Current MLIS Students

In this course, students will explore cultural issues and their relevance to the role of the librarian in providing library services to the local, regional, national, and international community. Elements of culture, such as oral narratives, genealogy, community history, and literature, will be examined through a local and global perspective. In some cases, study abroad experiences will provide opportunities to examine community and cultural issues on an international level.

This course presents the organizational structures found in public and other types of libraries to provide services to children and young adults, including the why, how, and by whom such services are provided. Emphasis is placed on the management responsibilities for assuring quality service to these clientele.

Focusing on materials for the adolescent, students investigate the full range of print and non-print media from perspectives of criticism, bibliographic access, and utilization in public library, school library and classroom settings. To stimulate both instructional and recreational use of media by adolescents, library media programs and services are surveyed and demonstrated.

Focusing on materials for children, students investigate the full range of print and non-print media from perspectives of criticism, bibliographic access, and utilization in public library, school library, and classroom settings. To stimulate both instructional and recreational use of media by children, library media programs and services are surveyed and demonstrated.

Survey of the development and forms of books and libraries from ancient times to the present.

This course will provide a survey of literature and media for adults. The course will include discussion of readers’ advisory tools and strategies and the promotion of the use of library resources.

Libraries are not one-size-fits-all information institutions. While public libraries focus on the general population and academic libraries support educational institutions, special libraries are central to specialized areas. Special libraries are created to meet the unique needs of specific industries, organizations, or communities, offering customized collections and services. This course will introduce students to special libraries and the skills needed to manage and preserve the information these libraries provide.

This course explores major issues in the library and information science profession as they involve society and culture. Specific situations are analyzed that reflect an evolving representation and transformation of knowledge institutions, including intellectual freedom, community service, professional ethics, social responsibilities, intellectual property, literacy, historical and international models, the socio-cultural role of libraries and information agencies, and professionalism in general.

This culminating seminar provides students with the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge gained throughout their graduate coursework in Library and Information Science. Through readings, research, critical reflection, and collaborative discussion, students will explore key issues, emerging trends, and ethical challenges in librarianship. The course emphasizes professional identity, leadership development, and preparation for transition into the field, with options for focus on school, public, academic, or special librarianship.

This course is designed to allow graduate students in Library and Information Science to pursue in-depth, self-directed study on a topic of professional or academic interest not covered in the standard curriculum. The student will work closely with a faculty advisor to develop a proposal, identify learning objectives, create a work plan, and complete a final product that demonstrates advanced understanding and application. The topic should relate to the field of librarianship and contribute to the student’s academic or professional goals.

Planned and supervised observation and practice in an approved library or other information service agency. A 45-hour field experience for each semester hour of credit to be earned will be planned by the student in conjunction with the supervising librarian and the university supervisor. Placement is made only with the advice and approval of the advisor.

This course provides field-based experiences related to applications of librarianship standards for those already working in a school or library setting. The course builds upon the students' current knowledge and understanding of the dynamics of the field location and builds on this knowledge through the direct application of professional standards of librarianship.

An exploration of the role of school library-media supervision at the district and regional level and the various functions performed by school library-media supervisors.

This course critically examines tools, resources, and issues related to the use of technology in today’s libraries and school media centers. The impact that technology has on storage, retrieval, user information-seeking behaviors, and social interactions will be explored and discussed in this course.

This course offers students opportunities to study the cognitive, affective, and physiological impacts of media and develop the skills necessary to plan, design, produce, and share multimedia materials and artifacts. Formats comprise digital image, sound, video, and other multimedia forms.

This course requires students to analyze and evaluate the role of new media, technologies, and literacies for individuals, societies, and cultures. Emphasis is placed on understanding the form and language of a variety of texts, including print and non-print. Students develop perspectives regarding the socio-cultural contexts of media production, dissemination, consumption, interpretation, and effects, including an examination of media representations in both local and global contexts. Students will synthesize theoretical knowledge of literacies by using and creating with new media and technologies for multiple audiences and perspectives.

This course engages students in examining the design and implementation of networked systems, including not only technical infrastructures and physical hardware, but also online systems and social networking structures, including personal learning networks and learning management systems. Within this context, students will examine social, ethical, and legal issues in the context of information systems and algorithms.

Students will engage in an exploration of a variety of design issues related to student-centered learning. Topics will include surveying instructional design models, examining the theoretical and pedagogical research base that informs the design of authentic learning contexts, identifying relevant instructional and assessment strategies, and utilizing the appropriate digital tools and media to develop innovative instructional environments.

This course provides a critical orientation to issues of accessibility, equity, and inclusion in media, technology, and learning design. Students will examine, analyze, and evaluate matters related to the structures and impacts of technology on gender, race, ability, and other differentials. Students will strengthen their critical thinking skills in using, consuming, and designing with media and technology, applying accessibility strategies to improve access, expand inclusion, and enhance opportunities for diverse perspectives.

This course prepares students with critical perspectives on digital storytelling. Students will study narrative forms, genres, and compositional strategies using a range of mediums, such as image, sound, and video. Students will analyze and evaluate issues related to the constructedness and purposes of digital stories, examining the roles and responsibilities of authors as storytellers in the digital age via topics including transmedia, appropriation, representation, and misleading information. Students will engage in both analyzing existing stories as well as creating their own digital story. 

This course provides a theoretical and practical opportunity for learners to study ideas and issues related to designing effective and engaging online learning experiences. Topics include technological possibilities for cultivating community and presence, organizing meaningful student interactions, scaffolding learning needs, incorporating authentic assessments, and evaluating effectiveness.