School Library Media Specialist Program

Program Coordinator:

Dr. Cheryl A. McCarthy
Phone: (401) 874-4654
FAX: (401) 874-4964
E-mail: chermc@uri.edu

General Information:

The School Library Media Specialist Program is a Rhode Island State Approved Program in Library Media (K-12) and accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Students who successfully complete this program receive a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree and become eligible for certification as school library media specialists in Rhode Island and other Interstate Certification Compact (ICC) states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Maine and Vermont.

SLM Program Requirements:

The forty-two (42) hour master's program requirements are:

1. Fifteen (15) hours of core courses:
   • LSC 502: Management of Library and Information Sources
   • LSC 504: Reference & Information Services
   • LSC 505: Organization of Information
   • LSC 508: Introduction to Information Science & Technology
   • LSC 557: Research and Evaluation in Library and Information Science
2. Six (6) hours of literature courses:
   • LSC 530: Reading Interests of Children
   • LSC 531: Reading Interests of Young Adults
3. A three (3) hour media course:
   • LSC 528 Instructional Technology in Library & Information Services, or
   • LSC 529 Information Design
4. A three (3) hour administration course:
   • LSC 520:  School Library Media Services (must be taken in the summer or fall prior to practium)
5. Nine (9) hour supervised field experience:
• LSC 596 School Library Media Practicum and Seminar (to be taken in the final spring semester) 150 hours/5 weeks in an Elementary School and 150 hours/5 weeks in a Secondary School.
6. Six (6) hours of electives including 3 hours in education (unless certified as a teacher).

SLM Program Information:

• Admissions & Assessment SLMP
• NCATE Report
• RI Beginning Teacher Standards

SLM Course Materials:

• LSC 520 School Library Media Services Syllabus
• LSC 596 Professional Field Experience: School Library Media Practicum and Seminar Syllabus: HTML document
• LSC 596 Practicum Guidelines
• LSC 596 Practicum Assessment
• LSC 596 Portfolio Rubric

New!

LSC 596: Directory of participating practicum placement locations. This document is intended for quick reference. For further contact information for specific sites, please refer to the binder kept in Rodman Hall. Excel Spreadsheet Download.

If you are a School Library Media Specialist and would like to become one of our practicum mentors, you can download the our form here. Please e-mail the completed form to uri.gslis.ga@gmail.com and it will be reviewed for inclusion in our directory.