With 63 accredited programs to choose from, assessing which is best is far from clear cut. To would-be librarians, the field offers a challenge in information gathering, assessment, and data-driven decision-making right off the bat: finding the facts about the different master’s degrees in library and information science and choosing the one that best fits their needs. For employers of prospective graduates, the perspective is different, but the dilemma is the same. Below, LJ offers an actionable checklist for today’s applicants. For an ambitious proposal for tomorrow’s accreditors, read the related LIS Education article: "Rethinking How We Rate and Rank MLIS Programs."

The time has come. You’ve read dozens of articles, followed the buzz online, talked to trusted colleagues, and weighed your job prospects. You’re ready to earn your master’s degree. But with 63 qualified library and information science (LIS) programs to choose from, where to begin?

The American Library Association (ALA) has assembled general guidelines to get started, available on ala.org. The task of weeding through your options may be daunting, but it is far from impossible. Consider this your first information-gathering task in your new role as future librarian.

In the library world, the degree comes with many different labels, but most important it that is comes from an ALA-­accredited program. Start by referencing a list of those schools using ALA’s online searchable database or list. Most LIS employers require a master’s degree from an accredited program for professional positions in the field, so an accredited MLS/MLIS course is essential.

LIS programs do not lose their accreditation status very often, but it happens. Most recently, the MLS program at Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, suffered this action. Programs from five other institutions are currently in a status of “conditional accreditation,” which means the programs must make updates to comply with ALA’s Standards of ­Accreditation.

The “name” factor

It doesn’t appear that a degree earned from one school makes you more hirable than one from another. On the blog HiringLibrarians.com, an August 2013 survey called “What Should Potential Hires Learn in Library School” included the question, “Which library schools give candidates an edge?” An October 2013 analysis of the survey results revealed that 51 percent of eligible respondents said a candidate’s alma mater is not an important factor in hiring decisions, with a further subset stating that candidates’ skills and experience are more relevant than their school. As well, where you earned your degree will likely have little effect on salary.

That being said, not all library schools are created equal. Forty-nine percent of eligible respondents from the Hiring Librarians survey named preferred LIS schools (you can browse their answers). U.S. News and World Report releases rankings of the ALA-accredited MLIS programs in the United States (it’s also worth paying attention to the methodology behind the list). But for many prospective students, other needs—cost, life obligations, location—factor more into the best choice than rankings or perceived prestige.

Cost counts

It makes sense to begin by comparing LIS schools by cost. Some program websites are forthcoming with this information, others are not. Email the school for more details. Sign up for an information session. Schedule a meeting with a program advisor. Ask program alumni to share what they actually paid for their degree. Simply put: ask and ask again until you have an unshakable understanding of what you’ll be asked to fork over.

Regardless of which school you select, there are options to help reduce the cost of your graduate school tuition. Become aware of the opportunities via ALA’s Scholarship Program, its directory of Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies, and the LISjobs.com scholarships page.

To apply for federal student loans, domestic applicants should fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Each state has different FAFSA deadlines—be aware of those or, better yet, the FAFSA campus deadline.

Universities offer a variety of scholarships, fellowships, grants, and work opportunities that provide tuition relief for graduate students. It’s possible to reduce tuition by thousands of dollars by taking advantage of financial aid opportunities, and a graduate assistantship with tuition waiver is worth its weight in gold. An LIS program with a higher cost but excellent financial aid options may still be a worthy contender. And for those already working as paralibrarians, employers may be willing to pick up some or, more rarely, all of the tuition. College savings plans, offered through employers or independently, are another way to help defray the expense.

What do you want to learn?

“Different programs offer different perspectives and emphases, and those will appeal to different kinds of students,” says Joe Janes, MLIS program chair at the University of Washington iSchool in Seattle. “Is the program one that seems focused on vocational skills and specific expertise, or is the curriculum focused more broadly at the conceptual level, or somewhere in between?”

When comparing curricula, one helpful benchmark is the school’s focus on traditional library services vs. newer, nontraditional information-related areas. Some LIS programs have been folded into “information schools” to strengthen the connection with other information sciences. Examining the balance of theoretical courses vs. those that focus on practical, “real-world skills” is another helpful measure. Overall, look for a reasonable depth of course offerings in your areas of interest, plus a good mixture of other electives. You never know what might spark a new interest or career direction.

Says Janes, “Students often wind up changing their ideas once they start a program, so having a wider range of options and an environment that fosters and encourages that sort of exploration and investigation can often be a real bonus.”

It’s also just as important to consider a school’s faculty: who they are, what their specialties and areas of interest are, and what the faculty to student ratio is.

Don’t forget to think outside the classroom. Hiring managers are looking for library experience as well as coursework, so seek out volunteer opportunities, internships, and (if you’re lucky) paid work experience to complement your course load.

Specialization

There are four main categories of librarianship: public, academic, special, and school. There are opportunities for further specialization within each, and the right program can help to put you on this path quickly. Common LIS specializations include:

• Teacher Librarian/School Library Media Specialist
• Law
• Archives
• Health Sciences
• Information Architecture/Informatics

Many schools offer dual degree programs, or the ability to earn two master’s degrees concurrently. This may be especially useful if you’re planning for a career in academic librarianship. Common degrees complementary to the MLS/MLIS are:

• Public Administration
• Education
• Children’s Literature
• History/English/Literature
• Juris Doctor (J.D.)

If you are a midcareer professional (with significant library experience) seeking a graduate-level degree, alternatives to the MLS/MLIS include a Master of Library Management or a Master of Information Management. If you are considering a career in archival work, the Society of American Archivists has compiled a guide for those interested in a graduate program in archival studies.

You are here

For many applicants, relocation is not a realistic option, so the choice is between local programs in their hometown and online options. But for those who can relocate, if you plan to be a residential student, consider how the location of the program might cost you in other ways. If you plan to attend school full-time, living expenses will loom a lot larger in the absence of a full-time paycheck, so a location with a lower cost of living may make a big difference. If you’re debating whether to keep your full-time job, consider that your limited schedule will make it trickier to land LIS-related volunteer/work experience (unless, of course, you are already working in libraries). Urban locations will have more opportunities for working, and networking, but in certain cities the cost of living will be higher.

If the program you like has other library schools congregated in the area, how will this affect your ability to get work experience while in school and your job prospects after graduation? Will the competition for professional jobs be so fierce as to force you to leave all of your newly formed contacts behind for employment elsewhere?

Online or not?

You may be weighing the pros and cons of a fully or partially online program. For those considering fully online but not sure if it will be a good fit for your learning needs, take a Self-Assessment for Distance Learners. Or put yourself through the paces of a rigorous online course for free via Coursera, Khan Academy, or edX.

If you know that online will be your best choice, not to worry, you have plenty of options. “Nearly half of the 57 ALA-accredited programs are 100 percent online; 13 are primarily online, and 23 are partially online,” says Michael ­Stephens, assistant professor at San José State University’s online School of Library and Information Science and LJ’s Office Hours columnist. “Students in our program get at least the same opportunities as students who attend residential programs, including internships, award-winning student chapters, advising, faculty office hours, a student research journal, research assistant opportunities, etc.”

Make sure that the school makes learning, volunteer/working, and networking opportunities available to its online students. Cautions Stephens, “Sometimes when a school has both residential and online programs, many of the opportunities (guest speakers, student chapter meetings, tours, events, meetings, internships, etc.) take place on campus (or nearby) and are not easily accessible to online students.”

For many, library school is the first chance to start building the relationships that will carry over into your new career. Feeling as if you are a part of your LIS program—and not just tuning in for lectures—is important. Student groups and organizations, both formal and informal, help to build rapport and can even serve to influence higher-level program decisions.

Additionally, investigate the support services available to students, such as academic advising, job placement, and formal and informal faculty mentorships. The opportunities that a school makes available for its students should influence your decision just as much as—if not more than—the curriculum.

Entrance requirements

Many LIS programs share common admission requirements such as a statement of graduate objectives, bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 average, a résumé, letters of recommendation, and more. Some schools ask for a Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) score, while others make it optional or don’t ask for it at all.

Once you’re ready to apply, give yourself enough time to get all your application materials in order and write a solid essay. Overall, it’s important to consider what might happen if you are keen to get started but are not accepted into your school of choice. If that’s even a possibility, it’s worth applying to your second and even third picks.

In the end, selecting a school is a gamble. You’ll find that certain ones feel right, seem to have a “fit.” There will be frustrations: classes and faculty may disappoint, and there’s the inevitable infuriating group project. But LIS schools are working to stay ahead of a rapidly changing profession. If LJ’s perennial guide to becoming a modern-day librarian (“How To Become a 21st-Century Librarian”) has “changed significantly in less than a decade,” imagine how reactive LIS schools need to be.

In the end, where you go to school will not make that big of a difference. What matters is what you do with your time while you’re there. Good luck, and see you on the other side.

Amy Mikel, MLIS, 2012, from the University of Washington iSchool, Seattle, is Outreach Librarian, Brooklyn Public Library