Another problem with the ALA data is that some of us have an MLS but work in a position classified as support staff that does not require the MLS.

					Steve McDonald
					[log in to unmask]


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Andreas Orphanides
> Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2015 12:06 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] lita
> 
> I don't disagree with that, that's for sure. What it DOES suggest is that the
> closest thing to tracking "librarian" vs "not" is likely how they self-identify for
> dues purposes, which means that the data is probably not so good.
> 
> On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 12:01 PM, Cindi Blyberg <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
> > Based on previous experience, I doubt this truly captures whether
> > someone thinks of themselves as a librarian.  I've always found those
> > categories arbitrary (an MLS does not a librarian make) and sometimes
> divisive.
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 11:58 AM, Andreas Orphanides
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > There's a different dues schedule for librarians
> > > (-slash-certification
> > > required-slash-managerial) and "support staff", so along that
> > > dimension
> > it
> > > presumably gets tracked, at the very least.
> > >
> > > On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 11:51 AM, Cindi Blyberg <[log in to unmask]>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Honestly, I don't know if ALA tracks whether people have an
> > > > MLS/related degree or if that's self-selected.  I know folks who
> > > > call themselves librarians but who aren't degreed--those would be self-
> selected.
> > > >
> > > > I'll see if we can find this out--I'm curious!
> > > >
> > > > -Cindi (wearing my LITA hat)
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Jan 6, 2015 at 11:43 AM, Haitz, Lisa (haitzlm) <
> > > > [log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > I'd be curious about something: how many LITA members are not
> > > librarians?
> > > > > I work in a library as a web developer, which includes a medical
> > > library,
> > > > > but I don’t have an MLS. So, question: is the  Code4Lib list
> > > > > more
> > open
> > > to
> > > > > technical folks, but not necessarily librarians?
> > > > >
> > > > > Lisa Haitz
> > > > > University of Cincinnati Libraries
> > > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >