Yes, the MISt (Information Systems) degree from the University of Toronto is an ALA-accredited (professional librarian) degree. You get the same degree as those who specialized in the library or archival streams.
Katherine
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Jonathan Rochkind
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 2:20 PM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Library Technologies and Library School
Does the information systems stream get you an ALA accredited degree?
Because we're talking about how people who want to work _in libraries_
need more tech background then they are getting. And I'm seeing schools
that say "Oh, if you want to work in a library, you take these courses,
but if you want to learn tech, you take these other courses." Um, how
about both/and?
Jonathan
Katherine McConnell wrote:
> The Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto offers 3 streams of study:
> Information Systems, Library Studies and Archival Studies.
>
> Entry into the Information Systems stream requires somewhat of a technical background already but builds on these strengths with courses in Database Design, Retrieval Engine technology, XML, and several courses in system architecture and requirements analysis.
>
> Still, as tremendously useful as these course are, it is not the education of a software developer. But it makes it much, much easier to collaborate with them.
> --
> Katherine McConnell, MISt
> Project Analyst
> Faculty of Medicine
> University of Toronto
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Brian Stamper
> Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 1:31 PM
> To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
> Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] Library Technologies and Library School (was Commercial Vendors and Open Source Software)
>
> As a person who does not have an MLS but would like to get one, I'm glad
> you bring this up. I'm becoming more and more interested in the
> technologies that *could* be applied to libraries, and this is what I
> would like to study in a Master's program. I would also like to continue a
> career in academic libraries, so an actual MLS is necessary. But as I go
> shopping around for MLS programs, it is hard to find any that have a
> decent technology component. So what do I have to do, some kind of dual
> Master's program? Seems like that shouldn't be necessary, but most places,
> if I want to do the kinds of things I want to do, it would be.
>
> Glad you mentioned Syracuse, but that's one of the few places I've already
> heard that does this well. (Actually, it's the only one that comes to
> mind.) Any other nominations out there?
>
> Brian Stamper
> The Ohio State University
>
>
> On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:14:40 -0400, Kevin M Kidd <kiddk_at_bc.edu> wrote:
>
>
>> I will re-iterate what several have already said in this forum: the
>> problems we are having with the lack of technical knowledge in the
>> library community is an indictment of library education in general.
>>
>> Here at Boston College, we have had several newly-minted librarians come
>> through recently, MLS in hand, who managed to finish library school with
>> a mere smattering of technology competence sprinkled into their degree
>> requirements. In this day and age, such a situation is nothing short of
>> astounding. What technology should MLS students learn?
>>
>> For starters, I would say they need more than a smattering of the
>> following:
>> HTML/CSS
>> JavaScript
>> Relational Databases/SQL
>> Some Scripting languages (Perl/PHP, etc)
>>
>> They should understand client-server architecture. They should know
>> something about how networks function and the difference between
>> internet protocols like HTTP, FTP, SSH and Telnet.
>>
>> Again, this is just for starters.
>>
>> I feel fortunate that, when I was at Syracuse Library School in the
>> mid-1990s, my professors were both technologists and librarians. Many of
>> them were working on cutting-edge technology projects, and I was a
>> direct beneficiary of their knowledge and experience.
>>
>> Unfortunately - 12 years on - this is obviously not the experience of
>> most current students and recent graduates.
>>
>> It's a big problem.
>>
>> --------------------------------------
>> Kevin M. Kidd, MA, MLIS
>> Library Applications & Systems Manager
>> Boston College Libraries
>> Phone: 617-552-1359
>> Fax: 617-552-1089
>> e-Mail: kevin.kidd_at_bc.edu
>> Blog: http://datadrivenlibrary.blogspot.com/
>>
>
>
--
Jonathan Rochkind
Digital Services Software Engineer
The Sheridan Libraries
Johns Hopkins University
410.516.8886
rochkind (at) jhu.edu
Received on Tue Sep 16 2008 - 14:06:02 EDT