Re: Required? Degree

[Karen Keller <KellerKS@AOL.COM>]

On July 3, 1997, Gail Smith wrote,

<I still can't figure out why there cannot be a
bachelors degree that would be adequate as the entry level for a
librarian.>

Gail,
     I have long agreed with your assertion.  And not everywhere is "the
Masters the established minimum".  I was certified to be a school librarian
with my first degree from Northwest Missouri State University at Maryville,
MO in 1982, which was a bachelor's in Secondary Education with a major in
Library Science and a minor in English.  There was not a major like this
being offered in my home state of Iowa at that time (and still isn't, to my
knowledge, although I had just missed one that was discontinued at Fayette)
so I commuted 1 and 1/2 hours one way for 3 years to get this degree, as it
was what I really wanted after being a stay-at-home mom for 10 years.  Even
though no Iowa colleges offered this degree, the Iowa Dep't. of Education
accepted it and licensed me K-12.  I sometimes had trouble convincing
administrators and other librarians, that yes, I AM certified in this area.
 I have since obtained my master's at the University of Northern Iowa, but
purely for my own satisfaction as it doesn't change what I am licensed to
teach at all.
     I have been a school librarian for 14 years, 4 at elementaries and 10 at
middle schools and am now at a grade 5-8 school with 1039 students in a
growing suburb of Des Moines, IA.
Karen Keller, LMS, Johnston Middle School
P. O. Box 10, Johnston, IA 50131
phone 515.278.0476     fax 515.278.0130
kellerks@aol.com
kkeller@johnston.K12.ia.us