Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is to understand the work experiences and job satisfaction of library support staff who hold an MLS, MSLIS, or related master's degree. I hope to discover what drives job satisfaction for this group and to understand what managers can do to support them.
Study Description
This is a mixed method study with quantitative and qualitative aspects. In the first phase, I am distributing a survey that will collect data on job satisfaction of library support staff. Library staff who do not hold the MLS will be invited to participate for comparison. In the second phase, I would like to interview library support staff MLS holders in order to go into a bit more depth on what managers and institutions can do to increase their productivity and satisfaction. My goal is to write an article for the library and information science literature.
How Potential Interview Participants Will Be Selected
I am using a convenience sample for this study. The survey is being distributed in August and September 2025 to listservs specifically for library support staff as well as general listservs spanning technical and public services . National listservs for library support staff which existed in the past have mostly disappeared, but there are still state-level listservs specifically for support staff. Interested survey respondents will be invited to leave contact information for interviews.
Expectations for Participants
Participants selected for interviews will talk with me online for about 45 minutes in September and October 2025. I will ask them some questions about their work experiences and job satisfaction. I am using secure meeting software for interviews, with telephone available as backup. I will audio-record interview sessions for transcribing and study purposes only.
Study Risks
Participation in this study carries minimal risk. According to DHHS Regulations minimal risk means "The probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the research are not greater in and of themselves than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests."
Ethics and Privacy
I am committed to adhering to ethical conduct, ensuring privacy and confidentiality, and protecting data. When interviews are transcribed, they will be coded in such a way that personal information and institutions will not be attached. While I retain the right to use and publish non-identifiable data, individuals' participation in the project is confidential and their responses will remain anonymous. All data will be stored in a secure location accessible only to me. Upon completion of the study, all information that matches up individual respondents with their answers, including audio- or video recordings, will be destroyed.
Contact Informaton
I would be happy to discuss the project further. Please contact me by email at mbecher@american.edu or by phone at 202-885-3263. You can also contact American University's Research Compliance Manager at 202-885-3447 or irb@american.edu.
