Contributory Factors to Academic Librarian Turnover: A Mixed-Methods Study

Motivation: Research has shown that high employee turnover is correlated with negative overall performance and increased costs. Problem: While employee turnover has been a significant area of study in organizational psychology and human resources management, there are few recent studies related to employee turnover in academic libraries. Approach: This study examined the reasons librarians identified for leaving one academic institution for another within a five-year period via an online survey. Results: Results indicate that turnover within academic libraries is influenced by several factors related to work environment, compensation and benefits, job duties and personal needs. Conclusion: Understanding why librarians leave their positions is the first step toward improving employee retention in academic libraries.