Reading the map of knowledge: the art of being a librarian: by Peter M. Briscoe. Grand Terrace,...
1
Reading the Map of Knowledge: The Art of Being a Li- brarian, by Peter M. Briscoe. Grand Terrace, California: Palo Verde Press, 2001. 27p. $5.00. ISBN 0-96-34898-1-X (paper). Briscoe’s work is one of far too few (if any) that posits a challenge to unbookish librarians. Published as a pamphlet, it is a paperback booklet that expresses dissent with an infat- uation with technology and engages debate about bibliogra- phy and the librarian’s role in knowing and leading readers to the print canon: those “works of highest knowledge” (p.14) that represent the “essential part of the library” (p.15). Briscoe (Univ. of California, Riverside) offers three entreat- ing essays—“On Being Well Read in an Age of Information Overload,” “Rings of Knowledge: Another Way of Seeing the Library,” and “On Being Worthy of the Name”—and a coda to map out his course for librarianship. Librarians are not only witnessing an unprecedented igno- rance of books and quiet reading among undergraduates, but are inevitably deterred from developing their own reading habits as well their libraries become, in the words of Briscoe, “overrun by technocrats” (p.24). At a time when librarians have only the smallest chance for practicing and instilling serious lifetime reading habits, the reviewer re- joices in Briscoe’s proposed model for accomplishing both and hopes it shapes (as pamphlets sometimes do) the current opinions of the profession. Libraries may order Briscoe’s self-published pamphlet from their preferred vendor, or individuals may obtain a copy by sending a $5.00 check payable to Peter Briscoe, 18608 Oak Park Drive, Riverside, CA 92504. Recom- mended for librarians, library students, and teaching fac- ulty.—Amanda Cain, Humanities/Information Literacy Librarian, Francis Harvey Green Library, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383 <acain@wcupa@edu>. Midlife Career Decisions of Librarians (special issue), edited by Daniel F. Phelan and Richard M. Malinski. Li- brary Trends, vol. 50, no. 4 (Spring 2002): 575-758. If a librarian’s career stages were once more clear than they have become today, including the myriad career possi- bilities that mid-career librarians can now consider, this shift may be a result of technology and an older work force ac- cording to co-editor Phelan. Whereas once upon a time a new graduate chose public services or technical services and “followed it to retirement, middle management, or upper administration,” today’s mid-career librarian can consider a very non-traditional path that includes more opportunities for professional growth than ever before (p. 575). Phelan ex- plains, “Through the effects of aging, a growing dissatisfac- tion with traditional paths, the need for new challenges, and the belief that a new generation might benefit from their encouragement and nurturing, the mid-career librarian is pre- sented with an altered scenario for the future” (p. 576). As an aging mid-career librarian, this reviewer devoured the issue with real interest. Phelan and Malinski include articles by librarians who have pursued alternative career directions; articles by librari- ans who advocate energizing a career through taking a sab- batical, mentoring the young, or keeping a work journal; articles that considered both the available career manage- ment books at present and three types of career plateauing in the lives of library professionals; and articles that consider the effect of technology on librarians. Although many au- thors mention many different career changes, whole articles cover becoming a chief librarian; moving between the archi- val and library professions and from a small to a large li- brary; moving from an academic to a public library; partici- pating in a job rotation in an academic library; or starting a software company. Although the many authors who candidly invented rubrics or presented rationales to explain their career choices inter- ested this reviewer more than the several discussions of the more abstract concepts considered (especially the effects of technology on mid-career librarians), two exceptions are ex- cellent articles on keeping a work journal by Katherine Mur- phy Dickson and exploring plateauing and career satisfaction by Denise Montgomery. In one of the more creative articles, Dickson presents a formula for exploring the blocks to job satisfaction, fantasizing about the perfect job, and paying attention to dreams in a work journal. Montgomery gained inspiration for writing about plateauing at a fairly young age from a 1988 ALA Annual Conference program, Leveling Off and Lateraling Out: Plateauing and Tracking as Career Obstacles. About the program she writes, “it has probably been one of the most useful presentations I have ever at- tended at any professional meeting. . .” (p. 703). Although this reviewer found this statement rather astounding at first, after reading the article it was perfectly understandable. Montgomery’s discussion of plateauing, particularly life pla- teauing, and her enthusiasm for the concept should be rec- ommended reading for all the confirmed workaholics out there. For mid-career librarians interested in career exploration, Phelan and Malinski’s special issue, “Midlife Career Deci- sions of Librarians,” provides excellent content and comple- ments such standard career works as What Else You Can Do with a Library Degree: Career Options for the 90 seconds and Beyond by Betty Carol Sellen (Neal-Schuman, 1997) and Opening New Doors: Alternative Careers for Librarians (Special Libraries Association, 1993).—Christy Zlatos, Manager, Holland Library Reference and Microforms, Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA 99164-5610 [email protected]. Marketing Concepts for Libraries and Information Ser- vices, 2 nd ed., by Eileen Elliott de Sa’ez. London: Facet Publishing, 2002. 224p. $55.00. ISBN 1-885604-426-2. When it comes to applying marketing concepts to librar- ies and library services, librarians can be wary if not outright skeptical. Reasons for the caution are complex. Some are uncomfortable with information professionals adopting a business model or taking on a corporate mentality. They don’t want to resemble divorce lawyers promoting litigation or physicians hawking their talents. Professionalism, for them implies a certain gentility—a willingness to serve ef- fectively the information needs of their users but a insistence that the willingness be tempered with a measured profes- sional reserve. Other librarians have concerns that are more ethical. They worry about marketing’s twin sister, advertis- ing and the host of moral questions accompanying her. Ad- 54 The Journal of Academic Librarianship
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Transcript of Reading the map of knowledge: the art of being a librarian: by Peter M. Briscoe. Grand Terrace,...
Reading the Map of Knowledge: The Art of Being a Li-brarian, by Peter M. Briscoe. Grand Terrace, California:Palo Verde Press, 2001. 27p. $5.00. ISBN 0-96-34898-1-X(paper).
Briscoe’s work is one of far too few (if any) that posits achallenge to unbookish librarians. Published as a pamphlet,it is a paperback booklet that expresses dissent with an infat-uation with technology and engages debate about bibliogra-phy and the librarian’s role in knowing and leading readersto the print canon: those “works of highest knowledge”(p.14) that represent the “essential part of the library” (p.15).Briscoe (Univ. of California, Riverside) offers three entreat-ing essays—“On Being Well Read in an Age of InformationOverload,” “Rings of Knowledge: Another Way of Seeingthe Library,” and “On Being Worthy of the Name”—and acoda to map out his course for librarianship.
Librarians are not only witnessing an unprecedented igno-rance of books and quiet reading among undergraduates, butare inevitably deterred from developing their own readinghabits as well their libraries become, in the words ofBriscoe, “overrun by technocrats” (p.24). At a time whenlibrarians have only the smallest chance for practicing andinstilling serious lifetime reading habits, the reviewer re-joices in Briscoe’s proposed model for accomplishing bothand hopes it shapes (as pamphlets sometimes do) the currentopinions of the profession.
Libraries may order Briscoe’s self-published pamphletfrom their preferred vendor, or individuals may obtain acopy by sending a $5.00 check payable to Peter Briscoe,18608 Oak Park Drive, Riverside, CA 92504. Recom-mended for librarians, library students, and teaching fac-ulty.—Amanda Cain, Humanities/Information LiteracyLibrarian, Francis Harvey Green Library, West ChesterUniversity, West Chester, PA 19383<acain@wcupa@edu>.
Midlife Career Decisions of Librarians (special issue),edited by Daniel F. Phelan and Richard M. Malinski. Li-brary Trends, vol. 50, no. 4 (Spring 2002): 575-758.
If a librarian’s career stages were once more clear thanthey have become today, including the myriad career possi-bilities that mid-career librarians can now consider, this shiftmay be a result of technology and an older work force ac-cording to co-editor Phelan. Whereas once upon a time anew graduate chose public services or technical services and“followed it to retirement, middle management, or upperadministration,” today’s mid-career librarian can consider avery non-traditional path that includes more opportunities forprofessional growth than ever before (p. 575). Phelan ex-plains, “Through the effects of aging, a growing dissatisfac-tion with traditional paths, the need for new challenges, andthe belief that a new generation might benefit from theirencouragement and nurturing, the mid-career librarian is pre-sented with an altered scenario for the future” (p. 576). Asan aging mid-career librarian, this reviewer devoured theissue with real interest.
Phelan and Malinski include articles by librarians whohave pursued alternative career directions; articles by librari-ans who advocate energizing a career through taking a sab-batical, mentoring the young, or keeping a work journal;
articles that considered both the available career manage-ment books at present and three types of career plateauing inthe lives of library professionals; and articles that considerthe effect of technology on librarians. Although many au-thors mention many different career changes, whole articlescover becoming a chief librarian; moving between the archi-val and library professions and from a small to a large li-brary; moving from an academic to a public library; partici-pating in a job rotation in an academic library; or starting asoftware company.
Although the many authors who candidly invented rubricsor presented rationales to explain their career choices inter-ested this reviewer more than the several discussions of themore abstract concepts considered (especially the effects oftechnology on mid-career librarians), two exceptions are ex-cellent articles on keeping a work journal by Katherine Mur-phy Dickson and exploring plateauing and career satisfactionby Denise Montgomery. In one of the more creative articles,Dickson presents a formula for exploring the blocks to jobsatisfaction, fantasizing about the perfect job, and payingattention to dreams in a work journal. Montgomery gainedinspiration for writing about plateauing at a fairly young agefrom a 1988 ALA Annual Conference program, LevelingOff and Lateraling Out: Plateauing and Tracking as CareerObstacles. About the program she writes, “it has probablybeen one of the most useful presentations I have ever at-tended at any professional meeting. . .” (p. 703). Althoughthis reviewer found this statement rather astounding at first,after reading the article it was perfectly understandable.Montgomery’s discussion of plateauing, particularly life pla-teauing, and her enthusiasm for the concept should be rec-ommended reading for all the confirmed workaholics outthere.
For mid-career librarians interested in career exploration,Phelan and Malinski’s special issue, “Midlife Career Deci-sions of Librarians,” provides excellent content and comple-ments such standard career works as What Else You Can Dowith a Library Degree: Career Options for the 90 secondsand Beyond by Betty Carol Sellen (Neal-Schuman, 1997)and Opening New Doors: Alternative Careers for Librarians(Special Libraries Association, 1993).—Christy Zlatos,Manager, Holland Library Reference and Microforms,Washington State University Libraries, Pullman, WA99164-5610 �[email protected]�.
Marketing Concepts for Libraries and Information Ser-vices, 2nd ed., by Eileen Elliott de Sa’ez. London: FacetPublishing, 2002. 224p. $55.00. ISBN 1-885604-426-2.
When it comes to applying marketing concepts to librar-ies and library services, librarians can be wary if not outrightskeptical. Reasons for the caution are complex. Some areuncomfortable with information professionals adopting abusiness model or taking on a corporate mentality. Theydon’t want to resemble divorce lawyers promoting litigationor physicians hawking their talents. Professionalism, forthem implies a certain gentility—a willingness to serve ef-fectively the information needs of their users but a insistencethat the willingness be tempered with a measured profes-sional reserve. Other librarians have concerns that are moreethical. They worry about marketing’s twin sister, advertis-ing and the host of moral questions accompanying her. Ad-
54 The Journal of Academic Librarianship
