The Accidental Health Sciences Librarian

October 1, 2010

This well-written, entertaining book is designed to serve as a starting point for beginners in the field of health sciences librarianship, providing an excellent overview with numerous URLs for professional resources. Unlike in other such guides, Ennis and Mitchell (systems librarian and reference librarian, respectively, Lister Hill Lib. of the Health Sciences, Univ. of Alabama, Birmingham) also include information compiled through responses and personal testimonies obtained from a 2008 survey they devised (included in the appendixes). They take readers on a touching journey into the lives of those in the field and provide realistic insight into what it is really like within the profession. VERDICT The personal touch, clarity, and humor make this book essential not only for beginners but also for seasoned professionals. Here is some truth from the text: "You have the unique opportunity to get real experience in an area that many consider too specialized or too difficult to tackle. Once you have that experience it is worth its weight in gold."[Ennis and Mitchell are both book reviewers for LJ in a number of subject categories.--Ed.]--Kristen Young, Univ. of Maryland Health Sciences & Human Services Lib., Baltimore

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