Hello Everyone,
Please see below for an invitation to participate in a research study.
We are Dr. Kawanna Bright, Assistant Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University, Dr. Vanessa Irvin, Associate Professor of Library Science at East Carolina University, and Rodrigo Castro, Director of Public Services, Wake Forest University's Z. Smith Reynolds Library. We are conducting an investigation to identify what factors, including elements of identity, determine whether candidates for professional librarian positions apply for positions and choose to accept job offers when received. We hope to gain a holistic and comparative understanding of the job search and decision-making process for new and early career library professionals in school, public, and academic libraries, and to surface potential barriers in the job search and decision-making process for all candidates, including barriers that may impact those candidates who identify as Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC).
If you identify as a soon to be graduate of an MLS program, new graduate of an MLS program, or early career librarian (less than 3 years of experience) who has recently engaged in the process of searching for a professional librarian position, then we would like to invite you to participate in our study as either part of a focus group or an interview.
If you are interested in participating, you will be asked to first complete a screening questionnaire to indicate your interest in participating. If selected to participate in a focus group, you would be invited to join a 60-minute online session with up to seven other participants and given the opportunity to provide your thoughts and perceptions about your job searching experiences and decision-making process. You would be offered a $25 gift card for your participation. If selected to participate in an interview you would be asked to provide a copy of a job ad for a position that you recently considered applying to or chose to apply to and participate in a cognitive interview to describe what aspects of the job ad and position caught your attention and why you either chose to apply or chose not to apply for the position. You would also be asked to demonstrate your process for investigating the potential employer for the identified position. Interviews would last between 60 and 90 minutes and you would be offered a $50 gift card for your participation.
Participation in this study is completely voluntary. You can choose to complete the questionnaire to express your interest or not, and if selected for a focus group or interview, you may choose to stop participating and leave the study at any time. If you would like to participate in the study, please use this link to access the screening questionnaire: https://ecu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_77JMSA1d1XNPvNA
If you have any questions about the study, please email us directly at brightka19@ecu.edu, irvinv22@ecu.edu, or castror@wfu.edu.
Thank you in advance for your interest.
Sincerely,
Kawanna Bright, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Interdisciplinary Professions, College of Education
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
252-737-1150
brightka19@ecu.edu
Vanessa Irvin, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Interdisciplinary Professions, College of Education
East Carolina University
Greenville, NC 27858
irvinv22@ecu.edu
Rodrigo Castro, MLIS (he | him | his)
Director of Public Services
Z. Smith Reynolds Library
Wake Forest University
336.758.4713
PO Box 7777
castror@wfu.edu