Librarians at the Iowa State University Library are tenure-track faculty who engage in systematic research and the regular production of scholarly outcomes. This expectation is documented in the position responsibility statement (PRS) of every library faculty member, which includes the following statements:

"Engagement in research/creative activities is expected with an outcome in scholarship." [and] "Engagement in scholarship related to professional practice/teaching and research is expected. Scholarship results in a 'product' that is shared with others with the expectation of documented and undocumented evidence. It is the result of professional practice, teaching, and/or research activities. The product (regardless of format), may take the form of a book, journal article, critical review, annotated bibliography, lecture, review of existing research on a topic, creation of materials designed for use with computers, development of codes and standards, etc."

Each member of the library faculty maintains a rolling, five-year scholarship plan, prepared in conjunction with the annual workplan each December (for the upcoming year). The five-year scholarship plan provides a blueprint for multiple research and publication projects expected to be in various stages of completion over the upcoming five-year period. Within the faculty member's annual workplan, specific research and publication goals are identified for the upcoming calendar year.

To support faculty research and the production of scholarship, the library provides its faculty with:

• Regularly scheduled research time, representing 5-20% of the faculty member's appointment, and scheduled on a flexible basis as negotiated with the faculty member's supervisor. The agreed-upon percentage is documented in the faculty member's annual workplan.
• Special research leave grants, typically project-specific and ranging from 1-3 weeks, approved through a formal request and review process.
• Faculty Professional Development Assignments (FPDA), as governed by the Faculty Handbook. FPDAs are reviewed by the Library's Travel and Research Funds Committee, the relevant Associate Dean, and the Dean of the Library. They typically cover one to two semesters.

See: Vitae of selected ISU Library faculty and staff.