Whether library science is recognised in US

Is library science recognised in the US? I am a 23 year old and I am moving to the US shortly. I want to know if I can look for at least a part-time job in a library in the US when I go there. - Shobika Shastry, Dilsukhnagar

In the United States, a librarian normally has a one or two-year master's degree in library and information science, library science or information science (called an MLS, MSLS, MIS, MS-LIS, MISt, MI, MLIS, or MILS) and these degrees are accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). Most employers require an ALA-accredited master's for most professional level positions, and some states require an ALA-accredited degree to work as a professional librarian in public or school libraries. ALA accreditation indicates that the program has undergone a self-evaluation process, been reviewed by peers, and meets the standards established by the American Library Association and Committee on Accreditation.

These are offered with specialisations within fields such as archives, records, management, information architecture, information policy, knowledge management, public librarianship, medical librarianship, law librarianship, special librarianship, academic librarianship, or school (K-12) librarianship. School librarians areoften required to have a teaching credential and school librarian license in addition to a library science degree. There are also bachelor's associate and certificate programs in library science, which provide formal training of Para-professional library workers, library technicians and clerks.

Elective courses may include information management, children's literature, genealogy and archives as well as specialised courses related to different types of libraries. If you have an Indian degree in library science, it would be up to the employer to determine whether or not to accept a foreign degree as equivalent to an ALA-accredited master's and also there are no set of courses or tests that can be taken to "receive" an accredited degree. The ALA office for Human Resource Development and recruitment has identified agencies that, for a fee, will evaluate foreign credentials. Graduating from an ALA-accredited program provides greater flexibility in the types of libraries and jobs you can apply for and enhances your career mobility. Most master's programs offer some type of job placement service.

Refer to this site regarding information on ALA-accredited library science programs, http://www.ala.org/accreditedprograms/directory, there are also distance learning opportunities. A To make decision easier and safer, review an individual program's website or request a copy of their print catalog. Talking to the faculty, students, and alumni of prospective programs is also always very helpful.

A How reliable are 'work from home' jobs?

How good is work from home and earn Rs 50,000 per month kind of job offers. I want to know if they are reliable or not. - Vikram Kumar

Who wouldn't want to work from home and get a pay cheque of Rs 50,000? Why travel for hours to get to work, when you can comfortably work from home. But unfortunately, there are no such real and genuine online jobs around or if there are, they are very difficult to find. These at-home employment opportunities deserve a higher level of skepticism. It pays to examine the economics of the work you're being asked to do. Never choose a job opportunity that seems too good to be true, because they are never true. Some measures, to be sure that you are dealing with a real company:

• Always ask for contact information
• Make a phone call to the company or employer
• When you call the company, ask them how much you will get paid
• Will you get paid for any amount of hours or for completed task?
• Is it a long term commitment or is per project job?
• Do you have to sign a contract?
• What is required from you?
• What is the experience required or are there some special skills required?
• Are they going to provide the necessary training?

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All the best!