Ask a guybrarian: work experiences of male librarians

Abstract

Purpose While gender and librarianship is a perennially popular topic of research, relatively little has been published on the work experiences of male librarians. What does exist has often been extracted from broader studies. There have only been a handful of instances in which the experiences of male librarians were particularly sought and synthesized. This study is a continuation of research in decades past to capture and describe the work experience of male librarians in a predominantly female profession. Design/methodology/approach For this study, an anonymous online survey was conducted asking for the experiences of male-identifying reference librarians. In total, 109 responses were received, coded and parsed for trends and useful observations. Findings In line with previous studies, about three-quarters of male librarians reported that their gender was a not a significant factor in their professional work. This lack of change over several decades is in itself remarkable. Nearly a quarter reported gender-based issues in their work, and many reported a lack of organizational support. Originality/value There is a dearth of research particular to male librarianship, and few opportunities or venues for their experiences to be captured in a qualitative manner. It is hoped that this paper will raise the visibility of challenges faces by this sometimes neglected group.