This study used a qualitative case study method to explore the position of a subject librarian in a large academic library in the United States using the subject librarians at Brigham Young University as the case. In the first phase of the study, all Brigham Young University subject librarians were given the opportunity to participate in a semi-structured interview. Subject librarians considered their main purpose to be connecting the people at the university with library resources. Their duties of collection development, reference, instruction, liaison, citizenship, professional development, and scholarship are interrelated and work together in important ways. Subject librarians are satisfied with their jobs and corresponding autonomy. They are concerned about librarian stereotypes and want to overcome the ignorance about their positions. They agree that subject knowledge is important but do not agree on a formal degree standard. In the next phase of the study, one faculty member was interviewed for each participating subject librarian. Faculty members defined a subject librarian as someone who knows their subject and has library training. Faculty members valued librarian competence over any specific degree or training and did not care what status librarians held. Faculty members considered the primary duties of a subject librarian as helping faculty members purchase materials and helping faculty and students find and use the library's resources. Faculty members interviewed were pleased with and grateful for the services they received from subject librarians. This study can be used by libraries to help with the subject librarian hiring process, showing that the focus should be on people skills and connection with others and not on degree and status. The study can also help craft a subject librarian program, encouraging subject librarians to focus on faculty members' understanding and priorities.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BGMYU2/oai:scholarsarchive.byu.edu:etd-11236 |
| Date | 06 December 2023 |
| Creators | Wilson, Duane E |
| Publisher | BYU ScholarsArchive |
| Source Sets | Brigham Young University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
| Rights | https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/ |
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