If you have any questions about the survey, please do not hesitate to contact the team at lisgraduates at gmail.com
Q: What does SILS stand for? and LIS?
A: SILS, or UCD SILS refers to the UCD School of Information and Library Studies. LIS refers to the Library and Information Science field. The email message you received was from SILS.Alumni@ucd.ie- this is an email address used by the School’s administrator for alumni communication.
Q: What is the survey about?
A: The aim of this study is to understand more about the jobs held and career paths taken by graduates of UCD SILS, as well as other LIS graduates working in Ireland. The study is being conducted by a group of UCD SILS postgraduate students as a capstone project (group thesis) to complete their Master’s in Library and Information Studies. Their report on the survey findings will be used by UCD-SILS and the Library Association Ireland (LAI) to understand career paths, issues, skills, and trends in the information workplace in order to inform future curricula development, alumni support, and continuing professional development needs.
All of the data are being collected anonymously and treated with complete confidentiality according to UCD Research Ethics Board standards for privacy and security. At the end of the survey, participants are asked if they would like to be kept informed of UCD SILS activities, and if they wish to, the name and email address they provide for this purpose is the only identifiable information given back to the School. Otherwise, all of the survey data will be reported in aggregate only, to help understand trends in library and information careers.
Q: My sector was specifically listed in sector related questions in the survey. Why is that?
A: Given the breadth and diversity of where LIS graduates are working, it is not feasible for the project team to list all sectors. The ‘other’ option has been provided to allow you to list your specific sector information. There are no studies at present which clearly identify the sector breakdown of where LIS graduates are employed in Ireland, this is something we hope to identify as part of our project. It may only be a snapshot, but it will be a start.
Q: The professional body I’m most involved in not in the list of professional bodies in the survey. Can you explain why?
A: UCD SILS graduates and LIS graduates based in Ireland are involved in a wide range of professional organisations depending on the sector they work in. Providing a complete list would have made the list of options unwieldy. The ‘other’ option allows you to self report professional organisations that you are actively involved with, that don’t appear on our listing.
Q: I can’t get past a particular question, what’s happening?
A: Some of the survey questions are mandatory and must be completed before you can progress to the next question. Look out for the red asterisk *
The survey is too focussed on LIS career path options and ignores the possibility that graduates may have undertaken a career change yet still find LIS skills useful. I am both self-employed and working part-time in the Adult and Community Education field but the structure of this survey has made it difficult for me to bring this out in my responses – e.g. the question on employment does not include a ‘self-employed’ option and Q 19 assumes a career change is only a future possibility. Nevertheless it is good to see the research being started – well done and good luck to you all!
Thanks for the feedback, Aisling!