Job satisfaction among New Zealand children's librarians

Abstract

This study investigates job satisfaction among sixteen New Zealand children's librarians using telephone interviews. It examines what attracts people to children's librarianship, what keeps them working there, what gives them satisfaction in their work and what motivates children's librarians. It uses Maslow's model of hierarchical needs, and Herzberg's two-factor theory to examine factors indicative of job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. A purposive sample of children's librarians with a variety of backgrounds was chosen from the North and South Islands of New Zealand. An interview question guide was used to gather information. Data analysis concentrated on coding factors of the work environment and factors of the work itself to see which contributed most to job satisfaction. The findings of the present study show that a range of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors contributes to respondents' job satisfaction. However, the things that motivated most respondents in their work, and also caused them to remain in their jobs, were intrinsic factors of the work itself, such as contact with children, connecting the right book with the child, and having a variety of meaningful tasks. Factors that caused the most dissatisfaction were extrinsic ones to do with the work environment, such as shortage of staff, lack of promotion, low status, and lack of supportive feedback from their managers. Most respondents were more satisfied than dissatisfied with their jobs.