Choosing Librarianship as a Career:Agender Analysis of Library and Information Science( LIS) Undergraduates in University of Nigeria Nsukka

Abstract

The paper attempted to find out if male and female undergraduate students were motivated by the same factors to study Library and Information Science and whether and why some people use librarianship as a "transit camp". Survey method was applied. The instrument used for collection of data was the questionnaire. The findings of the study showed greater percentage of females (38.46%) than males (26.67%) considered LIS when they could not secure admission to their first choice programme. Females did not set high priority on economic rewards when they decided to choose the library profession and they showed greater rate of stereotyping towards the library profession than males. It was also revealed that 6.41% of females and 6.67% of males chose librarianship when they decided to change occupation and 52.78% of the total respondents did not choose library and information science out of volition, conviction and commitment to the course of librarianship but were propelled by extraneous circumstances. Out of this category 77.19% were females. The · paper recommended that both the Nigerian Library Association and the Library Schools should market library services in order to create awareness of the potentials of the library profession.