Finding charm through charms: Utilizing library specializations, Hogwarts houses and Big Five Traits to spell out librarian self-identity

This study uses fandom as a conceptual foundation to ascertain how self-identities and personality traits are reflected across library and information sciences (LIS), a field with varied specializations based in diverging skills and interests. By analysing the relationship between librarians’ Hogwarts house affiliations, LIS specializations and Big Five personality trait adjectives, this interdisciplinary research of fandom studies, LIS and psychology results in interesting insights into personal and professional self-identity. A survey of 875 librarians found statistically significant differences indicating that LIS workers self-identify with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff houses more than a US normative population. Additionally, this survey found that librarians’ self-identities emphasize traits associated with Openness to Experience and Agreeableness factors, which significantly correspond to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff houses. This research demonstrates that fandom and popular culture can provide an accessible and engaging lens to discuss personality psychology and group identity. Additional conclusions and implications of these results, as well as the moral and ethical dilemmas of researching and writing about a harmful and problematic author, are discussed.