SCONUL is undertaking research into the "pipeline for new talent" and is seeking your help.

We want to collect evidence about the experience of Early Career Professionals working in SCONUL member libraries (at any level), in order to help us recruit the best people and support them in fulfilling their potential.  We are also interested in the perspectives of line managers and Heads of Service regarding the experience and potential of new library professionals.

Our research will give us a better understanding of:

• the numbers involved and the types of role occupied by new professionals in SCONUL libraries;
• the transition from Library and Information School (or equivalent) to professional practice;
• what SCONUL libraries gain from employing new professionals; and
• how managers can best support the professional development of their new recruits. 

The project is part of SCONUL's strategic priority to develop tools and materials to support members in workforce planning, and Evidence Base are undertaking this research on SCONUL's behalf.

We would like to invite any new professionals, line managers and Heads of Service to contribute to this research by completing our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SCONUL2019

We would be extremely grateful if you could you answer the survey and distribute the link to this survey to your staff, colleagues and professional networks so that it reaches as many people who fits the criteria for our research and might be interested in providing a response.

For the purposes of this research, "new professionals" means people:

• with a CILIP-accredited (or equivalent) library qualification awarded in 2014 or later; and
• either working in, or having within the past 5 years worked in, the library (in the widest sense) of a SCONUL member.

A list of CILIP-accredited programmes is available at: https://www.cilip.org.uk/general/custom.asp?page=Qualifications; a list of SCONUL member libraries is available at: https://www.sconul.ac.uk/members-and-representatives.

Please note that our definition includes leavers (ie anyone qualified as above but who has left a SCONUL library post within the past 5 years).

The survey is open until 25th October 2019 and there is an opportunity to provide contact details if you are interested in assisting further with the research project by taking part in a follow-up interview.

Every care will be taken to maintain confidentiality and anonymity; all information received will be stored securely.

Thank you for your help in supporting this project.

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SCONUL2019