Business Librarians and Entrepreneurship: Innovative Trends and Characteristics Elisabeth Leonard, Associate Dean of Library Services, Hunter Library, Western Carolina University; Betsy Clementson, Research and Instruction Librarian/Liaison to the College of Business, Hunter Library, Western Carolina University Innovation and entrepreneurship are seen as foundations for a healthy and vibrant national economy (and helpful to a university budget), yet we know little about how innovation occurs within academic libraries. We examined the innovative characteristics of the business librarians associated with the ten schools listed in America’s Best Graduate Schools as having the top entrepreneurship programs. We reported on the characteristics of innovation and organizational culture uncovered in the study, discussed these characteristics as they might relate to all types of libraries and librarians, and how administrators can develop best practices for innovation friendly cultures.

1. Business Librarians and Entrepreneurship Innovative Trends and Characteristics Elisabeth Leonard Betsy Clementson Hunter Library Western Carolina University

2. In the beginning Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations (2003). “an idea, practice, or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption” Elisabeth Leonard (!) Innovation is the adoption of a new idea, service or product that provides value to the adopter. Little research exists on innovation within libraries; less on innovativeness within libraries We wanted to know how innovative are we (librarians) really…at work

3. Methodology:grounded theory “A qualitative research method that uses a systematic set of procedures to develop an inductively derived grounded theory about a phenomenon.” Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park: Sage. Provides building blocks on which theory can be constructed (no initial hypothesis) Procedures so far: survey with a mix of open ended and Likert scale questions To follow: interviews with managers, document analysis (mission statements, strategic plans, etc.)

4. Methodology:participants Web survey of business librarians associated with the ten schools listed in America’s Best Graduate Schools Received IRB approval (and consent from participants) Identified librarians via library websites 90% response rate for the schools/38% response rate for individuals

5. participants Babson College UC Berkeley Harvard University IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University) MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Stanford University University of Southern California University of Texas at Austin University of Pennsylvania University of Arizona did not participate

6. Adopters Rabina & Walczyk. 2007. Information professionals’ attitude toward the adoption of innovations in everyday life. Information Research, 12(4), 1‐15.

7. Another view of our results Not all our participants were easily typecast! Warning: results can vary by innovation

8. Innovators: Venturesome “They are very eager to try new ideas.” “…must be able to cope with a high degree of uncertainty about an innovation…”

9. Innovators: Venturesome Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

10. Early Adopters: Respectable “…has the greatest degree of opinion leadership in most social systems.” “…the role of the early adopter is to decrease uncertainty about a new idea by adopting it…”

11. Early Adopters: Respectable Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

12. Early Majority: Deliberate “They follow with deliberate willingness in adopting innovations, but seldom lead.”

13. Early Majority: Deliberate Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

14. Late Majority: Skeptical “The weight of social norms must definitely favor the innovation before the late majority are convinced.”

15. Late Majority: Skeptical Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

16. Laggards: Traditional “The point of reference for the laggard is the past.” “…precarious economic position”

17. Laggards: Traditional Innovator Early adopter Early majority Late majority

18. And this affects me …….how?! Rabina & Walczyk. 2007. Information professionals’ attitude toward the adoption of innovations in everyday life. Information Research, 12(4), 1‐15.

19. Diffusing innovations:key players Look internally and externally for influencers Innovators, early adopters, and early majority Change agents Managers Institutional inertia inhibits risk-taking [where I work, there is a] culture to support risk-taking. I am rarely taken seriously when talking about the use and benefits of new products and services. I don't have enough time to experiment and try out new tools or services Think about the message you are sending…and the one you are receiving

20. What’s next? Begin a real discussion Expand survey? National definition of innovation?

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