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‘Library and Information Science: A Guide to Key Literature and Sources’
Librarianship is a broad subject and contains many specialisms within it. This can make searching for relevant resources a taxing job and can lead to frustrating results. Luckily, the Library Science Collection has received a copy of Michael Bemis’ new book Library and Information Science: A Guide to Key Literature and Sources (9852.b.200.11), designed to give an overview of authoritative books on all areas of librarianship.
This brief bibliography of all things library related is a well laid out and professionally written guide for anyone that needs directing to useful books. It’s uniqueness in attempting to provide a reference for all areas of librarianship makes it almost a definitive guide to the discipline. The broad scope and diverse range of books referenced also make it a useful guide for both library practitioners and students studying information sciences. This is because Bemis’ book offers references for academic textbooks and useful ‘how-to’ guides which will appeal to anyone who works within the profession. A selection of encyclopaedias, surveys and electronic resources are also included which help fulfil the author’s ambition to provide a full and up-to-date account of resources available to the librarianship community.
This guide will sit at the heart of the Library Science Collection as a useful and unique guide to finding relevant information within the discipline of librarianship. For anyone interested in finding what has (and what has not) been written about any aspect of our profession, this book is a must read.
The RDA Primer
Anyone looking for a well written, concise and interesting introduction to RDA will be delighted to learn that that University Library has recently acquired Amy Hart’s The RDA Primer: A Guide for the Occasional Cataloger. This useful guide provides a brief yet informative overview of the history of RDA and a description of what separates the new code from AACR2. It’s littered with examples, screen shorts and tables which help provide even the most infrequent cataloguer with an understanding of how RDA works.
Unlike other books on the subject, The RDA Primer is written in a fluid and easily digestible language. Hart manages to mix the important and practical information required with an interesting and exciting perspective on RDA and its impact. She even goes so far as to introduce RDA as a ‘Machiavellian Intrigue’ with a revolutionary feel to it.
As the title suggests, The RDA Primer is designed for anyone not wanting to read a more in-depth guide to using RDA (some of which reach 900 pages long!). At a time when FRBR, FRAD and RDA are combined to create an increasingly complex cataloguing code, it is reassuring to find a book which provides busy librarians with the information they need.
For further information on RDA, check out the University Library’s Librarianship Collection for a full range of useful resources.
UL Library Science Collection 