[Publib] How Important is ALA Accreditation?

[Sue Kamm]

That's happened at least four  times  in California that I know of.  The first was Immaculate Heart College.  IIRC, ALA's objection to the program was the college's lack of affiliation with a univrsity.  (The order that operated the school was the same one the artist Corita Kent belonged to.)  The nuns were having a political dispute with James Cardinal McIntyre. A rumor I head was that the order would move its college to affiliate with a group of colleges there.  The order wound up dispanding.  I think the students were able to get jobs.  

Another case was the University of Southern California (I will refrain from my usual cracks about that school).  From what I understood at the time, the school wasn't paying its way.  In the mists of time, USC took over an education program that the Los Angeles Public Libary had begun.  The school graduated a lot of darn good librarians.  No one mentioned it, but about the same time the university's football program was put on probation by the NCAA.  The SC president (and doutless others) had his knickers in a twist about that.  Guess it was because the football team brings in beaucoup bucks.  

Cal State Fullerton had a good program, but IIRC they were never able to pass muster wit ALA.  

Finally, the School of Librarianship at UC Berkeley morphed into something called the school of library and information studies (I think that's the name).  The school still exists,but I don't think it graduated librarians.  The then-chancellor decided the school would not seek accreditation.  

What California now has are two programs for educating librarians:  UCLA (my alma mater) and San Jose State , which offers a statewide program.  They have had an auxiliary program at Cal State Fullerton, but now their classes are largely taught online.  

Your friendly neighborhood CyberGoddess and ALA Councilor at Large, 
Sue Kamm
Email: suekamm[at]mindspring.com
Inglewood/Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles Dodgers Truest of the Blue, 2000
Visit my blog: http://suekamm.blogspot.com
Baseball Is Life...the rest is details.
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