I have enjoyed reading this discussion and feel that Laura Ray expressed
my own feelings on the subject.
After reading Eli Roth's reply, however, I do want to comment/observe
that most of us work very hard and overcome incredible obstacles to
achieve what we do, whether we are MLS degreed or not.
When I reflect on my own journey through library school, I wonder why
someone didn't just shoot me and put me out of my misery. My three year
journey included a full time job, a toddler and an infant, a husband who
worked nights, weekend & holidays, a long commute to school, and weekend
classes in other cities to get in some of my hours.
Was my experience any more painful than most of yours? Of course not.
But it was important to me to show the commitment to obtain the degree.
As my wise father said, when I asked him if he was proud of the fact that
I was the first of his children to get an advanced degree, "Well, of
course I'm proud of you. But just as a BA/BS was a minimum requirement to
reach my goals in the late 1930's, so is an MLS a minimum requirement for
you to reach yours now." If I had started working in libraries at an
early age, I probably would have still been a good librarian. But I
didn't start working in libraries until graduate school. I was in my
twenties (somewhere between 21 and 29!) and knew that I would not get a
good job without the degree.
I admire those of you who, sans MLS degree, have been extremely
successful. I don't believe the doors would have opened for me as
easily. But please don't belittle the hard work and sacrifices I made in
achieving what I set as a minimum standard for myself to obtain a job as
a librarian.
I'll jump off my soap box now ..... Have a good day.
--. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Smith Forman Phone: (407)843-7861 x2276 Akerman Senterfitt & Eidson, PA Fax: (407)843-6610 255 S. Orange Ave., 17th Floor e-mail: m_forman@solinet.net Orlando, FL 32801 =========================================================================
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