Library teacher: a vocational role in the intersection of two feminized welfare professions

Research problem and specific questions: Today, school libraries are mainly staffed by teachers without librarian training, so-called library teachers.

The aim of this project is to examine, analyze and thereby understand the roles, prerequisites and working conditions of library teachers.

Based on this, the following questions are posed:What characterizes library teachers´ prerequisites and working conditions?How can the library teacher role be understood as part of two feminized welfare professions?How can good and sustainable working conditions for library teachers be created and maintained at their schools?What opportunities for professional development for feminized welfare professions emerge through the results?The project identifies a clearly framed gap in research and knowledge about library teachers.

Data and method: The project explores the roles, prerequisites and working conditions of library teachers through a qualitative approach both in terms of data collection and analysis.

The study begins with focus groups with teacher librarians and continues with interviews with school library stakeholders such as principals and school leaders.Societal relevance and utilization: Library teachers’ positions can be difficult to carry out, with high demands, high workload, part-time work, solitary work and constant risk of cutbacks.

This makes both the positions and the programs unsustainable.

Creating knowledge about these working conditions and identifying the requisites for a sustainable working life can contribute to increased understanding and professional development for library teachers and others within feminized welfare professions.Plan for project realization: The study will be conducted over three years.

Initially, an ethics review is carried out. Data collection is conducted using focus groups and interviews.

Compilation and analysis of results is based on qualitative methods where theoretical perspectives from work science, gender studies, educational science and Library and information Science will be brought into play.

The results will be presented in a book in Swedish, in two scientific international articles and through presentations at, for example, conferences and journals.