Representations of librarianship in the UK press

Abstract

Purpose -The image of the library and information professional has been a source of professional anxiety for many years. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this long-standing issue by studying the portrayal of librarianship in UK national newspapers during a period of rapid technological change. It also proposes to examine the representation of the professional role, determined by the skills and competencies depicted and the topics associated with librarianship. Design/methodology/approach -The approach takes the form of a content analysis of a sample of 264 newspaper articles taken from The Times and The Mirror between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2008. Findings -The findings reveal a lack of representation of skills and duties performed by librarians. The usefulness and relevance of those depicted are overshadowed by the reported value of libraries. When professional duties are depicted, however, the results appear positive: librarians were seen as having an expert knowledge of content, technological competence and skills in collection development. The reporting of negative behavioural traits was infrequent and it was found that newspapers were not perpetuating negative stereotypes. Research limitations/implications -Although The Times and The Mirror are important publications in terms of circulation, their depiction of the library and information profession does not form a complete picture of the representation of librarianship in the UK press. Originality/value -The paper contributes to debates about the image of the profession, and raises awareness about the skills and competencies that practitioners and professional bodies need to promote for the library and information profession to flourish.

Behind the glasses and beneath the bun: portrayals of librarians in popular cinema and a guide for developing a collection

“…In her quantitative study, Shaw (2010) also noted that there was a wide gap between articles that indicated libraries served a useful purpose and those that placed a high value on librarians. Librarianship in the digital age is currently a frequent topic in the literature, especially in terms of its impact on perceptions of librarians (Majid and Haider, 2008;Balling et al, 2008).…”

“…Scholars have also examined the manner in which librarians are portrayed in the mainstream press (Shaw, 2010;Luthmann, 2007). In detailing the history of librarianship in England, Luthmann points out that public librarians in England initially had a low status, not unlike that of a clerk (pp.…”

Aspects of representation of library and information science

“…In a similar quantitative vein, Shaw's study (2010) of UK national newspapers 1998‐2008 followed, in which he established that there was a lack of representations of skills and duties performed by librarians and that the usefulness and relevance of those depicted are overshadowed by the reported value of libraries. Shaw concluded that newspapers were not perpetuating negative stereotypes as the reporting of a negative behavioural trait was infrequent.…”

How public library users perceive the information professional: is the image transforming?

“…Over the past two decades, a considerable body of literature has been published regarding librarians' image. Specifically, a number of studies explored librarians' perceptions (Fedman and Sciammarella, 2000;Petr and Aparac-Jelusic, 2002;Ritchie, 2011), students' perceptions (Bickley and Corrall, 2011;Fagan, 2003;Harris and Wilkinson, 2001;McFadden, 2000) and mass media representations of librarians (Luthmann, 2007;Shaffer and Casey, 2013;Shaw, 2010). However, little attention has been paid to public's perceptions (Majid and Haider, 2008;Petr and Aparac-Jelusic, 2002;Pors, 1994).…”

“…However, the reasons why information professionals are so concerned with their image rely mainly on their need to win public support. This will, in turn, entail the survival and development of information organizations, the implementing of change and reform, as well as their use and importance within a parent institution, and funding (Evjen and Audunson, 2009;Green, 1994;Harrif and Rowley, 2011;Majid and Haider, 2008;Schuman, 1990;Shaw, 2010). The way the information professional is perceived also influences the individuals' decision to choose LIS as a field of study (Genomi and Greeve, 1997;Majid and Haider, 2008;Shaffer and Casey, 2013;Rothwell, 1990).…”