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SILS receives IMLS award for study
on the future of librarians in the workforce
Sept. 22, 2004 — The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has announced an award of $994,369 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a national research study on the future of librarians in the workforce. The principal investigator is Dr. Jose-Marie Griffiths, who was recently appointed dean of the School of Information and Library Science. Partners in the study are the University of Pittsburgh, Syracuse University, the Special Libraries Association (SLA), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and the American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T).
The two-year study will identify the nature of anticipated labor shortages in the library and information science (LIS) field over the next decade; assess the number and types of library and information science jobs that will become available in the U.S. either through retirement or new job creation; determine the skills that will be required to fill such vacancies; and recommend effective approaches to recruiting and retaining workers to fill them. The study will result in better tools for workforce planning and management, better match of demand and supply, and improved recruitment and retention of librarians.
"We are pleased to make this award to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, one of the leading schools of library and information science," said Dr. Robert Martin, IMLS director. "Dr. José-Marie Griffiths is an internationally recognized researcher and scholar in information and library science, and we believe that her leadership of this major research project will be of enormous value to the library profession."
Griffiths said, “This is a critical study, for libraries and librarians and for other information professionals and their employers, to ensure that we are preparing and supporting professionals to fill the jobs that will be available. We are pleased that IMLS has chosen us here at UNC to lead this project, and we are looking forward to collaborating with our partners — University of Pittsburgh, Syracuse University, SLA, ARL and ASIS&T — especially the knowledge and perspective they will bring to this research.”
In addition to Griffiths, key study personnel include Co-PIs Tony Debons, Donald King, Chris Tomer; and Scott Beach from the University of Pittsburgh; Co-PIs Bruce Kingma, David Lankes and Ray Vondran from Syracuse University; Co-PI Martha Kyrillidou from ARL; Co-PI John Latham from SLA; and Dick Hill from ASIS&T; and Joel Popkin from Joel Popkin & Company.
The UNC at Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science (SILS) is currently rated #1 in the country by US News & World Report. It prepares students for diverse forms of information work with libraries, archives and computer information systems and networks. The school offers master's of science degrees in information science and library science, a doctor of philosophy in information and library science, an undergraduate major in information science, an undergraduate minor in information systems and a certificate of advanced study. To learn more about SILS, please log on to http://sils.unc.edu.
IMLS is an independent federal grant-making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities. To learn more about the institute, visit http://www.imls.gov.