An Academic Librarian's Search for Meaning: A Survey of Lifelong Learning in Library Literature

Lifelong learning is not a new term; many colleges and universities in the United States have lifelong learning programs or departments, such as the Lifelong Learning College at the University of Indianapolis, or an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. At one Midwestern University, lifelong learning is part of the University mission statement, which spurred the creation of a new position in the Library-Lifelong Learning Librarian. Discussions with the Dean of the Library and colleagues, however, indicated that there was no consensus on campus as to what lifelong learning means for the University's students. The author conducted an analysis of 228 citations from a library literature database and a content analysis of 137 PDFs from that set in order to discover how library professionals use the term lifelong learning in published literature. Results indicate two potential paths for developing the new librarian position on campus.