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Teaching Beyond the Stacks: Examining the Organizational Identification of Academic Librarians

Hagman, Jessica C.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2920-3640
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427983207

Abstract Details

2015, Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, Organizational Communication (Communication).
The recent technological advances that have transformed access to information have also radically altered the work of academic librarians. While many academic librarians now focus on conducting information literacy instruction for college or university students, many questions remain about the identity of the librarians as they and their libraries move into an increasingly digital future. This study uses a structurational understanding of organizational identification (Scott, Corman & Cheney, 1998) to examine how academic librarians think about their work-related identities and identify with organizational targets. Using a grounded theory approach to data collection and analysis, I interviewed 18 academic librarians who are currently engaged in information literacy instruction. Analysis of the interview data indicated that the participants identified with their instructional role, considered their work to be a part of the overall student learning process on their campuses, and spent time explaining their teaching role to colleagues, friends, and family. Evidence of identification included: the librarians’ self-presentation as teachers, the prioritization of instruction over other work, a dedication to the instructional component of the library’s missions, participation in campus outreach to improve information literacy instruction opportunities and participation in professional development related to teaching and information literacy. Participants indicated that they used communication with both their colleagues and supervisors to help set priorities and make decisions about their day-to-day work. Given the results of this study, I conclude that the librarians’ identity as an information literacy instructor serves as an internal structure (Stones, 2005) that guides their daily lives. The perceived misunderstandings of library work also serve as an internal structure against which many of the participants actively fought. Finally, the information literacy infrastructures at the participants’ campuses and libraries have the potential to serve as either an internal or external structure depending on the librarians’ perceived ability to affect change in those structures.
Claudia Hale, PhD (Advisor)
Brittany Peterson, PhD (Committee Member)
Chen Yea-Wen, PhD (Committee Member)
166 p.
Communication; Library Science
organizational identification; academic librarians; information literacy; academic libraries; organizational communication; communication in libraries;

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hagman, J. C. (2015). Teaching Beyond the Stacks: Examining the Organizational Identification of Academic Librarians [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427983207

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hagman, Jessica. Teaching Beyond the Stacks: Examining the Organizational Identification of Academic Librarians . 2015. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427983207.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hagman, Jessica. "Teaching Beyond the Stacks: Examining the Organizational Identification of Academic Librarians ." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1427983207

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1427983207
800
© 2015, some rights reserved.Creative Commons License Teaching Beyond the Stacks: Examining the Organizational Identification of Academic Librarians by Jessica C. Hagman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. Based on a work at etd.ohiolink.edu.
This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.