Where did your friends get their degrees?  I'm 3 classes away from my
MLIS via the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee SOIS Distance Ed program.
 I've had two cataloging classes, one of which was required, and one
that I took as an elective as it focused on Metadata.  Luckily, I don't
think my degree is going to come with a big, red flag labeled "Earned
Online."  That is good because I would hate to think that all the hard
work I've done would be negated by potential employers prejudiced
against those who chose for one reason or another to earn the MLIS
through a distance ed program.

I do think that earning a degree online can be problematic especially
if the person in question has no library work experience.  And your
point about not having access to a university library is a good one.  I
also would be wary of any program that didn't require anyone who does
not work in a library to do an internship.   UWM has such a requirement.
 If there is anything I think the program is lacking, it would be that
no health-sciences librarianship classes are oferred online.  Besides
that, I've been very impressed with the program and highly recommend it
for people in a similar situation as myself.  And that situation is
this, I live in a state without a library school.  My personal life made
it impossible for me to go away to school and since I've done the
traditional graduate school thing already and have worked in libraries
for about 7 years, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

Just my .2,
Tanya



Tanya Marie Sanchez, MA
LDS Hospital Library
8th and C Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84143
Phone:  801-408-1054
Fax:       801-408-5287
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>>> Eris Weaver <[log in to unmask]> 05/08/01 10:19AM >>>
I have two friends who very recently completed distance MLIS degrees.
My
own MLIS was earned conventionally, not that terribly long ago (1993).
Based on conversations with these two folks throughout their
educations,
comparing all three, I personally would be VERY wary of hiring someone
who
had earned their degree in this way!  The two major things lacking:
neither
program required a cataloging class (!?!?!?); and lack of access to an
actual, physical library.  For students who are living in an area where
they
are near a decent university library that may not be such a big
problem, but
for someone in the hinterlands I think they would be missing a great
deal.
It's NOT all online yet!!!


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Eris Weaver, MLIS
Redwood Health Library
314 Western Avenue, Petaluma, CA 94952
707-778-9114 fax 707-765-2076
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