Job satisfaction and work values: Investigating sources of job satisfaction with respect to information professionals

• Job satisfaction is examined based on the theory of work values.
• Information professionals are satisfied with their jobs.
• Information professionals derive satisfaction from intrinsic work values.
• The sources of job satisfaction differ among professionals employed in different organizations.

Job satisfaction is critical to life satisfaction, to the quality of employees' working life, and to their performance and organizational commitment. Using the theory of work values, job satisfaction of information professionals working in academic, special, public and school libraries as well as in archives and private companies is examined. Data were obtained through a questionnaire distributed to different types of information organizations. The results showed that the information professionals were satisfied with their jobs. Job satisfaction was predicted by intrinsic work values, namely the opportunities for learning, expression of creativity, autonomy, use of knowledge and abilities, and adoption of innovative technological developments. The analysis also indicated significant differences in the sources of job satisfaction (extrinsic, social and prestige work values) among professionals employed in four types of information organizations (academic libraries, public libraries, special libraries and archives). Professionals in special libraries were more satisfied with extrinsic work values than those in public libraries and archives. Professionals working in public libraries were more satisfied with prestige work values than those employed in academic libraries and archives. Finally, it was indicated that professionals in archives were less satisfied with social work values than their colleagues in public and special libraries. A relationship between job satisfaction and years of experience was also examined.