Professional Identity Development Among Graduate Library and Information Studies Online Learners: A Mixed Methods Study

An integrated understanding of librarian professional identity

“…The first professional socialization is thought to have a greater impact on identity than that of any subsequent professional socialization (Donovan, 2014) and later expressions of identity have been linked to the mission of libraries as they are taught within formal education (Garcia, 2011). As such, for the developing identity this phase begins the larger socialization process, which continues the definition process (Croxton, 2015; Hussey and Campbell-Meier, 2016). This includes the negotiation of the pre-existing identity with the forming professional identity, professional values, the content of formal education, and interactions with others inside and outside the library school experience.…”

“…Products of socialization can also be understood as the endowment of a profession’s social inheritance, both positive and negative. The socialization process can provide the ability to claim an identity (Croxton, 2015), to self-visualize within the profession when linking theory and practice (Hoffman, 2014) and pass down values from previous generations who helped to shape the current state of the profession (Preer, 2004). This social inheritance, however, can help promulgate historic professional issues such as competing understandings within librarianship of how professional status is achieved and maintained (Bak, 2002; Campbell-Meier and Hussey, 2018).…”

“…For a professional identity to form and develop, there is an aspect that is incumbent upon the individual to claim and develop for themselves. Therefore, a portion of it must be self-claimed (Bak, 2002; Cravey, 1991; Croxton, 2015; Fraser-Arnott, 2016). To do so, however, there must be sufficient impetus which prompts personal belief in and acceptance of the profession, its values, missions, goals, responsibilities, culture, and so on (Bak, 2002; Bossaller et al , 2017; Fraser-Arnott, 2016; Fraser-Arnott, 2017a; Kaatrakoski and Lahikainen, 2016; Marshall et al , 2009; Sare et al , 2012).…”

“…Librarians will often use professional activities, standards, and values as a way to define their identities and the profession (Garcia, 2011). The values of a profession are initially adopted through early socialization, becoming a part of professional identity (Croxton, 2015).…”

“…The experience of practice over time precipitates the negotiation and renegotiation of identity (Sare and Bales, 2014; Sare et al , 2012). Thus, the more time spent within the experience of practice provides depth to professional identity and acting to solidify aspects perceived to be fundamental (Bossaller et al , 2017; Croxton, 2015; Sare and Bales, 2014). An individual develops an increasingly personalized professional identity over the course of their career (Fraser-Arnott, 2017b; Fraser-Arnott, 2018).…”