University of Arizona Library Homepage

 

Slavic Librarian Education/Experience Survey Answers

    Here are the answers to the Slavic Librarian Education/Experience Survey. I am not including the text answers at this time. I have created an Excel file with all of these answers in it and will be putting together an Access file so that I can make complex queries (e.g. Of those librarians that answered "yes" to X, what percentage also answered "yes" to Y). Percentages have been rounded up to the nearest whole number. Percentages may also differ from one question to the next (when they seem they shouldn't) due to the fact that some respondents did not answer all questions). If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at brewerm@u.library.arizona.edu.

     Thank you so much for your help with this project!

Michael Brewer
Slavic & German Studies Librarian
University of Arizona
520.621.9919

 

Survey Questions:

1. Other than your native language, how many languages do you have a "working knowledge" of? (i.e. reading proficiency for general library work with limited use of a dictionary)

1  (8%)
2 (17%)
3 (17%)
4 (16%)
5+ (42%)

2. Are you a native speaker of a Slavic language (or a 1st or other generation speaker, where a Slavic language was spoken at home)?

No  (70%)   Yes (30%)

3. What is the highest degree you hold in a discipline other than in Library Science? (if you have more than one, select only the highest degree)

Bachelor's (28%)
Master's
(50%)
Ph.D. (21%)
None (1%)

4. What is the highest degree you hold in Library Science?

None (18%)
Bachelor's (4%)
Master's
(75%)
Post-Master's Certificate/Certification (2%)
Ph.D. (1%)

5. Other than your Library Science degree, how many advanced (post BA/BS) degrees do you hold?

None (34%)
1
(46%)
2 or more (20%)

6. Is one of your advanced degrees in or related to Slavic? (Language, literature, area studies, etc.) Do not answer yes if your degree is from a Slavic country unless it is specifically related to a Slavic language or literary tradition. If you do not have an advanced degree beyond Library Science, select "Not Applicable."

No (21%) (28% of those with advanced degrees)
Yes
(56%) (72% of those with advanced degrees)
Not Applicable (23%)

7. Have you received any degrees from post-secondary academic institutions outside the U.S./Canada?”

No (66%)      Yes (34%)

8. Do you have an advanced degree, certificate, or some other formalization of your educational background in Slavic Librarianship? Do not answer yes unless your degree, certificate, etc., is specific to Slavic Librarianship. For example, an MA in Slavic and an MLIS would not suffice unless they were part of a formalized joint degree program.

No (94%)      Yes (6%)

9. Before becoming a librarian (or before becoming a Slavic librarian) did you apprentice in some capacity (intern, assistant, etc.) under a Slavic librarian, or work as non-librarian staff in Slavic? (e.g. on a Slavic cataloging team)

No (58%)      Yes (42%)

10. Was your first professional library position in Slavic or primarily (or completely) in another area of librarianship?

In Slavic (61%)      Not (primarily) in Slavic (39%)

11. Have you served as a mentor (in a formalized or informal capacity) for someone who became, or wished to become a Slavic librarian? Answer yes only if this mentor/mentee relationship was clear to both parties and lasted more than a few months.

No (81%)     Yes (19%)

12. % time spent doing Slavic-oriented work in your current job.

Less than 50% (37%)     More than 50% (63%)

13. Which best describes your Slavic-oriented work? (select only one)

Cataloging (28%)
Collection Development (35%)
Reference Specialist (11%)
Generalist (w/cataloging)
(14%)
Generalist (no cataloging) (12%)

14. Has your job required you to collect in or work with any of the non-Slavic languages of Eastern Europe or the Former Soviet Union? (e.g. Hungarian, Romanian, Armenian, Kazakh, Uzbek, etc.). Answer yes only if you do this work at least on a monthly basis.

No (43%)      Yes (58%)

15. # of years you have been working (at least part-time) as a Slavic librarian.

Less than 5 years (21%)
5-10 years (20%)
10-15 years (21%)
15+ years (38%)

16. What is the highest degree your collection supports in Slavic or Area Studies? (select only one). If your collection does not directly support an academic program, select "Not Applicable."

B.A. (5%) (7% of those offering degrees)
M.A. (6%) (9% of those offering degrees)
Ph.D. (57%) (84% of those offering degrees)
Not Applicable (32%)

17. Where is your institution located?

North America (79%)
Europe (not Russia)
(20%)
Former Soviet Union (1%)
Asia (other than FSU countries) (1%)
Other
(0%)

18. What kind of library do you work in?

Academic (70%)
Public (6%)
Other (24%)

19. If your library is an academic library, does it give librarians tenure (or the equivalent)? If your library is not an academic library, select "Not Applicable."

No (24%) (35% of those responding work in academic libraries where librarians are not given tenure)
Yes (47%) (65% of those responding work in academic libraries where librarians are given tenure)
Not applicable (30%)

20. If your library is affiliated with an academic institution, have you/could you work as adjunct faculty (e.g. in Slavic or Library Science)? If your library is not affiliated with an academic institution, select "Not Applicable."

I am adjunct faculty/it is required (5%) (7% of those responding, whose library is affiliated with an academic institution)
I am not adjunct faculty/it is an option (24%) (37% of those responding whose library is affiliated with an academic institution)
I am adjunct faculty/it is an option (9%) (14% of those responding whose library is affiliated with an academic institution)
It is not an option (28%) (42% of those responding whose library is affiliated with an academic institution)
Not Applicable (33%)

21. If you have a degree from a non-US or Canadian Library program and currently work as a Slavic librarian in the US or Canada, were you required, or did you feel compelled to get a degree from a US or Canadian institution before getting your library position here? If this does not apply to you, select "Not Applicable."

No (6%) (50% of respondents who met the above conditions answered "No")
Yes, I was required (and got the degree) (2%) (19% of of respondents who met the above conditions answered "Yes, I was required")
Yes, I felt compelled (and got the degree) (4%) (31% of respondents who met the above conditions answered "Yes, I felt compelled")
Not Applicable (84%)

22. Rank the importance of your training/experience on your collective work as a Slavic librarian. If one or more does not apply to you, simply leave it out. (e.g. Most important = b; 2nd = a; 3rd = d; 4th = c; Least = blank). I apologize if I failed to list areas some have found to be very important to their work.

a. On the job experience (not as an apprentice or assistant)
b. Apprenticeship (or other such work) under Slavic specialist
c. Degree or training in Slavic
d. Library science degree
e. Native linguistic competency in Slavic

Select each of the above categories of training/experience only once.

Most important

a. (49%)     b. (7%)       c. (30%)      d. (8%)      e. (6%)

2nd most important a. (27%)     b. (16%)     c. (27%)      d. (18%)     e. (12%)
3rd most important* a. (17%)     b. (17%)     c. (25%)      d. (30%)     e. (11%)
4th most important* a. (9%)       b. (30%)     c. (13%)      d. (28%)     e. (18%)
Least important* a. (10%)     b. (16%)     c. (8%)        d. (25%)     e. (40%)

*By averages, respondents ranked these skills/training/experience in this order: 1) On the job experience, 2) Degree or training in Slavic, 3)Library science degree, 4) Apprenticeship, and 5) Native competency in Slavic. Because there were relatively few who responded to "b" and "e," it might be best to group them together as least important.

23. What is your age range?

20-30 (2%)
30-40 (22%)
40-50 (26%)
50-60 (37%)
60+ (13%)