Post-MLS certification of librarians may be the best idea since Cutter numbers, and proponents say it is long overdue. All the same, I'm not quite ready to endorse the idea. I'm not sure the reasons for certification given by proponents are valid. I'm not sure certification is worth the time and money librarians would expend to earn it. The Council demanded details.
Proponents say certification is common in other professions.
I know of it in medicine, law, business, and even our sister field, knowledge management. Membership in AHIP is now MLA's version of certification. Professional schools in business, public administration, and other fields mount CE programs for working professionals. In our field such programs have actually declined in number. While that may be due to the focus of most programs on research and degree programs, it may also reflect the lack of a market.