The Tenure Debate
Last week, I commented on the status of academic librarians. That Friday, the Chronicle of Higher Education published a special section about libraries, and included a pro & con on tenure for librarians (A Place at the Table and Unnecessary Protection, respectively pro & con). It’s an interesting debate, but as I said before, I think the more interesting issue is the status of librarians and library staff within their larger organizations, whether those organizations are universities, schools, corporations, or public libraries.
I’d like to finish reading the other library articles, but someone has borrowed that issue of the Chronicle from my library, and the library articles are not grouped together on the website like they are in the print publication. Tell me again how everything is on the internet and nobody reads print anymore?
October 18, 2005 at 7:35 am
I’ve never liked the idea of librarians being lumped in with faculty myself. Tenure is one of those pieces of faculty baggage that librarians have pushed for in academia, but I think it only helps perpetuate lackluster education and unoriginal research. I’m a librarian…I work for a living. Personally, I’d rather be lumped in with steelworkers or other “trade-professions.”
LOL about the missing Chronical issue. I was asked how someone could look at the cover art of a journal that my instution only subscribes to online…had to track down a faculty member with a paper copy.