A review of The Librarian's Career Guidebook
By John Glover, Day MLIS
Priscilla K. Schontz, editor and webmaster of liscareer.com, has selected and edited a solid collection of articles of interest to librarians at all stages of their careers. Whether still in school, just entering the field, or a seasoned pro, the reader will find here the distilled expertise of dozens of authors on topics from Master's programs to networking to burnout. There is something for everyone here, and if you have even an inkling that you might want some help with your career, you should get your hands on a copy as soon as you can, especially if you haven't read any recent books on the subject. Clocking in at over 550 pages, this volume stands out from the herd of career advice and tip books - there is advice here about everything the aspiring or new librarian would want to know.
Now to the meat of the matter - should you, a starving student, buy it ($35 at Amazon)? If you are a student and not actually starving, this book is worth the purchase, especially if you have little or no LIS experience outside of school. It features many tidbits of advice that could only come from people experienced in the field. Classes teach many valuable things, but this volume has the kind of advice I've only heard from professional colleagues. If you're a starving student, of course, you should check it out from the library. Although it is not a reference work per se, this excellent book should be kept in the reference or career section of the library at any academic institution with a Library Science program.
Ms. Schontz has brought the breadth and level of quality characteristic of her work on liscareer.com to this book and added a valuable resource to the shelf for current and aspiring librarians seeking professional development.