ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


October 1 99 4 /5 6 7

t h e  yNay

I S ee If

L ib ra ria n s h ip  a n d  
certific atio n

By Susan K . Martin

We m ay need a process to keep us 
up-to-date with changes

C ertification, licensing, and similar m echa­nisms often bring shudders to librarians 
and thoughts of bureaucracy without be

many people immediately ignore these pro­
cesses as being irrelevant to our profession. 
After all, w e have a terminal master’s degree; 
does that not suffice?

The MLS may indeed be a sufficient qualifi­
cation 1) to convey to library users what skills 
and competencies they should expect from li­
brarians w hen they use a library, and 2) to com­
municate to current and prospective librarians 
what criteria are appropriate for this profes­
sion. However, the mere possession of a d e­
gree or certificate does not, in itself, communi­
cate th ese im portant values in m ost o th er 
professions; w hy do  we assume that librarian- 
ship is different, and that we can do with a 
single degree what other professions must strive 
for with a formal program of certification and 
continuing education?

To answ er this question, earlier this year 
the ACRL Board of Directors voted to establish 
a Task Force on Certification for Library and 
Information Professionals. Chaired by Deborah 
Leather (director, Towson State University Li­
brary), this task force is being enhanced with 
liaisons from each ALA division interested in 
striving to come to grips with this issue. The 
task force has been asked to come to the Board 
with a preliminary report in mid-1995, and a 
final recommendation in mid-1996.

Most professions do have some sort of cer­
tification, licensure, or other process to ensure 
that their mem bers are kept up-to-date and 
qualified to practice in the field. Nursing, ac­

n

counting, law, education, psychology—these 
are only a few of the very many professions 
requiring continuing learning a n d /o r profes­
sional intellectual contribution on the part of 
their members.

O ur colleagues in England and Australia 
have im plemented voluntary systems of “char­

eftite; ring,” similar to certification. Librarians are 
not required to becom e chartered librarians, 
but the experience indicates that employers are 
tending to look with more favor at librarians 
w ho are chartered. Like the education profes­
sion in the U.S., this is an internal professional 
attempt to set standards and communicate those 
standards to the public. These systems are not 
linked to the government, w hether federal or 
state, but rather are closely tied to the profes­
sion and its educational structure.

Some ask why a certification process is nec­
essary or appropriate, especially w hen librar­
ians’ salaries are so low. I suggest that, just as 
in nursing, there is the possibility for a vicious 
circle to be broken, by the professionals taking 
the lead, making an effort, and proving to their 
hiring organizations that they’re worth more 
than the entry-level salaries we currently see.

In some universities, salaries for supervisory 
support staff approach those of entry-level li­
brarians, even for younger and more junior 
support staff. Faculty and students are confused 
about w ho is the librarian and w ho is the li­
brary assistant. The general public claims to 
respect librarians, but closes libraries and li­
brary schools readily.

I w o n ’t suggest that a certification structure 
would be a panacea for the ills that affect the 
profession. I do think, however, that w e need 
to take a serious look at the way w e become 
librarians, our attitude toward the profession, 
and the means w e use for keeping up-to-date 
in a world that is changing very rapidly. ■

Susan K. Martin is university librarian at Georgetown University a n d  current president o f  ACRL; 
e-mail: skmartin@guvax.georgetown. edu