40 Useful Websites for Library Science Professionals

Professional Development & Research

Resource	Description
American Library Association (ALA)	Engage with professional development resources and advocacy efforts from this major library organization.
Library Journal	Access articles, reviews, and professional resources for all areas of librarianship.
Public Library of Science (PLOS)	A collection of open-access journals and scientific research freely available to the public.
OCLC Research	Provides research and development projects to improve library strategies and workflows.
IFLA International Federation of Library Associations & Institutions	The global voice of the library and information profession, promoting international cooperation.
Library and Information Science Research (LIS Research)	Engage in advanced studies and research in library and information science.
Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL)	A professional association dedicated to enhancing the ability of academic library professionals.
Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC)	Promotes better library service to children through educational programs and resource sharing.
School Library Association (SLA)	Advances the practice of school librarianship and provides development resources for its members.
Library Hi Tech News	Covers the latest technological trends and innovations affecting the library sector.

Collection Development & Management

Resource	Description
EBSCO Discovery Service	Provides a streamlined search experience that aggregates content from a wide range of sources.
LibraryThing	A social cataloging web application for storing and sharing book catalogs and various types of book metadata.
WorldCat	The world's largest network of library content and services, helping users find library materials online.
Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC)	An introduction to the Dewey Decimal system used worldwide for the organization of library materials.
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication (CIP)	A cooperative cataloging service that provides bibliographic records for upcoming books most likely to be widely acquired by U.S. libraries.
Project Gutenberg	A library of over 60,000 free eBooks that include classics and academic texts.
Open Access Library (OAL)	Provides access to scholarly journals with the aim of increasing the visibility and ease of use of open access scientific and scholarly journals.
JSTOR	A digital library for scholars, researchers, and students to access thousands of academic journals, books, and primary sources.
Google Scholar	A freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines.
ERIC	An online digital library of education research and information for educators, researchers, and the general public.

Tech & Innovation

Resource	Description
Library of Congress Innovates	An initiative to explore new technologies that can add value to Library services.
Code4Lib	A volunteer-driven collective of hackers, designers, architects, curators, catalogers, artists who largely work in the space of library and information science.
Library Technology Guides	Provides comprehensive resources on the libraries' use of technology and the technology vendors that serve the library community.
Digital Library Federation (DLF)	A network of libraries and related agencies pioneering the use of digital information technologies to extend collections and services.
Center for Research Libraries (CRL)	An international consortium of university, college, and independent research libraries that supports advanced research and teaching in the humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
International Digital Library Federation (IDLF)	Focuses on building capacity among libraries worldwide, using digital tools and resources for improved access to digital knowledge.
Open Knowledge International	An organization dedicated to promoting open knowledge and open data around the globe.
Creative Commons	Provides freely accessible copyright licenses, giving authors the flexibility to offer their creative work under the terms they choose.
MIT Libraries Open Access	Provides access to MIT's research and scholarly articles which are freely available and accessible to the world.
Wolfram Alpha Computational Search Engine	A computational search engine that provides answers to factual queries directly by computing the answer from externally sourced data.

Library Management & Operations

Resource	Description
Library Management Software	A comprehensive directory of library automation software, providing reviews and comparison tools for library administrators.
Library Journal Manager	A resource for library management best practices and innovations in library operations.
LibraryThing for Libraries	A tool for cataloging and networking, aimed at small libraries and individual book collectors.
OCLC WorldCat Local	Offers integrated access to more than 1.5 billion items from participating libraries worldwide.
SirsiDynix Symphony	A comprehensive integrated library system that provides library management solutions to manage collections, users, and resources.
Innovative Interfaces (III)	Provides cutting-edge software solutions for public, academic, and specialty libraries.
Library of Congress National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program (NDIIPP)	Works to develop a national strategy to collect, archive, and preserve digital content, especially information that is created in digital form only.
American Library Association Guidelines for the Development of Collections in Libraries Serving Underserved Populations	Guidelines and strategies for developing collections that effectively serve the diverse needs of communities.
Library Bill of Rights	A statement advocating the ethical responsibilities of libraries to provide unrestricted access to information and uphold privacy.
Freedom to Read Foundation	An organization that supports and protects the rights of libraries to provide open access to information, defending the first amendment in libraries.