What Does an Abstractor Do? And Other Frequently Asked Questions.

My very first job ever is ABSTRACTOR. And, in the year 2000, I had to sit a person down and spend no less than fifteen minutes explaining what I do. Now, it's easier because people are more likely to get it when I tell them about the main job description of an abstractor.

What exactly does an abstractor do?

An abstractor is a person who summarizes important information from documents and records, making it easier to understand the main points without reading the whole text. This is often used for legal documents, such as those related to property ownership, for submitting studies to peer-reviewed journals, and for thesis writing.

Here are some questions you might want to ask if you're considering a job as an abstractor.

Does an abstractor need to be a graduate of library science and information courses?

An abstractor does not necessarily need to have a degree in library science. Typically, abstractors have backgrounds in fields related to the documents they work with, such as law, real estate, natural sciences, physical sciences, or business.

The key traits for an abstractor include attention to detail, strong research abilities, and the capacity to summarize complex information clearly. Some might have formal training or certifications specific to their field, like real estate abstracting, but a degree in library science is not usually required.

Does an abstractor need computer knowledge?

Yes, an abstractor generally needs to have some knowledge of computers to perform their job effectively. This includes using databases to search for and retrieve documents, organizing information in digital formats, and sometimes using specific software designed for abstracting and managing records. Basic computer skills are essential for most modern abstracting tasks, especially as more documents and records become digitized.

I used to process abstracts by MS-DOS, which was the easiest program for emailing text in the early 2000s. We had a program that allowed shifting from DOS to notepad, and I thought it was quite advanced until I realized everyone else was using other programs and we were outdated. Still, it was a job/

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Ruby Galvez, RL

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