The document discusses reasons for pursuing a PhD in library and information science (LIS), the history and current state of LIS PhD programs, and advice for potential students. It notes that while prestige or career advancement may motivate some, the best reasons are making an original contribution to knowledge or personal fulfillment from intensive research. However, PhD study requires significant time and money, and low-quality programs can compromise standards. The document advises students to carefully choose established programs and supervisors with strong records to maximize success.

1. The PhD in LIS Career Development
Paul Sturges
Loughborough
University, and
University of Pretoria

2. Why seek a PhD?
 Recently some Indian colleagues speculated about
this on Facebook:
– In our office nobody talks without addressing Dr to anyone,
from top to bottom. I think it shows individuals’ craze for the
PhD itself.
– This is a sign of respect only.
– It’s a fashion, like a virus.
 These are very bad reasons for undertaking at least
three years of what should be very demanding study.
 There are better reasons than simple prestige.

3. Reasons for PhD study
 The purist approach: Making a contribution to
knowledge.
 Career development
– As a qualification to teach LIS
– As a qualification for senior library posts
 Personal fulfilment: the reading, theorising,
investigating, analysing and writing can be a joy in its
own right, but
– Remember that it can also be agony.

4. LIS PhD: origins and progress
 The first LIS PhD programmes were in the
USA in the 1920s.
– Roughly 3000 completed theses from US schools
since then.
 Programmes in all regions of the world now.
– eg. Over 1300 completed theses in India.
 There is currently some impassioned debate
on the LIS PhD.

5. McMastergate
 A blogstorm occurred in 2011after Jeff Trzeciak,
then University Librarian at McMaster University,
expressed a preference for appointing PhD holders
(not necessarily in LIS) to senior posts rather than
librarians.
 The blog content is a rich research resource on the
topic. It reveals:
– Some support for Trzeciak’s argument;
– A variety of arguments against the PhD as a qualification for
senior library posts.

6. Views from McMastergate blogs
 Bloggers against Trzeciak argued that:
– Appointing PhDs is de-professionalisation;
– Devalues librarians’ skills.
 Supporters of the PhD claimed that:
– In academic libraries PhD library staff are more
respected;
– Academic abilities of librarians needed to be
raised to PhD level.

7. The question of quality
 The quality of LIS PhDs in the USA is
unquestionable, but a personal sample of theses
from many countries suggests:
– Standards can be disgustingly low, for essentially corrupt
reasons;
– Universities that do not have well-established programmes
may be unintentionally compromising standards.
 This creates difficulties for potential students and for
employers looking to hire PhDs.

8. Advice for potential PhD students
 Talk to universities with long-established
programmes first.
 Use the knowledge gained from this to assess newer
programmes.
 Look for a potential supervisor or research team with
a strong publication record, read and assess some of
their output.
 Try to have a clear idea of the research topic or area
you prefer. Owning your topic makes success more
likely.

9. Conclusions
 PhD study can be utterly fulfilling, but:
– It takes time and money, and
– If it does not work out well it can be deeply
depressing,
– It does not automatically advance your career.
 Choose your programme and topic well, and
first of all, study for the joy of it.
 Finally, my hearty good wishes to all current
and potential LIS PhD students!

10. Conclusions
 PhD study can be utterly fulfilling, but:
– It takes time and money, and
– If it does not work out well it can be deeply
depressing,
– It does not automatically advance your career.
 Choose your programme and topic well, and
first of all, study for the joy of it.
 Finally, my hearty good wishes to all current
and potential LIS PhD students!