The Library Science program is guided by the ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Programs for School Library Media Specialist Preparation (2003) and the MoSTEP Standards for Teacher Preparation Programs (2006).
Vision Statement: The Library Science and Information Services program prepares school librarians who are indispensable in preK-12 schools.
Student Learning Outcomes - The graduate with a Master of Science degree in Library Science and Information Services will use the knowledge and skills obtained in the program to:
- Teaching for Learning: Applies knowledge of the academic, personal, social, and cultural characteristics of students and relates them to learning through effective instructional strategies and assessments. Collaborates effectively with classroom teachers and other educators. Documents and communicates the impact of instruction on student achievement.
Quality Indicator 1: Knowledge of learners and learning
Quality Indicator 2: Instructional partner
Quality Indicator 3: Effective and knowledgeable teacher
- Reading and Literacy: Promotes and encourages reading for enjoyment, personal growth, and learning. Provides fiction and nonfiction literatures appropriate to the students and grade levels served. Selects reading materials in multiple formats to facilitate maximum access for all members of the school community. Models a variety of research-based literacy strategies. Advocates for students’ intellectual freedom.
Quality Indicator 1: Reading promotion
Quality Indicator 2: Literatures
Quality Indicator 3: Diversity and inclusiveness
Quality Indicator 4: Literacy strategies
Quality Indicator 5: Intellectual freedom
- Information and Knowledge: Provides access to information for students, teachers, staff , and administrators to satisfy all learning needs. Teaches information literacy skills to build proficiency for student-driven research and individual creation of knowledge through critical thinking. Promotes equitable access to resources in a variety of formats and services for a variety of needs.
Quality Indicator 1: Access to information
Quality Indicator 2: Information literacy skills
Quality Indicator 3: Equitable access to resources and services
- Leadership and Advocacy: Provides leadership by articulating ways in which school libraries contribute to student achievement. Advocates for dynamic school library programs and positive learning environments by collaborating and connecting with the school community.
Quality Indicator 1: Instructional leadership
Quality Indicator 2: Advocating with the school community
- Program Management and Administration: Administers the school library media program using research-based data to analyze and improve services in alignment with the school’s mission to support student achievement. Selects, acquires, catalogs, retrieves, integrates, circulates, preserves, and deselects information resources. Manages fiscal, physical, and personnel resources. Practices professional ethics with regard to intellectual property and information privacy. Develops policies and procedures in support of the library program.
Quality Indicator 1: Strategic planning, program evaluation, and program reporting
Quality Indicator 2: Collection management
Quality Indicator 3: Fiscal, physical, and personnel resources management
Quality Indicator 4: Professional ethics
Quality Indicator 5: Policies and procedures
- Technology Integration: Provides equitable access to technology for the school community. Continually upgrades technological skills to enhance student and teacher learning. Integrates technology tools to communicate and facilitate learning. Promotes digital citizenship instruction to support appropriate academic use of information.
Quality Indicator 1: Access to technology
Quality Indicator 2: Knowledge of technology
Quality Indicator 3: Communicate and facilitate learning
Quality Indicator 4: Digital Citizenship
- Professional Development: Seeks opportunities to grow professionally by taking advantage of information, events and services provided by local, state, and national organizations. Seeks opportunities for service through professional associations.
Quality Indicator 1:Professional Learning
Quality Indicator 2:Professional Involvement
The Library Science and Information Services program prepares candidates to become PK-12 school library media specialists. Our graduates provide learning environments that are rich in information resources and collaborate with teachers to maximize student learning. They promote the success of teachers by enabling students to develop the 21st century information literacy skills necessary to
- Use information resources and tools effectively;
- Learn, make decisions, and create;
- Function productively in a democratic society; and
- Pursue personal interests.
Full admission to the program requires a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 and a personal interview. An applicant who does not meet the overall grade point average must be classified as “a non-degree seeking student” until achieving a minimum 3.50 graduate GPA in 11 hours, taking the following courses: LIS 5100 - Foundations of Librarianship (3) ; LIS 5250 - Developing and Managing Collections (3) ; LIS 5240 - Library Media Administration (3) and LIS 5322 - Reference Sources and Services (3) . These courses must be taken and grades received prior to enrolling in other courses required for the degree or reapplying for admission. Candidates admitted to the program must provide three letters from references who can attest to the candidate’s professional and academic abilities.
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