Supporting Mid-career Academic Librarians

A Mixed-methods Study of Professional Development Preferences and Approaches 

Abstract

As mid-career librarians and supervisors we were motivated to learn how others navigate this lengthy period of their work life, which can span 20 or more years. We queried 15 mid-career academic instruction librarians via a survey and interview to learn what factors motivate their engagement in professional development. Analysis surfaced a recursive relationship between practice and validation composed of internal and climate-based themes that we developed into the Learning Process Framework. We identify practices for libraries to adopt to support a mid-career cohort and to inform institutional training efforts and retention strategies. We also outline practices for mid-career librarians to consider as they navigate strategies for learning and engagement.