Hi Dana and others,

Please allow me to reply to a few of your comments.  You write:

...I don't think it's reasonable for anyone to expect to be 
considered for positions at prestigious institutions these days if 
they don't meet the minimum requirements, in this case we're talking 
about the MLIS.

I reply:

Personally, I don't expect an applicant to be considered for a 
position at any institution (prestigious or otherwise) if he or she 
lacks the needed qualifications.  Rather, what I am questioning is 
the logic and efficacy behind those minimum requirements, as 
demonstrated by the successful completion of a certification program. 
I think there are other (maybe even better?) avenues for 
demonstrating competency. I hope that is reasonable!  Allow me the 
following example...

You write:

In what other field would that be acceptable? You wouldn't expect to 
be a law clerk for 12 years at a small firm and suddenly become an 
attorney at a large, fancy firm without first going through a JD 
program and passing the bar.

I reply:

Passing something like the bar is exactly the example I previously 
gave for demonstrating minimum requirements.  What I am questioning 
is the need to go through the JD program.  For an example of my 
point, please see the California State Bar website at the following 
URL:

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/state/calbar/calbar_generic.jsp?sImagePath=Bar_Exam.gif&sCategoryPath=/Home/Attorney%20Resources/Bar%20Exam&sHeading=Summary%20of%20Requirements%20for%20Admission%20to%20Practice%20Law%20in%20California&sFileType=HTML&sCatHtmlPath=html/Admissions_Rules-Regulating-Admission.html#v

The California State Bar requires the following legal education as a 
prerequisite for taking the state bar examination (especially note 
2.(b).2):

Section 2. Legal Education. Every general applicant has the burden of 
establishing that he or she has met the following legal education 
requirement:

     (a) Graduated from a law school approved by the American Bar 
Association or accredited by the Committee; or

     (b) Studied law diligently and in good faith for at least four 
years in any of the following manners:

         (1) In a law school that is authorized by the State of 
California to confer professional degrees; is registered with the 
Committee; and which requires classroom attendance of its students 
for a minimum of 270 hours a year; or

         (2) In a law office in this State and under the personal 
supervision of a member of The State Bar of California who is, and 
who has been continuously, an active member of The State Bar of 
California for at least the last past five years; or

         (3) In the chambers and under the personal supervision of a 
judge of a court of record of this State; or

         (4) By instruction in law from a correspondence law school 
requiring 864 hours of preparation and study per year and which is 
registered with the Committee; or

         (5) By any combination of the methods referred to in this 
subsection (b).


The example above demonstrates that one may become a licensed 
attorney without obtaining a JD.  An exam is one way to separate the 
men from the boys, as you put it! :)

Formal education in an accredited (and expensive) university may not 
be as crucial as some would have us think.  It isn't clear (to me, at 
any rate) that formal education helps one do his or her job any 
better than someone who is self-trained and studied in an 
apprenticeship type of environment.  Apparently, the California State 
Bar agrees.

Thanks to those on the list so many personal emails to me about this. 
I completely understand why some of you have asked to remain 
anonymous!


Cheers,

John



-- 
John Erdmann
Graduate Student
Library & Information Science
Email:  [log in to unmask]
Phone:  206-685-5240

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