The ALA web site also has the following information:

****************************************************************************************
Foreign Credentials Evaluation Assistance
Employer Information
<http://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/educprofdev/foreigncredentials.htm>

Dear Employer,

Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding evaluation of an
international degree for your job applicant in library and information
science.

The policy of the American Library Association (ALA) states:

"The master's degree from a program accredited by the American Library
Association (or from a master's level program in library and information
studies accredited or recognized by the appropriate national body of
another country) is the appropriate professional degree for
librarians."

The following countries have been identified as having "formal"
accreditation processes and an individual who has received his/her
degree from an institution in one of these countries is considered
acceptable for employment in the United States. A list of the specific
institutions can be found at:

    * United Kingdom
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
http://www.cilip.org.uk/qualifications/qualif.html

    * Australia
Australian Library and Information Association
http://www.alia.org.au/education

    * New Zealand
Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa
http://www.lianza.org.nz/publications/employers.shtml

If an individual has attended an institution of higher learning in
regions of the world other than those mentioned above, the following
website may be of service in identifying programs throughout the world:

http://informationr.net/wl/

Additionally, the International Federation of Library Associations and
Institutions (IFLA) has created Guidelines for Professional
Library/Information Educational Programs which can be accessed at:

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s23/bulletin/guidelines.htm

If you require additional assistance please contact: Lorelle R. Swader,
Director, ALA/HRDR, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611 or
lswader@ala.org

****************************************************************************************
Also see:

Foreign Credentials Evaluation Assistance
Job Seeker Information
<http://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/educprofdev/foreigncredentialsevaluation.htm>

Valerie Hawkins
Library Technical Assistant
ALA Library
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL  60611-2795
Phone: (800) 545-2433, ext. 2154
vhawkins@ala.org
http://www.ala.org/library
Find the answers "@ your library"

>>> shorej@CABLESPEED.COM 4/5/2004 12:46:18 PM >>>
Jenifer,

Most locales say they require an ALA-accredited MLS or its
equivalent.

The ALA's web site (www.ala.org) includes a section on
Education and Careers that includes this on Foreign
degrees:
"Q: I have a degree from a foreign institution. How can I
find out if it is equivalent to an ALA-accredited
master's? What courses or tests can I take to be
"accredited?"
A: Ultimately, it is up to the employer to determine
whether or not to accept a foreign degree as equivalent to
an ALA-accredited master's. There is no set of courses or
tests to take to be "accredited." The ALA Office for Human
Resource Development and Recruitment has identified
agencies that, for a fee, will evaluate foreign
credentials."

I suggest your policy should allow for equivalent degrees
and point to these services with some requirement for the
candidate to prove their degree is equivalent.

J.

J. Shore
Systems Librarian - MEDLINE Quality Assurance
National Library of Medicine
Bethesda, MD, USA

shorej@cablespeed.com