Librarian's Career Guidebook

Priscilla K. Shontz is the author of Jump Start Your Career in Library and Information Science (Scarecrow Press, 2002). She has worked in academic, special and public libraries and currently works as a freelance writer and webmaster/editor of LIScareer.com.

Priscilla Shontz's Jump Start Your Career in Library and Information Science (Scarecrow 2002) guided novice librarians through the intricacies of finding, getting, keeping, and enhancing jobs. Her new book does all that, and more....The pragmatic information in each article and the bibliographies make this an excellent guidebook for everyone in our profession, whether we are trying to assess where we are or figure out how to be in a better place.

• Part 1 ForewordPart 2 AcknowledgmentsPart 3 IntroductionPart 4 Companion WebsitePart 5 Section 1 Career PlanningChapter 6 1 Why Be a Librarian?Chapter 7 2 The Public in Public LibrariesChapter 8 3 Career Options in AcademeChapter 9 4 Never a Dull Day in the School LibraryChapter 10 5 From Makeup to Missiles: Special Libraries Mirror the Diversity and Complexity of Today's Business EconomyChapter 11 6 A Bird's-Eye View: Working for a Library ConsortiumChapter 12 7 Association CareersChapter 13 8 Passing It On: A Career as a Full-Time EducatorChapter 14 9 Looking at Libraries from Both Sides: Librarian-VendorsChapter 15 10 Beckoned by Darth Vader: Careers in PublishingChapter 16 11 You Want Me to Put What Where? Freelancing Librarianship as Job, Hobby, and PassionChapter 17 12 Countless Opportunities: Alternative Career Paths for Librarians and Information ProfessionalsPart 18 Section 2 EducationChapter 19 13 Choosing a Library ProgramChapter 20 14 The MLS: What Is It Worth?Chapter 21 15 Now That I'm Here, What Do I Take?Chapter 22 16 Replacing Classrooms and Carrels with Keystrokes: Distance Education of Library and Information Science ProfessionalsChapter 23 17 Library Work Experience: Get Some!Chapter 24 18 Get Hired Soon! Improving Your Postgraduation EmployabilityPart 25 Section 3 EmploymentChapter 26 19 Hunting and Gathering: Finding JobsChapter 27 20 Avoiding the Landmines: Evaluating a Potential WorkplaceChapter 28 21 Cover Letters: Tips for Making a Good First ImpressionChapter 29 22 The Resume: A Short Story about YouChapter 30 23 Interviews in Libraries: Planning, Preparation, and PerfectionChapter 31 24 NegotiationChapter 32 25 Standing out from the Crowd: Maximizing Your HirabilityChapter 33 26 Leaving a Job: It Really Is a Small WorldChapter 34 27 Make Your Own Opportunities: Staying Professionally Active While UnemployedChapter 35 28 When You Come to a Fork in the Road...Take ItPart 36 Section 4 Experience as an Entry-level LibrarianChapter 37 29 Does This Job Make Me Look Fat? Or, Making Your First Year on the Job a More Comfortable FitChapter 38 30 I Got the Job, Now What Do I Do? Or, Acclimating to the Environment and Defining Expectations in a New WorkplaceChapter 39 31 It Just Doesn't Matter: What You Didn't Learn in Library SchoolChapter 40 32 How to Look Like You Know What You Are Doing: Developing a Professional ImageChapter 41 33 Performance Reviews: Terror, Tedium or Inspiration?Chapter 42 34 Tenure-Track or Tenure Trap?Part 43 Section 5 Experience as an Experienced LibrarianChapter 44 35 Preparing for Promotion: How to Succeed without Developing an Ulcer in the ProcessChapter 45 36 Library ManagementChapter 46 37 Staying Relevant: It's All Part of LearningChapter 47 38 From Acord to Oak: Transforming a Novice into an ExpertChapter 48 39 Flamed! The Burned-Out LibrarianChapter 49 40 Batteries Included: Ten Tips to Supercharge Your Library CareerPart 50 Section 6 SkillsChapter 51 41 Through the Mouth, the Fish Dies: The Importance of Good Interpersonal Communication SkillsChapter 52 42 Talk, Listen, Repeat: Some Thoughts on Communication SkillsChapter 53 43 Computer and Technology Skills for the Twenty-First-Century LibrarianChapter 54 44 How to Pass the 4:55 Friday Afternoon Test: The Importance of Being OrganizedChapter 55 45 It's About Time: Time Management SkillsChapter 56 46 Public Speaking SkillsChapter 57 47 Librarian as Educator, or Dewey, Dewey, and YouChapter 58 48 Effective Writing for the Career LibrarianChapter 59 49 The Core of Leadership: Skills for Emerging LeadersPart 60 Section 7 Professional DevelopmentChapter 61 50 The Art and Science of Professional BehaviorChapter 62 51 Click to Connect! Successful Online CommunicationChapter 63 52 Conference AttendanceChapter 64 53 Association Work: What's in It for Me?Chapter 65 54 Mentoring: A PrimerChapter 66 55 Keeping Our Heads above Water: Staying Current with Professional IssuesChapter 67 56 Publish the Thought: Writing for the Professional LiteratureChapter 68 57 Marketing Yourself: Planning to Achieve Your Professional GoalsPart 69 Section 8 Enjoying Your CareerChapter 70 58 Decompressing the Overstress LibrarianChapter 71 59 Adapting to ChangeChapter 72 60 Positive AttitudeChapter 73 61 BalanceChapter 74 62 The Juggling Act: Balancing Family and Your Library CareerChapter 75 63 Conclusion: Librarianship for the Love of ItPart 76 IndexPart 77 About the Editor