Having said all this below, does this mean that the reverse is true? Are
institutions in developing countries hiring US librarians at the detriment
of their librarians and lowering the standards of their library professions?
Shouldn't they require US librarians to prove that their degree is of an
acceptable standard as well?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Garry Church" <gchurch@LAREDO.EDU>
To: <SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 2:11 PM
Subject: Re: [SERIALST] Foreign MLS?

> This is a slippery slope. Accept non-ALA degrees, then accept a BA, then
where are the salaries?  Should be, that person needs to apply to a US
school, have her credits evaluated and get the ALA approved degree - it
couldn't that much more schooling if the coursework were equivalent. People
know that when they come to a new country their credentials are not
equivalent, and need to be upgraded.
>
> Universities overseas are very different. Canada and other similar
countries may have similar requirements as US schools, but the developing
world is very different.
>
> Hiring foreign degrees lowers the value of US librarians. We all have a
responsibility to support US degree holders and also support in the struggle
for realistic and livable wages. We live here, pay our taxes here, we paid
the price to study here, how can we justify hiring those who breeze in with
less than acceptable credentials.
>
> Exporting jobs or bringing in foreigners to work  is the same thing -
fewer jobs for americans. Sorry if this sounds not PC, but it's a fact.  If
there are not enough librarians, that's because the pay is too low. Justify
this in face of increasing administrative salaries at most US universities.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Holman Jenifer S [mailto:holman.jeni@UWLAX.EDU]
> Sent: Monday, April 05, 2004 11:32 AM
> To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: [SERIALST] Foreign MLS?
>
> We require an ALA-accredited MLS for all librarian positions.  Last
> year, we had a librarian with an MLS from an Indian library school
> apply.  Since ALA only accredits library schools in the United States
> and Canada, we weren't sure whether we should accept her application.
>
> Has anyone else had a similar problem?  If so, how did your library
> handle it?  We are trying to develop a policy for such cases. Your
> thoughts, insights, etc. would be very much appreciated.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jenifer Holman
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Jenifer S. Holman
> Acquisitions Librarian
> Murphy Library
> University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
> 1631 Pine St.
> La Crosse, WI 54601
> email: holman.jeni@uwlax.edu
> phone: 608-785-8395
> fax: 608-785-8634
> http://www.uwlax.edu/murphylibrary/