The Presence of the Doctorate among Small College Library Directors

Abstract

Although a doctorate provides a library director with little practical assistance toward fulfilling his or her job, many college and university administrators seem to expect library directors to have one. The presence of the doctorate has been studied extensively within ARL institutions, but not within small colleges. This article explores the presence of the doctorate among small college library directors, considering gender and tenure in addition to size of the library, the college, and the library staff. This research finds that 20 percent of library directors at Baccalaureate I institutions have doctorates, and 40 percent have second master’s degrees. Librarians with doctorates do not direct larger institutions than those without Ph.D.s. The value of the doctorate, and its future among female directors in particular, is considered.