While there is always more to be done in this area it is not the central focus of this paper. A more urgent concern among practitioners is the sheer size of the problem. Based on the current model of library education it is, quite simply, impossible for library schools to turn out enough MLS graduates to meet the projected need. When considered in the context of additional competition for MLS graduates from business the outlook is downright scary. From the perspective of the newly minted information professional the future has never been brighter.
Jobs are abundant and the field is growing.
MLS graduates are almost assured of a job and may choose among types of libraries and between libraries and the for-profit sector. The projected discrepancy between supply and demand may be resolved in several ways. While solutions may vary among libraries and any single solution may contain elements of each of these, it is useful to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the individual approaches. If libraries behaved like consumers of gasoline we would expect to simply pay more for the librarians we need. Were all other things to remain the same we would expect to see an increase in salaries as institutions began to compete for the scarce information professional.