Jean
Blake Ferguson Library Science ScholarshipIntroduction
Library Science B.S.Ed.
Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies--Concentration in Library Science
Teacher Certification Information
Praxis Series
Other Programs
Scholarships
Course Cycle
|
Introduction | 2004/05-2006/07
Cycle |
| LS 255 | LS 257 | LS 258 | LS 356 | LS 357 | LS 358 | LS 361 | LS 385 | LS 420 | LS 455 | LS 457 | LS 459 | LS 465 | LS 470 | LS 491 |
The Department of Library Science offers one undergraduate major, participates in three dual majors, and offers one concentration. The primary focus of the department's undergraduate program is the preparation of students for careers as school library media specialists. In this respect, the department plays a unique role within the Commonwealth: it is one of only three institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania providing undergraduate school library media certification; it is the only such institution in western Pennsylvania; and it is the only institution in Pennsylvania providing both graduate and undergraduate school library media certification programs.
The B.S.Ed. in Library Science is a 120-credit major that prepares students for Pennsylvania School Library Media Certification, grades K-12. The program emphasizes field experiences and the use of advanced information technology. Pennsylvania School Library Media Certification, K-12, is also valid for initial certification in over 40 other states. The following courses are required: revised 20 October 2006
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COURSES 36 credits
ED 110
Introduction to Education
3
ED 221
Education Psychology
3
ED 217
Microcomputer Applications in the Classroom
3
ED 225
Multicultural Education
3
ED 327
Instructional Strategies and Management
3
ED 329
Educational Evaluation
3
ELED 323 Teaching of Reading
3
ED 423 Library
Practice/Secondary S.T.
6
ELED 423 Library Practice/Elementary S.T.
6
SPED 418 Exceptionalities in the Regular
Classroom
3
LIBRARY SCIENCE SPECIALIZATION 27 credits
Students must also complete 18 credits of liberal arts electives. All library science specialization courses must be completed prior to student teaching. Additional information on teacher certification requirements can be found on the university's Office of Field Services home page.
The library science early field experience is a combination of intensive course work and field experience taken the fall semester prior to student teaching. Students enroll in prescribed courses and spend approximately sixty hours during three weeks in a school library media center. The prescribed early field experience courses are:
Students are encouraged to take LS 361, Administration of Libraries, as part of the early field experience in semesters in which it is offered. Students will also benefit from taking a 300-level education course in conjunction with these library science courses. Students are placed in specific school library media centers by the department in cooperation with the Office of Field Services. Revised 14 October 2004.
Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers®
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires that all candidates for teacher certification take and pass specified tests in the Praxis Series, which is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Students without prior certification take the Praxis I, Academic Skills Assessments, to qualify for entry into teacher certification programs administered by the College of Education and Human Services. Tests in the Praxis II Series, Subject Assessments, are required of all students for licensure. These include Elementary Education, Content Knowledge (10014) and, for Pennsylvania School Library Media Certification, K-12, Library Media Specialist (10310). Students must pass the latter test with a minimum score of 620. Starting in spring 2004, students must pass these tests prior to student teaching. The department's certification curricula are designed to cover topics found on this test. Click on the following link for a list of topics and the courses in which they are covered.
Information on test sites and dates, as well as sample tests, may be found on the ETS Teaching & Learning page.
Added 30 January 2002; revised 1 November 2002; revised 20 January 2003.
Elementary and secondary education majors may elect a dual major in library science. The B.S.Ed. in Library Science/Elementary Education requires a total of 145 credits. The number of credits required for a dual secondary education/library science major varies depending on the secondary certification specialization. In addition to the requirements for their elementary education or secondary education major, students complete 33 credits of library science specialization courses, plus 13 credits of student teaching.
The B.S. in Liberal Studies with a Concentration in Library Science prepares students to work as paraprofessionals and provisional librarians in a variety of settings, including public libraries in Pennsylvania. It also introduces students to the exciting worlds of information management and information transfer, in both traditional and emerging venues. The B.S. in Liberal Studies with a Concentration in Library Science also serves as an excellent preparation for studying for a masters degree in library setting (such as Clarion’s American Library Association-accredited MSLS degree), which is the recognized professional credential for the practice of librarianship.
Updated 10 May, 2007
Undergraduate library science students may compete for the following scholarships, depending on their specific program and class status:
Jean
Blake Ferguson Library Science ScholarshipAll scholarships are in the form of a tuition waiver. Scholarship application deadlines are announced on the department's Calendar.
Course Cycle
Clarion - on-campus
Fall 2007
Spring 2008
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 257: Basic Information Sources and Services
LS 358:
Media for Children
LS 258: Selection of Library Materials
LS 361:
Administration of Libraries
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2008
Spring 2009
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 357: Organization of Information
LS 356:
Media for Young Adults
LS 385: Automation in the Library Media Center
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 257: Basic Information Sources and Services
LS 358:
Media for Children
LS 258: Selection of Library Materials
LS 361:
Administration of Libraries
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2010
Spring 2011
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 357: Organization of Information
LS 356:
Media for Young Adults
LS 385: Automation in the Library Media Center
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2011
Spring 2012
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 257: Basic Information Sources and Services
LS 358:
Media for Children
LS 258: Selection of Library Materials
LS 361:
Administration of Libraries
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2012
Spring 2013
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 357: Organization of Information
LS 356:
Media for Young Adults
LS 385: Automation in the Library Media Center
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2013
Spring 2014
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 257: Basic Information Sources and Services
LS 358:
Media for Children
LS 258: Selection of Library Materials
LS 361:
Administration of Libraries
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Fall 2014
Spring 2015
LS 255: Introduction to Librarianship
LS 357: Organization of Information
LS 356:
Media for Young Adults
LS 385: Automation in the Library Media Center
LS 459:
Media, Methods, and the Curriculum
Undergraduate Courses
| LS 255 |
LS 257 | LS 258 | LS
356 | LS 357 | LS 358 |
LS 361 | LS 385 | LS
420 | LS 432 | LS 455 |
LS 457 | LS 459 | LS
465 | LS 470 | LS 491
LS 255: INTRODUCTION TO LIBRARIANSHIP 3
s.h.
Broad overview of libraries and the profession of librarianship beginning with the history of libraries and concluding with the impact of electronic technology on libraries. Annually. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 257: BASIC INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES 3 s.h.
Examines traditional and technological approaches to locating information. Analyzes the criteria for selecting reference materials and examines reviewing media for new reference sources. Explores the organization of reference service. Includes the study of selected reference sources. Biennially. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 258: SELECTION OF LIBRARY MATERIALS 3 s.h.
Provides familiarity with basic bibliographical tools, including current reviewing media and traditional and electronic publishing. Examines policies and criteria for the selection of and evaluation of book and nonbook resources. Biennially. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 356: MEDIA FOR YOUNG ADULTS 3 s.h.
Examines literature and other resources for young adults, including principles related to the selection, evaluation, and use of such materials. Considers and analyzes the reading interests of teenagers, the characteristics of young adult literature, and methods of introducing young adults to books and nonbook resources, including electronic products and services. Examines techniques of developing/preparing booktalks, reviews, reader advisory services, and other programs for young adults, with attention being paid to underserved and special needs groups. Biennially. Dropped prerequisites effective spring 2006.
LS 357: ORGANIZATION OF INFORMATION 3 s.h.
Examines the organization of information, the principles and methods of descriptive cataloging, and the structure and application of the Dewey Decimal Classification, Sears List of Subject Headings, and Library of Congress Subject Headings. Covers the creation, maintenance, and use of manual and automated library catalogs. Biennially. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 358: MEDIA FOR CHILDREN 3 s.h.
Surveys children's literature and related materials. Examines the principles of selection and evaluation of books, periodicals, and other materials for children. Includes reading guidance, with attention to materials for special groups; development of general and subject bibliographies, preparation of annotations; techniques of story-telling; and the selection of materials for the story hour. Includes a required field experience. Biennially. Prerequisite: Deleted prerequisites effective spring 2006.
LS 361: ADMINISTRATION OF LIBRARIES 3 s.h.
Addresses the general principles of administration and their application to the organization and management of different types of libraries. Core components include general management techniques and administrative procedures, budget preparation, human resources issues, and facilities and resources management. Students will learn how to apply standards for evaluation of libraries and how to develop functional library programs. Provides a forum for the discussion of the roles of different types of libraries in society. Includes a required field experience. Biennially. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 385: AUTOMATION IN THE LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER 3 s.h.
Surveys the use of automation in the library media center. Topics covered include the selection of computer hardware and software for instructional purposes; use of automated library systems for library management activities such as circulation, acquisition, and cataloging; and the importance of computer networks to areas including resource sharing, professional development, and fiscal planning. Biennially. Deleted prerequisites effective spring 2006.
LS 420: STUDENT TEACHING SEMINAR 1 s.h.
Students meet and discuss practical and applicable issues as they occur and relate to their field experiences. Concurrent with student teaching. Deleted; last offered spring 2006.
LS
432: COLLOQUIUM 0
s.h.
A series of lectures, discussions, and film demonstrations presented by visiting lecturers and members of the staff. Required of all library science students. Each semester. Deleted; last offered spring 2004.
LS 455: SPECIAL TOPICS IN LIBRARIANSHIP 3 s.h.
In-depth discussion, study, and research of a selected topic related to the role of the library in responding to social issues, service to special groups, or problem areas such as media and minorities, OCLC on-line bibliographic control, and media programs for the gifted. (Not creditable toward library science certification.) On demand.
LS 457: INDEPENDENT STUDY/SEMINAR 1-3 s.h.
Students explore in depth a facet of librarianship according to need or interest, under the direction of a faculty member of the department. Special area to be approved by a faculty committee. Includes development of research techniques and the preparation of a scholarly paper or completion of a special project. On demand. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 459: MEDIA, METHODS, AND THE CURRICULUM 3 s.h.
Introduces planning for the effective use of school library media services in cooperation with the instructional staff. Examines school library media philosophies and educational objectives, the process of developing a library media program, and the librarian's role in designing curriculum, developing teaching-learning strategies, and working with teachers, students, and administrators. Includes a three-week practical experience in a school library media center. Annually. Prerequisites: LS 257, 258, either 356 or 358, and ED 327. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 465: SELECTION, UTILIZATION, AND
PRODUCTION OF NONBOOK RESOURCES 3
s.h.
Selection, acquisition, organization, storage, and maintenance of nonbook materials of all formats in libraries and system-wide centers are studied. Sample materials are previewed, evaluated, and used for programming and instruction. Course deleted effective spring 2002.
LS 470: INTERNSHIP IN LIBRARIANSHIP 3-6 s.h.
Provides a laboratory experience in the professional atmosphere of a cooperating library or information center; allows undergraduate students who are not interested in school librarianship an opportunity to have an applied field experience in a public or special library. Evaluation based on observation at the field site, an evaluative paper, and participation in professional seminars. Enrollment by permission of instructor every semester. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS/SPED 490: LIBRARY MATERIALS AND SERVICES
FOR SPECIAL AUDIENCES 3 s.h.
Students explore the nature and needs of special groups of library users in order to develop collections of materials and to design programs of services to accommodate those needs. Examines special needs in all types of library settings--academic, public, school, and special--particularly the unique characteristics and instructional needs of exceptional learners who use the school library. Investigates bibliotherapy and other techniques to determine their validity for the exceptional learner. Includes a required field experience. Annually. Revised course description effective spring 2003.
LS 491: BUSINESS REFERENCE SOURCES AND SERVICES 3 s.h.
Surveys the information sources and services typically found in corporate libraries, public library business information centers, and other specialized libraries with a business clientele. Includes in-depth examination of major business reference tools, as well as in-depth examination of the special operations, organization, and management of business libraries and departments of business information. Annually. Revised course description effective spring 2003.