Question: As a legal secretary, I have been asked to take care of the law library for our office. I am enjoying helping the attorneys find things and assisting them with research. I am thinking about going to graduate school in library science. What schools do you recommend and what other resources should I know about?
— Sam

Response: In greater Los Angeles, two universities offer a library science graduate program accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). One is The University of California, Los Angeles, UCLA. The other is a San Jose State University program on the campus of California State University, Fullerton.

While your employer may have educational benefits that will help pay for your library science degree, scholarships are available through universities and the ALA. For example, the ALA has a $5,000 scholarship for a minority students pursuing a master's degree in library studies.

The traditional Master's of Library Science (MLS) program, including the above mentioned, are now known as a Master's of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree, which is a more marketable degree. While you can find other information studies programs, many employers look for applicants with a degree from an ALA approved program.
UCLA
Graduate School of Education and Information Studies
1009 Moore Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095
(310) 825-5269
Information Studies: (310) 825-8326
is.gseis.ucla.edu
Contact: Susan Abler, Admissions
E-mail: abler@gseis.ucla.edu
The department offers a two-year, 72-unit master's degree program in library science. Coursework includes Design of Library and Information Services, Information Access, and Principles of Information Systems Analysis and Design. Students may apply for an internship during their second year of study either on campus or off campus at one or more approved library or information centers. Internship sites include local museums such as the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The Getty as well as research centers such as the Rand Corporation.

Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0, completion of the GRE, and three letters of recommendation. When evaluating applications, consideration is given to those with relevant work experience. The department only accepts applications for fall admission. According to the UCLA Academic Information web site, 66% of applicants are admitted into the program. Graduate tuition per quarter is approximately $2,100 (full or part-time).
San Jose State University
School of Library and Information Science
800 N. State College Blvd. Box 4150
Fullerton, CA 92834-4150
(714) 278-2064
E-mail: spoffice@wahoo.sjsu.edu
witloof.sjsu.edu/homeslis.htm
The program leading to the degree of Master of Library and Information Science requires the successful completion of 42 units. Students can attend full or part-time and can complete the degree in two to seven years. Many classes are held online and many students get their degree through their distance education program.

There are seven program tracks that students can choose from: academic libraries, archival studies, information architecture, public libraries, library media teacher services, special libraries and systems design and implementation. Admission requirements include a bachelor's degree with at least a 3.0 average on the most recent 60 semester or 90 quarter units of coursework, a personal statement and general understanding of computers and technology.

Costs for attending this program are $645 per class, which is different than the normal Cal State fees as the Fullerton campus MLIS classes are not state sponsored. Financial aid are offered for this program.

Job Description
The job of the librarian is changing along with new technology. Titles for librarians are also changing. Some are called information managers, and I even know a librarian who was referred to as an ontologist.

Traditionally, they have maintained collections of books, serial publications, audiovisual products and other related materials. Duties have included performing reference services, and supervising the classification, cataloging and indexing of books and other publications.

Now librarians also may be involved in developing public-access computer files, or assisting patrons in the use of electronic resources. These include computer databases and the Internet, as well as print resources such as book catalog cards. However, given the increased use of information technology, most searches are conducted on a computer database. Therefore, librarians must have strong computer and user training skills.

Employment Outlook
No change in job growth is projected through 2010 for librarians.

Many librarians now work in settings other than the traditional public or academic libraries. Some of the alternative settings for librarians include publishing, which can involve working with editors to identify story ideas, fact-checking and conducting research for writers, as well as archiving past issues of publications.

Librarians can also work for a business, which can involve organizing and classifying products by categories or developing and managing a digital resource library or an archive of the company history. Large corporations, government agencies, advertising agencies, museums, and professional associations are among the many venues where librarians work.

Salary Range
Beginning librarians earn from $30,000 to $40,000 per year. Los Angeles City librarians earn from approximately $47,400 to $65,900 per year and County of Los Angeles public branch librarians earn from approximately $40,500 to $50,300 per year.

Professional Associations
American Library Association
50 E. Huron
Chicago, IL 60611
(800) 545-2433
www.ala.org
California Library Association
www.cla-net.org
Contact: Danis Kreimeier, President-Elect
(626) 570-5079 ext. 5606
E-mail: danisk@ylpl.lib.ca.us
This is a professional association that provides leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services.

Membership benefits include networking opportunities at local chapter meetings and through an online membership directory, and discounts on educational publications such as Anglo-American Filing Rules, and Licensing Digital Content.

Additional networking opportunities can occur at such events as the upcoming January 2004 Midwinter Meeting Conference in San Diego. Annual student membership dues are $25 and first year professional membership dues are $50.
American Society for Information Science and Technology
1320 Fenwick Lane, Suite 510
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301) 495-0900
Fax (301) 495-0810
www.asis.org
Los Angeles Chapter
public.csusm.edu/lacasis/
Contact: Linda Heichman, Chair
E-mail: lheichman@fullerton.edu
UCLA Student Chapter
skipper.gseis.ucla.edu/orgs/asis/html/index.htm
Contact: Elizabeth Hubbart, Student Chapter Chair
E-mail: eahubartt@hotmail.com
This is a society of information professionals including librarians. Membership benefits include networking opportunities at local chapter workshops/meetings, access to an online job database, and industry updates through publications such as the Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. Annual student membership dues are $30 and individual membership dues are $115.
Special Libraries Association
1700 18th St. NW
Washington D.C. 20009
(202) 234-4700
Fax (202) 265-9317
www.sla.org
Southern California Chapter
www.sla.org/chapter/csca/
Contact: Susan Hendrickson, Membership Chair
(818) 354-2883
E-mail: susan.m.hendrickson@jpl.nasa.gov
Student Chapter
Contact: David Cappoli
(310) 794-5350
E-mail: dcappoli@ucla.edu
This is an international association of information professionals including librarians. Membership benefits include networking opportunities at local chapter meetings, industry updates through chapter newsletters and association publications, and an online listing of employment opportunities. Annual student membership dues are $35 and annual individual membership dues are $125. Annual chapter membership dues are $15 for all chapters.
Association of Research Libraries
www.arl.org/
This is a not-for-profit membership organization of leading research libraries in North America. Online resources available to members and nonmembers include an online listing of employment opportunities categorized by area including library, special collections, and collection management, and industry updates through reports and publications. An additional benefit is a link to individual university school libraries.

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Susan W. Miller, M.A., is a National Certified Career Counselor, a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist and holds diplomate status on the American Board of Vocational Experts. She heads California Career Services, a private practice career counseling firm in Los Angeles.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.