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

by American Library Association

For library students, paraprofessionals, and librarians who are wondering if they have their ladder against the right wall, Straight from the Stacks fills the need for an up-to-date resource that uncovers the amazing and varied jobs available in the library field. Encompassing both traditional and nontraditional career paths in libraries, this comprehensive and engaging guide makes it easy to get a grip on these and other information science career path questions and see the possibilities! Covering a wide range of Library Information Science professions, Straight from the Stacks offers insiders' perspectives along with plenty of reassurance that career opportunities do exist. Organized by type of institution including public, school, academic, nontraditional, medical/law, and library administration, this useful overview covers the many areas of librarianship and typical jobs in each environment and provides practical answers to the common First-hand accounts from real-life librarians in a variety of information science disciplines make this career guide come alive, and fifteen sample job descriptions for different niches of information services offer a reality check for those committed to understanding an ever-changing array of possibilities. Tracing career paths, everyday duties, and qualities for succeeding, these spotlights provide perspective from the trenches. From bioinformatics librarian to consumer health librarian to principal and information broker, anyone entering the profession can find an inspirational mentor as well as hard-hitting career-building information.

Genres: Nonfiction, Library Science

155 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2003

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic overview of many varied positions in the library field. this is one of the best books I've read on the subject. Many librarians in different roles are profiles and tell their own story of what they do day to day. They also share tips on what is needed to break into each area. It is a little dated and all areas are described as being in demand, so take that with a grain of salt.

[Liz De Coster · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very profile-intense, featuring a cross-section of different careers in library science. Unfortunately, there's very little information in here useful to somebody who already has their MLS.

[Mirabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The information in this book is probably a little old at this point, but it still offers very valuable insight and still relevant information in the library field.

I honestly wouldn't recommend reading this book cover to cover because it is quite dry, but it's great reference material. I forced myself to read every chapter in case I discovered a new field I was interested in, but I really have no interest in becoming a medical or law librarian and reading those chapters did not change my mind in the slightest and ended up seeming like a waste of time.

I found the sample job descriptions especially useful and informative. The testimonies from librarians was a great way to learn about the different fields in the library and to find out what a normal day looks like across these different fields.

Overall very informative book!

[Robert Beveridge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura Townsend Kane, Straight from the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library Science (American Library Association, 2003)

Straightforward, if somewhat dry, book about, as the subtitle tells you, careers in library science. Each chapter covers a different area of the field, giving an overview, interviews with prominent members of the field, and a short section of recommended qualifications. It's very informative, but there's no sense of flair, of style, to make the average reader want to read about this stuff, much less get excited about it. The enthusiasm of the interviewees is obvious from their words, but still somehow comes across as flat. Worthwhile as a reference book, but pick it up from the library to give it a once-over before buying it outright. ** ½

[Lesley Looper · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a nice overview of various segments of the library field. I enjoyed reading the spotlights of professionals in the different fields. Common threads, aside from a library science degree, included continuing education, networking, and coming to library science after other jobs and careers. The things I enjoyed reading about most in this book were about nontraditional libraries, the academic instructional services librarian, the San Diego Zoo librarian, the the clinical librarian in a hospital.

(On a personal note, a couple of librarians in "Spotlight" sections mentioned working at Duke, but I don't know either one.)

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors reviews several areas of librarianship: public, academic, school, special, and nontraditional. Each area has a descriptive overview of that area, profiles of people with a variety of jobs in that area, and sample job descriptions with a list of the common responsibilities of that job, required education and training, and related professional organizations. I have to confess I only skimmed most of the book, only taking time to read the parts that interested me the most. However, this is a great book for anyone considering librarianship.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book would be great if you knew absolutely nothing about how different types of libraries function. If you are already familiar, then just skim the book looking for what might be useful for you. I'm not a librarian, but I have worked in both public and academic libraries and I found the information to be very broad, but what can be expected in a field that is so broad. Ultimately, the duties of a librarian will vary from institution to institution.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a helpful book, but I found it really hard to read through. I guess you have to be selective in the type of library you are interested in. I read through and it took me weeks to get through the book after reading the parts I wanted to know about. The information was helpful, and I really loved the personal profiles. A good way to learn something about what librarians really do.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great overview of the various venues where those with an MLS might find themselves: Public, School/Child/Young Adult, Academic, Medical, Law, Nontraditional (corporate/freelance). Includes sample job descriptions, notes on the environment, education and training needs, suggested professional memberships and many "spotlight" experiences of those working in the field.

[Rev. Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when I first began my MLS, and now that I am on the other side, find this to be an excellent resource for Library Science majors who are conducting an employment search. The profiles and bios of librarians from all four library types, accompanied by job description examples, were helpful items to gain a better understanding of the real life roles of librarians.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really helpful book for those who want to narrow down career paths and goals in Library and Information Sciences.

[Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would really help people that are thinking of becoming a librarian. It mentions all the different librarian positions and what is expected of them in their jobs and education. I am not a librarian but I was curious about what librarians do. This book explains that well. What I did find even more interesting was the actual librarians telling their own stories of what they do and what attracted them to this field. Even more interesting yet was when they explained how they got to where they are now. Like a mini biography.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covering the wide range of career in libraries, this book shows the reader what is typically expected from the roles interviewed, and what it requires to get there.