C&RL Spotlight

Abstract

It seems like the discourse on the value of the MLS surfaces in a very periodic way in the profession, either in the scholarly literature or less formal venues and day-to-day interactions. Certainly, it is not uncommon to hear from peers in other departments or from university administrators that they are surprised that practicing librarians, even those with faculty status, are not required to have a PhD. Studies and surveys are rampant through the library literature that explore the perceived value of the master’s in library science (or library studies, librarianship, information sciences, etc.) within different contexts, kinds of institutions, and positions.