March 31, 2009
New
York City is scheduled to lose a dramatic number of special
librarians through retirement within the next 5-10 years. In answer
to the need for non-traditional librarians in this new information
age, the federally funded Institute
of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded a
three-year, $1 million grant to St. John’s University’s Division of
Library and Information Sciences to prepare professionals with the
knowledge to support organizational decision-making and services in
New York.
Perspective applicants to the IMLS program must be committed to the
development of organizations and the underserved in society and the
profession. They should have an interest in a career in special
library services and commit to spend three years directly applying
their education to the field. Admitted students take courses
part-time at St. John’s Manhattan campus.
St. John’s has already recruited 20 students for the first cohort,
which began their studies in January, and is currently recruiting a
second 20, who will start in May. All applications for the second
cohort must be received by April 15, 2009 for full
consideration; applications received after the
allocated deadline will be selected on a space basis.
University Supplements IMLS Grant
Money
As a commitment to academic excellence, St. John’s provides
one-third of the cost in supplementary grants to IMLS recipients to
ensure students obtain full-tuition and fees for courses leading to
a
Master of Library Science (MLS) degree. The University also
provides each student with a new laptop computer with specialized
software packages and $1,000 to participate in supplementary
educational and professional activities associated with the
program.
In an effort to foster success, each student accepted into the
scholarship program also receives a mentor to direct them in their
academic endeavors, internships, supplemental workshops,
presentations, professional association meetings and networking
events.
According to
Jeffery E. Olson, Ph.D., J.D., Associate Provost and Director
of Library and Information Science, the IMLS scholarship program is
not for the traditional librarian but is geared towards diverse
groups of working professionals who have a contextual background in
the field. Students are trained to meet the new responsibilities of
a technology era, where trillions of pieces of information are made
accessible to the public on a daily basis, data that need to be
organized, stored, indexed and made readily available, retrieved
and analyzed.
“The function of this type of information professional is more
important than ever before,” Dr. Olson adds. “The role has taken on
a whole new dimension; professionals are needed in law firms,
hospitals, museums and all other organizations—they have to do
creative things in order to provide knowledgeable resources to the
organization or community they serve.”
A Career in Library Services
St. John’s Division of Library and Information Science offers the
MLS degree in many different concentrations including law and
special librarianship, which are required majors for scholarship
recipients. Students will also receive education in specialized
areas such as knowledge management and competitive intelligence.
The program teaches them to communicate, synthesize, archive,
collect and index (metataging) information for organizational
management. Students participate in team-building collaborations
throughout their coursework, which consists of two courses per-term
and three terms per-year for two years.
“We want our students to become change agents and help the
organizations in which they work to take advantage of the
opportunities presented,” explains Dr. Olson. “Whether it’s through
knowledge management or competitive intelligence, librarians use
information resources to help people understand their organizations
and the environments in which they operate.”
Dr. Olson credits the faculty members, especially Katherine
Shelfer, Ph.D., Associate Professor and the Program Coordinator,
and a distinguished Advisory Board for the quality of this
cutting-edge education. The curriculum will ensure that
students receive the academic preparation and training needed to
make a difference in today’s organizations.
“The board is instrumental in guiding professional best practices
in preparing students to meet the challenges of the industry,” Dr.
Olson reports. “Our faculty members are thrilled with the first
cohort’s interaction and coursework dedication. The students bring
a variety of experience and diversity to the newly-developed
program.”
Bruce Rebeck, a graduate student among the first group of
cohorts in the IMLS program states: “I have found the program to be
exciting and invigorating. It is a great pleasure to work with all
my cohort members. Everyone is willing to help one another and our
collaboration on several projects has already paid great benefits.
I also enjoy the courses and faculty members who stretch my
abilities in order to succeed in this profession.”
For additional information on the IMLS scholarship program and to
obtain an application visit: www.stjohns.edu/imls or
contact St. John’s Department of Library Services at
(718)-990-6200.