The threat of a profession’s obsolescence: Profession-based self-esteem’s positive role in predicting professional commitment

Abstract

Common keywords emerge - obsolete, relevance, transformation, change, survival, etc. - when examining monographs, articles, and media about libraries and librarianship over the last decade. The relative ease of access to information and challenges to the foundation of libraries as protectors of intellectual freedom and the freedom to read has precipitated belief within popular culture that libraries are not as needed. This has also created a feeling of profession insecurity for many within librarianship. If people within the field feel less appreciated and needed, this may in turn have a negative impact on how committed library professionals are to the field. This study examines the relationship between profession insecurity and professional commitment through the lens of a social identity framework. Further, we hypothesize that Profession-Based Self-Esteem (i.e. feeling accepted and like a valuable member of the profession) may help alleviate some of the negative impact profession insecurities may have on professional commitment and that Organization-Based Self-Esteem (i.e. feeling accepted and like a valuable member of their workplace) will not. A national survey of librarians, library workers, and administrators, from all types of libraries was conducted in 2023 to gain insights into these factors. Results indicate that feeling profession insecurity can negatively impact professional commitment, however Profession-Based Self-Esteem can be a mitigating factor.