So You Want To Be a Librarian PDF
Preview So You Want To Be a Librarian
So you want to be a librarian… So you want to be a librarian… By Lauren Pressley Library Juice Press Duluth, Minnesota Copyright Lauren Pressley, 2008 Published in 2009 Published by Library Juice Press P.O. Box 3320 Duluth, MN 55803 http://libraryjuicepress.com/ This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets present ANSI standards for archival preservation. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Pressley, Lauren. So you want to be a librarian! / by Lauren Pressley. p. cm. Summary: "Provides information about librarianship as a ca- reer, including types of libraries, types of jobs within libraries, professional issues, and educational requirements"--Provided by publisher. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-9802004-8-5 (acid-free paper) 1. Library science--Vocational guidance. 2. Library science-- Vocational guidance--United States. I. Title. Z682.35.V62P74 2009 020.7--dc22 2009009516 To Grace James, the librarian who introduced me to this wonderful type of work while I was just an elementary school student. I still think fondly of volunteering at your library during the summers, of reading as many books as I possibly could, of riding in your red convertible with the unbelievably fun license plate, and of lunches at the Pavilion. It is because of your work that I have loved libraries for as long as I can remember. Acknowledgments Librarianship is a field of helpful people. While writing this book I have had the opportunity to engage in several informative conversations about the profession with a num- ber of interesting librarians. This book is better for it. Thank you to Kathleen Burlingame, Mary Chimato, Ellie Collier, Kim Duckett, Audra Eagle, Amy Kearns, Sue Kimmel, Cliff Landis, Cat McDowell, Melissa Rethlefsen, Courtney Stephens, and Rachel Walden for taking the time to share their perspectives on the profession. This book represents a broader view of the field because of your contributions. Thank you to Lauren Corbett, Jenny McCraw Dale, Craig Fansler, Stephen Francoeur, Jim Galbraith, Kate Kapetanakis, Steve Kelley, Brian Mathews, Carolyn McCallum, David Rothman, Anna Van Scoyoc, Jason Set- zer, Sarah Rothstein Smith, Sharon Snow, Courtney Ste- phens, Brandi Tuttle, and Joe Williams for helping me un- derstand the various facets of the field and for looking at different parts of this text. This book is clearer and more accurate for it. Lynn Sutton and Susan Smith are remarkable mentors, and I thank them for helping me find my place in the pro- fession and for their good advice for a new writer. Thank you to Mary Horton and Erik Mitchell, who have been supportive and encouraging supervisors throughout this process. Thank you to Mary Lib Slate, Kaeley McMahan, Kevin Gilbertson, Elizabeth Novicki, Mary Scanlon, and Sarah Jeong for the conversations along the way. And thank you to Rosalind Tedford, Giz Womack, Ellen Daugman, viii SO YOU WANT TO BE A LIBRARIAN Bobbie Collins, and Tim Mitchell, for being such supportive colleagues. I would especially like to thank Rory Litwin and Library Juice Press for giving me a chance to do something so excit- ing so early in my career and for giving me the opportunity to gain a fuller perspective on the profession. Thank you to all of my family for your interest, support, and forgone weekends to ensure I finished this project. And finally, to the one who was most aware of just how intense this project was: thanks to my amazingly supportive hus- band, John Borwick, who encourages me to be the best I can be, while helping me stay calm and balanced. This book is better for it, and so am I. Contents Acknowledgments vii Contents ix Introduction 1 About This Book 6 Types of Libraries 11 School Media Centers 14 Academic libraries 23 Public Libraries 33 Special Libraries 42 Overview 50 Organizations 51 Further Reading 52 Types of Jobs 55 Public Service 58 Technical Services & Collection Management 65 Rare Books and Archives 72 Technology 78 x SO YOU WANT TO BE A LIBRARIAN Administration 83 All in One 88 New Positions 90 Organizations 98 Professional Issues 101 Librarians and Libraries 103 Libraries in Communities 111 Intellectual Freedom and Intellectual Property 118 Technology 125 Advocacy 132 Issues in Librarianship 135 Getting the MLS 137 Finding Programs 139 Preparing for Programs 146 While in School 155 Summary 162 Further Information 163 Conclusion 169 Possible Challenges 169 Information Science 172 The Profession of Librarianship 173
The list of books you might like
