lauren's library blog

I have been working on a project for some time that has kept my writing more in Scrivener files and Word documents than this blog. And that project is finally available for others to see. My book, So You Want To Be A Librarian, is out! You can see the (very fun and relevant) cover here:

I’ve also started a blog to go along with the book, aimed at providing information for people interested in the field. If you’re interested in that, you’ll see more action over there in the near future. If you know of people who might be interested, please point them in that direction!

If you’d like to see the book, would like buy a copy, get it signed, or would just like to say hi, I’ll be at the Library Juice Press booth in the exhibits at the ALA Conference in Chicago.You can find me at booth 1637, Exhibits Hall, McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago at 10am, Sunday, July 12, 2009. There’s even a Facebook group if you’d like to RSVP.   If you’d like to order a copy for someone you know who seems like a future librarian, you can now order it from Amazon.

I’m thrilled with the final product and am so happy to have been able to do something like this. Working with Rory Litwin was great and Library Juice Press is a top notch operation. Speaking of which, Litwin Books/Library Juice Press’s 2009 catalog just came out, and is filled with books that I’m adding to my Amazon wishlist. You should check it out, too.

Writing a book was an entirely new experience for me. I am a big projects type of person, always adding to the list and rarely turning down something that sounds promising. This was the biggest one that I’ve taken on alone without being part of a committee or group. The process was longer than I expected it to be, much more all-consuming, and I learned a lot about myself in the process of working on it. I even went through a period where I could only read graphic novels because reading others’ text-based books became a bit too stressful. As with any project that is life altering in these ways, it made the completion of it all the more rewarding. And when the box of author’s copies showed up on my doorstop, I was beside myself.

My parents have reminded me that as soon as I could read, I proclaimed that I wanted to write a book, so it’s especially exciting to me to have done so. And it’s even more exciting that perhaps it can help our field in some way. Since getting into librarianship I’ve been interested in mentoring, even starting up a mentoring program for my library school while I was in the student association. I see this book as an extension of that part of my interests. It’s pretty basic. The book was designed to give an overview for those just getting started. I tried my best to address both traditional and evolving aspects of the field to paint a realistic picture for those who might be interested. We also aimed for a length that would be long enough to have some depth while short enough to not be intimidating.

There are also several interviews featuring perspectives from other librarians. Sue Kimmel, Kim Duckett, Amy Kearns, Rachel Walden, Mary Cimato, Ellie Collier, Melissa Rethlefsen, Courtney Stephens, Kathleen Burlingame, Audra Eagle, Cat McDowell, and Cliff Landis all contributed interviews to this book. (If you have a link you’d rather me use, let me know!) And the book is better for having multiple perspectives.

So, expect to see me in this space a little bit more, as this project has wrapped up (and a few more are wrapping up in the wings). I’m so pleased to have been able to work on this project, and I’m hoping it’s helpful for those who are thinking about entering the field. Please let me know if you have questions!

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5. Ebooks in Your Pocket