24 · Survey Results: Survey Questions and Responses
6. Please indicate how important the following credentials are when hiring for professional positions
in your library on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1=Not at all important and 5=Very important. Please
make one selection per row. N=51
Credentials 1 Not at all
important
2 3
Important
4 5 Very
important
N
Master’s of Library Science 0 0 15 12 24 51
Master’s of Information Science 3 6 12 13 17 51
Doctor of Philosophy 23 18 8 2 0 51
Other terminal degree (e.g., JD, etc.) 12 14 16 3 3 48
Technical credentials (e.g., Microsoft certification, etc.) 11 12 17 8 1 49
Other credential 2 1 5 0 1 9
Total Responses 28 31 38 21 26 51
If you indicated above that an “Other credential” is important, please briefly describe the
credential(s). N=6
3 Important N=5
Dependent upon position, other degrees, experience, and focus may be of importance.
For some department head positions, we have listed a second advanced degree as a preferred requirement.
In lieu of master’s in LIS, master’s degree in an area relevant to the job responsibilities.
Some positions allow for non-MLS credentials, e.g., archivist, conservator, preservation, special collections.
The MLS or EQUIVALENT advanced degree is required for librarian positions. We have latitude to determine the subject
area of a master’s degree that would be considered relevant/equivalent. “Other terminal degree” may be very important
for a specific position (such as a JD for Scholarly Communication), but a second masters is not widely considered
important for most librarian positions.
5 Very important N=1
We no longer require an MLS/MIS degree for a Libraries faculty position a terminal degree in a discipline, typically the
PhD, will also meet requirements.
Comments N=8
Dean is the only position for which it is important to have a PhD and even then it is not required. We hire PhD but it is
rarely a factor in determining the most qualified.
Educational requirements statement on faculty position announcements: Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited
program and/or terminal degree (typically a doctorate) in another relevant discipline.
Importance of credentials depends upon the position requirements.
Subject or functional expertise is more important than an MLS or MIS when hiring for faculty positions. Those hired as
faculty who don’t have an MLS are required to obtain one by the initial (candidacy) review.
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