What can you do with a degree in library and information science? The 95 chapters in A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science cover the many possibilities, whether inside or outside the library. Excerpts available online include those from less traditional positions like multimedia librarian, distance education librarian, Internet trainer and web marketing coordinator. Check out the table of contents for other job titles.
Some of the contributors are well-known author-bloggers, like Jessamyn West, Steven Cohen and Judith Siess, who have already written about this new book on their blogs. But the best post, so far, is by Katie Dunneback, who sent in her contribution with the very revealing title, "Chapter XXX: Adult Services Librarian."
My own contribution will be listed in my resume as follows:
Totanes, Vernon. 2007. Freelance Book Producer. In A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science, ed. Priscilla Shontz and Richard Murray. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.It's different from the other chapters because I did not become a book producer after I got my LIS degree. In fact, it was my experience as a book producer that led me to wonder if there was such a thing as a master's degree for librarians. But what exactly does a "freelance book producer" do? Here's the first paragraph from my chapter:
I get hired to make sure that a book gets published. The job includes most (if not all) of the following: correcting grammatical or factual errors; improving readability and consistency; laying out the text; designing the cover; and coordinating the project with the authors/editors, cover designers, printers, and publishers.