Editor’s Note: Each week, we reflect on the top articles, blog posts, tweets, news, thoughts, and other tidbits we’ve found interesting or useful. Enjoy!

Brenna

Some inspirational news from the library world: Baltimore public libraries have stayed open to provide a place of “comfort and community” amidst the protests. The Ferguson public library also stayed open during the riots last summer. Incidents such as these reiterate the important role of libraries as supportive community spaces. Go lib!

If you’re as addicted to trivia as I am, you’ll love these book-themed Jeopardy questions, courtesy of NYPL on Twitter. Here’s a teaser: “The only native Californian to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.”

Courtney

Countdown to graduation… only one more week! I will actually be finished with classes on Sunday, when I deliver my capstone presentation. *party dance*

Did anyone catch the Annoyed Librarian’s post Just to Clarify, responding to comments on a previous post criticizing the head of the Library of Congress? Considering that next week I will finally be a MLIS-holding librarian, it’s disappointing to hear others say the MLIS is essentially unnecessary, and subject degrees – or other forms of education & experience – are more important. I wouldn’t say the MLIS is a particularly challenging program, but it is a useful one, and I definitely don’t think I would be prepared to work in a library without it (although of course experience is also invaluable!). While it’s true that some academic libraries may accept a subject master’s or PhD as an alternative to the MLIS, most jobs still require it, so I think it’s still absolutely essential. Besides, to be honest, I work in academia, and I really don’t think the average faculty are cut out to manage libraries – at least not without considerable training or experience.

What do you think – are we wasting our time?