MLIS: Needed or not?

There is a very interesting debate in a LinkedIn discussion thread for a group that I belong to. I personally have not commented on it, but I've continued to follow it with some interest. The topic is whether or not an MLIS really is needed for librarians. Now, obviously I would not like to hear that all the skills I've developed and the theory that I have been exposed to is useless, or that I could have saved the nearly $20,000 my program costs because it all could have been learned on the job. However, I've been trying to read comments from both sides of the table with an open mind, and I have to admit that both sides have some fairly strong arguments.

Those that say an MLIS is superfluous bring up several points. First of all, there are BLIS (Bachelor's in Library and Information Science) degree programs, and (according to a couple of the commenters) much of the MLIS degree content is redundant and repeats much of the practical information already taught in BLIS programs. So why must libraries still require an MLIS even if the applicant has earned a BLIS? Secondly, the very good point is made that there are many library employees (such as library clerks) with many years of experience that are not allowed to take higher level positions because they lack the Master's degree--regardless of the fact that they may know their libraries and the policies/procedures better than some of the "professionals." Why is their vast experience overlooked in favor of individuals that have the MLIS but much less experience? And thirdly, they suggest that much of what librarians do is trainable/teachable on the job, negating the need for an individual to have an MLIS prior to getting the position.

The other side of the debate brings up some strong counterarguments. Several individuals that have the MLIS degree said that the MLIS teaches skills, theory, and practice that it could take someone much longer than the length of the program to learn on their own. One person added that there are professional standards and practice that professionals need to understand when working in the field, and the MLIS shows not only that one has been taught such things but that she is also dedicated to upholding them. Another point that many commenters brought up was that the MLIS provides a benchmark for hiring quality professionals. There are skill sets that librarians graduating from an ALA-accredited program can be expected to have. These same expectations cannot be made for those with no MLIS degree. Thirdly, the library field has changed drastically and continues to change mainly due to technology (a fact that has been widely documented and would be hard to dispute). MLIS programs include exposure to new technologies and help new librarians to develop the skills they need to successfully manage these technologies to benefit their patrons.

Many other points, mainly variations of the ones above, have been made to argue one side or another. One commenter noted that she gathered from the comments that sometimes an MLIS is required and sometimes it is not.

As for my opinion (and referring back to the first point noted by the con-MLIS side), I think a BLIS is not necessarily a smart idea; part of a librarian's strength comes from a broad education base. Dedicating one's undergraduate degree to such a concentrated subject may be more of a hindrance in the long run. A librarian who only has a BLIS and MLIS would have no other specialty, and I believe that my background education in a variety of topics (I have a BA in Liberal Studies) and the specialty skills of my MLIS give me an edge when trying to find information. My MLIS will also be crucial when I'm trying to teach information literacy skills to others in the future.

However, I do agree with the naysayers that restricting someone who exhibits the knowledge and experience from higher level positions simply because they lack an MLIS is counterproductive. Bringing someone new into a library requires a "growing period" as the newcomer adjusts to the demands and library-specific knowledge that specific position in that specific library requires. Allowing a clerk who already knows everything there is to know about the library and has shown the requisite experience to successfully handle the position to be hired for that position will shorten any growing period considerably. But, that does NOT mean all library clerks who have worked at a library for a given length of time will have the skills to be considered for a higher position. And for those who say library clerks and others with the experience deserve a chance, one consideration I didn't see mentioned was the basic hiring requirements that a library system may have for various positions. The hiring manager at a branch library, for example, may not be able to consider library clerks because of requirements instated for the library system the branch belongs to.

I also agree with those who argue that the MLIS incorporate new technology skills into the degree program to allow new librarians the knowledge to understand and navigate them. Prior to my reference class, I have never known about LibGuides (now called CampusGuides). This service allows libraries to develop online resources for patrons on any topic they choose. I used my final project in the class to develop my skills with this service. Now I'm involved in a project to develop a CampusGuide for the students of an online university. Without being introduced to this in my program, I would have neither the skills nor the confidence to volunteer for this project.

The profession is changing, yet the standards and ethics of the profession have remained the same for decades. I would hope that non-librarian staff be exposed to these ideals and understand why the profession as a whole fights for things like freedom of speech, materials access, and user privacy. I would expect the librarians to understand these things. It's these ideals that the MLIS not only introduces new librarians to, but also prepares them to exhibit in their duties.

So I agree with those that say an MLIS is necessary. The MLIS does teach valuable skills, some that may not be available in other venues or in other forms to all individuals. It also infuses the ethics and standards of the profession into the learning process, (hopefully) resulting in a librarian that will carry on those ideals into the duties of any position. In some cases, I would agree that experience should not be overlooked for an MLIS with little or no experience as hiring policy at the library allows, but I caution against making blanket assumptions that years of experience equals having the necessary skills. I completely agree with the several commenters that the MLIS provides an important foundation that librarians build their experience on.
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Note: I know that no program is perfect and it would be silly and unrealistic to assume that all librarians share the same experience in every ALA-accredited MLIS program. I would like to point out that those who may feel that their program was lacking either 1) was indeed subject to a sub-par program (which could be due to a number of factors both internally and externally) or 2) perhaps put less effort into their work than they could have. I am a firm believer that you reap what you sow and putting little effort into your education will only result in you getting little benefit from it. This is especially true of online programs. I say this both from personal experience and years of observation of other students.

Cooking Italian

I got another new cookbook. This one is very special, as it has recipes that all include salame, prosciutto, and other Italian meats. My parents gave it to me for my birthday and I love it. Going through it and looking at all the recipes was like feeling my grandmother leaning over my shoulder and talking about the food she had growing up. I can see her and Nonni (my great-grandmother) making things like these recipes all the time. I would love to get more Italian cookbooks. I wish there was an Italian equivalent to Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking; if there is, I've never heard of it (then again, my Italian family cooked from the mind and the heart, not from a recipe in a book).

This 144-page cookbook has inspired me. I currently don't have the time or the kitchen space to do as much cooking as I now want to. School unfortunately has to come first, which is why I treasure my cooking time on the weekends. And my kitchen isn't conducive to all the cooking  from scratch that I want to start doing. My sister actually has the best term for my kitchen: galley. No dishwasher and little counter space means that making one meal results in an odd dance with Scooter and I competing for a flat surface and a disaster of dirty dishes--all of which we have to clean by hand--after the meal is ready. I've put up with this set-up for almost three years, but I'm hoping that we can get a bigger place (with a dishwasher!) by the time I finish my program. Because once that I happens, I plan to spend a year cooking almost nothing but Italian food--including homemade pasta--like my mother, and her mother, and the other Italian women in my family have done.

But in the meantime, I continue as I have done and cook on the weekends and experiment with different recipes. And with that, I have two recipes to share: pasta with lamb shanks (from my crock-pot cookbook) and "melting moments" (from my English tea book). Let's start with the lamb.

What you'll need:
3 Tbs. olive oil
4 lamb shanks (4-5 lbs total)
2 large carrots
1 medium red onion
4 cloves garlic, sliced (or 1-2Tbs. garlic powder)
1 14.5-oz. of dark beer (Guinness works well)
1/2 c. tomato paste
2 14.5-oz. cans chopped tomatoes, with their juice
2 Tbs. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. penne pasta

What you'll need to do:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Add two of the lamb shanks and cook until browned on all sides. Remove and place on a plate. Repeat with the last two shanks.
2. While the lamb is cooking, slice the carrots into 1/3-in slices. Cut the onion into small chunks. Once the lamb has finished cooking, add the vegetables and the garlic to the skillet and saute until softened. Remove from heat and add to a medium or large crock pot. Lay the meat on top.
3. Over medium heat, carefully add the beer to the skillet. Bring to a boil and scrap up any bits stuck to the skillet. Add the tomato paste and the cans of chopped tomato. Bring the skillet to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let everything simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the lamb and vegetables and cook on the LOW setting for 6-8 hours. Meat should be tender and almost falling off the bone.
4. Boil a pot of water and cook the pasta as directed. Remove the lamb from the crock pot and pour the sauce into a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat, and let it simmer to thicken (the original recipe had less sauce so the recommended time was 10 minutes--if you follow this version of the recipe, I would increase it to 15 or 20).
5. Serve the lamb and sauce over the pasta with a red wine or a dark beer.

Once you've eaten as much lamb as you can, finish the meal with some fresh fruit and these light cookies.

What you'll need:
5 Tbs. lard (Crisco shortening works well)
6 Tbs. sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 c. self-rising flour*
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
dried coconut

What you'll need to do:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease a baking sheet.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the lard and the sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the egg and mix completely. Add in the flour and vanilla extract, using a spatula to fold it together.
3. Once you have an even batter, roll the mixture into small balls. Roll in the coconut, and place finished balls on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for only 10 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Let cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
*can substitute with 1 1/4c. all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. baking soda

Enjoy!