I agree that professionalism has become increasingly required of
archivists and librarians for the good of both professions. But you can
still become a lawyer in some states; Virginia and California are two,
without attending law school. Both states require at least four years
studying law under the personal supervision of a judge of record or an
attorney in his or her law office and passing the state's bar exam, but
a formal JD program is not a necessity. And some large public libraries
are hiring directors with MBA degrees, instead of MLIS degrees. Maybe
because directing large public libraries are seen by some library boards
as equivalent to managing a business.
 
Joy Ketron - Courier Service
Watauga Regional Library
[log in to unmask]
"Never trust a man who reads only one book." ~Arturo Perez-Reverte 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Dana Miller
Sent: Friday, June 16, 2006 7:26 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: degree requirements are good and necessary
 
For anyone still following this-

I apologize in advance for sounding harsh, but 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.  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.
Degrees, certificates, and formal education are tools that all
professions use to separate the men from the boys (please excuse the
sexist phraseology- I am empassioned!)- they are the emblems we hold up
to others, to society, as a symbol of our worth and to differentiate
ourselves from the layperson.  The fields of librarianship and archives
management have both been experiencing increased professionalization
over the last couple of decades, and in that situation anywhere, at any
time, some practitioners are bound to caught in the middle with many
years of experience and no diploma; the same has happened historically
in medicine and teaching and many other professions.  But if those of us
who work with archival collections really want that respect and those
better salaries, we have to find a way to embrace formal education and
promote it and its standards throughout our field.  I'm talking about
archives programs couched in library schools here, which I think is the
best place for them to be.  School may not always be fun, it is
certainly expensive, but it helps us do our jobs better, it helps
strengthen the archival profession in the future.  I just can't see how
that is a bad thing, or why we would fight this.  Considering we live
the age of Google, if we don't embrace professionalization and
standardization we could find ourselves unable to counter the question,
"You're an archivist? So what?" I for one don't want to be left behind
just because some things have changed- what we do is too important.   

Experience is undoubtedly valuable and you absolutely couldn't get along
without it, but formal education is the glue that binds us together as
professionals.  When two formally educated archivists face each other
and one blurts out "T. R. Schellenberg" or "macroappraisal," they know
they are speaking the same language, and have the same basic set of
intellectual tools that a degree provides.  I think that kind of
commonality is only the beginning stage of professionalization, that we
may as well accept it, adjust to it across the profession, and move on
with the work ahead of us.  Viva la revolucion! Viva la educacion! and
Viva la profession!

Cheers everybody.  Pat yourself on the back just a little, because we
are engaged in a noble and worthwhile effort.  
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]> 

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]>