Course Descriptions

Library and Information Studies Courses

Numbers in parentheses show the number of credits for each course. Students are permitted to include in their programs up to six semester hours of approved electives outside the field of library and information studies.

LSC502 Management of Library and Information Services (3) Introduction to the process, principles, practices, theories and case studies in the administration, management, and supervision of libraries and information services. Focus on management functions: planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling.

LSC503 Collection Development (3) Introduction to process, practices, and problems of collection building, maintenance, and evaluation regardless of format or subject of material, type of institutional setting, or community or client group served.

LSC504 Reference and Information Services (3) Practical experience in the use of basic electronic and print information sources with readings and discussion on the philosophy and administrative aspects of reference work.

LSC505 Organization of Information (3) Theory and practice of organizing information following national and international standards; focus on bibliographic information. Emphasizes the understanding and application of cataloging and classification principles, standards, tools, bibliographic utilities and networks.

LSC506 Technical Services (3) Principles and policies in the acquisition, organization, conservation, and circulation of materials in libraries and information centers. Includes examination of automation of library processes.

LSC508 Introduction to Information Science and Technology (3) Introduction to the organization, retrieval, and analysis of information, and the technologies used to control the manipulation and dissemination of information in library and information settings.

LSC510 History of Books and Printing (3) The art and craft of book production through the ages; printers, methods, and materials with consideration given to the role of the book in cultural development.

LSC514 Information Policy (3) This course provides an opportunity to examine the large world of information policy and how changing technology, specifically the Internet, has affected our information policies.

LSC515 Informational Ethics and Intellectual Freedom (3) Examines the history, socially constructed norms, and legal context framing issues in LIS including privacy, censorship, and intellectual freedom; applies principles of ethical reasoning to professional decisions.

LSC517 Community Relations for Libraries (3) Includes public relations, advocacy, determining community needs, identifying potential partners, building partnerships, developing a community relations plan, and envisioning the library’s future. Incorporates programs and strategies of core professional organizations. Pre: 502 or permission of instructor.

LSC518 International Librarianship (3) Special attention to key issues in international library theory and practice, including standards, library law, education, assistance to libraries in underdeveloped or wartorn countries, and the role of international associations and institutions in worldwide library development.

LSC520 School Library Media Services (3) The role of the library media specialist as teacher, information specialist, instructional partner, and program manager, with emphasis on creating instructional programs in schools. Summer or fall semester prior to practicum. Pre: completion of 21 hours including core courses 502, 504, 505 and 508 or permission of instructor.

LSC521 Public Library Service (3) Planning, evaluation, and programming in public libraries, with an emphasis on community analysis and responsive services. Development of a grant proposal or equivalent project required. Pre: 502 or permission of instructor.

LSC522 College and University Library Service (3) Study of the functions, organization, management, and services of college and university libraries. Pre: 502.

LSC523 Special Library Service (3) A survey of some of the major categories of special libraries in academia, corporations, foundations, government agencies and the military, typically including museums, conservatories, divinity schools, legal institutions, businesses, laboratories, industries, and healthcare organizations. Pre: 502.

LSC524 Teaching About Information: Philosophy and Methodology (3) An introduction to all aspects of instructing a diverse clientele in the effective use of information in all forms. Philosophy, cognitive aspects, methodologies, media, and the administration, coordination, and evaluation of Information Literacy Instruction will be considered. Pre: 504 or permission of instructor.

LSC525 Multiculturalism in Libraries (3) Determining information needs and planning library collections, services, and programs for a diverse population. Historical, philosophical, and comparative aspects of multiculturalism in libraries will also be considered. Pre: Six graduate credits in library and information studies or permission of instructor.

LSC527 Information Literacy Instruction (3) Design and teach research strategies to undergraduates in conjunction with academic courses to teach effective, efficient, and honest use of library and information resources. Pre: 504.

LSC528 Instructional Technology in Library & Information Services (3) Provides an introduction to instructional design, development, and motivation theories and their application in producing instructional materials, including emerging technology in library and information environments.

LSC529 Information Design (3) Provides an introduction to the analysis, planning, presentation, and evaluation of effective communication through the use of tools and theories of communication, and message, instructional, and information design.

LSC530 Reading Interests of Children (3) Building, maintaining, evaluating, and promoting collections for children in public libraries and elementary school media centers. Fiction and nonfiction books emphasized; digital and other resources also discussed.

LSC531 Reading Interests of Young Adults (3) Building, maintaining, evaluating and promoting collections to serve the special interests and information needs of adolescents in public and secondary school libraries. Focus on books; graphic novels, Internet, etc. included.

LSC533 Digital Resources for Children and Teens (3) Investigate informational, educational, and recreational resources, primarily on the Internet. Emphasis on selection, evaluation, promotion, and the development of information literacy. Pre: 530 or 531 or permission of instructor

LSC535 Public Library Youth Services (3) Public library services to children and young adults, with emphasis on the development of programs to meet library goals and objectives. Pre: 502 or permission of instructor.

LSC537 Health Sciences Librarianship (3) Serves as an introduction to the field. Covers the literature, vocabulary, computer applications, reference tools, information retrieval, and environments relating to health sciences libraries. Pre: 502 and 504 or permission of instructor.

LSC538 Law Librarianship (3) Introduction to legal bibliography and research and to a broad range of problems involved in the administration and operation of various kinds of law libraries. Pre: 502 and 504 or permission of instructor.

LSC539 Business Information (3) An introduction to many aspects of business information services, as well as to business information in all formats. This course will emphasize services in business libraries and information centers, and the fields of corporate intelligence and knowledge management will also be considered and discussed. Pre: 504.

LSC540 Humanities Information and Materials (3) Information needs and services of all areas of the humanities. Unique aspects of library services and materials in all formats will be considered. Pre: 504.

LSC541 Social Science Information (3) Information needs and services in all areas of the social sciences and the professions, including information in all formats. Pre: 504.

LSC542 Library Materials in Science and Technology (3) Library resources in science and technology, including the major works, serial publications, and reference and bibliographical materials. Pre: 503 and 504.

LSC543 Government Publications (3) Survey of the publishing activities and publications of national, state, and local governments with emphasis on the publications of the United States government. Pre: 504.

LSC544 Visual Information Science (3) An introduction to the interdisciplinary study of visual information science related to visual information (data) collection, analysis, processing, transmission, utilization and communication in modern and digital libraries and information centers. Pre: 508 or permission of instructor

LSC545 Indexing and Abstracting (3) Principles and techniques of indexing for the purpose of information storage and retrieval. Includes periodical indexing, book indexing, automatic indexing, abstracting, and thesaurus construction. Pre: 504.

LSC547 Online Searching and Services (3) Introduction to computerized information retrieval and the provision of computerized information services in libraries, including hands-on experience. Pre: 504.

LSC548 Information Architecture and Website Development (3) Introduces principles of information architecture, library science and information science to plan, design, develop, and evaluate cohesive web sites and intranets that are attractive, navigable, manageable, and expandable Pre: 508 or permission of instructor.

LSC549 Information Storage and Retrieval (3) Theory, methods, evaluation, and research of analyzing, storing, indexing languages, information storage media, information storage and retrieval systems, and information seeking and retrieving in libraries and information services. Pre: 504, 505.

LSC550 Organization of Digital and Nonbook Resources (3) Using the most current international and national standards for organization of digital and nonbook resources, the course emphasizes not only bibliographic control of these resources for retrieval but also issues relating to subject analysis, standards, access, and other mark-up languages for better retrieval. Pre: 505.

LSC557 Research and Evaluation in Library and Information Services (3) Introduction to research methods for community analysis, information needs assessment, and evaluation of library and information services; critique of published research. Includes substantial paper involving significant independent study. Pre: completion of 15 hours or permission of instructor.

LSC562 Administration of Special Collections, Archives, and Manuscripts (3) Principles and techniques for administering manuscript and archival repositories, including acquisition policies, appraisal criteria, methodology, and preservation practices. Pre: core courses, 502-508, or permission of instructor.

LSC564 Introduction to Library Preservation (3) Organization, management, principles, and techniques as they apply to the development and administration of a library preservation program. Includes causes of deterioration of materials, deacidification, and reformatting and selecting for preservation.

LSC565 Rare Book Librarianship (3) Organization, management, principles, and techniques as they apply to the development and administration of rare book collections. Pre: 510 or permission of instructor.

LSC593 Independent Work (1-6) Supervised reading or investigation in areas of special interest. Student must obtain written approval prior to registration for the semester for which the study is proposed. (Independent Study) Pre: 18 hours of library science with B average, and 557 or permission of instructor. 593 and 595 may be repeated for a combined total of 6 credits.

LSC595 Professional Field Experience (1-6) Directed field experience applying theory to practice in libraries, information centers, and related organizations. Jointly supervised by a member of the faculty and a professional in the cooperating institution. (Practicum) Pre: 18 hours of library science with a B average, 45 hours per credit. 593 and 595 may be repeated for a combined total of 6 credits.

LSC596 Professional Field Experience: School Library Media Practicum and Seminar (9) Directed field experience in two school library media centers (150 hours in elementary and 150 hours in secondary). Perform roles and demonstrate competencies of a library media specialist. Bi-weekly seminars. Pre: 520 with a B or better and 30 hours of library science with a B average or permission of the instructor.

LSC597 Selected Topics (1-3) Selected topics of current and special interest in library and information studies not covered in existing course offerings. Topics and number of credit hours announced prior to each offering. May be repeated with different topics. Pre: permission of instructor.