Beta Phi Mu Membership Survey Results

Beta Phi Mu Membership Survey Results The survey was open for 3.5 weeks, from Sept. 22-Oct. 16, 2015. There were 445 total responses. Question 1. What is your chapter affiliation? Alpha/U.Illinois 75 Gamma/FSU 17 Epsilon/UNC-Chapel Hill 6 Theta/Pratt 22 Iota/Catholic U, U.MD 3 Lambda/U.Oklahoma 10 Xi/U.Hawaii 2 Omicron/Rutgers 9 Pi/U.Pittsburgh 6 Rho/Kent State 6 Sigma/Drexel 19 Phi/U.Denver 4 Psi/U.Missouri 1 Omega/SJSU 7 Beta Delta/U.Buffalo 2 Beta Epsilon/Emporia State 9 Beta Zeta/LSU 7 Beta Iota/U.Rhode Island 2 Beta Kappa/U.Alabama 3 Beta Lambda/Texas Women's U 5 Beta Mu/Palmer 6 Beta Xi/NC Central U 3 Beta Pi/U.Arizona 4 Beta Rho/UW-Milwaukee 3 Beta Sigma/Clarion 3 Beta Phi/USF 2 Beta Psi/USM 3 Beta Omega/USC 3 Beta Beta/Simmons 21 Beta Beta Epsilon/UW-Madison 3 Beta Beta Theta/U.Iowa 23 Beta Beta Kappa/U.Puerto Rico 3 Beta Beta Mu/Valdosta 2 Beta Beta Nu/UNT 5 Beta Beta Xi/U.Minnesota 2 Pi Lambda Sigma/Syracuse 9 Wayne State 3 U.Washington 1 Dalhousie University 1

Dominican University 2 SUNY - Albany 1 UNC - Greensborough 3 U.Kentucky 3 U.Indiana 2 None/Members-at-Large 35 Unknown 79 Total 445 Question 2. Do you have any additional degrees beyond the MLIS? Yes 278 No 158 Skipped 9 If "yes" please list your additional degree(s). Degree Type Response Count CAS 8 MA 53 MS 23 MM 1 MFA 1 MBA 12 MLA 4 MPA 2 MPH 3 M.Ed 10 M.Phil 2 MHSA 1 MDIV 2 Ed.D. 3 JD 6 Ph.D 26 DLS 1 Total 158

Question 3. What stage of your professional career are you in? New professional (less than 5 years) 94 Mid-Career (5 to 10 years) 94 Seasoned Professional (more than 10 years) 188 Retired 48 Unemployed 19 Skipped 2 Total 445 Question 4. What sector are you employed in? Please choose all that apply. Public 103 School 26 Academic 178 Research 39 Business 24 Legal 22 Medical 20 Archives 17 Museum 9 LIS Faculty 16 Unemployed 24 Retired 42 Other/LIS 29 Other/non-LIS 28 Comments (59): Other/LIS special library state library nonprofit research library self-employed lib consultant 2 library association Digital Library Federation - on council state library agency government library Canada Legislative Library cataloging LIS school admin 3 elementary school information tech coach library vendor

ProQuest - metadata lib regional library system Other/non-LIS research analyst office temp retired nonprofit 3 association prof of technical comm human resources grants resource center (AASCU) Illinois Christian ed & ministry 2 intern'l org IT - academia 2 consultant 3 systems analyst software foundation student office worker mortgage lender - project manager publishing 3 utility company digital asset management website/information resources -academia government 2 media instructional designer theatre planning & design Cancer Registry Coordinator private company academic advisor inventory control

Question 5. How are you involved in Beta Phi Mu? Please choose all that apply. Visit the website 140 Connected through LinkedIn 206 Like official BPM page on Facebook 116 Follow official BPM Twitter feed 35 Read the Pipeline (online newsletter) 73 Attend chapter meetings 48 Attend chapter initiations 62 Attend other chapter events 17 Volunteer on the chapter level 18 Serve as a chapter officer or board member 36 Serve as chapter representative to national meetings 4 Attend the BPM annual G-ALA event at ALA Annual 15 Serve as a national level officer or board member 6 Currently not involved 144 Other please state 26 Skipped 30 Other please state I had no idea there was so much going on! Donate to scholarship fund webmaster of local chapter site Have served in the past as a chapter officer Send my dues once a year, thanks to Kathryn Henderson letting me know several years ago that I was still considered a member. Haven't sent them yet this year, but will do so. Read chapter newsletter my involvement in the above areas is occasional Served as chapter officer in the past Receive mailings from my local chapter only through email student adviser at the chapter level occasionally attend chapter initiations and annual meetings. I'll be inducted this year, so not active just yet! I've served twice as president of Gamma Chapter, went to 2 Gala at ALA conferences and presented at one of them. Many yeas I went to chapter meetings here in Tallahassee. Now I thrive in retirement.?? Want to be more involved but not sure how. Want to be more involved - contacted Chapter, no response I am a new member as of May 2015. There is no chapter in my area. This survey made me more aware of the ways to connect and as a result I will subscribe to Twitter feed and connect in LinkedIn Pay dues to my chapter and generally pay for a student to attend the chapter meeting/dinner I used to enjoy attending the annual dinner/initiations but it's been quite a few years now that I never

receive any information about that event. I am very disappointed at the inactivity of the chapter. have served in the past on National Board and officer Local chapter hasn't made, to my best knowledge, any activity to seek involvement of its members. would like to get involved on a national level Attend the Biennial BPM breakfast at the North Carolina Library Association Conference Would like to be involved. Any chapter near Atlanta? Faculty advisor to the chapter and secretary/treasurer. We don't have any officers. Sometimes attend G-ALA at ALA Annual Question 6. Which of the following membership benefits are most important to you? Please rank in order of importance, with 1 being the most important to you.

Question 7. How would you like to be more involved in Beta Phi Mu? Choose all that apply. Chapter level activities only 123 Run for office/chapter level leadership 31 Run for office/national level leadership 15 Serve on a national level committee 75 I don t wish to be more involved 203 Skipped 37 Other (please specify) 44

Other responses: I just have no idea how to be a member of Beta Phi Mu. Really never heard a peep once I got in (many moons ago). I never felt any connection because I never heard a word about it. Would attend annual meeting in Champaign-Urbana if I lived closer. I wouldn't mind reading scholarship applications or other activities that don't involve meetings. Otherwise no additional involvement at this time. Not sure...open to volunteering I hope to be more involved in the future If you decide to have an "online" chapter for people who do not live near a chapter then I might want to get involved I am unaware of Beta Phi Mu's activities. This is the first contact in 24 years. happy with serving as a student advisor I wasn't aware of all the opportunities; I plan to consider. Willing to consider serving on a national level committee, but would need to know more about them before committing. I would if I could. I was over-volunteering before the last caregiving bout drained me financially. I'd love to help. Unfortunately, I've cut out some boards and volunteer activities in order to "catch up." I don't know what the opportunitis are, but I would like to be more involved I'm not sure I've ever seen any benefit to being involved in Beta Phi Mu at any level I live in Owensboro Kentucky and would like to be more involved but I am not sure if it's conducive being this far away from Tallahassee. Connect and participate through on-line activities. I'd like to learn more as a member before making a commitment to be more involved with Beta Phi Mu Simply want information on National organization, and recognition that if I no longer live in the state of my chapter, there ought to be some sort of transfer recognition option. as far as I know Beta Phi Mu has done almost nothing that I am aware since I did my graduate degree in the 70's As a full time working mother managing an active Public Library Branch, I am unfortunately unable to do more at this time. I'm nearing retirement. Living in a state without a library school, it hasn't been possible for me to be active other than paying dues. I was involved when Prof. Marie Radford was Dean at Pratt. She really made you feel part of something interesting and important. I miss that. never really considered it, but i'd love to help Retiring in the foreseeable future Find out more about my options Volunteer in other ways for the chapter that aren't official leadership positions I'm currently living and working in Australia and I'm not sure if there are any opportunities here. I support Beta Phi Mu and not necessarily be involved I no longer live near my initiating chapter. I tried to transfer membership, but the new chapter doesn't seem interested. Have never heard from them.

I did not know that Beta Phi Mu had any opportunities for involvement; I do not know if I have a local chapter! I'm not sure. I didn't know about some of the benefits and I feel disconnected from my chapter because I live out of state. Unfortunately, I live in a rural area far from my local chapter I currently work at the Univeristy of FLorida in Gainesville. I don't believe there is a chapter nearby so I have limited opportunities to participate. Very interested in being involved. As far as I know my chapter doesn't do anything or have opportunities for involvement. Not sure. Would help if the national organization had any visibility at all. It doesn't right now. Not sure, really. Awareness of activities, benefits, and networking opportunities (online or in person) Not sure Cannot increase involvement at this time due to family health issues Why can't there be more "social" events? My chapter doesn't do anything, when it seems like a great place for meeting others and networking. Maybe in a few years once I have been in the profession longer I am already fairly well plugged in Attend (as participant) National activities or workshops Due to funding I am not able to attend the annual meetings at G-ALA Question 8. If you would like to be contacted about opportunities for further involvement please give your name and preferred contact information here. Responded 101 Skipped 344 (Not everyone who answered gave complete or specific information; however we now have a spreadsheet with contact information for people wanting to get more involved including 11 who would like to serve nationally, and 20 who would like to serve on committees)

Question 9. What other benefits would you like to see Beta Phi Mu offer its members? Choose all that apply. Continuing education/professional development opportunities 247 Mentor/Mentee opportunities 178 Informational webinars 174 Matching grant program for research travel or conferences 156 BPM Conference programming (national or regional) 138 On-line membership meetings 137 Regional gatherings 137 BPM sponsored service opportunities 116 Publishing opportunities 114 Other (please specify) 24 Other responses: SOme how I missed the fact that there is a Phi Beta Mu reception at ALA, I will look for it. any type of regional programming, networking events, etc would be great The majority of the funds go to national, please note your fee cost-prohibitive so grads often do not join. None other, my library involvement is with MLA and its sections and Chapter; and with local Medical Librarian groups. I would like to see Beta Phi Mu events at other professional meetings. Not all BPM members belong to ALA Before I retired, I would have liked to have been more involved but live far from a chapter. There was no outreach that found me. I never learned much about the organization beyond the award at graduation. There seem to be lost opportunities for those like me. Would like to know if there are opportunities to voluteer or co-mentor in libraries in other countries. I worked hard and long. Just let me go play now. Thanks for asking. If I think of anything I'll let you know. Organizing a full conference (national or regional) is arduous and expensive both for the organizer and participant. As Beta Phi Mu members are likely members of other conference offering associations, I'd be happy to see a half day amended to another association meeting (pre or post). Regional gatherings would be useful if combined with national conferences or had critical programming I'm 65; working part-time in Community Education office in clerical role. I just gave up my state license Just delighted to be part of such a great society Publishing of real scholarship like the old series. I would like to have more roundtables and listservs for member discussion/collaboration in various disciplines of our field. More cross chapter opportunity Many of these choices listed are already done by other library org. well no need for BPM to try to compete with them I'm not sure. There are several library organizations that offer conferences, webinars, and professional

development opportunities. It's hard to keep up with all of them. BPM would need to have a focused agenda to differentiate itself from these other established organizations. I do think BPM has something to offer, it just needs to be articulated and focused. Members, like myself, work in non-traditional fields and would like to know and network. LIS has been changing and will continue to. some type of certificate that actually says I'm a member. I have absolutely no proof I was initiated. more ways for members who do not currently live near a chapter to be involved caree counceling Student scholarships not sure, had never thought about it Question 10. Please share any additional comments you may have. Answered 95 Skipped 350 Answers: Good luck with your strategic plan for the future of Phi Beta Mu. I would love to see more Beta Phi Mu activity in whatever from it takes. Is there something you can put on your website welcoming people to get more involved. I would look there. I had no idea that Beta Phi Mu even did anything since I never heard. I am very proud of my UI degree and Beta Phi Mu membership. I have benefitted from what I have learned and applied it to my job in children's services at the Bloomington Public Library. I also had the wonderful opportunities to present programs with Dianne Happ and others for children's services at ILA conferences. I have recently retired. I have received no communications from my Beta Delta chapter since I was inducted in 2009. Not even sure if they actually do anything, or if they do, what it is they do? It'd be great to be connected to my local chapter where I live, but I'm not sure how to do that. Plus, as a former chapter officer, it would have been great to know who else was in the area besides our alumni. We live in a culture of the young. Despite my credentials, including database management, and excellent references, I was denied a job because I was "overqualified," the euphemism for too old here. I had stated I was willing to work for the stated salary for the chance to stay in my home town where my husband had a very good job. We need to instill in our own culture the value of experience and knowledge. Large corporations are hiring retirees just for this experience. One of the employees who was on the hiring committee just discarded a collection of first edition classics that were in mint condition - worth a fortune - that then had to be replaced. Had no idea what he/she had done. It had to be explained. In a time when the outside world talks about Libraries being obsolete, should we consign our own to also being obsolete? Please reconsider your membership fee (nany recent grads cannot pay $100 OR please tell chapter members more about how we can promote scholarships (a great things BPM does!) I really appreciate the annual initiation meetings we have in Iowa.

Since I relocated from New York City, I have not been able to attend meetings or events located there. Online meetings seems a good way to fix this problem. Sorry, have not had the time to be involved with local Simmons College chapter. Am more involved in other professional organizations. Exchange programs with libraries in other countries would be of interest (tied in with grants for travel & research). Thank you. wonderful organization! I wasn't aware of all the print, Web-based and social media mentioned; I'll look for it. I have felt disconnected from Beta Phi Mu and would welcome the opportunity to be more involved. none Since I was inducted after I received my professional degree and moved out of state away from my graduate school, I never had a chance to be involved in BPM. The focus the group has at ALA is great, but I think there are a number of members represented in other professional associations (like SLA) that are under served. I had no idea that Beta Phi Mu offered all the things that it does. I have never seen any information about all this, though I have been a member for years. It would be great if Beta Phi Mu could develop a site that could connect independent information researcher/contractors so we can network with each other I was initiated in 1980 and have been involved on the Chapter Board since 1983. Love it. I would like to see more mentor/student interaction with local MLS students and/or to have the chapter more involved in providing career guidance to students and young professionals. Those of us in rural areas are far from many professional contacts. New members should be tracked and contacted regularly. Since I live where there is no chapter, I have missed those professional contacts that would have been valuable. Do more to get new members participating. At age 87 I am no longer involved, nor am I able to attend meetings. I mentioned this already - but it could be interesting to have an online chapter for people who do not live near a chapter (I live outside the United States) Also I was not aware of the publications offered until I took the survey. Since I am not working in a library, chapter participation in Beta Phi Mu keeps me involved with librarians in my area and helps me to stay somewhat informed on what is new in librarianship. In retirement I've found a wonderful volunteer opportunity for using my library skills with an organization called Books to Prisoners, and I work there about 12 hrs. each week. I'm honored to be a member, but with a full-time job and a family, I really don't have any free time to commit. I'm very grateful to those who do take leadership roles. My thanks to you! The society performs a very useful function to our professional community Thanks for asking me my thoughts! Perhaps it is my fault, but I am fairly unaware of Beta-Phi-Mu activities. I would lie to update my name that has changed since my induction, but I am having good problems accomplishing this. Thanks for asking for our input and caring about our answers. Perhaps I'll fully transition back to LIS someday soon. I hope so! I don't see anything but invitation to annual chapter meeting and Em Claire's postings It took me 19 years to get into the profession after getting my degree. I had all but given up getting a

chance to be a librarian. I felt I had no support at all from Beta Phi Mu. I have not been contacted by my local chapter (University of Pittsburgh) in at least a decade. I assume it no longer exists. I am pleased to include Beta Phi Mu on my resume, but, other than my many years in library automation, the remainder of my career has been only tangentially related to Beta Phi Mu. Currently, working in GIS since Jan 2015, my knowledge of NISO standards best practice for vocabulary control, document management, and metadata are well valued by my employer, but I don't perceive Beta Phi Mu as an organization to be very close to my daily work. As I said, I am pretty much unaware of what Beta Phi Mu actually does and so I'm unaware of any "benefit" that might have for me. I never hear from my chapter, so it's impossible to participate in Beta Phi Mu. I haven't received a newsletter or any communication in years. My attitude might be warmer & more receptive if I were kept apprised of activities, etc. You only asked about what benefits of membership are meaningful to us, not all aspects of membership. If you had, I would have said that helping provide scholarships to students was number 2. I am retired, living in Lexington VA. I really had no contact with the organization once I left graduate school. At this stage of my life, I really have little interest in participating. I found it difficult to answer some of the questions. My archival career is my second career. Previously, I worked in history museums, so my two careers are somewhat related. Although I am not working at the moment and probably not staying in the field I still would be like to be involved or at least kept informed for new developments for the society. I have always wanted to be more involved but I don't normally have the time to take off and fly to Tallahassee or anywhere else to be at meetings in person. If there is a way to become more involved that doesn't include a great deal of travel then that would be great. I've always wanted to attend a meeting of the Gamma Chapter in Tally around Homecoming but haven't had the chance to do that either due to work obligations. Eventually, my intent is to visit Tally, see a game, attend the chapter events, and take part in anything else going on that week of homecoming. I would very like to see a chapter at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada The chapter system seems to be dying a slow death. With an increasingly mobile professional workforce and the rise of online education, place-based chapters have less relevance for the members. BPM ought to think creatively about how to have a more vibrant program at the trans-institutional level, while still tapping into the pride alumnae take in their own schools. I feel very positively about the ways that BPM is currently fostering academic excellence, e.g. the monograph series and the conference support grant. I don't know how to get involved with Beta-Phi-Mu. I will look at the website. Seems after I had schedule conflicts with chapter meetings after first initiation, I never heard about any others. I'm not in librarianship now. Part-time work yet in clerical role in Community Education office. please share charter. structure, guidelines, etc etc what IS the mission of the society? how do you set goals? achieve them? I'm happy to be part of Beta Phi Mu and appreciate hearing from my chapter each year. I moved four years ago and have had tremendous difficulty despite numerous attempts to change my affiliation to my new location. It has been crazy that I can't get this done despite both paper and email

requests. I would enjoy being a more active member of the organization. I am looking for increased communication and more opportunities. It doesn't seem that our local chapters are active. What can we do to make it more so. I truly hope the organization/chapter will be revived and members will get a chance to meet each other. I was nominated as a member-at-large because the chapter that was affiliated with the LIS school I attended was dissolved. There is not a chapter near where I work/live. There is not a means for me to find out who other members are--either locally or from the LIS school I attended. A searchable membership list could be helpful. Overall I feel disconnected from the organization, and am not aware of any activities I can participate in as a member. Other than the honor recognition, there doesn't seem to be much benefit to belonging to this organization that I can see. The organization doesn't appear to be very active in terms of any programming. I was more active when I first graduated from SLIS at the University of Hawaii, but since retiring in 2007 other interests have consumed my time. Reading about the achievements of others is always a delight. n/a I'm glad you sent this survey because it made me more aware of my desire to participate more fully. I've been a member for 17 years (I'm too young to think of myself as anything but mid-career. I hope.) and didn't know anything about the national organization. I hear primarily from my chapter, but as I'm not geographically proximate, have never been able to be involved. Now that I'm mid-career, and librarians are stretched paper-thin, I don't have time to do extensive volunteering. However, I wouldn't mind doing _something_ or participating at a local level. I had no idea these benefits were available. I'm very interested in discussion among peers in our field, especially as our roles evolve and expand within this changing information landscape. I have not been very involved, but I am not aware of available opportunities. I would like more information. I have not been active because it has been very difficult to find a way to connect. I would like to know about local chapters and find a way to reengage, but when I've reached out via LinkedIn and FB or via the BPM website I have not heard back from anyone. I would like to join a local chapter. I am proud to be a member of Beta Phi Mu. I wish there were more chapter and/or national activities that could be done from a distance, since I do not live particularly near a chapter. thanks for asking my opinion. Good luck I work outside of libraries in higher ed administration, so no longer have much need for these opportunities. But thanks for the survey. Please keep in touch with your members! I had no idea that Beta Phi Mu still existed until fairly recently I live in a different state from my original chapter and I haven't been able to connect to Beta Phi Mu where I live between job and family taking up my time. As per comment in question 9, Beta Phi Mu needs to "market" to those of us in non-traditional career paths. For example, I have been a tech software industry analyst and took my LIS skills to Silicon Valley and still relevant at nearly age 60 despite ageism and some people's antiquated, misinformed perception of LIS. keep up the great work. 305allday.com

I worked as a librarian for 31 years in Cincinnati and, now that I am retired, I am on the board of our community library. I'm proud to have been selected for the honor society many years ago. It has been mostly a resume line for me, although I have helped at some initiations in Alabama. One challenge in regional participation is the BPM chapter assignment is based on Drexel's location. But the Drexel MLS online experience is open to everywhere. For my personal example, I reside some two hours outside of Philadelphia. I have no idea what BPM does. I was elected while in library school and have had no further contact. Thank you for doing the survey. I am proud of my Beta Phi Mu membership even though I can not participate in an active chapter. i love my bookmark! Membership through my current chapter is disappointing. I would like to have opportunities to be involved. Recognition that members move out of area originally nominated to. Proof that members are leaders in libraryland. beyond BPM. When invited to be part of the society I thought it involved more than just paying a fee and making an oath in an activity. I hope the results of this survey gets shared with the leadership in Puerto Rico because I'm certain many people share my thoughts. It would be good just to get any communication from my chapter. After I moved to Florida, I changed my chapter affiliation but have never heard anything from the new chapter. Because of that, I haven't been able to pay dues or become involved here. Perhaps this chapter is inactive or a chapter in name only. The communication is not great, I tried a couple times to switch chapters from Alpha (where I graduated) to Beta (where I live...ish) and never heard back. I don't know if that change has been registered, or if the Beta chapter is just inactive. I like the idea of what BPM is but I don't know the reality of the society, although I'm a "member." Why has it taken 25 years for BPM to pull together a survey like this? A good start but I'd be looking for the leadership and for what the society stands for. I didn't rank the benefits in the question about that. Pride in membership is #1, all the rest are not important to me. I'm very happy you are undertaking the survey! I think you missed an opportunity by not including the link to the Cafe Press Beta Phi Mu store every time you mentioned it. n/a Going to Library School is the biggest mistake I ever made. I hate my job. I've moved to northern CA / southern OR, so likely I should be affiliated with a new chapter? Amanda Foster. I really appreciate the recent increase in communication from BPM Headquarters--excited about the future! I'm going to push this survey out to our membership. If anyone wants to be more involved in Beta Epsilon chapter, would you please contact me? Thank you! Jan jbrook17@jccc.edu Nothing at this time Even the smallest involvement in BPM has been a great benefit to my career, confidence, and leadership experience. I think Beta Phi Mu is a great organization with a great deal of potential. Being able to network with

other BPM chapters in my regional area would be a great thing. Also making ourselves better known and organized at the chapter level (we are working on it) would be great. We would love some support and guidance from national. I'm very honored to be part of BPM but have received very little (minimal) contact or correspondence either regionally or nationally in the three years I've belonged. Is this normal? None I love that when I call HQ you actually answer the phone.