What does a librarian look like? Understanding undergraduate student perceptions of librarians
Abstract
Enduring stereotypes and contemporary discourse surrounding librarianship as a profession may influence students’ decisions to use the library and to consider librarianship as a viable career path. This pilot study explores undergraduate students’ perceptions of librarians using a drawing activity. Participants were asked to draw a librarian and to provide a description of their drawing using the draw-and-tell or draw-and-write technique. They were also asked to complete a brief survey with questions focused on participant demographics and library use. Study findings may inform recruitment, marketing, and outreach efforts.
Sarah Barriage
School of Information Science, University of Kentucky
Sarah Barriage is an Associate Professor in the School of Information Science at the University of Kentucky. She completed her PhD in communication, information, and library studies in the School of Communication & Information at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Her research interests include the information practices of children and youth, social justice in information institutions, and the development and use of child-centered research methods. Her work has been published in scholarly journals such as Library & Information Science Research, The Library Quarterly, International Journal of Qualitative Methods, and Journal of Childhood Studies.