Democratizing academic librarianship: Ten years of community-building through a graduate fellowship

Abstract

Developed in partnership between a University Library and an iSchool, the Research and Teaching Fellowship (RTF) is a three-semester teacher training program that prepares MLIS students for careers in academic librarianship. In celebration of the RTF program's 10th anniversary, we offer reflections from a decade of research and practice, including findings from an ongoing qualitative study featuring interviews with RTF alumni. While this presentation focuses on the RTF program, the implications of our findings are relevant to anyone interested in supporting early-to-mid-career librarians as they navigate the challenges, opportunities, and future of the profession.