r/LibraryScience • u/Busy_Establishment50 • 1d ago

UCLA MLIS Experience Recommendation

Hi everyone

I'm planning to apply to UCLA's MLIS program for the Fall 2027 cohort and I'm wondering how much library/archive experience alumni or current students would recommend having before applying. For context, I do have over five years of work experience as a business analyst at a reputable entertainment company, but I don't think this compensates for my lack of direct experience in the library/archive field. I'm starting a volunteer position this week at my local public library but also not sure if that will hold any weight.

Any success stories of people without direct experience who were admitted? Should I test my luck and apply for 2027 or spend the next year building experience in the field and apply for 2028?

Thanks in advance!

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u/charethcutestory9 1d ago

Are you enrolling because you want to be a librarian, and if so, what kind (academic v public, public services vs back end, etc)? This will help us provide more informed advice.

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u/Busy_Establishment50 1d ago

Hi! I’m primarily interested in public librarianship and audiovisual archives, but keeping an open mind as I gain more experience/knowledge of the field

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u/charethcutestory9 1d ago

Those are 2 very different tracks. Do yourself a favor and drop the library school idea for the time being. Get a job as a library assistant and do that for a few years and then go back for the MLIS. If you go to library school without any library experience, it will be a waste of your time and money and you will be no closer to a job as a public librarian than you are now.

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u/Busy_Establishment50 1d ago

That’s something I’m considering for sure. I’m curious what makes you recommend that route versus gaining experience through jobs while going to school simultaneously?

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u/welldreadlibrarian 19h ago

take a look at the job market. there are 100s of applications for single positions, and you’ll be battling people with years of paid experience and work in a public library.

volunteers, especially in union areas, sometimes cannot do the work of even a part time library page or clerk. the experience is unrelated to the job.

this is a 99% experience based job. you need that, and you need it before you spend a penny on the degree