Information services
Social justice

This qualitative secondary analysis reanalyzes data from a Q methodology study with 66 participants from a variety of library types in Slovenia, South Africa, and the United States. In the original Q methodology study, many participants ranked the statement "librarian as agent if change" as an important conceptualization of reference and information service (RIS). To elucidate and expand this finding, the qualitative data surrounding "librarian as agent of change" were analyzed thematically to understand how participants viewed, or did not view, RIS as making change. Results show that for librarians who perceive themselves as agents of change can be viewed on different level-individual, organizational, and societal. Results show that the pervasiveness of neutrality in RIS prevents some librarians from taking on a role supporting social change and advocacy.

The University of Chicago Press