos. 1-2 (1990): 21-29; Margaret Foote, "The Systems Librarian in U.S. Academic Libraries: A Survey of Announcements from College & Research Libraries News,1990-1994," College & Research Libraries 58 (Nov. 1997): 517-26. 6. Yuan Zhou, "Analysis of Trends in Demand for Computer-Related Skills for AcademicLibrarians from 1974 to 1994," College & Research Libraries 57 (May 1996): 259-72. 7. Hong Xu, "The Impact of Automation on Job Requirements and Qualifications for Cata­logers and Reference Librarians in Academic Libraries," Library Resources and Technical Services 40 (Jan. 1996): 9-31.8. Mary Baier Wells, "Requirements and Benefits for Academic Librarians: 1959-1979," Col­ lege & Research Libraries 43 (Nov. 1982): 450-58.9. Ronald Rayman, "Employment Opportunities for Academic Librarians in the 1970s: An Analysis of the Past Decade," College & Research Libraries 42 (May 1981): 229-34.10. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market." 11. Ibid., 50.12. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 1996/ 97 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1997); Rayman, "Employment Opportuni­ties for Academic Librarians in the 1970s," 233. 13. Stanley J. Wilder, The Age Demographics of Academic Librarians: A Profession Apart (Wash- http:librarianship.48 Other Duties as Assigned 347 ington, D.C.: ARL, 1995). This report is based on data from the ARL Annual Salary Survey.14. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market," 50. 15. Ibid.16. Ibid., 51. 17. Ibid.18. American Library Association, Office for Research and Office for Library Personnel Re­ sources, ALA Survey of Librarian Salaries 1995 (Chicago: ALA, 1995).19. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market," 51. Reser and Schuneman reported that 46 percent of technical services position advertisements had some type of adminis­trative duties. 20. Ibid.21. Ibid., 52. 22. Furuta, "The Impact of Automation on Professional Catalogers," 250.23. Towsey, "Nice Work If You Can Get It?" 70. 24. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market," 62.25. Ibid., 53. 26. Ibid., 54.27. Wells, "Requirements and Benefits for Academic Librarians," 453; Holly Williams, "Re­ quired and Preferred Qualifications in Entry­Level Library Position Announcements," Missis­sippi Libraries 61 (winter 1997): 89-91; Joyce C. Wright, "Job Opportunities for Academic and Public Librarians: 1980-1984," Journal of Library Administration 9, no. 2 (1988): 45-58.28. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market," 54. 29. Ibid.30. Ibid., 55. 31. Ibid., 56.32. For example, Wells, "Requirements and Benefits for Academic Librarians," 453; Wilder, The Age Demographics of Academic Librarians, viii; Xu, "The Impact of Automation on Job Require­ments," 242. 33. Wilder, The Age Demographics of Academic Librarians, x.34. For example, Furuta, "The Impact of Automation on Professional Catalogers," 242; Peter Spyers-Duran, "The Effects of Automation on Organizational Change, Staffing, and Human Re-lations in Catalog Departments," in Requiem or the Card Catalog: Management Issues in AutomatedCataloging, ed. Daniel Gore, Joseph Kimbrough, and Peter Spyers-Duran (Westport, Conn.: Green- wood, 1979), 29-39; Xu, "The Impact of Automation on Job Requirements," 11.35. Ellen Gay Detlefson, "Specialists as Professionals in Research Libraries: An Overview of Trends and an Analysis of Job Announcements," Library Trends 41 (fall 1992): 187-97; Furuta,"The Impact of Automation on Professional Catalogers," 251. 36. Wells, "Requirements and Benefits for Academic Librarians," 453.37. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market," 51. 38. Robinson, "Academic Library Collection Development and Management Positions," 137.39. Copeland, "The Demand for Serials Catalogers," 33; Mueller and Mering, "Serials Posi­ tions in U.S. Academic Libraries," 419.40. Reser and Schuneman, "The Academic Library Job Market," 52. Reser and Schuneman reported that 70.6 percent of ads required or preferred computer skills.41. Zhou, "Analysis of Trends in Demand for Computer­Related Skills," 262. 42. Xu, "The Impact of Automation on Job Requirements," 23.43. Phyllis J. Hudson, "Recruitment for Academic Librarianship," in Librarians for the New Millennium, ed. William E. Moen and Kathleen M. Hein (Chicago: ALA, 1988), 72-82.44. Budd, "Salaries of Automation Librarians," 25; Foote, "The Systems Librarian in U.S. Aca­ demic Libraries," 522.45. Felix Tse­Hsiu Chu, "Evaluating the Skills of the Systems Librarian," Journal of Library Administration 12, no. 1 (1990): 91-102; Detlefson, "Specialists as Professionals in Research Librar­ies," 195-196; Foote, "The Systems Librarian in U.S. Academic Libraries," 525. 46. Foote, "The Systems Librarian in U.S. Academic Libraries."47. Susan Baerg Epstein, "Administrators of Automated Systems," Library Journal 116 (Mar. 15, 1991): 66-67.48. Detlefson, 'Specialists as Professionals in Research Libraries," 196; Susan K. Martin, 'The Role of the Systems Librarian," Journal of Library Administration 9, no. 4 (1988): 57-68.