Making it to the major leagues: career movement between library and archival professions and from small college to large university libraries

4. The elements of scouting, continuing education, work experience, and professional involvement offer the greatest assistance in career transitions.

5. The job market is the wildcard that either stymies or stimulates occupational development.

IT IS EASIER, IN TERMS OF CAREER TRANSITIONS, FOR A LIBRARIAN TO BECOME AN ARCHIVIST THAN IT IS FOR AN ARCHIVIST TO BECOME A LIBRARIAN.

There is very little in the literature (by that I mean the literature of both archives and library professions) that specifically addresses a midcareer change between the library and archives professions. But the literature is full of discussion and debate on professional education, accreditation, credentialing, and professional identity, all of which provide the backdrop for an individual's decision to change careers. The differences between these two professions show both the gateways and the barriers that make such transitions possible or improbable, depending on the direction of professional travel. Librarians have a clearly defined "terminal" degree; archivists do not. The ALA accredits programs; the SAA does not. Oetting (1989) writes:

   The library profession has struggled for many years with the problem of
   distinguishing between librarians and other professional library workers
   and has effectively decreed and more importantly enforced a professional
   definition based almost solely on an ALA-accredited M.L.S. There is no
   equivalent understanding or accepted credential in the archival profession,
   nor is it likely that there will be one in the near future. (p. 135)

Martin (1994) amplifies this observation when he notes that

   The library school has evolved from the status of an independent trade
   school to one of the constellation of professional schools that
   characterize the modern university. Meanwhile, archivists have failed to
   establish a similar program or curriculum to prepare students for entry
   into the profession, with serious deleterious effects on the competence of
   practitioners, the availability of resources with which archival
   institutions achieve their goals, and the status of the profession. (p.
   545)

Martin (1994) goes on to state: "Individuals may claim the status of archivist without having completed any specific course of study and without any specific educational credentials" (p. 546).

In preparation for his article Oetting (1989) surveyed ARL libraries on the status of archivists and the credentials necessary for appointment. The second question in the survey asked, "Does your library require that archivists possess an ALA-accredited M.L.S. as a condition of employment?" Oetting (1989) reported that:

   almost half of the libraries responding require that archivists at their
   institution possess an ALA-accredited M.L.S. Further, this figure is
   increased since many of the libraries responding negatively indicated that
   they strongly prefer an M.L.S.-wielding candidate. Since at least half of
   all professional archivists are employed by academic institutions, this one
   statistic points out the interesting dilemma that many archivists face: if
   they do not want to rule out a major market for archival employment (i.e.,
   college and university libraries), they must obtain an academic degree that
   is not considered sufficient in and of itself by the archival profession.
   (p. 137)