The Cybrarian's Manual 2 (Cybrarians Manual) (Paperback)

~ Pat Ensor (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Librarians have always been at the forefront of the information age. A new breed of librarian is emerging called the "cybrarian," someone who is comfortable with online reference material--and where to find it. The culture of the Net is shaped by cybrarians who have been working quietly for many years, using and improving information-retrieval techniques. This group of essays is a guidebook for librarians, telling them what to expect in the online world. Among the topics discussed are the relationship of the public library to the Internet, using the Net to meet and confer with colleagues, electronic freedoms and rights, intelligence agents, search engines, and more. The writers use a straightforward, engaging style. One of the more intriguing sections is about the future of information services via virtual libraries. Be sure to read the "It's Time to Ask (Alternate) Dr. Internet!" sections. If only the soaking up of Net culture could always be this much fun. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From School Library Journal

Pat Ensor has done a yeoman's job of pulling together 63 original and previously published articles on what librarians need to know about the Internet, including connection options, browsers, and security. At its most basic level, the book exists, like windshield wipers, to clear away the muck that gets in the way of understanding the Net: after reading "Using Multimedia File Formats" by OhioLINK's Thomas Dowling, you'll be able to casually discuss GIF, JPEG, and TIFF at your next cocktail party. The book also succeeds in its mission to lead readers to valuable resources on the Web, such as sites for citation styles, web site development, and must-read publications. Despite these virtues, the collection doesn't sing as a whole. Some articles discuss topics on which I'd want a whole book, such as "Spinning the World Wide Web: An HTML Primer." Others are starting to show their age, such as "Intelligent Agents," from a 1994 issue of Online. Ensor, Head of Information Services at the University of Houston Libraries, recognizes that the static nature of the book calls for a web site, and there is one: www.ala.org/editions/cyberlib.net/. However, as a library-oriented site, it's disappointing: as of early May, there was no software to search the text. The aforementioned drawbacks, plus the collection's academic bent, make it an op- tional purchase.?Renee Olson, School Library Journal
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 313 pages
• Publisher: American Library Association (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0838907776
• ISBN-13: 978-0838907771
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,531,113 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars the latest for cybrarians, June 16, 2000

By	gwen gregory (new mexico) - See all my reviews

When the first edition of The Cybrarian's manual was publishedin 1997, the Internet was already a force in many informationprofessionals' lives. Some librarians had been using the Internet for years, but many were just realizing the possibilities of the Internet and what it could mean for them. In the year 2000, the Internet has become ubiquitous in our lives. We access all sorts of information from the net, from full-text research databases to online shopping malls to chat rooms about our obscure hobbies or favorite celebrities. These sources are generally easy to access and use through the web. Now that we all have some familiarity with the net, where do we go from here? Pat Ensor has collected some interesting articles to help us figure that out.

The Cybrarian's manual 2 will be a great current awareness tool for many librarians. Here we can quickly learn about new developments relating to Internet use. We can also refer to the articles as a refresher in the future. These articles are short and lively. Some of the pieces are mainly light-hearted fun, a welcome break for the busy librarian. You will probably enjoy passing some of them on to your colleagues, for the information or the humor (or maybe both). You will doubtless enjoy reading many of them, especially GraceAnne DeCandido's essay on Rupert Giles, the librarian hero of television's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer".