Customer Reviews

The Nextgen Librarian's Survival Guide

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The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide by Rachel Singer Gordon (former Head of Computer Services at the Franklin Park Public Library and currently Consulting Editor to the Book Publishing Division of Information Today, Inc.) is an informed and informative introduction to the coming of Generation-X professionals to community and academic library career positions, as well as an in-depth reference creating stability in such library staff positions. Providing aspiring librarians an easy-to-follow structure, The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide follows a format consisting of chapters dedicated to Next Generation Librarianship; Surviving Library School; Surviving the Job Hunt; Surviving Entry-Level Positions; Moving Forward; Image, Stereotypes, and Diversity; Connections; Work/Life Balance; Transforming the Profession; and a conclusive Note to Library Administration. A welcome and seminal addition to professional and academic Library Science collections, The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide is a well-crafted reference-guide enabling an expert understanding of the library field of study and career positioning.

As a "Nextgen" planning on going into LIS, Rachel Singer Gordon's book answered many of the questions I and many of those in my position would have.

A significant portion of each chapter was given to printing the survey results which included opinions Nextgen librarians both new to the profession and in managerial positions, and older librarians weighing in on librarianship and generational issues. Aside from the survey answers, the author does a good job of breaking down issues important to young librarians including (but certainly not limited to) the job market, librarian stereotypes, and career planning.

The analysis of the surveys, and author's commentary on the various issues is straightforward, without the ageist bias that the title of the book might suggest. Though reading through the "...Survival Guide" there is some ire against stagnant librarians, unwilling or unable to change, that category is not solely delineated by age. In a slight twist, solutions to dealing with reverse ageism against younger librarians is mentioned; this is an example of the wide variety of useful information offered by the book.

Two things I missed in reading the "...Survival Guide" were any numbers on entry-level salaries, or specifics when it came to chapter 8 (Work/Life balance). In researching the book, perhaps there was too much credence given to the survey answers which may have had too narrow a range. Aside from these two small misgivings, I quite enjoyed Rachel Singer Gordon's book and would highly recommend it to anyone going, or thinking about going into the field of Library and Information Science.

p.s. - If anything, at least part of the worth of this book is in the appendix, where the author lists a good number of articles, books, and websites dealing with younger librarians and librarianship in general.

I think I bought this book shortly after graduating from library school in 2006. I landed a job in a public library in 2007. But I guess I was too busy to read it because I found it buried under a lot of other books. I spent some time with it today, and there really isn't anything in here that I haven't learned on the job these past two years. Basically, what I'm trying to say is there's a lot of common sense things in here, not anything that an average smart 20- to 30- something who is going through library school instruction today cannot figure out on his or her own. How to go to library school, how to get a job, how to get started being a librarian once you get the job (seriously, you just do it, your supervisor will tell you what to do. And if he/she doesn't, you open your eyes and see what needs to be done). There's chapter on "Image, Stereotype, and Diversity," which is *such* a pet peeve of mine. Yeah, yeah, we get it: librarians are cool. The book is good at identifying the issues, but it leaves more to be desired for meaty solutions.

While it does have valuable information, there's nothing in here that addresses the specific plights I have as a "Next-Gen Librarian": initiating change in an organization where people who have been there longer than me do not want to try new things; trying to avoid being the all-things-technology go-to person, just because of my age and education (i really didn't go to library school to be staff and patrons' tech support); directing and supervising library technicians when there is high-turnover and when they are offended by taking orders from someone who is/appears younger; gaining intellectual support from my peers outside Library Land(enough with the sexy librarian jokes, and help me think of ways to do things in a new way in our local community!); managing burnout. Could someone write *this* book for me?

(whew, that was long-winded and much more than I meant to say)

This book was extremely unhelpful. In the chapter "Surviving Library School" we are treated to such eye opening advice as "try to choose a library school that is known for the specialty you wish to pursue," and, "if attending a state school, the difference in tuition between in-state and out of state is significant - consider moving to the state a year before you start classes in order to gain in-state status." Then there was "try to gain experience during library school - perhaps find a job in a library while attending school. This will strengthen your resume and make the job search easier when you get out." Wow - color me enlightened! This is fantastic insider info! You mean I should try to gain experience, so that I may impress potential employers with the experience? Whoa - I don't believe I can wrap my mind around the intensity of that brainwave! Slow down! In the chapter "Surviving the Job Hunt" we are treated to more painfully obvious nuggets of "wisdom" such as "when on a job interview - you are interviewing the organization as much as they are interviewing you; ask questions!"

Then the book is peppered throughout with real "insight" from current "NextGen" librarians and "old school" librarians. The "old school" librarians are (surprise!) slow to change, unwilling to adapt to the tech age of online library card catalogs and internet searches and supposedly impatient with the young whippersnapper Nextgens crowding their territory and trying to implement these new advances. The Nextgens on the otherhand whine about low pay (oh, really, public libraries don't pay rock star wages - I'm bowled over from that revelation, this is truly shocking insight into government exploitation.) and they whine on about how outdated, backward and generally "square" the old school librarians are. Many of them claim that they are now disillusioned with libraries and say they would never have entered library and information science had they known these discouraging hidden truths.

Seriously, this book is a huge waste of time and money. There was absolutely nothing helpful about this book whatsoever. It contained depressingly obvious information, and even more depressing discourse from the various librarians quoted. If you want proper and helpful advice then I suggest saving your money and going down to the local library and asking the librarians themselves. You certainly can't do worse then I did paying $30 to be kicked in the groin with ridiculously obvious "advice" and miserable ramblings about the futility of pursuing a rewarding career with a library science degree. Gordon's book is a government pamphlet worthy, elementary book on how to choose a school, interview well, and how frustrating public employment can be. All is common knowledge to all but the most hapless uninformed high school student. I want my $30 back.

I was a little disappointed in this book because it was aimed at librarians that have their Master's degree. I do wish to get that but as of right now I'd like some paraprofessional work advice but I can't seem to find any. I attended one of her workshops and felt it applied to both paraprofessionals and professionals. I wish her book had too.