More paper

So, librarians have to be certified in Indiana. Not a bad thing, to be sure, but it seemed fairly irrelevant up until now. You know that joke about getting your license from the back of the cereal box? Yeah, it was like that. Gather up all your paperwork (transcripts) mail it off to the state library with a fresh, shiny dollar. (Or a crumpled up dollar. Or a check for a dollar....) Presto Change-O! Certification. For rank and file, run of the mill, librarians. If you want to start running things, things get more complicated.

TPTB decided they wanted things to be a bit more professional, and I'm all for that! So, a committee of smarty pants came up with new certification rules that seem to be much more in line with other professions in terms of Continuing Ed requirements and the like. Of course, there isn't a big scary test after getting your MLS, so that is a relief. No Library bar exam or anything crazy like that. Mostly, this all a good thing. The price of certification saw a 50x magnification..... but that's the price of doing business, right?

My complaints? Because you know I have some:

1. Lifetime certification for a $1 has been replaced with 5 year certification for $50. I don't see the connection. I have no problem with people having to renew their certification. I just don't see why you have to cough up $50 to do it. Unless, of course, it is suddenly going to mean something. If so, I'd love to know what it is going to mean. Any ideas?

2. The people who probably need to go through the renewal process are going to be grandfathered in. So this whole process won't even apply to them. Bummer.

Other than those two things, I love this idea. Continuing education? Best idea ever. I think that should be required for everyone, not just certificate holders. Although, as a practical matter, I guess you couldn't enforce it if you didn't threaten to yank their license for not doing it.