A non-librarian librarian can be a library worker that lacks an MLS but performs most or all of the duties usually ascribed to an MLS-toting librarian. Martha Parsons’s story of her own career development falls into this category, as do those of the three children’s services staff members recounted in Kathy Bullene’s piece. Highline Community College student Mike Wood writes about Highline’s Library Technician Program, whose innovative approach and range of programs may surprise some of our members. The subject of a second article provided by Martha Parsons is the COPE III conference, the first ALA event to formally focus on library support staff in discussions about certification, education, and other related topics that have heretofore been applied mainly to discussion about librarian librarians.
Conversely, a non-librarian librarian can be an MLS-toting librarian who is working outside the typical librarian’s role, or is expanding or extending—or even redefining—that role. This issue’s other offerings fall into this realm. The University of Washington again contributes strongly, with submissions by Nancy Gershenfeld, Dana Bostrom, and Zoe Holbrooks. We hear from OCLC’s Rick Newell and Group Health Cooperative’s Emily Hull, and also get updated on a former WLA president, Cindy Cunningham, who now works at Corbis, an online provider of digital images.
Alki Editor: Cameron A. Johnson
Alki Editorial Committee: Nicole Campbell; Cheryl Farabee; Emily Hull; Tami Echavarria Robinson; Brian Soneda; Bonnie Taylor; Mary Wise; Shireen Deboo, Intern; Carla McLean, Chair; Troy Christenson, WLA Coordinator of Communications
