GEN: LMS out there not yet certified?

[Nancy Riemer Kellner <Nkellner@AOL.COM>]

Dear esteemed group,

After reading yet another post from a new LMS who has not finished his/her
degree and at the risk of beginning another heady discussion about school
libraries/media centers staffed by "non-professionals", I make the following
request out of pure curiousity.  (NOTE:  I, too, am a  school librarian with
"certification-waived" status at the beginning of my grad program.)

Please respond directly to me (I will collate and prepare a HIT) if you are
working as a librarian in a school library without being technically certified
or credentialled in your state.  It would be interesting to hear what your
current level of education is and what the certification requirements are.  I
believe the shortage in certified media  specialists is approaching epidemic
status.  Okay, maybe I'm overreacting a little.  I was offered two jobs this
summer, a good friend has had two different school library positions, and
several people that I attend grad school with are also school librarians/media
specialists all without being certified.

Here are the goods on me:  I have a BA in economics (with 9 undergraduate
credits in children's literature) and am 9 credits into my 42 credit MLS/Media
Specialist degree.  I just started as school librarian in two K-5 libraries
with 31 classes per week (fixed schedule, obviously).  I have volunteered in
school and public libraries for twenty years and have worked in a public
library as a para-professional for a year.  As for specific preparation for
this job, I credit this listserv as much as any other aspect of my background.

Looking forward to your responses.

Nancy Riemer Kellner
Librarian, Peaslee and Lincoln Street Schools, Northborough, MA
Masters candidate, URI Library and Information Studies

NKellner@aol.com

"How much hope, expectation and sheer hard work goes into the smallest
success."
May Sarton

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send email to
 listserv@listserv.syr.edu         In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 3) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=