Message-Id: <mailto:199411291752.AA20041@wugate.wustl.edu> Date: Tue, 29 Nov 1994 10:53:31 EST From: mailto:IGribovsky%IDRC.CA@wuvmd.bitnet Subject: Re: Position description To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB
First of all, just for the record, I am not "Mr."Secondly, I have never encountered such animosity and subbornness while defending my profession...is it something about art historians or people with art history majors? Because I have never had similar problems in discussingthis topic with other professionals; for example, I've never had lawyers tell me that only lawyers who aren't necessarily librarians make good law librarians; or that one needs to be a doctor (but not necessarily a librarian) to be a good medical librarian; or an engineer or scientist... but I think I've made my point...
In case some of you are still missing said point, I will now spell it out very clearly:
1. Yes, for a librarian working in ANY domain, a good, solid background knowledge in the subject matter at hand (whether this is art history, law, biology or economics) is always desireable (and this "background" can come in the form of a Bachelor' degree, Master's degree, or perhaps work experience). For example, all other thing being equal, I would hire a person with both an MLS and an MA in art history for an art history librarian over someone with only an MLS.
2. I never touched on the topic of curators, as this is out of my domain; nor did I ever imply that only people with MLS's make good curators (and, I am sorry if I was misleading here). I am a librarian, not a curator.
As far as I'm concerned, the two professions, though similar, are still two different professions (sort of like electrical engineering and civil engineering; both are engineering and yet they are worlds apart).
Perhaps the problem we are having is a misunderstanding; I am thinking libraries and others are thinking museums, collections, curators...
3. Now, curating aside...any position in a LIBRARY that requires LIBRARIANSHIP type duties to be performed (as opposed to technical and/or clerical work), MUST have a QUALIFIED librarian filling that job (and that means, someone with an MLS). Not to harp on, but I would feel as ill-at-ease having a doctor fixing my car or a mechanic operating on my heart as I would having someone without the proper qualifications giving me service (as a librarian) in a library...
'Nuf said.
Irina Gribovsky AV Librarian IDRC Library Ottawa, ONT Canada