Professional experiences of library school graduates in non-library jobs

What is it about?

This grounded theory project asked “how to library and information science (LIS) graduates in non-library roles experience professional identity?” The study produced the theory of personalizing professionalism which found that individuals possess two identities which interact with each other throughout one’s career. The first is an internal appraisal of self which represents an individual’s assessment of who they “really” are as a professional. The second is an externally expressed identity, which represents who that individual presents him or herself to be.

Featured Image

Why is it important?

Understanding how these professionals experience professional identity can help practitioners, educators, and professional associations to take advantage of a wide range of employment options. This paper should be of interest to both educators and practitioners interested in how emerging, non-library roles may impact the library and information science profession.