This is a recurrent problem mentioned on this list. Many universities and colleges hire archivists, but in order to give them a "professional" level position, they must have the same basic credentials as "professional" librarians--the ALA accredited Masters. This is, on its face, crazy! I agree with Ray that the "L" degree is not necessary and should not be required. I say this as a full-time faculty member at an ALA-accredited program. There may college and university HR policies that require this; I don't know. There are other positions in libraries (e.g., systems, micrographics/reprography) that don't need an LIS degree but have to have one to get a "professional" level job.
Here's a nightmare scenario: a person gets the SAA/arachivists preferred masters in archives and are properly trained to be an archvist. Then in order to be an archivist reporting to a college/university library director they have to get an LIS masters--and with wretched pay to boot. Ridiculous!
The only solution is moving the archives program out of the library (they don't understand archivy anyway) and into the president's office, university historian's office, you name it. The way it is makes no sense.
Mike
-----Original Message-----
>From: "Cunningham, Ray" <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Jun 14, 2006 10:13 AM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: The L Word
>
>I notice with regularity that many see book and periodical repositories (the L word) as interchangeable with Archival repositories. I know many archivists work for these repositories (the L word) and languish in the low salary pool as those who work in book repositories. I notice that job postings for positions in libraries are frequently posted here with salaries that are incredibly low.
>
>Archivists are not librarians and librarians are not archivists. (There, I used the L word). I think there is too much confusion between the two. Could it be that those with an MLS degree can suddenly put out a shingle as an archivist? Have libraries co-opted archival repositories and brought archivists into their structure thus bringing salaries down? Some libraries even require an MLS to be an archivist at their institution (often a tenure track requirement).
>
>How do archivists differentiate themselves from librarians? Do you ever have problems with being confused as a librarian? Should you wear a "No. I am not a librarian." button?
>
>What do you think?
>
>Raymond K. Cunningham, Jr. CRM, CA
>
>"When I hear someone using librarian and archivist in the same sentence I reach for my revolver."
>
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J. Michael Pemberton
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A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp.
To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
In body of message: SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
*or*: UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
Problems? Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>