Why would someone with a background in science go into an 

LIS Program?

Joseph KrausScience & Engineering Librarian

Penrose Library, University of Denver2/15/2012

First, I am going to address these questions

• Who

• Where

• What

• When and then

• Why

You!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/g‐mikee/3311833067/in/photostream/

Morgridge @ DU

http://www.flickr.com/photos/uofdenver/5531734269/in/set‐72157626279409144/

LIS degree

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nypl/3110132126/in/photostream/

Soon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cornelluniversitylibrary/4359960688/in/photostream/

Why?

• This will take more time to discuss– Understand terminology, scientific concepts and technology

– Good with numbers and data or computers– Can communicate with researchers and laypeople– Desire to help people find the right information in a cost effective way.  (Google isn’t always the best tool.)

– The more information there is, the harder it gets to find the needle in the haystack

– Understand some of the STM publishing business

Here are some places you could work

• Science, engineering and technology librarians are needed in– Government and non‐profits

– Corporate libraries

– Medical centers

– Academic libraries

– Consulting

– Public Libraries

Governments and non‐profits

• USGS, EPA, NASA, DOE, Government Labs, Military, etc.

• GIS databases and mapping software

• NREL ‐ renewable energy

• NCAR ‐ atmospheric sciences

• EPA ‐ environmental resources

• Museums & aquariums– Smithsonian, DMNS, Botanic Gardens

Corporate Libraries

• Small engineering firm researching patents, manage internal documents

• Computer or telecommunications company working on databases

• Pharmaceutical firm doing chemical searching

• Ball Aerospace/Lockheed Martin

• Law firms

Medical Libraries

• Hospitals working with doctors and nurses

• Medical centers working with patients

• Academic environmental helping students understand medical and nursing research

Academic

• There are many opportunities to work in academic libraries– Colorado School of Mines

– Regis University

– CU‐Denver/Boulder/Colorado Springs/HSC

• Subject specialists

• Computer & DB Systems librarians

The End

• Joseph.kraus@du.edu• @jokrausdu• http://scitech.sla.org/• http://scitech.sla.org/beyond‐the‐core‐duties/• http://pam.sla.org/• http://www.ala.org/acrl/aboutacrl/directoryofleadership/sections/sts/stswebsite

• This presentation is here online.