Librarianship and Library Science

General resources on library science and librarianship as a career

This page:
Library Science Meta Sites | Librarianship as a Career | Librariana Beyond Cyberspace

• History of Information - Timeline from 3.8 million years ago to the present

Library Science Meta Sites

• Library and Information Science: A Guide to Online Resources - Compiled by the Library of Congress Digital Reference Team
• Frequently Asked Questions - How to read Dewey numbers, Library of Congress numbers, ISBNs; how to organize your own library
• Information and Library Science - Associations, children's collections, discussion lists, journals, technical services, blogs, associations, employment, research (SUNY Albany Libraries)
• Internet Library for Librarians (Vianne Tang Sha / InfoWorks Technology Co.)
• Internet Public Library: Libraries
• Libraries FAQ (Anthony Wilson)
• Library and Information Science - Associations, books, articles, blogs, reference works, and more (UC Irvine subject guide)
• Library and Information Sciences on the Web - Abstracts and indexes, catalogs and Web sites, journals, library schools, professional associations, and more (Iowa State University e-Library)
• Library Science (Mansfield University Library Subject Guides)
• Library Support Staff - Every library needs them
• LibrarySpot
• Online Resources for the Solo Librarian (Carolyn Kotlas)
• UNESCO Libraries Portal - Links on libraries and librarianship around the world

Library and Archives Dictionaries:

• ODLIS: Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science by Joan M. Reitz (Libraries Unlimited)
• Glossary of Archives and Records Terminology (Society of American Archivists)

Library Wikis:

See also

• Library Blogs, Collaborative Efforts
• Wikis, generally
• Library Sucess: A Best Practices Wiki - Tell the library world about your wins! (libsuccess.org)
• Library and Information Science Wiki (LISWiki) - Collaborative encyclopedia of all things LIS

Law:

• Library Law - Advice and links from Mary Minow
• LibraryLaw Blog

Trends:

• OCLC Reports - Regular summaries of current trends in the library world

Supplies:

• Librarian's Yellow Pages - Catalog from multiple vendors, publishers, media dealers, etc.

Librarianship as a Career

• INALJ: I Need a Librarian Job - Loads of good advice
• Ten Graces for New Librarians by GraceAnne DeCandido - An inspirational paean to the profession. It's good to read even if you're not a new librarian
• Why be a librarian in the 21st century? - Librarians are sexy, smart, radical, famous, and her, Holly Black explains
• American Library Association:
• Career Resources - Links to library job sites
• Education and Careers for library staff (American Library Association)
• Library Careers.org - How and why to become a librarian
• Hiring Librarians - The blog has been discontinued, but there's a lot of good advice here
• Job Title Generator for Library and Information Science Professionals - Real job titles you might not have thought of (Michelle Mach)
• Library Career People - Your library career questions answered
• Library Day in the Life - Links to blogs where librarians write about what they do in a day
• LIS New Professional's Toolkit - Advice for new librarians
• So You Want to be a Librarian - Links to lots of tips to prepare to be a librarian
• Special Libraries Association:
• SLA Career Center
• SLA Learning Hub

Occupational Outlook:

• Librarians - Article from Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Librarians: Information Experts in the Information Age - Article in Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2000-01

Library Schools:

• ALA-Accredited Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies (U.S. and Canada) (American Library Association)
• World List of Departments and Schools of Information Studies

Training, Continuing Education for Librarians:

See also

• Library Conferences
• i.School Open Classes - "Continuing education and professional development opportunities for future and current information professionals. The fully online Open Classes program is open to everyone. (San Jose State University)
• Infopeople - Online courses, webinars, and in-person training (free and low-cost)
• Libraries Thriving Workshops and Seminars
• Library Juice Academy - "Online professional development for librarians," reasonably priced; certificates available
• San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science Colloquia - Recorded talks from practitioners in the field
• Webcasts for Librarians and Archivists (Library of Congress)
• Webjunction - Training and advice

Special Libraries Association (SLA):

Some programs require SLA membership.

• Learn - Courses and other learning opportunities
• SLA Calendar - Many of the events put on by SLA units are online and free

X Things:

• Learning 2.0 - The original "23 Things" developed by Helene Blowers at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (N.C.)
• 23 Things (Special Libraries Association)
• 23 Things for SLIS Students and Alumni: Essentials for Success (San Jose State University School of Library and Information Science)
• 23 Mobile Things
• IPL 15 Things (Internet Public Library)

Cataloging:

• Catalogers Learning Workshop - Full course materials for "Cataloging for the 21st Century" and other courses (Library of Congress)
• Cataloging and RDA Webinars - Many of them free or low cost (American Library Association)
• Library of Congress RDA Training Materials
• Taxonomies and Controlled Vocabularies - Self-paced online course (Hedden Information Management)

Library Job Listings:

• ALA JobList (formerly American Libraries Hot Jobs Online)
• Association of Research Libraries Career Resources
• LibGig
• LIBJOBS - Mailing list (and archive) of job postings worldwide (IFLA)
• Library Journal Library Jobs
• LIS Career.com
• LIS Jobs.com / Library Job Postings on the Internet
• Info Career Trends - Useful newsletter even if you're not jobseeking
• Opportunities Exchange - Awards, scholarships, volunteering, etc. (American Library Association)
• Special Libraries Association: Career Center

Non-Traditional Careers for Librarians:

• Rethinking Information Work - Advice from consultant Kim Dority

Books:

• A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science by Richard Murray and Priscilla Shontz (Libraries Unlimited, 2007) (Find it in a library)
• Career Q & A: A Librarian's Real-Life, Practical Guide to Managing a Successful Career by Susanne Markgren and Tiffany Eatman Allen (Information Today, 2013) (Find it in a library)
• Career Transitions for Librarians: Proven Strategies for Moving to Another Type of Library edited by Davis Erin Anderson and Raymond Pun (Rowman and Littlefield, 2016) (Find it in a library)
• The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success by Ulla de Stricker and Jill Hurst-Wahl (Chandos, 2011) (Find it in a library)
• Landing a Library Job by Deloris Jackson Foxworth (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) (Find it in a library)
• A Librarian's Guide to an Uncertain Job Market by Jeannette Woodward (ALA Books, 2011) (Find it in a library)
• The Librarian's Skillbook: 51 Essential Career Skills for Information Professionals by Deborah Hunt and David Grossman (2013) (Find it in a library)
• Making the Most of Your Library Career edited by Lois Stickell and Bridgette Sanders (ALA Books, 2014) (Find it in a library)
• The New Information Professional: Your Guide to Careers in the Digital Age by Judy Lawson, Joanna Kroll, and Kelly Kowatch (Neal-Schuman, 2010) (Find it in a library)
• The New Professional's Toolkit by Bethan Ruddock (Facet Publishing, 2012) (Find it in a library)
• Rethinking Information Work: A Career Guide for Librarians and Other Information Professionals by G. Kim Dority (Libraries Unlimited, 2006) (Find it in a library)
• What's the Alternative: Career Options for Librarians and Info Pros by Rachel Singer Gordon (Information Today, 2008) (Find it in a library)

Librariana Beyond Cyberspace