Recruitment of Subject Specialist Candidates:A Study of Advanced Degree Holders in U.S. ALA-Accredited LIS Programs

The subject specialists are academic and research librarians with specialized knowledge, skills, and experience of particular fields. An emerging shortage of librarians resulting from baby boomers reaching retirement age means that promotion of recruitment is becoming necessary. This paper describes a U.S.-based study focusing on understanding potential subject specialists' academic backgrounds, their career choices and career plans, and factors that attract and influence them to choose librarianship as a career. Survey and in-depth interview were used as data collection methods. Recommendations for recruitment strategies are provided.