Tools for the Novice

Sources in Library and Information Science

Current awareness * Guides to the literature * Indexes and abstracts * General reference sources * Bibliographies * Major publishers of LIS literature * Journal sampler

This is a guide to reference sources that will be useful to you as you undertake term projects and seek to develop your knowledge of the field. It does not include aids for selection and collection development, nor does it attempt to single out titles on various aspects of library and information science (see Current Awareness, below).

Unless otherwise indicated, all items listed are in the Alexander Library collection; the call number is at the end of each entry, except for most of the indexes, which once were are on tables in the reference area, but are now available electronically. To access IRIS (the Rutgers University Libraries' online catalog), online indexes, and research guides, go to http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu. To reach the LIS guide, prepared by Myoung Chung Wilson, our library liaison, click on Subject Research Guides, then Social Sciences and Law, then Library and Information Studies: http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/lib_info/lib_info.shtml. Another guide you should bookmark is the MLIS portal maintained by LISSA: http://scils.rutgers.edu/~weblissa/. Click on "Librarian Blogs & links." Both the RUL and MLIS portal guides are especially good on electronic resources, and therefore my guide deals primarily with print.

Current Awareness

I urge you to get in the habit of regularly keeping up to date with those aspects of the field that are of particular interest to you. The professional association that you join will help you through its publications, meetings, and Web site, but you will want to pursue some topics in greater depth.

Rutgers Libraries gives you access to Awareness Services, http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/indexes/alert_services.shtml#ingenta ,where you can see the table-of-contents and article alerting services which will save you a great deal of time and effort. These allow you to create search statements for topics you are interested in and to receive regular e-mails with the results. The most useful for our field is Ingenta

You can also request tables of contents of journals relevant to your interests from Ingenta and some of the other services. For quite comprehensive access to tables of contents of library/information journals, subscribe to Informed Librarian Online, http://www.informedlibrarian.com/ilofreesubscribe.cfm.
For a broad overview of publications of current interest, see the regular "Guide to Professional Literature" column in Journal of Academic Librarianship.
A very selective abstracting service, "Current Cites" comes via http://lists.webjunction.org/currentcites/.
To make sure you have not missed something important, once a year check Bourdon in the Bowker Library and Book Trade Almanac.
An eclectic collection of resources in librarianship not available through Ingenta may be found through BUBL, at http://bubl.ac.uk/link/l/.
Browsing Myoung Chung Wilson's excellent LIS Research Guide on the Rutgers Libraries website will give you additional leads.
University of Illinois Current LIS Clips, an electronic current awareness service, helps you stay up-to-date with the latest issues in library and information science. This free service offers thoughtful, easy-to-read summaries of the key recent publications in the field, for practicing librarians, information professionals and academics. Each issue focuses on a topic of current concern to the Library and Information community.
Radical Reference supports activist communities, progressive organizations, and independent journalists by providing professional research support, education and access to information.
Keeping Up Website designed to help library and information science professionals develop and maintain a program of self-guided professional development.
Feed Your Head: Keeping Up by Using RSS -- Roy Tennant's take on this technology for keeping up in Library Journal (5/15/2003); dated, but nice explanation

I. Guides to the Literature

Davis, Donald G. Jr., and John Mark Tucker. American Library History: A Comprehensive Guide to the Literature. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio, 1989. Z731.D38

Prytherch, Ray. Information Management and Library Science: A Guide to the Literature. Brookfield, VT: Gower, 1994. Z666.P935

Purcell, Gary A. with Gail Ann Schlachter. Reference Sources in Library and Information Services: A Guide to the Literature. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC- Clio, 1984. Ref Z666.P96

II. Indexes and Abstracts

Library Literature. Bronx, NY: H.W, Wilson, 1921/32-99.

Library Literature & Information Science [online] Bronx, NY: H.W. Wilson, 1984- .

Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA). London: The Library Association, 1969-1997. Current volumes available on CD-ROM from Alexander workstations 8, 10, 26, and 35. Online from DIALOG.

Information Science Abstracts. Medford, NJ: Information Today, 1966- . On line from DIALOG.

Current Research in Library & Information Science. Ticehurst, Sussex, U.K.: Bowker-Saur, 1974- . Ref Z699.7.R331

Education Index. Bronx, NY: H.W. Wilson, 1929- .

Resources in Education (RIE). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, 1965- . DocRef ED1.310. Available online in ERIC (Ovid, 1985- )

Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx, 1969- . Available online in ERIC (Ovid, 1985- )

III. General Reference Sources and Compendia

A. Encyclopedias

ALA World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services. 2d ed. Ed. by Robert Wedgeworth. Chicago: American Library Association, 1986. Ref Z1006.A18 [3rd ed., 1993, title is World Encyclopedia... Z1006.W67]

Battles, Matthew. Library: An Unquiet History. New York ; London : W.W. Norton, 2003. Z721.B28 2003

Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Vol. 1-. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1968-. Ref Z1006.E53

Glaister, Geoffrey Ashall. Encyclopedia of the Book. 2nd ed. New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll, 1996. Ref Z118.G55

International Encyclopedia of Information and Library Science. (2nd ed.) Ed. by John Feather and Paul Sturges. New York: Routledge, 1997. Ref Z1006.I57 2003

International Handbook of Contemporary Developments in Librarianship. Ed. by Miles M. Jackson. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1981. Ref Z721.I59

Wiegand, Wayne, and Davis, Donald G. Jr., eds. The Encyclopedia of Library History. New York: Garland, 1994. Ref Z721.E54 1994

B. Biographical Information

Dictionary of American Library Biography. George S. Bobinski, ed. Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1978. Supplement, ed. by Wayne Wiegand, 1990. Ref Z720.A4D5

Directory of Library and Information Professionals. 2 vols. Woodbridge, CT: Research Publications, published in collaboration with American Library Association, 1988. Ref Z720.A4.D57

C. Handbooks and Manuals

Bowker Annual Library and Book Trade Almanac. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1956-. Ref Z731.A47

Crews, Kenneth D. Copyright Law for Librarians and Educators. 2nd ed. Chicago: ALA, 2005. KF2995.C74. See also http://copyright.iupui.edu

Crawford, Walt. Technical Standards: An Introduction for Librarians. White Plains, NY: Knowledge Industry, 1986. Z678.85.C7

Eberhart, George M., comp. The Whole Library Handbook: Current Data, Professional Advice, and Curiosa about Libraries and Library Services. Chicago: American Library Association, 1991. Ref Z665.2.U6E24 (2d ed., 1995, Z665.2.U6E23, 3rd ed., 2000, Z665.2.U6E243; 4th ed., 2006, Z665.2U6W49)

Kresh, Diane, ed. The Whole Digital Library Handbook. Chicago: American Library Association, 2007.

Intellectual Freedom Manual. 7th ed. Comp. by the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association. Chicago: American Library Association, 2006. Ref Z711.4.I57. See also

IV. Bibliographies

A. General Bibliographies

ARBA Guide to Library Science Literature, 1970-1983. Ed. by Donald G. Davis, Jr., and Charles D. Patterson. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1987 Ref Z666.A73

Alternative Library Literature: A Biennial Anthology, 1982/83. Phoenix: Oryx, 1984. Volumes from 1984/85- Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 1986- Z716.4.A47 (not a bibliography, per se, but does provide access to otherwise elusive material.

Annual Bibliography of the History of the Printed Book and Libraries. The Hague: Martinus Nijhof, 1970- . Ref Z4.A2

Bourdon, Cathleen. "The Librarian's Bookshelf" in the latest Bowker Annual, pp. 537-549.

Library and Information Science Annual. Vol 6-. Ed. by Bohdan S. Wynar. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998-. Ref Z671.L7168

Library Science Annual. Vols 1-5. Libraries Unlimited, 1985-1989. Ref Z671.L7168.

B. Annual Reviews of Research

Advances in Librarianship. San Diego: Academic Press, 1970-. Z674.A4

Advances in Library Administration and Organization. Greenwich, CT: JA Press, 1982-. Z678.A33

Advances in Library Automation and Networking: A Research Annual. Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, 1987- Z699.A38

Advances in Library Resource Sharing. Westport, CT: Meckler, 1990-. Z672.A38

Annual Review of Information Science and Technology. Medford, NJ: Information Today, for ASIS, 1966- Ref Z699.A54 (electronic access now available through ASIS&T Digital Library)

Learning and Libraries in an Information Age: Prinicples and Practice. Ed. by Barbara Stripling. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1999-. Continues School Library Media Annual

School Library Media Annual. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1983-98. Z675.S3.S291158

C. Dissertations

Library and Information Science Annual. Vol 6-. Ed. by Bohdan S. Wynar. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1998-. Ref Z671.L7168

Library Science Annual. Vols 1-5. Libraries Unlimited, 1985-1989. Ref Z671.L7168.

Schlachter, Gail and Dennis Thomison. Library Dissertations, 1925-1972; an Annotated Bibliograpphy. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1974. Z674.R4 no. 12.

Schlachter, Gail and Dennis Thomison. Library Dissertations, 1973-1981; an Annotated Bibliograpphy. Littleton, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1982. Ref Z674.R4 no. 18.

Young, Arthur P. American Library History: A Bibliography of Dissertations and Theses. 3rd rev. ed. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1988. Z666.Y68 1988

Some Major Publishers of LIS Literature

American Library Association
Haworth Press
Information Today
Libraries Unlimited
Neal-Schuman
Scarecrow Press
Special Libraries Association
H.W. Wilson

Journal Sampler

Here is my selection for this year, intended to give you a taste of what's available. The list is NOT meant to be a list of the best or most important titles, nor is it anywhere close to complete. Start browsing, and add and delete to suit your interests! A list of journals with call numbers hangs from the Z stacks (near Z699). The serials list included in the LIS Research Guide on the Rutgers Libraries web site is much more extensive than mine, and -- VERY IMPORTANT -- has links to electronic versions of some LIS journals. From http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu, click on Subject Research Guides, then Social Sciences and Law, then Library and Information Studies, and finally, Library and Information Science Journals Available through Rutgers University at: http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rul/rr_gateway/research_guides/lib_info/rul_journals.shtml. In fact, for newsgroups and listservs, as well as electronic journals, your best source is the RUL LIS Research Guide.

ASIST Digital Library is a recent addition to the Rutgers Library databases. Included are the regularly published journals and annual publications from the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST), the premier organization for information science research. The titles are: Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (JASIST), Annual Review of Information Science and Technology (ARLIST), Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, and Proceedings of the ASIST Annual Meeting.

American Archivist*
American Libraries Z673.A5B81
The Bottom Line Z683.B688
Bulletin of the American Society for Info Sci Z699.A1A624A
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association Z675.M4M4
C&RL News Z671.C61
Cataloging and Classification Quarterly Z693.A15C35
Collection Building Z689.C67
College and Research Libraries Z671.C6
Chronicle of Higher Education
Computers in Libraries Z678.9.A156
Government Information Quarterly *
The Horn Book Z1037.A1A15
IFLA Journal Z672.I57b
Information Outlook (continues Special Libraries)
Information Processing and Management Z699.A1I5
Information Technology and Libraries Z699.A1J61
Journal of Academic Librarianship Z671.J68
Journal of Information Science Z699.A1I543
Journal of Library Administration Z678.J7
Journal of the American Society for Information Science Z1007.A63
Journal of Youth Services in Libraries Z718.1.A541
Libraries and Culture Z671.L715
Library Acquisitions Z689.L52
Library Administration and Management Z678.A5
Library and Information Science Research Z671.L
Library Hi Tech Z678.9.A1L55
Library Journal Z671.L7
Library Quarterly Z671.L713
Library Resources and Technical Services Z671.L714
Library Technology Reports Z671.L55
Library Trends Z671.L715
Libri Z671.l74
Managing Information Ref Z671.A4
Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom Z659.N47
Online Z699.A1054
Public Libraries Z731.P932
Public Library Quarterly Z671.P815
RQ Z711.R646
RSR: Reference Services Review Ref Z1035.1.R4
The Reference Librarian Z711.R45
School Library Journal Z675.S3S29115
School Library Media Quarterly Z675.S3531
Serials Librarian Z692.S5
Technical Services Quarterly Z688.5.T42
Technicalities Z671.T37
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Z1037.A1V7
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*Shelved by title, in general periodicals section in basement

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