Mission

To collaboratively prepare and launch the next generation of library and information professionals as strategic and ethically grounded thinkers, curious problem-solvers, and leaders in the library and information science field.

Vision and Values

To cultivate graduates who thrive in diverse, resource-variable information landscapes and who move through the world co-creating welcoming and transformative information landscapes, forging a more hopeful future for all members of library communities.

We value in our graduates the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Recognize and honor local knowledge.
  2. Support community information practices.
  3. Build adaptable, sustainable systems of information access and use.
  4. Ethically navigate conditions of economic and political complexities by drawing on communal collaboration and reflection.
  5. Co-create community-centered teaching and learning opportunities, demonstrating the power of creating pathways for inquiry, belonging, and democracy to thrive.

Program Goals

  • To model and teach the application of professional ethics and principles in various situations and contexts.
  • To encourage and produce research that contributes to the development of the library science field
  • To employ teaching methods that cultivate community and prioritize inclusivity, equity, and diversity.
  • To prepare graduates with a firm grounding in core competencies of librarianship in their selected area of focus as determined by professional organizations.
  • To foster globally-minded library professionals who engage with and actively contribute to their communities.
  • To develop a community of constituents who regularly collaborate with the MLS faculty to continuously refine the program’s direction.

Learning Objectives

The Library Science program’s Program Learning Objectives (PLO’s) describe what our students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation.  The program regularly evaluates the attainment of the PLOs through a semester review of student learning, according to the program’s PLO’s.  The development of these PLOs was informed by the most recent statements of ALA Core Competencies and Core Values.

  • PLO.a. Students will describe the importance and impact of continued, life-long learning opportunities for themselves and the patrons they serve. They will plan, participate in, and evaluate learning opportunities such as professional development for librarians and educators as well as diverse educational programming appropriate for the needs of patrons in a variety of settings.
  • PLO.b. Students will articulate and apply the values and ethical frameworks of the library science profession in a variety of situations and contexts.
  • PLO.c. Students will apply core library science principles and practices, such as those related to collection development and management, organization of information, and reference sources and services.
  • PLO.d. Students will apply sustainability practices in the administration of library operations, services, and resources.
  • PLO.e. Students will demonstrate proficient management, organizational, and communication skills. They should be able to describe and apply philosophies of leadership and advocacy.
  • PLO.f. Students will evaluate, select, use, and adapt appropriate technology to best serve patrons and solve information problems.
  • PLO.g. Students will locate, use, and synthesize scholarship, engage in critical thinking, collect and utilize data, and solve problems.
  • PLO.h. Students will integrate and promote the principles of intellectual freedom and information access in the physical and digital design and intellectual context of the services provided in libraries.
  • PLO.i. Students will collaborate with library constituents to create, implement, and evaluate resources, services, and programs for diverse populations.

View Program Outcomes

Accreditation and Assessment

Student performance is evaluated through a variety of course-embedded assignments and a Capstone Portfolio assignment aligned with Program Outcomes. Of our graduates, 77% hold program-relevant positions after graduation.   

School Libraries Track:

  • Nationally recognized by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL).
  • Nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
  • Completion of the MLS in School Libraries entitles graduates to apply for Media Coordinator licensure (076). Students in this track also have the opportunity to apply for our Dual Master’s Degree Program which provides an additional focus on Instructional Technology, entitling graduates to apply for Instructional Technology Coordinator licensure (077).

Libraries, General Track:

Connect with Us

The App State Library Science Program works with students, alumni, and faculty to develop a rigorous and dynamic academic program that prepares students to become leaders in their chosen information fields. 

Want to stay up-to-date on the Program's latest happenings? Join our listserv by emailing group-applibsci@appstate.edu with the subject line "Join."