Skip to main content

A Career as an Abstractor for Library and Information Science Graduates

 Before I became a librarian, a teacher, and a caterer, I was an abstractor. I had a  degree in the natural sciences and found abstracting fascinating. After nine years as an abstractor, I studied library and information science and made information service my career. 

Becoming an abstractor is a compelling career path for those equipped with a degree in Library and Information Science (LIS). An abstractor specializes in summarizing legal documents, articles, and other comprehensive materials into concise abstracts, making complex information more accessible and understandable. This profession not only leverages the critical skills acquired through an LIS degree but also offers a unique blend of challenges and rewards that can satisfy the intellectual curiosity and professional aspirations of many graduates. Here’s why a career as an abstractor is a great choice for LIS degree holders.


1. Utilizes Core Competencies


A degree in LIS provides a strong foundation in information retrieval, organization, and management. Abstractors rely on these core skills to efficiently navigate vast amounts of information, identify key points, and condense them into digestible summaries. This role allows LIS graduates to apply their knowledge in a practical, impactful way, bridging the gap between complex information and the end user.


2. Diverse Opportunities


The need for abstractors spans a wide range of industries, including legal services, healthcare, academic research, and more. This diversity opens up numerous avenues for LIS graduates to explore and find their niche. Whether you are interested in legal documents, scientific research papers, or literary works, there is likely a demand for abstractors with your specific interests and expertise.


3. Remote and Flexible Working Conditions


As with many information-focused roles, abstractors often enjoy the flexibility of working remotely. This can provide an excellent work-life balance and the ability to design a lifestyle that best suits individual preferences and needs. For those who value flexibility and autonomy in their career, the abstractor role is an attractive option.


4. Continuous Learning and Development


The nature of an abstractor’s job requires constant engagement with new and diverse topics, encouraging lifelong learning and intellectual growth. For LIS graduates who love to learn and stay updated with the latest developments in various fields, this role offers an exciting, ever-changing environment. The requirement to stay abreast of terminology, trends, and technologies in your area of specialization ensures that your job remains challenging and engaging.


5. Contribution to Knowledge Accessibility


Perhaps one of the most fulfilling aspects of being an abstractor is the contribution to making information more accessible and understandable for a broader audience. By distilling complex documents into essential insights, abstractors play a crucial role in supporting education, research, and decision-making processes. For those motivated by making a positive impact in the world of information, the role of an abstractor is particularly rewarding.


6. Competitive Salaries and Job Security


As the demand for skilled information professionals continues to grow, abstractors can expect competitive salaries and strong job security. Organizations across various sectors recognize the value of efficient information management and are willing to invest in talented individuals who can help them navigate the information overload prevalent in today’s digital age.


For graduates of Library and Information Science, pursuing a career as an abstractor offers a unique opportunity to apply their skills in a dynamic and fulfilling role. With the promise of diverse opportunities, flexible working conditions, continuous learning, and a significant impact on information accessibility, it’s clear why this career direction is not just a good choice but a great one. If you’re passionate about information, eager to learn, and ready to contribute to knowledge dissemination, the path of an abstractor might just be the perfect fit for you.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Your City Needs Its Writers: 3 Steps to Improve the Writing Culture in Your City

There is a La Union Books and Arts Exhibit right now at the SM City La Union, and this got me thinking. Every city has its share of storytellers. Some write novels. Some write long social media captions that probably should have been novels. I personally think a city with no active writers feels a bit empty, like a place that only knows traffic and billboards but has no imagination. A writing culture is not optional. It is the difference between a town that thinks and a town that merely exists. If you want to encourage a writing culture where you live, start by following these 3 steps: Step 1: Make writers visible. Invite local authors to your library, schools, community centers, and yes even your neighborhood book clubs. In fact, book clubs are one of the easiest groups to involve, because they already read, already discuss stories, and usually already have snacks. A sponsored book club event featuring a hometown author can do more for visibility than a month of posters. And honestly,...
Read more

Better Library Shelfing by Colocation: Grouping Similar Items

As librarians, we've all faced the challenge of making the most of our shelf space. It's like a puzzle, figuring out where each book belongs so that people can find what they need without a treasure map. This is where colocation – or putting similar things together – comes into play. It's a simple idea, but it can make a huge difference in how we manage our shelves and help our library users find their way around. Let's talk about how this approach can make our libraries more user-friendly and efficient. Why Colocation Matters  Imagine you're looking for a cookbook. You go to the section where cookbooks are supposed to be, but instead of finding them all in one spot, they're scattered all over. Some are with the gardening books, others are near the science fiction. Frustrating, right? That's the problem colocation solves. By keeping similar items together – all the cookbooks in one place, all the science fiction in another – we make life easier for everyone....
Read more

Simple Way to Ask Library Users to Rate the Library Service

  Library users do not always share their thoughts on how the librarian or school can improve their library service. In fact, some won't ever, unless prompted. Soliciting their thoughts using a suggestion box is also not as good a strategy as it is predicted to be. After all, the blank piece of paper near the suggestion box doesn't really guide the user. I also noticed that users would only use the suggestion box if they have a complaint, but not if they just want to go about their business and leave.  There must be a more pro-active way to solicit users' opinion.  A simple solution would be to offer a short survey to measure how successfully users were able to complete some common activities in the library. This assessment uses the Likert scale, which is typically a five, seven, or nine-point agreement scale used to measure respondents' agreement with various statements. For example, the scale can range from "very unsuccessful" to "very successful."...
Read more

Flash Fiction: The Librarian's Halloween Hexes

Every Halloween, when dusk began to settle over Willowdale, Eleanor Marwick closed the public library with a smile that was as much mischief as it was politeness. By day, Eleanor was the quintessential librarian: quiet, precise, and draped in an earthy cardigan. But as October 31st arrived, she was, for one night, something else entirely. Tonight, as soon as the clock chimed seven, she shed her librarian guise and stepped into her true role: the witch of Willowdale. Her cardigan transformed into a flowing cloak, her sensible shoes became lace-up boots that clicked against the cobblestone paths. A grimoire appeared in her hands, pages filled with spells in looping ink, all waiting to be unleashed. The first stop was Mrs. Haversham’s house. Sweet, gray-haired Mrs. Haversham never missed a due date and handled every book with reverence. Eleanor whispered a soft incantation, and immediately Mrs. Haversham’s garden burst into a spectacle of flowers that would bloom all winter. Mrs. Haversha...
Read more

Short Story: Backward Day

  ASIAN AMERICAN   HOLIDAY   PEOPLE OF COLOR A young twenty-something man was waving at people gawking at him in the parking lot while loading several pounds of burgers, loaves of bread, and cartons of beer into the trunk of our car. My boyfriend Tony was a sight to behold in any crowd, with his blonde hair and muscular build. But today, what was catching the crowd’s attention was his inside-out shirt, pants, and canvas hat.  I’m not too worried about people reporting my eccentrically clad hunny-bunny to the police. Rambling, crazy locals were normal for the day before the Superbowl when every adult in our town was on shopping duty. The crazier you looked, the less likely anyone would disturb you while you were taking all the beer. Only, today wasn’t a normal one for my crazy family, who we’re visiting for the Superbowl weekend.  It’s Backward Day, a tradition that our family kept going for as long as I could remember. Despite its name, it was not just one ...
Read more

What Librarians Do in 2024: Keeping Up with Everyone's Needs

Libraries are accessible to everyone... and we mean EVERYONE! Hey there! I'm a librarian, and if there's one thing I know, it's that libraries are not just about books anymore. They're about people – all kinds of people. And in 2024, our job is to make sure we're keeping up with what everyone needs, even as those needs keep changing. So, how do we do that? Let's dive in.   Getting to Know You   First up, we need to really understand who's using the library. This means looking beyond just the numbers and getting to know the community. What languages do they speak? What kind of information are they looking for? Do they need places to study, meet, or even just hang out? The more we know, the better we can be at making the library a welcoming place for everyone.   Technology is Our Friend   These days, almost everyone uses some form of technology, whether it's smartphones, tablets, or laptops. As librarians, we're jumping on this tech train too. We'r...
Read more

Short Story: To What is Owed

  FANTASY   COMING OF AGE   FICTION In the stillness of the faerie woodlands, a low keening sound emerged from the dense vines of an old valete tree. A dryad was dying, and the entire forest knew it. The trees shuddered in sympathy, while the woodland faeries flitted in and out of the branches in distress. They whispered amongst themselves, fearful yet curious. It was always a great event when a dryad reaches his golden age and is in the precipice of being one with nature. The event is especially grand for a male descendant of an ancient Unseelie family. Usually, the event was celebrated with dancing and merriment. Sadly, a proper send-off was not in order, as the dying dryad had been in the throes of excruciating agony for days. Inside the tree, a crowd surrounded the old dryad.
Read more

Library Management Brainstorming: Get Patrons Involved

Brainstorming is a dynamic and flexible tool that can be applied to library management. By engaging a diverse group of stakeholders in the brainstorming process, libraries can tap into a wealth of ideas that pave the way for innovative services, enhanced user experience, and efficient operations.  The structured approach to brainstorming, from idea generation to selection, ensures that libraries can systematically explore and implement solutions that meet the evolving needs of their communities. Through continuous innovation and adaptability, libraries can remain vital centers for learning, creativity, and community engagement. Librarians don't need to do it alone. After all, patrons are also the ones who would benefit from improvements in the library. Hence, tapping them for ideas is a good call.  Topics for Library Management Brainstorming Improving User Engagement: A library looking to increase patron visits might brainstorm ideas leading to initiatives like a community bo...
Read more

Weekly Facebook Reel Plan 006 Thrifting

F ocusing on a single theme like "Thrifting" for a week can provide a cohesive and engaging experience for your audience. Here's a that outlines a one-week Reel plan centered around thrifting: Day of the Week Concept Execution Monday Thrift Store Tour Move through different sections of a thrift store, highlighting unique finds. Tuesday DIY Thrift Flip Transform a thrifted item into something new. Move from the before state to the after state. Wednesday Budget Thrifting Set a budget and move through the store, showing what you can get within that budget. Thursday Thrifting for Different Styles Move between racks and sections, picking out items that fit various fashion styles. Friday Thrifted Outfit Challenge Create an outfit entirely from thrifted items. Move from the selection process to the reveal. Saturday Thrifting Tips Share tips for effective thrifting. Move from general advice to specific examples. Sunday Thrift Haul Showcase your week's finds. Move from unbaggi...
Read more

Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay also Known as the Taoist Ma-Cho Temple in San Fernando, La Union

I am a native of San Fernando and am very familiar with Macho Temple, yet I'm as confused as most tourists when it comes to the image of the holy lady enshrined there. Yes, it's a CHINESE temple, but... Many Taoist and Catholic devotees have accepted without question that mama deity Ma-Cho and our Lady of Caysasay are the same person. As the Chinese deity, she sacrificed her life while trying to save seafarers endangered by rough seas. She died at the young age of 28. However, she is also recognized as a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary by the Catholic church. All these baffling thoughts converge and don't really require any clarification as tourists and locals simply enjoy the seabreeze that permeates the hill where this lady's temple is located. Ma-Cho Temple, the first Taoist temple in the Philippines and one of the largest outside of China. Perched on a hill in downtown San Fernando, it offers breathtaking views of the South China Sea, making it an ideal h...
Read more