I am not familiar with the term "career college." Is this like a junior college, technical school, or community college--i.e. is it a 2-yr school that awards associates degrees? If so, this does not sound "normal" to me.

You don't say where you are, but I know that in metropolitan areas and the adjoining areas (50 mile radius) that the education/quality of instructors and the library staff are generally comparable to those of 4-year institutions.

I think we all need a bit more information to effectively reply.

I just stumbled upon this topic and I know it's been a little while since the thread was started - but I worked at a career college for 2 1/2 years wanted to respond here.

First, a career college is not like a JC. Career colleges usually grant BA/BS, JC's do not. Career colleges provide education that is intended to be very focused in a particular trade and/or career (think ITT and Univ of Phoenix). Many career colleges are not regionally accredited (although this is changing) and are instead nationally accredited, whose agency standards are much less stringent. Many regionally accredited schools will not recognize credits from career colleges. JC's usually have relationships with state universities in their states which allow for easy transfer for JC students (based on GPA) and therefore have much stricter standards for instructors credentials and overall quality education than career colleges. One of the biggest differences is that career colleges are for-profit institutions.

I completely sympathize with theep's post. I experienced the same frustrations. Honestly, it broke my heart. Career colleges market to low income students, sell them a bill of goods that simply don't exist, stack them up with student loans that they will never in a million years be able to pay off, and leave them with a fairly worthless degree. Tuition where I worked ran about $75,000 a year.

National accreditation standards only require instructors to have a BA/BS - and not necessarily in their field they are teaching. Because these schools are for-profit - $$ is the bottom line. It's treated as a business - not a school. "The customer is always right" tends to prevail - not happy with your grade? Complain, and you get an A.

They will let in anyone whose check clears. One student was admitted who was illiterate, and he was there for 3 terms. Yes, 3 terms. One of the instructors finally caught him cheating and required him, in a meeting with the director, to read the paper he had turned in. He couldn't. That was what had finally convinced the director he didn't belong there.

I did work with some really great instructors, but in some cases I saw their standards lower every term as a result of their own frustration.

All of this said...as a librarian it was a great experience. I was the only librarian and had a boss who was not a librarian and had no idea what I did - leaving me to do as I pleased for the most part. I was able to try a lot of new things, keep what worked and throw out what didn't. I felt very flexible. Because I was the only librarian I did it all...I cataloged, developed the collection, did all IL instruction, shevled and processed books...you name it, I did it. I am now at a very large research institution and had I started there, I would never have had the experiences I had at the career college. So all in all, my experiences there were bitter-sweet.

Wow, I hadn't been watching this forum and I was the one who started it. Sorry!!! Labibliotecaria is correct on career colleges. I am glad to know I am not the only one who has worked in a career college. Now, more career colleges are needing experienced, qualified librarians and I happen to be one of them. I have a master's degree, I have over 8 years experience in libraries and working for a college that does not require students to do research or write papers has made me question my presence here.

I do get to do mostly what I want, but with a tiny budget and simply following accreditation rules, it is hard to create a good library environment. I am just hoping that what I do provide for students is worth the effort in the end. I know I am looking to get back into a university or community college setting.

Thanks for your comments.

I am thinking about applying for a librarian position with Kaplan Career Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. Has anyone worked for any of Kaplan's schools as a librarian? After reading the above postings, I'm wondering if this would be a good place to start for a new librarian.

I took over for thepp in June 2009 and I have noticed many of the issues stated here. The school only offers one degree program and the rest are considered diploma programs. I am interested in any ideas to have faculty develop tasks to create library and library database usages and from coachmom I am interested in where to find the NC "stringent guidelines for both faculty credentials and library spending."

My budget is $400.00 a month with approximately 800 students in attendance at any given time. Programs tend to cost $13,000. As calypso stated below, there is little consideration given to the librarian's educational background. Student apptitude is low, many come from HS where they had IEPs and have little ability or study skills. Prgramming does not require much library use. Admissions does rule because they bring in the money. The library is a necessary evil because they make accreditation possible. As someone who has had an extensive and varied back ground of experience in accreditation, policy writing, and the like it is frustrating to realize that you are only there to represent your degree. Because of the lack of regard for what managing a library entails I am tasked with many meanial non-library related tasks that consume a lot of my time.

I will have to look but I do not think our instructors are required to have a BA/BS.

What I do like is what said by labibliocaria about being very flexible. Being a solo librarian I do it all...I cataloge, develop the collection, shelve and process books.

Does anyone who works at a career college know of any certifying agencies or programs for certifying instructors without teaching credentials to teach at career colleges? I am wondering if their are requirements due to they accptance of government tuition loans.