In a last-minute effort to keep Clark Atlanta University’s School of Library and Information Studies from closing, ALA President Carol Brey-Casiano has issued a statement about the history and value of the program. Clark Atlanta’s LIS program is the only accredited one in Georgia and only one of two LIS programs at a Historically Black University. From Brey-Casiano’s statement:
The Clark Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies has contributed significantly to the development and improvement of African American school libraries in the South and to the enrichment and diversity of our national culture. The ALA feels that closure of this program would have a negative impact on future services to an increasingly diverse society. The Association strongly urges the Clark Atlanta trustees to keep the university’s SLIS open so that it can continue to serve our profession, our communities, and the world.
Here’s some background from American Libraries, notes from a town hall meeting and the Houstonian.
wording
“Last Efforts to Save Clark Atlanta Library School from ALA”
Sorry. I know it’s a serious story, but the headline sounds as though ALA’s getting ready to remove Clark Atlanta’s accreditation…
Seriously, even though I’m one who might argue against the MLS in terms of self-interest (I don’t have one, and there are some jobs I can’t apply for as a result), I think it’s a d**n shame when a library school closes. (And yes, I do support the MLS as the appropriate degree for most practicing librarians. And ALA as the appropriate accrediting agency.) Unfortunately, given library salaries, the odd nature of the degree, and financial problems, it’s not entirely surprising. Sad, though.