Quote:
Originally posted by SuperSister
I go to Clarion and I know that they have an undergrad LS degree. Is this different that LIS?
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It's my understanding that it IS different. I believe LS is more of a focus on the standard library services like information retrieval and cataloging. When you throw in the "I," that includes training on more information technologies. Pitt and Clarion have drastically different Master's programs. Clarion is shifting more toward a focus on Information (rather than Library) Science and is training fewer and fewer people who want to become public or school librarians, while Pitt is still training many people for public service and has thrown the "I" into the degree because the IT people were complaining that they couldn't get a job with a degree that read "MLS," everyone thought they were librarians. At Pitt, the two programs have split and they offer an MIS and an MLIS.
More and more schools are going the same direction as Clarion, getting away from training public librarians, and this has created a huge need in the field of public service. There are just as many of not more jobs in the field, but fewer schools are training for the positions. So if anyone's reading this, let me tell you, as a trained public services librarian you will never get rich, but you will also never be unemployed, especially if you're in children's services.