How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian
Edited by Carol Smallwood, Melissa J. Clapp
Not available to order
Publication date:
16 September 2011Length of book:
314 pagesPublisher
Scarecrow PressISBN-13: 9780810882140
How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian is a compilation of chapters by librarians offering advice to colleagues who must work alone or with very limited help. The contributors come from schools and colleges, special and corporate archives, public libraries, and seasoned LIS faculty across the United States and abroad who are familiar with the vigor, dedication, and creativity necessary for solo librarians.
As noted in the Foreword, "In many ways, solo librarianship demands more communication and collaboration than librarians might experience in larger multi-employee libraries." Despite the fact that most of the authors are currently working alone in their library or archives, they do not work in a vacuum. These chapters aim to help librarians thrive in the demanding environment that exists for the solo librarian. Topics covered include time management, community involvement, public relations and marketing, professional development, internet-based ideas, administrative tasks, assessing and moving collections, and general overviews. How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian will be useful for all professionals and students in the field of librarianship.
As noted in the Foreword, "In many ways, solo librarianship demands more communication and collaboration than librarians might experience in larger multi-employee libraries." Despite the fact that most of the authors are currently working alone in their library or archives, they do not work in a vacuum. These chapters aim to help librarians thrive in the demanding environment that exists for the solo librarian. Topics covered include time management, community involvement, public relations and marketing, professional development, internet-based ideas, administrative tasks, assessing and moving collections, and general overviews. How to Thrive as a Solo Librarian will be useful for all professionals and students in the field of librarianship.
Together the editors have found a wealth of knowledge within their contributors, using it to create a practical toolkit that helps professionals overcome the challenges of managing day-to-day library work as well as major projects, while at the same time seeking opportunities to justify funding through public relations and effective fiscal management. While recommended for solo practitioners or those considering careers as solo librarians, the advice in this work suits not only solo librarians but also librarians managing departments (both small and large) within large library organizations. This book is also a great starting point for those librarians about to embark on tasks that may lie outside their comfort zone and is an excellent toolkit for students of librarianship.