Every other week or so, I ask a question to a group of people who hire library and LIS workers. If you have a question to ask or if you’d like to be part of the group that answers, shoot me an email at hiringlibrariansATgmail.
This week’s question is from a reader:
I do not currently have experience in the field, and am working full-time in an unrelated profession. I would like to pursue higher education in the near future, as I currently only have my high school diploma, but am not sure where to start. I am interested in beginning on the path to some sort of permanent position in a public library – and to do so, potentially working toward a Bachelor’s degree in Library Sciences or achieving an LSSC/other ALA-APA certification.
What should my focus be? What might my academic path look like? As someone generally unfamiliar with the field, and as someone who is trying to weigh my financial options, I am very intimidated at the prospect of eventually pursuing a graduate degree or MLIS. The only Library-specific degree programs offered online or near me seem to be at the postgraduate level, and I am not sure where I should start.
Kate L Ganski, Library Associate Director for User Services, UWM Libraries UW-Milwaukee: My advice would be to start with your local libraries. Find out if they provide academic benefits to employees, such that you could pursue your MLS or BS while working at the library. Explore all your local options: public, academic, community college, government, or private libraries/archives.
Another option to consider is an accelerated master’s program. UWM offers such a program where you can enroll in the Information Science and Technology to MLIS where there are 21 shared credits between the degrees. So you can graduate with the MLIS in 5 instead of 6 years. More information here: https://catalog.uwm.edu/opportunities-resources/accelerated-graduate-degrees
Donna Pierce, Library Director, Krum Public Library: Start by doing two things – work towards getting your associates degree and find a library where you can volunteer. (Try a smaller library.) Let them know what you are thinking of and ask if you can learn different aspects of library work. Do you love kids – then work towards a degree in early childhood education. If you like cataloging then work towards a degree in dealing with information. As you move forward you can adjust your degree to an area that will best fit your future plans. And if, in the process, you find something you like even more than library work – terrific! 
Celia Rabinowitz, Assistant Vice-President for Academic Engagement and Director of Mason Library, Keene State College: For full-disclosure, I am an academic librarian, so I am not sure how helpful my response will be. But talking with anyone who is interested in entering librarianship is always exciting to me. I think you have a number of options. You could look for an opportunity to move to a library position that does not require a MLS and position yourself either to pursue the LSSC or to start work on a MLS. Working on that graduate degree while working in a library is a challenge and can take longer, but there are also often possibilities for financial support.
I am a strong proponent of focusing your BA studies in an area that is of real interest to you. I am not really aware of how many undergraduate degrees in Library Science are still available, and I am also really not sure whether that BA would make you more marketable, but it certainly could. Some of this might be connected to timing. Are you thinking of working on the BA while in your current job and then planning a career shift to a public library? Are you thinking of moving to part-time work, or not working and attending school full-time?
Some of your planning might also be around longer term goals. The MLS is almost certainly going to help you earn more money in the long run than the LSSC (again, I think). The LSSC might be more flexible. One suggestion might to visit a few public libraries, or contact a few directors by email, to ask if you could have a few minutes to talk with them and with individuals who have taken different paths. You really could get the most useful information from people out there working.
Laurie Phillips, University Librarian for Information Resources, J. Edgar & Louise S. Monroe Library, Loyola University New Orleans: Keep in mind that I have spent almost my entire career working in higher education, although I worked reference in a large public library,, so my ideas may not apply to your situation. First of all, studying library science at the undergraduate level probably isn’t realistic. There aren’t undergraduate library science programs, as far as I know. Graduate degrees in library science work best, in my opinion, when you are already working in the field and can apply what you’re learning about the theory to what you’ve already done or are doing in your job. If I were you, I would pursue a bachelor’s degree. Take some classes and figure out what you enjoy and what you’re best at. That can lead you to what kind of librarian you want to be as well. At the very least, you’ll learn valuable critical thinking and analytical skills that will contribute to your career success. At the same time, get a job in a library. Get your feet wet. Figure out what it is that you enjoy about working in a library. Once you do that, you may figure out where you feel like your education could lead you. Start there, then worry about an MLIS later.
If you have a question to ask people who hire library workers, or if you’d like to be part of the group that answers them, shoot me an email at hiringlibrariansATgmail.
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