Regarding a certification program through AAM...
I believe that the UK Museums Association does something like this.
It is more like a continuing professional development type thing --
from what I understand about it, its kind of like taking a Bar exam
(but then again, not really. You have to take the bar to be a
practicing lawyer <right?> but you do not have to be certified from
the MA to practice in a museum).
It's not just having a degree that "certifies" you (as implied by
whoever it was that posted the message regarding librarians being
required to have an MLS). The degree is just a *requirement*. What
we're talking about is obtaining a certification from your
professional organization that says you know your stuff, that you are
committed to continuing your education, that you HAVE continued your
education, that you are committed to help others continue their
education, (etc.) in your chosen field. I believe that it must help
immensely when negotiating salary, when trying to obtain a post in
academia, etc. Plus, you also get to use some kind of letter thing
after your name, along the lines of PhD or JD or whatever (i guess
that's a big deal for some people).
It is the support of the professional organization that is the
certification. The degree can come from anywhere but if your
professional organization recognizes your professionalism (like the
ABA, for example), that is a big bonus for you.
I've always wondered why we don't have something like that through
AAM. Why do we have a professional organization that doesn't do much
to support it's members on a personal level? Salary surveys and
lobbying and all that stuff is great but HEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP
MMMMMMMEEEEEEEEE personally once in a while. A certification program
(provided that the certification actually meant something, as in
"museum must have x-% of employees certified by the AAM") would really
be a good way to show that MY professional organization, to which I
pay yearly dues, recognizes that *I* am a professional in need of
something and they have a way to solve MY problem.
I full on support whoever it was (sorry, I digest so I don't have
individual messages saved) who suggested it here just recently. If
I'm going to now have to pay over $100 in AAM dues, I'd like to see
something for my money for a change. I think this is a GREAT idea and
someone from AAM should talk to our UKMA counterparts for ideas. Who,
by the way, is responsible within the AAM for professional
development? Anyone know?
Any Brits out there want to talk about it a bit more knowledgeably?
I've been throwing around an idea (in my own head) for an AAM session
that is related in some ways to this for about the last 3 years. Is
anyone interested in working with this as well? I'm not real sure
where it could go but it could definitely go somewhere! Perhaps it
could ultimately help AAM develop a certification program. I'll
help...
Jennifer
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