Straight from the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science [Paperback]

Laura Townsend Kane (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0838908659 | ISBN-13: 978-0838908655 | Publication Date: September 1, 2003

Cover shows minimal signs of shelf wear, but the spine appears unread. All pages are clean and the binding is tight. SHIPS NEXT BUSINESS DAY!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This guide endeavors to educate readers about employment opportunities in library and information science and to familiarize current librarians with other career choices in their profession. This goal is achieved through firsthand accounts from more than 30 librarians working in disparate areas. Chapters are divided by type of institution: public, school, academic, nontraditional, medical, and law libraries. The personal accounts contain a photo, title and place of employment, and a narrative in which participants talk openly about their jobs, offering an inside glimpse of what the work is really like. At the end of each chapter, the author provides sample job descriptions that recap each job's environment, responsibilities, and education requirements. The personal accounts, integral to the book's appeal, do not disappoint; they are frank and engaging and should provide a new understanding of and appreciation for librarianship. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: American Library Association (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0838908659
• ISBN-13: 978-0838908655
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #828,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have a Master's in Library and Information Science and am a Distinguished member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals in the Medical Library Association. I am the Assistant Director for Information Services at the University of South Carolina's School of Medicine (SOM) Library in Columbia, South Carolina. I have advanced through various positions within the SOM Library since graduating from USC's School of Library and Information Science in 1991. I am co-author of "Answers to the Health Questions People Ask in Libraries: A Medical Library Association Guide" (Neal-Schuman, 2008), and author of "Access Versus Ownership" in the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, several book chapters about librarianship career opportunities, and peer-reviewed journal articles on various issues in librarianship. I am an active member of the Medical Library Association (MLA) and its regional Southern Chapter. I live in Columbia with my husband and three sons.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative with great personal experiences, March 8, 2007

By 

M. Krueger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Straight from the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science (Paperback)

I have been wondering what it is like to be a librarian, and I wanted to know the diversity of the job. This book covers exactly that, as advertised. One of the things I really liked about the book was at the end of each chapter there was a brief synopsis of specific duties and requirements to specialize in that particular field. The personal stories were the most informative and interesting. This is a great book for beginners like me, and, I suspect, it would be interesting for experienced librarians as well.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Overview of Jobs, July 13, 2007

By 

Butterscotch (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight from the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science (Paperback)

This book profiles librarians in various work areas - public, academic, nontraditional, and management, among others. The librarians that were profiled talk about their jobs and various duties, and the education and experience that led them into their current position. I found it especially helpful that the author asked each librarian how they keep up with continuing education; regardless of the field they were in most librarians had similar responses (conferences and online discussion groups). This would be a good book not only for a library student but also library professionals who might be contemplating a career change. There are enough profiles here to read them through easily and see which types of librarianship you identify with.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very handy and "user friendly" introduction, March 5, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight from the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science (Paperback)

Straight From The Stacks: A Firsthand Guide To Careers In Library And Information Science by Laura Townsend Kane (Head of Cataloging & Acquisitions, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Library, Columbia, South Carolina), is a very handy and "user friendly" introduction for library students, paraprofessionals, practicing librarians, and anyone else seeking to learn as much as they can about information service careers. Straight From The Stacks is a superb guide addressing a number of common questions ranging from "Where can I apply an advanced degree in library science" to "What experience and training do I need", along with sample job descriptions, firsthand career information from real librarians, required qualities for success in a variety of library-related jobs and more. No Library Science reference collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of Laura Townsend Kane's Strait From The Stacks!