The survey is now closed. Thank you to all who participated--we appreciate your responses.
This project will focus on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work and careers of information professionals, specifically archivists and academic librarians. Research in the immediate aftermath of COVID has primarily focused on the pandemic’s effect on institutions, rather than individuals. The primary research question aims to investigate the relationship between pre-existing archives and library labor issues and COVID-era changes. Has the pandemic amplified challenges that LIS professionals were already facing in their individual careers? Such changes might be evidenced by frequently-evolving job descriptions, funding issues, and a lack of professional development and capacity building opportunities. Some of the initial research questions include:
- Are professionals still in their pre-COVID positions, or did they get laid off, switch jobs, or take on different duties within the same institution?
- Was work left unfinished when the March 2020 shutdown occurred, what was it, and has it resumed now in 2021?
- Have work and labor practices changed in the COVID era and how? For example, is there an increased reliance on unpaid labor?
- How have professional development, capacity building, networking, and funding been affected by COVID-era changes?
The intended outcome of this project is a projection of what the professional landscape might look like in the future if COVID-era changes to professional activities and work duties persist post-pandemic. One goal is to highlight how exceptional circumstances might bring about opportunities to advocate for LIS professionals and for profession-wide changes.