What is a Master's in Library and Information Studies?

Often, I am asked what my degree actually is. It has become a common occurrence that I will get blank looks and glazed eyes from folks who have never heard about the degree. Which is perfectly fine, as there usually is a quick explanation I give “it's to be a librarian” but it is just as often that I'll get a response of “you need a Master's for that?” Which leads to more convoluted and not particularly easy to explain reason behind that. So, to set the record straight, what is an MLIS degree?

Bachelor's?

To start at the beginning, I have to go back a bit. I received my Bachelor's in English Literature, which is a fairly common Bachelor's to get before your MLIS, at least in the States. Other countries and the very rare course in the US offer a Bachelor's in Library Science (it's other name). It is just how the system works in the US. But in a perfect world, a Bachelor's would signal what specialization was of interest to the fresh and starry eyed MLIS graduate when they started to apply to jobs.

I, having taken English Literature, am mostly just signaling that I like books (and in some cases, old books).

What does an MLIS degree actually do?

Well, primarily, it allows you to work in libraries. Public libraries are what most people think of, maybe closely followed by school or academic libraries, but there are a variety of options beyond the classics. Medical libraries, special collections, archives at museums, and any number of other locations deal with a large amount of information which needs sorting and cataloging. Often, there is only one librarian on staff, in charge of a lot of backlog of information which was never touched before. It can be a daunting task. Generally, an MLIS degree offers a student access to most information collection jobs.

But why a Master's?

It has been a discussion in recent years that the barrier of entry into library jobs being a Master's is too high. And I have heard arguments for and against such things. But at the end of the day, that is the barrier and currently there are some things which are not taught on-the-job which is can only be learned through academic classes.

Without a MLIS, those working in a library will often find a pay ceiling which cannot be bridged by work experience and it is possible upward mobility may be impossible or limited. Of course, there will be exceptions, but the odds won't be in your favor.

What is taught?

Within an MLIS degree, it is common to be taught about the metadata that is used in catalogs, the various catalog systems (DublinCore, etc.), and much more. Academic publications are often a feature of information Studies work, so it can happen that academia might be in an MLIS professionals future, either teaching or writing, but often some combination of both. In the States, if one wants to work as a librarian at a public school, one must also get a teaching degree. It can be a long process, with many crossovers with other subjects.

So, is it worth it?

That isn't for me to decide for you. For me, it has been. Through my journey in this degree, I have been reminded why I have set out to do it. It brings me joy to be a part of a community, teaching and growing in unusual ways, and I am pleased and confident that an MLIS degree is what I want to aim my life around. For others, perhaps not. Either way, I will continue on.