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Fool4nine - I went to OSU for my BFA in Photography. If you (or anyone) have any questions about the department, OSU, or Columbus, feel free to ask. Your work is beautiful, btw.

My undergrad was also pretty worthless. I have a BFA, but then decided I didn't want an MFA and to go into teaching. However, I stuck it out so I could graduate on time. And you're definitely better off than many undergrads who leave school with significant debt, myself included. From what you've written, I think you have a better idea than most of what it will take to pursue a career in libraries. Learning a second language, volunteering at a library, accepting the reality of having to relocate, and that it will never be a lucrative career, puts you far ahead of many MLIS students. Quite honestly I'm surprised by those who think that the MLIS degree alone will get them a job. You're willing to put in the hard work and that says a lot about who you are. It wouldn't hurt to contact Rutgers and ask about work-study and if you can apply for Fall positions now. If you haven't already, go through Rutgers website and find anything about financial aid/scholarships or contact the office there to see what options you have. Also, look for scholarships from library associations. Have you read http://hacklibschool.wordpress.com at all? I've found it pretty interesting and they cover a range of topics from career advice to comparing MLIS programs to current technology and more.

The general consensus is that a MLIS degree is not worth going into debt for considering the state of libraries in today's economy. There are a large number of blogs out there written by current librarians or graduate students who are quite honest about the reality of the job market, despite what the ALA will have you believing about the "graying of the field". If you are that concerned about being without a job and handling that much debt, then the MLIS is not for you, at least not at this time. I'm considering a MLIS after I complete my MA in Museum Studies since I want to go into archives/collections, but I refuse to go into debt (for either degree) since the job market for libraries, museums, non-profits, historical societies, etc. is not good. I've worked in this area for six years and its not showing any signs of improvement currently.

If you search the boards for Chicago MAPH, you'll come across some discussion on it. The basic impression I've gotten is that it's a cash cow for the university and some professors do not view the program favorably. That said, UC boasts that a huge percentage of MAPH students go onto PhD programs. Chicago is an incredible city, and while Hyde Park is a little isolated and surrounded by not so great areas, it's a beautiful campus and you'd have access to incredible resources. I'm not familiar with Rutgers, but with its proximity to NYC, I'm sure they have plenty of connections with the museums there. Doesn't hurt to ask before you commit. I'm currently attending grad school for Museum Studies. It's definitely not for those who want to be curators and I think any program would be honest about that. Most curatorial positions at large museums (even assistants nowadays, heck, even some internships I've seen) are requiring at least a MA in a specialized field and proficiency in at least one foreign language. Smaller museums (and typically non-art) will accept a variety of related, advanced degrees, but these positions usually require you to have significant museum experience. While I did not look at UW's program, I will say most Museum Studies programs are very generalized. Now if you had applied to joint programs for Art History/Museum Studies, then that would be different and I think would be comparable to other Art History programs. I believe UW-Madison may have a program like this and I know UDenver has an MA in Anthropology with a concentration in Museum Studies.