Alternative careers for graduates of LIS schools: The North American perspective - an analysis of the literature

Schools of Library and Information Science (LIS) have often promoted alternative careers as a marketing tool and some students enrol in LIS schools specifically to explore alternative careers. The literature on LIS career patterns continues to suggest that those non-traditional careers are desirable and viable alternatives. Yet the survey research based literature indicates that very few LIS graduates report finding employment outside traditional libraries in the US and Canada. This paper reviews the challenges of obtaining more accurate information on the career patterns of LIS graduates and discusses the international implications for analysing career patterns for LIS school graduates.