The Lived Experience of Work and Career Among Individuals with Bipolar Disorder: A Phenomenological Study of Discussion Forum Narratives

Individuals with invisible chronic illnesses are often at a disadvantage in the workplace in terms of job security, promotion, and occupational success. Because little is known about the use of public online support forums to help patients with mental health disorders cope with the impact their illness has on their work and career, this research identifies and examines online forum posts related to employment by contributors with bipolar disorder. Seven percent of the total eligible posts from four discussion forums (n = 7,712) contained mentions of work and career (n = 572). A thematic analysis of the 572 posts is reported, organized by characteristics of contributors related to work and career histories, symptoms of bipolar disorder at work, needs for coping at work, the importance of work as part of a healthy life, disclosure of the illness, and recommendations by other contributors. The symptoms associated with the illness can have a negative impact in the work environment. Fear of stigma and other negative consequences inhibit workers from disclosing their condition and negotiating ways to get the fundamental accommodations they need. The posts reveal a climate of fear and uncertainty surrounding mental illness in the workplace, as well as individuals’ desire to conquer their health challenges to achieve meaning and fulfillment in their work life

End of Program Assessments and their Association with Early Career Success in LIS

Analyses of North American LIS program alumni survey data indicate that the completion of any end of program assessment (EPA) or capstone is associated with certain early-career success measures. Using data collected in the Workforce Issues in Library and Information Science 2 project (WILIS 2), we examined the type of EPAs (internships, portfolios, theses, etc.) completed by students and assessed whether there are relationships between their completion and the following outcomes: length of time to secure employment after graduation, acquisition of managerial or leadership roles, job/ career satisfaction, and participation in professional and leadership activities. We also assessed the graduates’ attitudes about whether these experiences were a beneficial part of their career preparation. These results should be of interest to faculty curriculum developers and program administrators in LIS programs worldwide, since they provide insight into the relative merits of EPAs and are based on aggregate data from 39 programs and over 3,000 graduates

Leaving librarianship: a study of the determinants and consequences of occupational turnover

The purpose of this study was to better understand occupational turnover among librarians and archivists by examining the careers of individuals who have left or intend to leave the profession, in order to identify the factors associated with turnover, and to discover the career outcomes of those who leave. The dissertation analyzes a subset of the data collected in 2007 by the Workforce Issues in Library and Information Science 1 (WILIS 1) project, a study of the career patterns of the graduates of five LIS master's programs in North Carolina from 1964-2007. The framework of the life course perspective was used in the analysis of quantitative and textual survey responses to facilitate a more nuanced interpretation of careers and the process of turnover in the context of personal relationships and timing over the life course. Themes related to career patterns, work values, work mismatches, turnover, and outcomes of career transitions were identified. Occupational turnover rates for this sample are low. Only 13% have left the profession, and only 2% indicate that they will leave the field within three years for reasons other than retirement. Good work relationships and opportunities for career development and advancement are important to job satisfaction, and most respondents are satisfied with their LIS work and career. Those who intend to leave or have already left cite low salaries, overwork, bureaucratic or poor management, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and the unavailability of flexible scheduling or part time work as influences on their turnover decisions. Geographical mismatches or conflicting work and family responsibilities also play a role in turnover decisions. Of those who have left library and archival work, their career outcomes are typically positive, and 91% are satisfied with their current employment. Binary logistic regression analyses with nested models confirm that the hypothesized predictors that emerged from the survey data and career narratives - job satisfaction, availability of career development opportunities, relationships with co-workers, and salary influence organizational turnover intention. Job and career satisfaction as well as the intent to leave the organization predict occupational turnover

What happens to iSchool graduates? Using career data to support iSchool engagement initiatives

iSchool collaboration with local, national or global constituencies can be promoted through curricular programs, community outreach, and partnerships with other nonprofit and for-profit institutions and organizations on research and projects. iSchool faculty, students, and supporters, including alumni, all play a role in planning, promoting, implementing, and sustaining these engagement efforts. Research institutions that are committed to community engagement will need data from a variety of sources to make these initiatives successful. Career tracking of graduates can provide iSchools with useful data for strategic planning of programs and engagement activities. For some programs, alumni may be an untapped resource, and regular communication with those who are interested opens up potential partnerships with them, their associates, and their employers. Retrospective surveys allow an iSchool to reconnect with alumni who may welcome the opportunity to re-engage with the program and faculty, conduct research or provide support, or offer internships, learning opportunities, or future jobs for students. Career surveys can be used to assess this interest and solicit ideas for collaborative ventures. Analysis of career data can also help iSchool educators find out what types of jobs their graduates are taking and the variety of organizations that employ them, as well as the graduates??? perceptions of how well the program prepared them for their professions. This type of information informs curriculum design, pedagogical strategies, internship placement, research project planning, and the establishment of community partnerships

Voices of Strength: A Survey of Librarians Working with Chronic Illnesses or Conditions

This research attempts to understand the ways that librarians overcome the challenges associated with a chronic condition in the workplace. Six hundred sixteen respondents completed a survey about type of workplace, type of chronic condition, longevity of the condition, disclosure, accommodations, level of support, career mobility and advancement, work challenges, coping strategies, and perceptions on disability. Respondents report chronic illness and conditions of all sorts, both visible and invisible, with 46% having more than one type of illness. They cope by using creative strategies to supplement or replace formal accommodations, however 39% believe that their condition has negatively impacted their career advancement

The State of Education for Data Curation and Librarianship

Funding agencies increasingly require detailed plans for data management, sharing, and archiving during the grant submission process. Researchers may lack the knowledge required to design and implement a feasible plan for long term storage and secondary analysis of their data, such as technical specifications, metadata standards, and archival challenges pertinent to the types of data they will collect. Librarians, information specialists, and grants compliance administrators in university settings are the natural partners of these researchers; however, these partners may also lack the necessary expertise in managing the data lifecycle. This paper will report the extent to which programs in schools of library and information science (LIS) are formally preparing students for positions in data curation and data librarianship. The results of a content analysis (currently in progress) of North American LIS program websites (iSchools caucus members and American Library Association-accredited programs) will be presented. This presentation will offer a comprehensive snapshot of the courses, certifications, tracks of study, centers/institutes, and grant-funded initiatives that are currently available to those who wish to work in data curation, in the hopes of initiating a conversation about the skills and knowledge needed by data professionals and how LIS programs can help to prepare them