Julie,
I would second what Mary Whisner wrote. Most law schools require a J.D. if you work in public services, but not for technical services. There is an accreditation requirement for law schools that the director must have a law degree, so if you wish to rise that far you need to go to law school. However, there are many other types of positions that do not require a law degree.
Besides looking at AALL, you should also consider membership in the Special Libraries Association Legal Division. When I was in library school I belonged to both organizations (as well as ALA), and I went to all three conferences when I graduated to look for jobs. There are job postings for law libraries even at ALA (although not that many).
Gook luck with your library school studies, and welcome to the profession!
--Bryan M. Carson
Bryan M. Carson, J.D., M.I.L.S.
Reference/Computer Services Librarian
Hamline University Law Library
1536 Hewitt Avenue
St Paul, Minnesota 55104
Phone: 612-523-2063
Fax: 612-523-2435 / 2236
bcarson@gw.hamline.edu
http://www.hamline.edu/~bmcarson
*********************************************************************
"Library Science is the key to all science, just as
mathematics is its language--and civilization will
rise or fall, depending on how well librarians do
their jobs."
--Robert A. Heinlein
*********************************************************************
All opinions expressed are my own and not my employer's.
All original content (c) 1998 Bryan M. Carson. All rights
reserved.
>>> Mary Whisner <whisner@u.washington.edu> 7/17/98 12:24:45 PM >>>
On Thu, 16 Jul 1998, Julie Roberson wrote:
> Hello,
> Currently, I am a graduate student in library science at the
> University of South Carolina. Over the past year I have been working
> as a graduate assistant in the South Carolina Legislative Library and
> have found that I enjoy this type of librarianship.
>
> My question to the list is this: Do most jobs require a J.D. in
> addition to the M.L.I.S? I have heard both yes and no. Also, what
> can I do now to prepare for a career as a law librarian?
>
> Thanks for your help and advice
>
> Julie Roberson
>
>
Julie,
According to a survey of AALL members in 1996, about 30% of law
librarians have law degrees; 70% do not. There *are* many opportunities
for librarians without JDs, in law firms, government agencies, and law
schools.
There are also some jobs that require a JD. Almost all directors
of law school libraries have law degrees, since they are usually full
faculty members as well as librarians. Many academic law libraries also
prefer to hire dual degreed librarians for reference and public services
positions. (In our library, we have a mix: some reference librarians have
JDs and some don't. And we like it like that.) Having a JD does increase
the number of law library jobs you can apply for -- but not having a JD
does *not* mean you can't be a law librarian!
You have already done some important things to prepare for a
career as a law librarian: you're in library school (library education is
valuable as education and as a credential) and you're getting some
on-the-job training. Keep this up: in your school, see about classes in
legal research, government documents, and special libraries; if you have
time for another job or fieldwork placement, look into law libraries in
your area.
Now work on networking. You've already subscribed to law-lib --
follow the discussions to see what law librarians care about. Join AALL.
Student membership is a bargain and you'll get _AALL Spectrum_. For more
about AALL, see www.aallnet.org. Also get in touch with an AALL Chapter.
You're in South Carolina, so you should look into SEALL: see
http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/seaall/. Go chat with the law librarians
at the South Carolina law school library.
Come on in, the profession's fine!
-- Mary
Mary Whisner, Head of Reference
Gallagher Law Library, University of Washington
whisner@u.washington.edu
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