The role, status, and working conditions of paraprofessionals: A national survey of academic libraries

Abstract

The emergence of paraprofessionals as a growing force in academic libraries is a much discussed but little investigated phenomenon. The rapid change that characterizes academic libraries today has affected profoundly staff deployment and workplace task assignment. The profession's response to these new conditions, however, has been weak, and librarians have not exercised leadership. Librarians speculate, but do not know with certainty, the education, skills, and other competencies required of paraprofessionals, the tasks and levels of authority assigned them, the salaries and staff development incentives offered, or the potential of their contribution. The authors present the results of their 1990 national survey of the role, status, and working conditions of paraprofessionals in two populations, a census of the Association of Research Libraries, and a random sample of the Carnegie Classification libraries. They review the literature, analyze the data results, make recommendations for further research, and propose actions to be taken by the profession.