Q: I’ve been working at an academic library since I finished graduate school four years ago. My question for you is this: what would be the best second master’s degree for an academic librarian to get?

I am very interested in pursuing more education and it seems like it would be an advantage to get a second master’s degree, as academic librarians are being asked to be subject specialists more so these days, and I’d like to get a second degree to do just that (and to remain employable). But I’d like your opinion to know what you think are growing trends in regards to higher education — and what potentially overlooked opportunities there are for academic librarians hoping to specialize. For what it’s worth, I’m the library faculty liaison to the College of Education & Psychology here at the university. But if you could recommend a second master’s specialization that would be appreciated!

SM: This is a great question! I have recommendations for you, but the real answer to your question “What would be the best second masters degree for an academic librarian to get?” is… there is no right answer, and it all depends on the job.

A certain subject degree can be valued more for a specific job, because that job deals with that specific subject. A library might be looking for a reference and instruction librarian, but that librarian might also need to be a subject specialist in history, or political science, or mathematics or whatever subject that particular library needs at the moment. And, since you are currently the liaison to education and psychology, and (let’s say) you want to stay in that position, it “may” be beneficial for you and your library to get that second masters in one of those areas. However, since you are already in the role and didn’t need the second masters to be a liaison, then (it seems like) you could probably pursue any subject you would like, although you may want to talk to your supervisor first. If you imagine that you will be job hunting in the future, think about what roles (if you want to do liaison work, and like you said, many academic librarians do) you would prefer. Also, think about how many people have degrees in the humanities (literature, history, etc.) and how many of these people you may be competing with for any given job. In this case, something a little more obscure (like the natural or applied sciences) might make you more desirable as a candidate and more specialized as a librarian, but there may not be as many of those jobs.

Another option might be to pursue a different kind of degree in something like educational technology, or social media, or computer science, or instructional design, or media studies, or public relations, or marketing, or management… where the second masters degree isn’t so much a “subject” but a skill or tool for you to use in your role as a librarian.

My advice for anyone contemplating getting a second masters degree is to go for something that you want to study, something that interests you, and something that you think will be useful to you as a librarian (in future positions as well as your current position) – and this may not be a typical, straightforward subject degree.

Another piece of advice is do not put yourself into massive debt to get a second masters degree. If you are working in an academic environment or applying to academic librarian positions, ask about tuition remission and look into the types of degrees offered at the institution. And, keep in mind that while many institutions require that you have a second masters degree, many of those will let you get the second masters on the job. And, the best part — they pay for it. These positions will usually state in their job ads that a second masters is required for promotion and tenure. When you apply for these positions, you should say in your cover letter that you are very interested in pursuing a second masters degree. An advantage to getting your second masters degree “on-the-job” is that you may be able to tailor it more to your current role and the needs of the library. A disadvantage is that you are limited to that institution’s (or system’s) offerings.

Whatever path or subject you decide to pursue, just make sure it is something that you enjoy, something that challenges you, and something that will enhance your career.

Hello readers! I did an interview with Naomi House for I Need a Library Job (INALJ). If you haven’t seen the site, or LinkedIn group, or Facebook page, you are missing out on a lot of great  conversations and advice.

Q: I’ve decided to take a few library science classes before applying to graduate school, mainly because I don’t have any prior experience working in a library and my undergraduate degree is in an unrelated field. Which would look better to the admissions office: a certificate from a local community college in library science or a couple of graduate courses? The certificate is in ‘library science basics’ and is 5 classes and would cost about the same as 2 graduate courses. Would one be more beneficial than the other? Are either really necessary?

SM: If you plan on going to library school at some point in the future, to pursue a graduate degree in library and information science (or equivalent), then the graduate courses would be better… because you are applying your money to that one degree. If you choose the certificate, which may be beneficial and help you get a library job (although not a librarian job), and then you decide that you do want to be a librarian, you will need to start over again in the graduate program. The certificate degree really won’t count and you will end up spending more money in the long run. As for what would look best for the admissions department – I think both would look good and show that you are motivated to learn and determined to work in libraries. But (and this is a big but), neither one is necessary to get into an LIS program. So, you might want to wait and apply to graduate school, and get into an LIS program, before spending any extra money on classes. And while you are in the program, work (or intern or volunteer) in a library to get the much needed experience which will help you get a job once you get the degree.

Q: First of all, thank you both for your blog and the thoughtful responses to Library career questions. I am finding it very useful and practical in my hunt for employment in the library field. I was wondering if you could give me any advice about my current situation.

While living in the UK, I have completed a CILIP qualified Masters of Information and Library Management at a UK University. I am living in a rural area of England, and there are very few library jobs. I have been volunteering at a local library and archive for the last few months. I have interviewed for about 4 positions in the last 9 months, but I have not been successful. I got positive feedback for all of the positions, but they decided other candidates were more suitable. Due to not being able to get employment in the UK, I have decided to move back to the US, and am starting to look for library positions in the Greater Philadelphia area.

I am not sure what I am qualified to apply for, and how to best represent myself on paper. A CILIP qualified library master’s degree is recognized as equivalent to an ALA qualified MLS or MLIS, but I am not sure if employers will recognize this. I have been putting information in my materials about the CILIP degree being equivalent to an ALA degree by pointing to the ALA website,  as well as providing a link to a great article comparing graduates from library schools in the US and UK. I also have a previous Masters degree in Urban Affairs and Public Policy, two and a half years as a research assistant at a large university, some supervisory experience, two years library assistant experience at an academic library, and archival/digital collections experience.  And, do you have any suggestions for ways to break into entry-level academic library roles?

SM: I wouldn’t go too far to point out the fact that your degree is “different.” You don’t want it to stand out as a red flag and you don’t want to make it seem questionable, because it isn’t. The American Library Association states that the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand” 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.” [Library programs in Canada are accredited by the American Library Association.]

It can be a bit tricky, figuring out what you should include in your application materials and how much explanation is necessary, because you want to educate those who may not know that other countries have equivalent degrees to the ALA-accredited MLS, but you don’t want to push tons of information at them which could be both distracting (since it doesn’t pertain to the job at hand) and demeaning (because they may already know about foreign library school credentials, or they can easily look up the information on their own). So, I would suggest to err on the subtle side and go with minimal information on the degree and focus on how your background and your experience and your skills relate to the job you are applying for. If you are a finalist for the position, the search committee (director, HR, etc.) will have plenty of time to seek out the history of your degree and ask you questions about it during the interview.

All you really need to do when you apply for jobs are two simple things:

• In your resume, list your degree, as you normally would. For example:

2011 – MA, Library Science, City University London

• In your cover letter, write a sentence or two about getting your degree abroad and mention that the degree is an equivalent degree and you can (if you are so inclined) provide a link to ALA’s page on Library Employment and Foreign Credentials.  And, you might also want to mention that you are a U.S. citizen.

As for breaking into entry-level academic library jobs in the U.S. — just apply for ones that you are qualified for and ones that interest you… and play up your strengths. You have library experience, research experience, supervisory experience, and a second masters, and you’ve lived and worked (volunteered, but that counts!) abroad which may be appealing to some search committees and some academic cultures. Keep an open mind and a positive attitude, seek out library organizations and groups in specific cities you are targeting, network online, and look for more than just entry-level positions (which you may be qualified for).  Good luck!