Library and Information Science:

Subject Guides and Resources Book room, Norman Williams Public Library, Woodstock, VT. Photographic print, ca. 1885. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-ppmsca-15351 General Guides Cataloging Resources Current Awareness Library Directories Library Associations Library Listservs General Guides There are many subject guides to print and online literature in the field of library and information science. Several free, online guides that serve as excellent starting points for locating resources and information on all aspects of library science are: UCIrvine Libraries, Subject Guide to Library and Information Science e-Library@Iowa State University University at Albany Libraries, Guide to Library and Information Science Cataloging Resources The Library of Congress receives many questions about free online resources for catalogers. The following subject guides and Web sites are gateways to free cataloging tools and documentation on the Web: Cataloger's Reference Shelf Includes information on MARC data formats and code lists, subject cataloging manuals, and other reference resources for catalogers. Cataloguer's Toolbox An extensive compilation of cataloging resources, including tools arranged by cataloging activity (authority work, classification, subject analysis, etc.), format, and subject. Library of Congress, Cataloging and Acquisitions Home Page This site provides access to cataloging resources available through the Library of Congress. The best area of this site for cataloging training materials is the Catalogers Learning Workshop (CLW), which makes available free training resources related to the organization and classification of bibliographic information. CLW online training materials cover four major areas of cataloging: name and title authorities, subject cataloging using Library of Congress Subject Headings, series authorities, and Library of Congress Classification. Other resources for catalogers on the Library's cataloging and acqusitions pages include Library of Congress Classification Outline, MARC standards, authority records, and more. Multilingual Dictionary of Cataloguing Terms and Concepts (MulDiCat) Intended to be used for authoritative translations of IFLA cataloguing standards and related documents, MulDiCat contains definitions for many terms and concepts used by the library cataloging community. Terms and definitions are available in English and a variety of other languages. University of Oregon, MARC/AACR Cataloging Documentation on the Web Compiles links to specific cataloging documents to assist with descriptive and subject cataloging, as well as the cataloging of records using MARC. Current Awareness Staying abreast of the latest news and advances in library and information science can be quite difficult. The following guides link to resources librarians can use to remain current in the field. Library Networking: Journals, Weblogs, Associations, Conferences Robert Teeter, district librarian for the Santa Clara Valley Water District, lists many resources to help librarians network with colleagues and stay current in the field. Steven Bell's Keeping Up Web Site Steven Bell, Associate University Librarian for Research & Instructional Services at Temple University's Paley Library, maintains this annotated guide to online resources for librarians seeking to "keep up" with news and developments in library and information science. Library Directories Often, your local library, or your country's national library, is the best starting point for receiving assistance and locating information. Find your local library using the following directories: Libweb Libweb currently lists over 8,000 pages from libraries in 146 countries. Search by keyword, or browse by geographic location. The National Libraries of Europe Information on the collections, services, addresses, and online presences of European national libraries from The European Library. National Library Websites Maintained by the University of Queensland Social Sciences and Humanities Library. Search for Public Libraries A feature of the National Center for Education Statistics which allows users to search for U.S. public libraries by zip code, county, and other criteria. WorldCat Registry A directory of approximatley 100,000 libraries and library consortia. Use the Advanced Search option to locate library profiles by geographic location and other criteria. Library Associations Library associations are networks of professionals that gather and disseminate information to others in the field and generate public support for library and information services. If you aren't certain where to go to receive information or obtain resources needed for your library or position, you may wish to contact a local library association to seek assistance. The following Web site will help you locate local library associations. Library Associations Around the World A Project of the IFLA Management of Library Associations Section, coordinated by theAmerican Library Association, International Relations Office. Library Listservs Library listservs are usually maintained by library associations and organizations. Its subscribers are typically members of that organization, or librarians with a vested interested in the listserv's goals or approved topics of discussion. Along with contacting local library associations and your local or national library, contacting appropriate library listservs is another way to receive needed information and resources in the field, and to develop contacts with other library professionals. Below is a selected list of some of the best and most popular listservs related to the field. International Librarianship International Librarianship Discussion Groups/Listservs Acquisitions and Cataloging ACQNET (acquisitions) AUTOCAT (cataloging) COLLDV-L (collection development) GSAFD (providing subject access to works of fiction) LIBLICENSE-L (licensing digital information) SERIALST (serials processing) Book Arts Book_Arts-L (for bookbinders, book-artists, marblers, papermakers, printers, curators, and others) Library Technology code4lib (a forum for discussion of computer programming in the area of libraries and information science) DIGLIB (for librarians, information scientists, and other information professionals to share information about the many issues and technologies pertaining to the creation of "digital libraries.") NGC4Lib (Next Generation Catalogs For Libraries) Web4Lib (issues relating to the creation, management, and support of library-based World-Wide Web servers, services, and applications) Reference Dig_Ref (digital reference) LIBREF-L (general library reference) School Librarians/Media Specialists IASL-LINK (International Association of School Librarianship; for members only) LM_NET (for school library media specialists worldwide) Special Collections ExLibris (for librarians working with rare books, manuscripts, maps, and other special collections) Special Libraries BUSLIB-L (for business librarians) MEDLIB-L (for medical librarians) Law-Lib (for law librarians) SLA-DSOL (for solo librarians) Special Library Association Chapter List (includes international chapters)