EVOLUTION OF AFFECTIVE CAREER OUTCOMES - A FIELD-STUDY OF ACADEMIC LIBRARIANS

One hundred nine master-level librarians of varying ages were surveyed about their career attitudes. Hierarchical polynomial regression was then employed to examine the relationships between age and three affec tive outcomes: (1) career satisfaction, (2) career entrapment, and (3) career identify. Results indicated the age-satisfaction relationship was linear, demonstrating that librarians become increasingly pleased with their profession over time. A similar linear relationship between age and entrapment indicated that as librarians mature, they become b ound to their line of work because of accumulated investments and decr eased career options. The relationship between age and identity assume d a curvilinear, or inverted U-shaped form. Career identity was higher at mid-career and lower at both early and late career stages. Implica tions of these findings are advanced.