To the editor:
Bobbi Newman and Sam Helmick Views article “The Case for a Professional Foundation in Librarianship” (July 14, 2026) is a response to my essay, “6 Reasons Libraries Should Look Beyond the M.L.S.” (June 16, 2026). I reply here to their major points:
1. My essay urges academic libraries to hire Ph.D. holders in addition to candidates with a master of library and information science (MLS) degree. Newman and Helmick (hereafter N&H) characterize this recommendation as “a false choice between professional education and specialized expertise.” To the contrary: Simultaneously considering Ph.D. holders provides more choice: more candidates with more professional education and more specialized expertise. Why would expanded and more-rigorous credentialing “dissolve” rather than enhance the profession?
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