How many of your team members are second-career librarians? Have you wondered how this might affect their approach to librarianship and the skills they bring from previous careers? After surveying more than 500 academic librarians across the United States, we found that nearly 70 percent did not begin their professional lives in the library field. These findings challenge the long-held perception of librarianship as an early or primary career choice and highlight trends with significant implications for library education, recruitment, leadership development, and burnout prevention. This session's speakers will detail the findings and discuss how library leaders can leverage their team's diverse experiences. Further, as burnout remains a leading issue in librarianship, understanding the motivations and needs of second-career professionals may offer new pathways for strengthening the future of the academic library workforce.
