UC Santa Barbara Library

In the United States, the library residency (sometimes referred to as a fellowship or internship) is defined as a temporary, entry-level position in a library that targets post-library school graduates as part of a diversity recruitment and/or early career development program.  There are fewer than 30 such programs in the USA.  

We conducted a nationwide survey of library residency programs in the USA.  Questions  addressed program planning and decision-making, attitudes toward various aspects of libraries and residents, and the effectiveness of residency programs in context.  This information will be used to develop a model for libraries that have existing residency programs or that want to start a similar program.

 Our research will paint a picture of the landscape of library residency programs in the USA.  A comprehensive survey of both residency coordinators and residents has not been conducted before.

The workshop and companion poster begin with both a theoretical and practical background based on our research. In the interactive portion, participants will be asked to share their individual experiences with early career development in their own countries; to discuss the need for effective early career development programs; and, finally, to design the ideal residency program that can be adapted for their own community needs.

This poster and a workshop was presented by Angela Boyd on August 19-20, 2013 at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress  79th IFLA General Conference and Assembly in Singapore, Singapore.