At 01:53 PM 9/15/2005, Steven C. Barr wrote:
>  and was told that I would
>need at least a Master's...PhD preferred...in Library Science to
>avoid my application immediately being placed in "File 13" (the
>dustbin!).

Part of this is that (at least in one state where I enquired), 
funding and accreditation is based on degree counts.

The degree(s) are a kind of gate-keeper in this parallel universe.

While I have no idea about MLS, it seems that there are many 
conventions and ways of organizing and saying things that you learn 
during that education that are important to integrating well with other MLSs.


>My real point was that folks in upper-level archiving positions
>often lack the innate knowledge which they really need to complete
>their tasks...and I don't think anyone is able to provide that
>knowledge, which is unfortunate and which also affects the
>quality of our archives and archival data. Dunno how to fix that,
>though...
>
>Steven C. Barr
>(Who would, of course, be available for consultant positions
>in the field...)

I am working to help bridge the gap between librarians and archivists 
on one side and technologists on the other as the job(s) we're facing 
are too big for one person to do it all.  I truly believe that 
archivists/librarians need technologists and vice versa if we're 
going to save and make accessible our rich cultural heritage of 
pictures and sounds.

I bring some skills and qualifications to a variety of projects. One 
thing I don't bring is an advanced degree. I have my BS (or BSc in 
Canada). There is a high wall between the commercial sector and 
academia, and the rules are very different (as are the reward structures).

I hope to be able to continue to provide technical services and 
consulting to archivists and librarians as that is what I do best and 
they can then focus on what they do best.

But, our situations are a bit different. I was lectured by my first 
employer about not going the traditional route of getting a BSEE 
rather than just a BS, but he was able to sell it to his management 
and I was hired, and I did good work. I have no delusions about 
crossing into academia, though I will certainly team with my 
brother-in-law who has his Ph.D. to do what I do in support of what 
he does. A friend of mine who has a BA did teach a course in a 
college here in the Toronto area last year and found it was more 
profitable to continue to work rather than teach the course.

Cheers,

Richard


Richard L. Hess                           email: [log in to unmask]
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