Publish or Perish? A Content Analysis of Scholarship Criteria in R1 Academic Libraries’ Promotion and Tenure Documentation

Abstract

This study sought to understand how R1 libraries define scholarship and creative
activities and how they address quality of scholarship through a content analysis
of promotion and tenure documentation. Peer review is the most common indicator
of quality mentioned in the documents, followed by the geographical reach of
scholarship and originality of the research. Other common scholarship criteria included
the need to demonstrate sustained scholarship activity, while discussions of
open access research were rare. Academic libraries that offer promotion and tenure
should evaluate their documentation to ensure they provide clarity to candidates
and are up to date