Foreign Credentials

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Q. I was recently asked by a visitor from Germany about coming to work in a library in the U.S.  She wanted to know if her degree in library science would be acceptable here.  I didn't know what to tell him. Do you have a resource for this?

A. Yes, our Office for Human Resource Development & Recruitment (HRDR) has developed resources to help answer this question.  First, as explained by the Office for Accreditation, it is not possible to take a set of courses to become "accredited," as only programs are accredited.  Second, four countries — the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand — have been identified as having "formal" accreditation processes for their library science programs, and an individual who has received an LIS degree from an institution in one of these countries is considered acceptable for employment in the United States. Finally, HRDR has identified several independent agencies in the U.S. which evaluate international credentials.  Please note: the ALA does not conduct the evaluations.  For full information, please visit "Foreign Credentials Evaluation Assistance" or contact HRDR with any further questions.

(Links updated Sept. 23, 2011)