LNC Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 (edited) Does anyone know how I would go about continuing education to become a librarian? I would love to work as a librarian in a Children's library or a school. I'll need to go back to work to put our kids through college with our savings going kaput! I have a BA in English. What am I looking at? Edited March 2, 2009 by LNC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda in VT Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I think what you want is a Master's in Library Science. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermom Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 AFAIK, distance/continuing education for library school is very popular indeed, so the programs are designed around it. (If you live in Northern CA, I've got just the thing!) Find the closest university that does MLIS (Master's in Library and Information Science) degrees, and call them up and ask about it. Most people getting MLISs are in your position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommylawyer Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have a family member who is getting his MLS online - and even though it is through an out-of-state university, he was able to do something to have his tuition calculated at the in-state rate - since there is no comparable MLS program in the state where he lives. My husband is now looking into getting an MLS from the same university. Incidentally, my husband's mom, the head librarian in her county, is also working on her MLS - going to school at night. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon C Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I've heard great things about the MLS program at UNT(University of North Texas). I think it is almost entirely online aside from maybe 2 weeks. I've looked into it in the past but I'm always so busy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 I found online programs in my state for the Master in Library and Information Science. Thanks so much! I'll wait until closer to the kid's graduation to apply - but it's a relief to know I have a plan with the stocks taking a beating today! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I have a family member who is getting his MLS online - and even though it is through an out-of-state university, he was able to do something to have his tuition calculated at the in-state rate - since there is no comparable MLS program in the state where he lives. My husband is now looking into getting an MLS from the same university. Incidentally, my husband's mom, the head librarian in her county, is also working on her MLS - going to school at night. Good luck! Can you share the school's name? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 You are looking at 2 years of Master's level work in library science. You should strongly consider a program that is approved by the American Library Association. Many employers won't consider a MLS from a non-approved program a legitimate MLS. If you are hoping to work in a K-12 school you need not only a Master's Degree but certification as a teacher. The exact requirements vary by state. In this case there is often a way to not have an ALA degree but work if there is no ALA program in the state of employment. Typically these programs are conducted through the Education Department/School; they often cannot be completed fully online due to the student teaching component. I'd look at the job ads for what you are considering before choosing a program. Then I would look at all your options-there is a huge range of specializations within the field of Library Science. If you only want to work in a library you may be able to do that without a degree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommylawyer Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 (edited) Here is a link to ALA approved MLS programs. It's a searchable database - so you can select the online schooling options! Hope this helps! The school my family member is going to online is Florida State University - 100% online and ALA approved. Edited March 2, 2009 by mommylawyer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in KY Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 :iagree: I think you may want to try working in a library before going for the degree. My brother got his MLS and can't find a job for anything.... The local library (one of the top ten in the nation) has dumped all its librarians and gone to part-time "library techs." I'm sorry to throw the spanner in the works.... :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Here is a link to ALA approved MLS programs. It's a searchable database - so you can select the online schooling options! Hope this helps! The school my family member is going to online is Florida State University - 100% online and ALA approved. Angela, Do you know anything about working in a law library? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in STL Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I agree you should check into local requirements before going back to school. I worked as a children's librarian with a B.A. in Elementary Education. A B.A. in English would have been acceptable in our system as well. It was a fairly new library system in a suburban area, so the MLS was only required for management positions. Sometimes, once you have the position you can work on the MLS degree with some financial help from your employer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 Angela, Do you know anything about working in a law library? Thanks! I'm not Angela but... It depends on the library. Some hire non-degreed techs for some jobs. Some hire MLS holders and for some positions you need both a JD and an MLS. It really depends on what library and what they hire people to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommybee Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 This is so timely for me as well. I already work in a library and it will be years for me to complete any schooling since I don't even have a B.A. or B.S. but I'm so happy to see some options for starting places. In my area you can apply to be a Library Assistant, but it's just not the same to me. There not hiring anyone for anything these days anyway. Good luck, OP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammar Stage Parent Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I earned my M.L.I.S. in 2003 and worked for five years at non-profit and law libraries, but not in public libraries. Many of my colleagues became children's librarians. A common complaint from both students and professors was that there was a glut of children's librarians. I completely agree with "JumpedIntotheDeepEndFirst"'s comments about doing an education degree. One of our profs mentioned that well into this decade, she would encounter students who said, "I don't want to work with computers, so I'll just become a children's librarian." She would cite this as an example of how blind some people were to the realities of the profession. Not knowing anything about your comfort level with computers, I would say simply that you will need to take fairly advanced courses on databases and search engines, so I would learn as much as possible about making web pages, MS Access and Google before you started. These are core requirements for any ALA-accredited program. It is true that you may work in a library with only a high school diploma, but this is just shelving and checking out books, dealing with damaged material, filling out registration forms. As most public libraries are union environments, they will have firm rules about what you can and can't do, and the latter includes helping children, getting involved in storytime, designing displays, etc. And you will have no control over which department you will be assigned to if you are a non-MLIS staff member. The comment someone made about a library run entirely by library technicians reveals one of the harsh realities about the profession, which is why you ought to talk to someone at the faculty of library studies about employment trends in your area. Library Technicians are usually not trained to work with the public in any sustained way, they really just tend to the books. In general, I would say the best way you could find employment as a children's librarian is if you live in an area with lots of public libraries open most of the time. That way, you can bounce around among the various county systems as an on-call librarian, and try to work your way into the children's department. Most public school boards these days can afford to have the librarian come in once or twice a week. As for private schools, I am thinking here of a friend who is working at one, and it is a dream job. She has the total run of the place. The only catch is that her predecessor had been there for 35 years! So this one anecdote suggests that these jobs don't come along very often ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommylawyer Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I worked in my law school's library as a student reference librarian part time while I was in law school. The actual degree-holding librarians who ran the library had both JD and MLS degrees. The assistants did not. That appears to be the hierarchy in most of the law school libraries I've encountered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 I worked in my law school's library as a student reference librarian part time while I was in law school. The actual degree-holding librarians who ran the library had both JD and MLS degrees. The assistants did not. That appears to be the hierarchy in most of the law school libraries I've encountered. UB (University of Buffalo) has a dual degree program (MLS/JD). It sounds interesting to me but I don't know about the actual day-to-day aspects of the work. I actually tried to call to talk to someone who runs the program but couldn't get past the secretary. She told me there was no one there who could help me find out more about the career. She said they were only there to teach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted March 2, 2009 Author Share Posted March 2, 2009 Wow! Thanks for all the info - that is why I love this board! I have had two people suggest this degree/career possibility this week: my county librarian and my son's special ed teacher. These are the programs I googled in my state. I would be open to just working in a library as an asst. also. I'll need to just bring in enough salary to cover in-state university costs for two children. http://online.northcarolina.edu/subjectprograms.php?subject=30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammar Stage Parent Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 One other thing: I meant to add that if you do attend an MLIS program, don't tell anyone you want *only* to be a children's librarian, even if that is your real preference. They will definitely frown on that, and might not admit you, since they prefer to give the space to someone more flexible in job preferences. And it does make sense to have a "back-up plan" if you can't find work in your preferred area. An aspect of the profession that many good MLIS programs train is indexing. If you are confident of your web skills, I would strongly recommend this. Self-employed indexers work from home, can do so from anywhere in the world, and thus can do their work in a way that is compatible with homeschooling. Perhaps the biggest drawback to this line of work right now is that a lot of indexers here are being undercut by Filipino indexers, who have the English and can do the work at a much lower price. But if you have the knowledge of a particularly specialized area, you will be much more marketable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 One other thing: I meant to add that if you do attend an MLIS program, don't tell anyone you want *only* to be a children's librarian, even if that is your real preference. They will definitely frown on that, and might not admit you, since they prefer to give the space to someone more flexible in job preferences. And it does make sense to have a "back-up plan" if you can't find work in your preferred area. Actually I would enter an MLS program with an open mind (unless you choose the teacher certification route). There are a multitude of professions that build on a MLS base and you never know where you might find your niche or passion. Be sure to do lots of research before you begin, there are many options. Also-this degree has many names-MLS, MLIS, MIS, or MEd and the schools go under many names commonly using the words library or information. There of course are also professionals in the computer based aspects, rare books, archives...the list goes on. As for law libraries there are a variety there-libraries at law schools, departments and branches of public libraries, state libraries, libraries in major law firms. I would also be suspicious of a program that won't discuss what they teach or attempt to help you find a fit in their school. Ususally admissions departments or deans are more cooperative than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.