The MLS debate

I am fascinated by education and the role it plays in society. The topic of today’s post is the role of formal education in the professions. For the ancient professions of medicine and law, obtaining a degree in the field has long been a requirement to practice that discipline. This is also true of newer professions such as nursing. All the professions cited thus far may be considered “hard” professions in that educational requirements are enforced and standardized exams are required to enter. What is the role of education in the case of the so-called soft professions? In this post, I will discuss a recent debate on the issue and offer my own perspective as a graduate student in the field.

This subject was recently debated at the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) meeting in Seattle. I would argue that such education plays an important role, but making that case is more difficult in a soft profession. The arguments advanced in favor of the role of the graduate degree in the profession include the idealistic (“it fosters shared values”) to the highly pragmatic (“The only way to get better pay is to get the MLS”). Of the two claims, the better pay argument is likely easier to prove or disprove with data. I would suspect that MLS (or equivalent; some graduate degrees in the field go with different names and can have a different focus such as information science or knowledge management) information professionals do tend to earn more than non-MLS librarians, if only because one can likely ascend to a higher level professionally with it. I’ll flag that argument as potentially convincing, but only if data was produced to back it up. While the shared values point is interesting, I wonder about it. Are professional values actually imbibed during the program or is it essentially already present in those who choose to work in the field?

What about my own experience? I have found my education to be quite valuable professionally on several counts. My studies of management and policy have played an important role in preparing me for management and leadership positions in the long term. This is one case where practical entry-level work experience cannot function as a substitute. I have also had the opportunity to think more deeply about questions of privacy, citizenship (had a wonderful class exploring that point yesterday), intellectual property and other issues. While one can learn about such issues through one’s own reading (e.g. the blog of Professor Michael Geist is a good way to stay informed about developments in Internet law), discussions with others and the like, the setting of formal education allows for greater depth of examination. I have also benefited from studying at an institution where I can study with people in different fields whether that be the Knowledge Media Design Institute, The Collaborative Program in Book History and Print Culture and the School of Public Policy & Governance; this combined experience has been invaluable.

No related posts.