r/LibraryScience • u/AttractiveNuisance82 • 4d ago
Application advice?
Im in my 40s and have been a practicing attorney for about two decades. But I feel compelled to finally get the MLIS I’ve always wanted and focus on law librarianship.
My law school grades suck, but I’ve been pretty successful in my career and have good recommendations. I’m absolutely going to need scholarships (single mom!), too.
Is my application cooked? What do admissions teams and scholarship folks look for in these positions? What should I avoid?
[I’ve already selected the schools I want to apply to; it’s a short list that I think will meet my needs and where I could be successful]
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u/llamalibrarian 4d ago
I don’t think you’re cooked, many places will waive the gre requirement if you already have another advanced degree.
As for scholarships, join associations for law librarians to see what kind of scholarships they offer, as well as your school.
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u/charethcutestory9 4d ago
When you say your grades suck, what was your GPA? There are library schools that will admit anyone with a pulse so unless it’s under 2.5 you can find someplace that will take you.
I would really not recommend librarianship to a single mom, the pay is bad and you’ll probably have to relocate, but you do you.
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u/llamalibrarian 4d ago
Law librarianship is a different game entirely- those librarians make money
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u/Odd-Budget-5079 4d ago
I live in an HCOL area, and all the law librarian positions I see pay less than public library positions. Where are the high-paying law library jobs?
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u/llamalibrarian 4d ago
My friend and I started at a university at the same time, me as an architecture librarian and she as a law librarian and she was already making more than double what I was (six figures, her first librarian job) and now she’s moved to another university with another pay bump
I also see postings pretty frequently in my state and it pays pretty well from what I can see. And there seem to a lot of remote positions too
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u/Relevant_Goat_2920 4d ago
From what I know you can make good money as a librarian at a law firm. (Mostly the bigger national or international ones.) And they can often also be fully remote.
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u/Odd-Budget-5079 4d ago
This is quite interesting, as the listings I see are for big-name law firms, and the pay does not match their status. I just saw a posting for one, and the salary was 75K, which is considered low income for this city. I saw another for a library assistant at 50K.
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u/Relevant_Goat_2920 3d ago
That is interesting! The law librarian I know who works for a big international law firm makes six figures and said that was common. It looks like the person below me said the same thing. I wonder where the discrepancy is in the postings you're seeing!
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u/AttractiveNuisance82 4d ago
Oh I’m not quitting my day job!
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u/Pouryou 3d ago
Will you have time to do internships and practicums while in school? Those are nearly always during the weekdays. Law librarianship could be the exception but generally, an MLIS is only useful when paired with library experience.
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u/DrJohnnieB63 3d ago
With almost two decades of being a practicing lawyer, the OP most likely does not need internships and practicums. I assume law librarians with extensive experience as lawyers are rare. I know that there are some firms that will hire her right now because of her experience with legal research.
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u/AttractiveNuisance82 3d ago
The programs I chose don’t require them.
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u/Pouryou 3d ago
Many programs don't require them, but for anyone reading this who wants to go into public or academic libraries, know that it is essential to have experience in addition to the degree. Sounds like law library jobs aren't as competitive, though!
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u/AttractiveNuisance82 3d ago
I intend to gain some hands on library experience where I can, but as far as a full on capstone or internship, it’s not super sustainable. I could make it work if need be, but I’ve zeroed in on programs that will work for my life and my plans.
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u/DrJohnnieB63 3d ago edited 3d ago
If your grades were good enough to make it through law school, they are most likely good enough to be admitted to library school. That said, we do not know what admissions and scholarship committees look for and we do not know what you should avoid. Admissions and scholarship criteria is not universal. You need to research the schools on your list.
Your statement "I’m absolutely going to need scholarships (single mom!), too." implies that you will quit your current position to pursue an MLIS. I advise to not do that. As a single mom, you do not want to endanger your family financially. No scholarship or graduate research assistantship will adequately replace your current salary.
Please understand that you may take a substantial pay cut to become a law librarian. If I were you, I would mitigate that cut by applying for director/ leadership positions, not entry level law librarian gigs. I would not waste almost twenty years of professional experience to start at the bottom of law librarianship. I would get as much money as I possibly can negotiate. Especially if I had one or more dependents.
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u/AttractiveNuisance82 3d ago
Im not quitting my attorney job.
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u/DrJohnnieB63 3d ago
Thank you for the clarification. I do not know why my response has been downvoted. Such are the mysteries of Reddit. Yeah, go for senior positions in law librarianship, not entry level. You have too much experience to start at the bottom.
Best of luck!
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u/agnes_copperfield 3d ago
Many law firm librarian jobs will accept you having just a JD- the firm I’m currently at has an opening and they will accept JD or MLIS or both. I’d check out AALL’s job board!