Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pacs-l
Date:         Wed, 18 Nov 1992 14:09:29 CDT
From:         Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS@UHUPVM1.BITNET>
Subject:      Caste Question

3 Messages, 86 Lines
*-----
From: (Steve Salmon) <steve@carlyle.com>
Subject: RE:Caste Barriers
We hire a lot of librarians, and require the MLS degree for those positions.
We do so for one reason:  to help insure that those persons have command of
a BODY OF KNOWLEDGE represented by that degree (as opposed to possessing a
particular skill) and hence (presumably) understand the context and purpose
of their work.

Incidentally, I assume the same to be true of any profession.  For example,
I assume that the possessor of a law degree or a medical degree has command
of an appropriate body of knowledge in the field.  Knowing how to file a
motion does not make a lawyer; knowing how to stitch up a wound does not
make a doctor; knowing how to catalog a book does not make a librarian.

It's useful and appropriate, however, to add "or equivalent" after the
requirement for the degree, to allow for the possibility of someone being
able to demonstrate command of that body of knowledge without actually
having an MLS or MLIS.  Certainly this would be true of persons holding
equivalent degrees from abroad, but might also be true of someone with an
usual background of training and experience.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen R. Salmon                   E-mail: steve@carlyle.com
Carlyle Systems, Inc.               Phone:  415-345-2500
2000 Alameda de las Pulgas          Fax:    415-349-3874
San Mateo, CA 94403                 Call sign:  AA6LF
*-----
From: Terry Dawson <terry@edsi.plexus.COM>
Kendall Simmons writes:
>
> To be quite frank, with attitudes like that, no wonder there is a perception
> of a "caste system"...not just between librarians and programmers but between
> librarians and "support staff".  AND, with attitudes like that, perhaps the
> profession SHOULD "slide into oblivion".  Believe me, this is NOT meant to be
> a flame, although it sounds awfully like one.  Rather it's likely a reaction
 to
> what was the WORST course I ever HAD to take in library school:
 "Professional-
> ism in Librarianship".   I would venture to say that there aren't too many
> "professions" that require you to take a course in how they are professionals.
> Perhaps most of you (I sincerely hope) never had to suffer through something
> like that, but when someone comments that it's hard for most folk to see what
> librarians do that makes them special, then maybe it's not as much as some
> librarians would like to think it is (in the sense of needing a degree): and
> when some say that non-MLS folk don't have the "broader philosophical
> grounding in the concepts and context of libraries", I have to beg "give me
> a break!!!"   We're not talking "hard" here.  An MLS is NOT required.  A bit
> of common sense, perhaps, but not a Master's degree.  We're talking about a
> job.  Period.  You can call it a career, if you want, but we're talking about
> a job.  Do it well.  Don't.  Whatever.  But don't define yourself by your job.
> And don't worry about what other people think about your job...if they think
> about it at all.  You're going to deal with jerks occasionally.  That's life.
> You're not going to make a fortune.  Accept it.  But don't try to justify
> a "caste system" in an attempt to validate your "job".

Sounds like you're throwing the baby out with the bath-water here.  An
ALA accredited MLS is the basic requirement to be a librarian, BUT that
does not over-ride common sense.  At our library, we do allow
experienced paraprofessionals to apply for professional positions and
we are NOT religious about ALA accreditation.  Indeed a couple of our
best professionals have their masters from non-accredited programs.]
And we have on occasion promoted a paraprofessional.

This does not invalidate the basic ideas of librarianship as a
profession.  We once interviewed a para for a librarian job and asked
the question "what's the difference between a librarian and a
paraprofessional?"  The answer we received was "salary."  This person
did not get the job (for several reasons, but the answer is
illustrative).

Librarians have more than an MLS degree on the wall.  They have a body
of knowledge, a philosophy and a commitment.  It sounds like the class
on "Professionalism in Librarianship" was pretty awful, but that does
not invalidate the whole concept of professionalism.  More than training
and common sense is needed.  But the MLS does not obviate the need for
common sense.

*-----
From: bkatz@cosy.uoguelph.ca
I agree completely with Albert Tabah at McGill on the question of librarians'
qualifications.  Well said!
Bernard Katz, U of Guelph Library
              Guelph, Ontario
bkatz@cosy.uoguelph.ca
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