Master of Library and Information Science

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The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), also referred to as the Master of Library and Information Studies, is the master's degree that is required for most professional librarian positions in the United States. The MLIS is a relatively recent degree; an older and still common degree designation for librarians to acquire is the Master of Library Science (MLS), or Master of Science in Library Science (MSLS) degree. According to the American Library Association (ALA), "The master’s degree in library and information studies is frequently referred to as the MLS; however, ALA-accredited degrees have various names such as Master of Information Studies, Master of Arts, Master of Librarianship, Master of Library and Information Studies, or Master of Science. The degree name is determined by the program. The [ALA] Committee for Accreditation evaluates programs based on their adherence to the Standards for Accreditation of Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies, not based on the name of the degree." [1]

Contents

Admission to MLIS, programs normally require holding a bachelor's degree in any academic discipline and library schools encourage applications from people with diverse academic backgrounds.

In the United Kingdom, it is more common for a vocational degree in library and information science to bear the standard designation MA or MSc. In most Commonwealth universities, bachelor's and master's programs have been merged to create the MLIS/MLISc degree. IFLA committees have discussed global standards for librarian credentials. [2]

In Canada, ALA-accredited schools of library and information science sometimes grant MI (Master of Information) degrees, [3] [4] though some institutions retain the designation "MLIS" [5] or "MISt". [6] However, regardless of the name of the degree conferred, virtually every school of library and information studies in Canada comprises programming for library science, information science, archives, and museum studies. [7]

Schools

The MLIS or MLS degree is usually acquired from an accredited library school. ALA accredits 65 programs at 60 institutions across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. [8] ALA also offers an overview of international degrees in library and information science. [9]

The ALA website provides "Guidelines for Choosing a Master's Program in Library and Information Studies" [10] and discusses how to decide whether a master's degree or an associate's degree will best help you meet your career goals. Prospective and current students will find more information on school selection and academic success on websites like LibraryCareers.org [11] and Hack Library School. [12]

Many ALA-accredited programs provide distance-learning opportunities for students through a variety of delivery methods (e.g. online courses). In some cases, students can complete the entire program at a distance; in other cases, some on-campus courses or regional residency may be required. [13]

Curriculum

The MLIS/MLS curriculum can vary widely. [10] Typically, both theoretical and practical components are included. A comprehensive measurement of the library student's mastery of the field occurs during the last semester of the program and consists of a research project, often tied to a practicum or internship, or a master's thesis. Some schools have stringent course requirements while others are more flexible and offer a wide variety of electives.

Core courses typically focus on the methods of organizing information (including established cataloging and library classification systems), the philosophy and ethics of information dissemination (including reference services, privacy rights, and balancing the needs of various stakeholders: publishers, the public, and the government), and the principles of establishing and managing physical and digital resources, particularly physical and digital libraries, archives, and museums.

The "Information Science" component of the degree is composed of the acquisition of technology skills similar to those found in a computer science or related degree program. Courses in the program that focus on information science and computer science include: data science, data analytics, and data management; institutional repository management; digital libraries and digital preservation; information systems and information architecture; networking hardware and software skills required to manage a computer network; integrated library systems utilizing relational databases and database design; mastery of multiple computer programming languages; web design, metadata and semantic web technologies; automation and natural language processing (NLP); informatics; as well as taxonomy (general), and ontology (information science).

Most programs offer at least one statistics-driven course in research methodology for those aspiring to the Ph.D. as well as management courses for those hoping to progress to leadership positions within libraries.

Students frequently have an opportunity to specialize in one or more aspects of library and information science. It is common for these types of librarians to hold dual master's degrees. They may choose specializations that serve law and medical institutions and their higher education equivalents, law school and medical school. Most law librarians are required to hold both a master's degree in the library field as well as a law degree (the Juris Doctor, or J.D.). Law librarians often work in a specialized law library, law office, or within a government agency. They often have advanced knowledge of law library classification systems (including the Moys Classification Scheme outside the U.S.) and government documents. Medical librarians often hold an undergraduate degree in a pre-medical field such as biology. Like the law librarian, they may have a second master's degree, often a Master of Public Health (MPH). Some additionally hold a practicing medical credential, such as a Registered Nurse (RN). Medical librarians can also acquire an advanced medical librarian credential that is commonly required for medical library directors in the U.S., called the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) credential, offered through the Medical Library Association. In their careers, medical librarians are often expected to gain clinical experience working in a hospital environment or academic experience within a medical school. Specializations like archival science, heritage studies, and museum studies are closely tied to the history professions; therefore, an undergraduate or graduate degree in history can be especially valuable. Another specialization is K–12 librarianship. The curriculum for this specialization varies significantly from the others by focusing on developing the student's knowledge of educational principals (pedagogy) and the acquisition of skills to meet state educational requirements pertaining to child learning development. School librarians need to acquire state certification prior to being hired. An undergraduate or graduate degree in education and being a certified teacher is often a desired, but not required, qualification.

Careers

People who earn MLIS degrees take on many different roles [14] in many different kinds of environments—in libraries and "beyond the stacks." [15] According to the ALA, "Librarians work in museums, hospitals, businesses, and public libraries. In their work, librarians research, instruct, and connect people to technology. Librarians build websites, digitize archives, and manage social media. Librarians work with people of all ages, connecting them to information, learning and the community." [16] The association's LibraryCareers.org site [11] collects information about library and information science careers, work environments, and more.

Many with MLIS degrees use their professional skills in positions without "librarian" in the job title. The San Jose State University School of Information publishes an annual research report on emerging career trends for information professionals, providing a snapshot of job titles in the field. [17]

Professional organizations

Each of these organizations includes various divisions and/or interest groups that focus on particular specialties or interests.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Librarian</span> Profession

A librarian is a person who works professionally in a library providing access to information, and sometimes social or technical programming, or instruction on information literacy to users.

The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members as of 2021.

CILIP: The library and information association or CILIP, which stands for the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, is a professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers in the United Kingdom.

A teacher-librarian or school librarian or school library media specialist (SLMS) is a certified librarian who also has training in teaching.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical library</span> Library focused on medical information

A health or medical library is designed to assist physicians, health professionals, students, patients, consumers, medical researchers, and information specialists in finding health and scientific information to improve, update, assess, or evaluate health care. Medical libraries are typically found in hospitals, medical schools, private industry, and in medical or health associations. A typical health or medical library has access to MEDLINE, a range of electronic resources, print and digital journal collections, and print reference books. The influence of open access (OA) and free searching via Google and PubMed has a major impact on the way medical libraries operate.

An information professional or information specialist is someone who collects, records, organises, stores, preserves, retrieves, and disseminates printed or digital information. The service delivered to the client is known as an information service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of the Philippines School of Library and Information Studies</span>

The School of Library and Information Studies of the University of the Philippines or UP SLIS is the oldest library school in the Philippines. Formally established in March 1961 as the Institute of Library Science, it can trace it roots to 1914, making it one of the first library schools in Asia. It is an independent degree-granting unit of the University of the Philippines Diliman, and offers programs in the field of library and information science. In December 2015, the Commission on Higher Education declared the school as the first and only Center of Excellence among universities and colleges with library and information programs in the Philippines.

Education for librarianship, including for paraprofessional library workers, varies around the world, and has changed over time. In recent decades, many institutions offering librarianship education have changed their names to reflect the shift from print media to electronic media, and to information contained outside of traditional libraries. Some call themselves schools of library and information science, or have dropped the word "library" altogether.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Wedgeworth</span> American librarian (born 1937)

Robert Wedgeworth is an American librarian who was the founding President of ProLiteracy Worldwide, an adult literacy organization. He is also a former executive director of the American Library Association, served as president of IFLA, served as Dean of the School of Library Service at Columbia University, and was university librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has also authored and edited several major reference works, and has won many awards over the course of his career. In 2021 the American Library Association awarded him Honorary Membership, its highest award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Washington Information School</span>

The Information School at the University of Washington is an undergraduate and graduate school that offers BS, MLIS, MS, and PhD degrees. Formerly the Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences (GSLIS), the Information School changed its focus and name in the late 1990s.

The College of Information Studies is a school within the University of Maryland, College Park in Maryland, United States. The College offers graduate study leading to the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), the Master of Information Management (MIM), the Master of Science in Human Computer Interaction (HCIM), and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Information Studies. In addition, it offers an undergraduate degree, the Bachelor of Science in Information Science. The College of Information Studies focuses on creating new designs and addressing issues involving Information Management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Library and information science</span> Branch of academic disciplines

Library and information science(s) or studies (LIS) is an interdisciplinary field of study that deals generally with organization, access, collection, and protection/regulation of information, whether in physical or digital forms.

The University of Texas School of Information is a graduate school and undergraduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, offering master's and doctoral degrees in information studies, as well as certificates of advanced study and an undergraduate minor. In 2021, they began offering a bachelor's degree in informatics. UT iSchool graduates find careers in archival enterprise, information architecture, information policy, information systems design and management, information usability, librarianship, multimedia design, museum work, preservation and conservation, and records management.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UNC School of Information and Library Science</span>

The UNC School of Information and Library Science(SILS) is a professional school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill offering a bachelor's degree in information science, master's degrees in library science and information science, a professional science master's degree in digital curation, and a doctoral degree in information and library science as well as an undergraduate minor, graduate certificate programs, and a post-masters certificate.

The University of Arizona School of Information is a multidisciplinary academic department and professional school in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences focusing on the many aspects of information organization, management, or use and its impact on individuals and society. A combination of the School of Information Resources & Library Science (SIRLS) and the School of Information: Science, Technology, and Arts (SISTA), this new department plays host to faculty and students engaged in research and education on facets of the information sciences.

The Department of Information Studies is a department of the UCL Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Library and Information Science program at the University of Western Ontario</span>

Located in London, Ontario, Canada, the Library and Information Science (LIS) program at the University of Western Ontario offers both Masters and PhD level programs through the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS). Its Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program is one of seven Canadian MLIS programs currently accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). Both the PhD and Masters programs in Library and Information Sciences at Western FIMS emphasize research skills development, engagement with professional literature, information technology learning, and professional career preparedness.

The School of Library and Information Studies is situated at the University of Alberta in Edmonton and is part of the Faculty of Education. The School offers a Master's program in Library and Information Studies (MLIS) that is accredited by the American Library Association, as well as combined programs with a Master of Arts in Digital Humanities and a Master of Business Administration (MLIS/MBA). SLIS offers an Individual Interdisciplinary PhD opportunity in conjunction with other University of Alberta departments that serve as home units for PhD programs. The School also offers the only fully online MLIS in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patty Wong (librarian)</span> American librarian

Patricia "Patty" Wong is the city librarian of Santa Clara, California. Wong was the president of the American Library Association (ALA) for the 2021-2022 term and is the first Asian American president of the ALA. She has been on the faculty at the San Jose State University iSchool since 2006, teaching subjects such as equitable access to library services, library management, and library services to young people.

References

  1. ↑ American Library Association (2006-08-03). "Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions" . Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  2. ↑ Woody Evans (2016-04-01). "Backtalk: Librarians Need Global Credentials". Library Journal.
  3. ↑ "Master of Information". University of Toronto Faculty of Information. Faculty of Information (iSchool) | University of Toronto . Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Master of Information (MI)". Dalhousie University. Dalhousie University. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "Master of Library and Information Studies". UBC School of Information. University of British Columbia. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "Master of Information Studies". McGill University | School of Information Studies. McGill University. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "Library Schools". Canadian Library Association. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  8. ↑ American Library Association website: "Accreditation Frequently Asked Questions". 3 August 2006.
  9. ↑ "International Degrees in Library and Information Science" . Retrieved 2016-11-14– via American Library Association.
  10. 1 2 American Library Association (2008-06-10). "Guidelines for Choosing a Master's Program in Library and Information Studies" . Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  11. 1 2 "Library Careers" . Retrieved 2016-11-14– via American Library Association.
  12. ↑ "Hack Library School" . Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  13. ↑ admin (10 June 2008). "Guidelines for Choosing a Master's Program in Library and Information Studies". ala.org. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
  14. ↑ Peters, Alison (2016-11-01). "So You Want to Be a Librarian". Medium. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  15. ↑ "Beyond the Stacks: Innovative Careers in Library and Information Science". Beyond the Stacks: Innovative Careers in Library and Information Science. Retrieved 2016-11-14.
  16. ↑ American Library Association (2016-07-15). "Become a Librarian" . Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  17. ↑ San Jose State University School of Information. "Emerging Career Trends for Information Professionals: A Snapshot of Job Titles". ischool.sjsu.edu. Retrieved 2016-08-29.
  18. ↑ "American Library Association". American Library Association.
  19. ↑ "Australian Library and Information Association". www.alia.org.au.
  20. ↑ "Canadian Library Association | National Voice for Canada's Library Communities".
  21. ↑ "Home". cilip.org.uk.
  22. ↑ "International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)". www.ifla.org.
  23. ↑ "Home | Society of American Archivists". www2.archivists.org.
  24. ↑ "MLIS Skills at Work: A Snapshot Of Job Postings". SJSU | School of Information.
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