Distance Education Librarians in the United States: A Study of Job Announcements

This study analyzes the position announcements published in American Libraries between 1970 and 2010 for the purpose of documenting trends and changes in distance education librarianship in the United States. Findings include the first announced library distance education related job, total number of positions, titles, academic ranking, salary, educational background, roles/duties, and minimum qualifications.The study concluded technology skills, information science skills, and communication skills are fundamental occupational skills for distance education librarians. Only time will tell if job titles with words like “distance education” or “off-campus” will disappear the same way “extended services” or “external services” have in the field of distance education librarianship. The salient point is that, no matter how they are described or titled in job postings, librarians with the particular skill set of distance education librarians – diverse, with a focus on technology – will likely find a place in libraries of the future.