ABSTRACT Qualities to Look for in an Academic Librarian History of Librarians and Faculty Status The Academic Librarian Today The Future of Academic Librarians Swigger suggests dividing the credentials into an LS (Library Science) and an IS (Information Science with separate accreditations Some consideration has been given to developing a BA in library science and having that replace the MLIS as the needed credential for the field For quality to be upheld and faculty status to be retained, the MLIS should be kept, with an emphasis on librarians also obtaining a second content area master’s degree Hiring Practices Organize a national search by committee Even if an internal candidate is selected, they will have increased respect by going through the formal search process (Birdsall, 2010) The committee should be able to work cooperatively and be representative of all departments and classifications (faculty and staff) Post the minimum salary, or salary range Place advertisements in the Chronicle for Higher Education and also in sources used by professional librarians such as ALA Joblist Use a weighted instrument to screen applicants Include a category for subjective impressions, such as the quality of the application letter and quality of the references Once choices are narrowed down, it should be clear who to bring in for an on-campus interview Focus interview questions to evaluate candidates ability to adapt to the new environment, and not focus exclusively on their past position Academic Librarians as Faculty Members: A History and Guide toward the Future By Christopher Shaffer, Olga Casey, and Lisa Vardaman Librarians are an anomaly within the academic community. Neither pure research faculty not professional staff, they form a hybrid model that incorporates aspects of both roles. This poster examines the development of modern day academic librarianship, and the gradual transition librarians in the academy made from being staff members to becoming faculty members.. Hiring and retention practices are presented. Finally, attention is paid to the role faculty librarians will play in the future as we continue to venture forth into the age of digitization. Two Masters Degrees: Content and MLIS Personable Ability to conduct research Ability to interact in a collegial and professional manner with other faculty members Must have a commitment to embracing the tenure and promotion concept Originally, librarians were considered staff members who performed relatively routine tasks, regardless of their setting; The development of the MLS as the professional credential in 1951 increased the stature of the librarian profession; The degree was intended to “dispel notions that librarianship was merely a set of operational routines that were mostly clerical (Swigger, p. 15); At universities, faculty status meant the development of parity of salaries with other faculty members; Librarians could also play a more active role within the institution, by serving on committees while also conducting and collaborating on research with other faculty members. n 97.9% have an MLIS 36.4% have a second master’s degree (Strothmann & Ohler, 2011, p. 196) This has led to the empowerment of librarians faculty by organizational leaders (Roberts, 1985, p. 18) The I in MLIS is becoming increasingly important Knowledge of web design and maintenance, e-resources, computer programming languages, and generic IT skills will continue to become more crucial (Kennan, Cole, Willard, & Marion, 2006, p. 192) References Birdsall, D. (1991). Recruiting academic librarians: How to find and hire the best candidates. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 17(5), Retrieved from: e/620207/description#description Blixrud, J. (2000). The M.L.S. hiring requirement. Retrieved from Eric database. (ED445688) Boyd, R. (2008). Staffing the commons: Job analysis in the context of an information commons. Library Hi Tech, 26(2), doi: / California Community Colleges. Academic Senate (1996). Library faculty in California community college libraries: Qualifications, roles & responsibilities. Retrieved from Eric database. (ED395630) Chapman, C. (2009). Retention begins before day one: Orientation and socialization in libraries. New Library World, 110(3/4), doi: / Kennan, M., Cole, F., Willard, P., & Wilson, C. (2006). Changing workplace demands: What job ads tell us, 58(3), doi: / Kennersan, M. (1997). The effects of automation on hiring practices and staff allocations in academic libraries in four year and two-year institutions in Tennessee. (UMI ) Palmer, R. (1985). Graduate education of academic librarians. (UMI ) Roberts, A. (1985). The academic librarian as leader and manager. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 11(1), Retrieved from: e/620207/description#description Sherby, L. (1978). Academic librarian: Librarian or faculty member. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 4(5), Retrieved from e/620207/description#description Strothmann, M., & Ohler, L. (2011). Retaining academic librarians: By chance or by design? Library Management, 22(3), doi: / Swigger, B. (2010). The MLS project. Toronto: The Scarecrow Press. Retention of Academic Librarians Employees decide early if they want to remain in a position Employers should provide meaningful work and the appropriate tools to perform the work Encourage questions from new hires Salary is usually not the reason for a librarian’s departure Employees rank “interesting work” as the most crucial motivating factor in their jobs Also: Maintaining faculty status, funding for continuing education, schedule flexibility and support for professional service (Strothmann & Ohler, 2011) Attitudes of other faculty members regarding librarians with faculty status Only when librarians engage in the following activities will the teaching faculty view academic librarians as true faculty members: scholarly research and writing; being active in local, state, national, and professional organizations; becoming active and visible members of the community and playing a greater role within the institution.