Is It All Worth It

Slide 1: Is it all worth it? Elisabeth Leonard, MLS, MBA

Slide 2: First, some background • BS in international business and German • MBA was free for me and encouraged by my director, the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and the CFO

Slide 3: Why did I do it? • I wanted more background than my BA provided, esp. on areas I was weak in • I wanted to increase my job possibilities • I wanted to hone my skills and knowledge

Slide 4: What benefits did I see? • The faculty were very proud • The students related to me differently • The University administration knew me • Economic development committee • I was able to bring business knowledge to my job *esp. marketing* • Made some great friends and some good contacts

Slide 5: Asked for other opinions • 111 with advanced degrees • 100 people said what the degree was • Master's in accountancy 2.0% (2) • Master's in business administration 77.0% (77) • Master's in public administration 4.0% (4) • Master's in economics 6.0% (6) • Other: Master's in (organizational) communication and technology; Master of international management; JD; Master of Business & Technology; Master’s in international business

Slide 6: How did others benefit? Top benefits Beneficial Very (n=98) Beneficial Increased subject knowledge 17.3% (17) 79.6% (78) Increased understanding of my patrons 19.6% (19) 76.3% (74) Provides opportunities outside librarianship 19.4% (18) 43% (40) Increased the amount of respect and/or 27.8% (27) 33.0% (32) credibility I receive from faculty Increased the amount of respect and/or 26.8% (26) 32.0% (31) credibility I receive from colleagues

Slide 7: Other benefits • Made me a better manager/leader/team player • Helped me get a promotion • Self-fulfillment • Increased understanding of how business information flows, what is helpful for analysis, what is not so necessary • Knowledgeable as to how to help patrons; can speak with authority with business faculty re research needs of students; considered expert in field by colleagues • Consulting work

Slide 8: Disparity between perceived benefits and actual benefits Perceived Beneficial Very beneficial Increased subject 26.2% (27) 57.3% (59) knowledge Actual Beneficial Very Beneficial Increased subject 17.3% (17) 79.6% (78) knowledge

Slide 9: Disparity between perceived benefits and actual benefits Perceived Beneficial Very beneficial Increased 33.0% (33) 16.0% (16) understanding of my patrons Actual Beneficial Very Beneficial Increased 19.6% (19) 76.3% (74) understanding of my patrons

Slide 10: Disparity between perceived benefits and actual benefits Perceived Beneficial Very beneficial Increased the amount 18.6% (19) 24.5% (25) of respect and/or credibility I receive from students Actual Beneficial Very Beneficial Increased the amount 27.8% (27) 33.0% (32) of respect and/or credibility I receive from students

Slide 11: Disparity between perceived benefits and actual benefits Perceived Beneficial Very beneficial Increased my 30.4% 30.4% salary (31) (31) Actual Beneficial Very Beneficial Increased my 25.8% 24.7% salary (25) (24)

Slide 12: Not all wine and roses • Some librarians see business as evil and thought I might be corrupted • Others believed I had ulterior motives and was trying to make a statement • These impressions have lingered in contacts with other librarians

Slide 13: Drawbacks for others? • It wasn’t worth it: 11% (n=12) • Not as relevant as expected (4 people) • Cost too much for the benefits received (2 people) • Although it enhances my credibility with and elicits greater respect from the faculty and students, it does not do the same with my librarian colleagues and library administration…. • Library colleagues seem to be jealous of the degree & look for opportunities to devalue it relative to their degrees. I actually had a supervisor (who had no advanced degree) who told me my MBA was "irrelevant." • It made me "overqualified"

Slide 14: The verdict from the survey: Recommended! 76% said it was worth it

Slide 15: Do it because…(comments) • I think it should be a requirement. How can one possibly serve their clients adequately if they are not versed in the subject matter. • Personally, it was valuable to me because I have and had a strong interest in the topics. Professionally it was valuable to me in the sense of being more knowledgeable etc. in performing work. • Depends on the librarian - the opportunities are there, but it requires more of a love for the subject matter than an expectation of higher salary, etc.

Slide 16: Personally? • First some caveats… • $$ • Time • Interest • School you choose may matter I enjoyed it • Then, my takeaways • I learned from it • I saw benefits to me, my students, my faculty, and my library

Slide 17: Thank you!