Reviews 13 popular self-help books that cover various aspects of career management and provide information on which might be best suited for particular goals, including career change, career tune-up, and personal and professional self-evaluation. Comments reflect issues of interest to mid-career professionals. (Author/LRW)

Explores how the four-part model of transition cycles applies to becoming a chief librarian of an academic library. Considers the four stages from various organizational levels, as well as for their psychological and social impact on the new job incumbent, and presents an instrument for assessment of transitional success. (Author/LRW)

Presents a personal narrative of a midlife decision point and the choice that one librarian made regarding a career change. Topics include initial career choice; lateral and interim career choices; differences in midlife career choices; and continuing along a similar career path versus starting over in something very different. (LRW)

This essay is a personal reflection on entering librarianship in middle age at a time when the profession is experiencing rapidly accelerating change due to the increased use of computers and information technologies. Discusses the consumer society and information needs; the need to teach the information process; and professionalism. (Author/LRW)

Explains how keeping a work journal can be useful in exploring one's thoughts and feelings about work challenges and work decisions by facilitating self-renewal, change, and job satisfaction. Includes an example that discusses issues of interest to middle career librarians including the challenge of technology, further education, professional…

Challenges librarians to create midlife leaves that will inspire professional growth and renewal and help define future career directions. Presents a framework for developing a successful leave based on experiences at Concordia University (Montreal) and offers examples of specific options, including internships, exchanges, conferences, community…

Examines issues of career movement and change between library and archival fields and from small colleges to large universities. Topics include professional education and training; initial career planning and placement; continuing education; scouting and mentoring; job market conditions; work experience and personal skills; professional…

Discusses variations between academic and public libraries for librarians contemplating a career change from academic to public librarianship. Highlights include the political atmosphere of public libraries; library boards; organizational goals; collection development; censorship issues; diversity; employment process; the future of public…