Between Two Worlds: Job Satisfaction of Library Staff Members with MLS Degrees

This poster discusses research in progress to study the job satisfaction of library support staff members who hold the MLS degree. What data can be found suggests that MLS holders comprise a significant number of library support staff, yet little is known about their experiences as a group. The library science literature tends to mention staff MLS holders whenever there is an economic stressor in the librarian hiring landscape, holding them up as a visible indicator of an underlying problem. My study seeks to understand the experiences of MLS holders in support staff positions across technical and public services, including reasons for being in these positions, relationships with MLS holders in librarian positions, other support staff, and library administrators, and the factors that have the greatest impact on their job satisfaction. I hope to suggest support strategies that may increase job satisfaction and professional growth among members of this group.