Minding the Gap presentation at ALA 2010 on intergenerational attitudes toward library reference service

1. MINDING THE GAP Generational Differences in Attitudes toward Reference Service in Academic Libraries Eric Jennings Hans Kishel Jill Markgraf

4. MINDING THE GAP The changing library workforce

5. MINDING THE GAP 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

7. MINDING THE GAP Who are you?

8. MINDING THE GAP Generations defined 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+

10. MINDING THE GAP Our sample: 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

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13. MINDING THE GAP Survey respondents by gender

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15. MINDING THE GAP Assumptions about generations in the workforce

16. “ ” MINDING THE GAP 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

17. MINDING THE GAP The reference desk is obsolete and should be dismantled altogether

18. MINDING THE GAP Reference desk should be dismantled

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

20. MINDING THE GAP Reference desk should remain unchanged

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

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

23. MINDING THE GAP The print reference collection is becoming obsolete and should be dismantled altogether.

24. MINDING THE GAP Print reference collection should be dismantled

25. MINDING THE GAP Academic libraries should begin circulating most or all print reference resources.

26. MINDING THE GAP Print reference collection should be circulated

27. MINDING THE GAP Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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

29. MINDING THE GAP The reference collection should be transformed into an online only collection.

30. MINDING THE GAP Reference collection should be online only

31. MINDING THE GAP Wikipedia is an appropriate resource to use in the provision of reference service.

32. MINDING THE GAP Wikipedia is an appropriate resource

33. MINDING THE GAP Virtual reference services (chat, IM, Skype, etc.) are effective.

34. MINDING THE GAP Virtual reference services are effective

35. MINDING THE GAP Assumptions about generations in the workforce

36. MINDING THE GAP Our assumption: Younger librarians are less entrenched in traditional librarian roles.

37. MINDING THE GAP Reference librarians should have some responsibilities in the following areas…

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

39. MINDING THE GAP Assumptions about generations in the workforce

40. “ ” MINDING THE GAP 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

41. “ ” MINDING THE GAP 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

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

43. MINDING THE GAP Assumptions about generations in the workforce

44. “ ” MINDING THE GAP 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

45. “ ” MINDING THE GAP 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.

46. MINDING THE GAP Strength of Convictions

47. MINDING THE GAP Assumptions about generations in the workforce

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

49. MINDING THE GAP What % of their time should individual reference librarians be staffing the reference desk ?

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

51. MINDING THE GAP What % of the reference desk’s open hours should be staffed by a librarian?

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

53. MINDING THE GAP Characteristics of Academic Reference Librarians Ranked by Importance

54. MINDING THE GAP 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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58. “ MINDING THE GAP ” 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]

59. Thank you for attending Eric Jennings Hans Kishel Jill Markgraf