Library Services Specializations and Classes
Common Core: 6010, 6080, 6120, 6210, 7040, 7996
Students with an interest in working in libraries of all types should take a broad view of how these suggested electives from all specializations fit into their own program of study as knowledge from most of these courses is transferable to a variety of contexts.
Specializations:
Library Users and Communities: Are you curious about how people seek information? Do you want to learn more about the science of matching people to information? Do you love working with people and negotiating a question to find an answer? Do you love puzzles and learning about all human knowledge?
This specialization emphasizes understanding the 21st century user and connects libraries with these users and their wider communities. Skills learned include evaluating the demographics of a library and its users in different types of libraries and communicating with patrons using various means to find the needed information.
Library Users and Communities Electives:
- 6350: Design Thinking and Knowledge
- 6520: Beyond Books: Youth Literature in Action
- 6530: Young Adult Literature
- 7050: Public Libraries
- 7060: Academic Libraries
- 7070: Special Libraries and Information Centers
- 7140: Advanced Reference Service Strategies
- 7250: Programming and Services for Children and Young Adults
- 7320: The Media Specialist as Teacher and Instructional Consultant
- 7500: Information Behavior
- 7880: Instructional Methods for Librarians
- 7900: Digital Libraries
Library Tools and Resources: Do you love puzzles and learning about all human knowledge? Do you like to expand your strategies to improve your search results? Interested in designing library services to match user needs? Want to learn how search engines work? The Library Tools and Resources specialization connects users with informational tools and searching strategies. This specialization focuses on developing an in-depth knowledge of databases and other research tools, including advanced skills from how to describe a book so that users can find it, to enhancing search knowledge. You will also learn how to design services for your users.
Library Tools and Resources Electives:
- 7140: Advanced Reference Service Strategies
- 7160: Advanced Online Searching
- 7340: Collection Development and Selection of Materials
- 7370: Culture Matters: Decolonizing Information
- 7160: Health Sciences Information Services and Resources
- 7790: History of Books, Printing, and Publishing
- 8120: Legal Information Resources
Library Systems and Infrastructure: Students in this specialization are interested in the high tech systems that make the library function best. This specialization connects libraries and users through expert knowledge of technological infrastructures. This includes digital publishing services like establishing an institutional repository and digital collections platforms to discovery services that focus on e-resources, cataloging library materials, and managing the integrated library system online catalog.
Library Systems and Infrastructure Electives:
- 6415 - Information Technology Project Management
- 6420: Introduction to Web Development
- 6460: Introduction to Database Design
- 7410: Software Productivity Tools for Information
- 7430: Building Web-Based Information Services
- 7435: Integrated Library Systems
- 7440: Scripting Languages
- 7470: Information Architecture
- 7500: Information Behavior
- 7740: Archives and Libraries in the Digital World
- 7940: Human Computer Interaction
- 8000: Seminar in Information Policy