Foundations of Library and Information Science

Rating:
Summary: Thorough introductory material
Review: As with many MLS students, this was the required test for my introductory course. I was dreading it based on some of the reviews I read here. I expected to tolerate the material and then quickly sell my book after the semester. Sure, not all of the material is exciting, but let's be realistic: it's a textbook! Rubin does a fine job of covering the foundations of librarianship. This is not a book to read for practical, how-to information. It is a foundations book ... one that covers the history, values, ethics, and policies of the profession. It also has an interesting chapter on how the profession is evolving. I agree with a previous reviewer's comments that the graphics were uninspiring. On the whole, though, the text is a fine, introductory resource, and one that I'll keep through my MLS program as a reference.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Review: Foundations of Library and Information Science was the assigned text for my first class in an MLS graduate program. The breadth of material covered is extensive. No textbook will ever hold one's interest like a novel, but this one came pretty close. I found myself reading late into the night to find out what the author had to reveal next. This book will definitely be on my shelf as a ready reference throughout my course of study.

Rating:
Summary: Good cure for insomnia.
Review: In the immortal words of Alec Baldwin in Beetlejuice, this book reads like stereo instructions. I have not yet picked it up to read it without falling asleep. Be warned if you get this title in a library science course. I actually had to track it down. It is one of the most boring, tedious texts I have ever tried to read. Even the graphics are dull and unimaginative. Textbooks don't have to be so stupifyingly boring as this. The book is very thorough, but you really have to work to stay with it. Run away, run away!!

Rating:
Summary: Good cure for insomnia.
Review: In the immortal words of Alec Baldwin in Beetlejuice, this book reads like stereo instructions. I have not yet picked it up to read it without falling asleep. Be warned if you get this title in a library science course. I actually had to track it down. It is one of the most boring, tedious texts I have ever tried to read. Even the graphics are dull and unimaginative. Textbooks don't have to be so stupifyingly boring as this. The book is very thorough, but you really have to work to stay with it. Run away, run away!!

Rating:
Summary: An impressive, "reader friendly", comprehensive introduction
Review: Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Foundations Of Library And Information Science by Richard E. Rubin (Director and Professor at the School of Library and Information Science at Kent State University) continues to be an impressive, "reader friendly", comprehensive introduction to American and Canadian library and information studies programs. Foundations Of Library And Information Science explores practice of librarianship, the development of information science, the growth of technologies, evolut-ion in policy, the intellectual organization of institutions, the mission of libraries from past to present, and ethical aspects/principles between information providers and their clients. This significantly revised edition also includes new coverage of metadata, information architecture, UCITA, digital libraries, the Patriot Act, digital rights management, and other critical issues directly affecting access to and use of library-based information. Foundations Of Library And Information Science continues to be an indispensable addition to professional and academic Library Science reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


Rating:
Summary: Try to stay awake during this one ...
Review: This book was very, very boring. On most occassions, I actually fell asleep while attempting to read. This was a required book for Masters level Library & Information Science coursework. My question is ... is it really necessary to present the subject matter in such a boring way? Ugh. I could see this book actually turning someone off on the library profession as a whole. Good luck!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reference
Review: This book was very, very boring. On most occassions, I actually fell asleep while attempting to read. This was a required book for Masters level Library & Information Science coursework. My question is ... is it really necessary to present the subject matter in such a boring way? Ugh. I could see this book actually turning someone off on the library profession as a whole. Good luck!

Rating:
Summary: Foundations of Infostructure
Review: This is a very detailed book on every thing under the sun, of the discipline of LIS. And making it so comprehensive is a natural bore (as many reviewers feel).

One is reminded of the foundations which J. H. Shera wrote, or which S. R. Ranganthan published, and focused only on one branch, and probably they were successfull as writers and made interesting reading for all.

The contents of Rubin's book, is holdall:
Ch. 1 The information infrastructure : libraries in context 1
Ch. 2 Information science : a service perspective 31
Ch. 3 Redefining the library : the impacts and implications of technological change 79
Ch. 4 Information policy : stakeholders and agendas 121
Ch. 5 Information policy as library policy : intellectual freedom 179
Ch. 6 Information organization : issues and techniques 217
Ch. 7 From past to present : the library's mission and its values 259
Ch. 8 Ethics and standards : professional practices in library and information science 323
Ch. 9 The library as institution : an organizational view 361
Ch. 10 Librarianship : an evolving profession 437
App. A Major periodicals, indexes, encyclopedias, and dictionaries in library and information science 527
App. B Summary of major library and information science associations and list of additional associations 537
App. C Accredited master's programs in library and information science in the United States and Canada 545
App. D ACM code of ethics and professional conduct 551
App. E SCIP code of ethics for CI professionals 561

To circumvent this "bore" tag, the author would best present the foundations as a series, using the taxonomy of the LIS literature--to present one facet at a time or one concept at a time. There is no question on restricting to theoretical foundations. This is not the issue. A text book can focus either on theory or practicum. Whatever one does, the book has to be readable and digestable.

The bottomline is over dozes are better avoided.