The Division of Library and Information Science offers programs
leading to the Master of Library and Information Science, dual
degrees in Library and Information Science and Government and
Library and Information Science and Pharmaceutical Science as well
as a Certificate of Advanced Study and School Library Media
Specialist certification in New York State.
Programs
Masters of Library
Science
Dual Degree Programs
- MLS/MA (Library and Information Science and
Government)
Students interested in a career as Government Information
Specialists may pursue a 57 credit Double Masters (M.L.S. and M.A.)
within the Graduate Division of St. John's College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences. Refer to the Graduate Bulletin for degree
Requirements. - MLS/MS (Library and Information Science and Pharmaceutical
Science)Students with appropriate bio-science background and
interest in a career in drug information may pursue a 57 credit
Double Masters Program leading to Drug Information
Specialization. Refer to the Graduate Bulletin for degree
Requirements.
School Librarianship
Certification Certificate of Advanced
Study
CERTIFICATE of ADVANCED STUDY
Our technology rich Advanced Certificate Program provides an
opportunity for librarians, archivists, and other information
professionals to specialize, and/or update their professional
education. The program allows an individualized multi-disciplinary
approach, based on the specific needs of the student.
Nine credits of this 24 credit program may be selected from outside
the Division, but within the University in a pertinent subject
area. The program helps practicing librarians, and those in related
fields, to extend their knowledge in library and information
science and may be tailored to the student's specific
needs.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must submit evidence of having completed the
MLS degree, a personal statement and two letters of
recommendation.
MASTERS of LIBRARY SCIENCE
All academic programs at St. John’s emphasize the integration of
the liberal arts and focus on ethical decision-making based in
Catholic social teaching. The ALA-Accredited Master of Library
Science program is no different. Our 1300 plus alumni can
attest to this. Our curriculum integrates the principles,
practices and ethics of library and information science with an
in-depth understanding of the people who use information systems in
their work and communities. This course of study is suitable for
students interested in a wide variety of employment, research and
publication options. Students who enroll in our program can
expect a broad overview of library and information science as they
progress through the core courses. Opportunities for specialization
and emphasis are also available.
Degree Requirements
The master's degree program entails 36 semester hours of
graduate coursework. At least 30 semester credit hours must be
in library and information science courses, including 6 core
courses. Degree requirements include:
- Completion of a minimum of 36 semester credits
- Satisfactory completion of the six courses:
- LIS 203 – Information Organization
- LIS 204 – Introduction to Library & Information
Science
- LIS 205 – Information Sources & Services
- LIS 211 – Collection Development & Management of Knowledge
Resources
- LIS 239 – Research & Evaluation Methods
- LIS 240 – Management of Libraries & Information
Centers
- Attainment of a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0
scale.
- Successful completion of the Comprehensive
Examination
A full description of MLS degree requirements is located in the
Graduate Bulletin.
Areas of Study
While some of our students choose to acquire a general
education in librarianship or information science, others select a
distinctive area of study. This is a matter of personal choice.
There is no one path to degree completion in the program of library
and information science at St. John’s. Our curriculum is
designed to support both general and specific educational goals,
allowing students to tailor the program to their interests or to
follow a prescribed curriculum for specific goals. It is impossible
to list all the specialist roles that may be filled by graduates of
our program, but we do emphasize a few areas of
concentration:
Academic
Librarianship
A concentration to prepare students for a career as an
information specialist in academic environments (post-12th grade)
whether in community and junior colleges, four-year liberal arts
colleges or technical institutes, colleges and universities with a
few graduate programs, or large-scale public and private research
universities.
[Top]
Archives
Librarianship
The primary task of the archivist is to establish and maintain
control, both physical and intellectual, over records of enduring
value. Archivists select records, a process that requires an
understanding of the historical context in which the records were
created, the uses for which they were intended, and their
relationships to other sources.
[Top]
Information
Analyst
The Information Analyst specialization is designed to prepare
students to acquire, synthesize, analyze and report information to
support decision-makers when embedded into information-rich
problem-solving work environments of all types. This specialization
offers library generalists, topical/subject specialists and
functional specialists the appropriate coursework to help them
prepare for upwardly mobile careers as research managers,
operations/project coordinators and library managers.
[Top]
Law Librarianship
Law librarians work in many different settings. They can be
found in academic law libraries, in state- and county-level public
law libraries, in court houses, government agencies, corporate
legal departments, private law firms, and other environments. Their
patrons range from the general public, to law students, to
attorneys, and possibly judges.
Click here for more
information on the Law Librarianship concentration.
[Top]
Programming
& Services
This concentration focuses on the organization of resources
and files in all formats. Work in this area requires understanding
of both existing standards for organization and description and
intentionally non-standardized systems such as social tagging.
Technology is an important dimension because of the variety of
technologies in use today for creating and storing documents.
[Top]
Public
Librarianship
Public libraries vary widely in size of community served as
well as size of library. Librarians may provide highly specialized
assistance to users in large settings with large staffs. In small
branch libraries or small city libraries, they may deal with all
ages and kinds of patrons, run a bookmobile, or keep in touch with
community organizations and schools.
[Top]
School
Librarianship
The Master of Library Science (MLS) with a concentration in
School Media is designed to prepare qualified professionals to
teach, research, analyze, produce, and supervise the
teaching/learning process of a school's library media program. In
addition to the ALA-accreditationof the MLS degree, this
concentration is approved and registered by the New York State
Department of Education for the certification of school library
media specialists (K-12).
In order to qualify for NYSED certification, students must also
satisfy prerequisite courseworkin
pedagogy as well as the liberal arts and sciences (i.e., general
education). Librarians possessing the MLS degree from a
ALA-accredited institution who wish to become certified in school
media must be accepted into the Advanced
Certificate Program and meet all coursework, examination,
and fieldwork/internship requirements.
[Top]
Special
Librarianship
Special librarians are information resource experts dedicated
to putting knowledge to work to attain the goals of their
organizations. Their position titles are as varied as the
environments in which these information professionals are employed.
Today's special librarians do far more than locate and collect data
for their clients. Using current technologies, they also evaluate,
analyze, organize, package, and present information in a way that
maximizes its usefulness.
[Top]
Youth Services
The Youth Librarianship specialization is designed to prepare
students for positions as children's or YA librarians or library
coordinators in public libraries, youth specialists on a regional
or state level, or collection development librarians specializing
in materials for youth, as well as offer library generalists
appropriate coursework to help them prepare for serving a public
that includes youth.
[Top]
