A Brief History of the Library and Information Science Major
The number of libraries was limited for years before the advent of movable type and the printing press. Once these came along, the cost of book production went down dramatically and large quantities of books could be produced relatively cheaply, causing an increase in the number of libraries. As the number of libraries mushroomed in the U.S., systems of organization were put into place to categorize a library’s resources, and librarian education became a necessity so they could better assist library patrons in accessing the information they needed.
Master’s-level training became the norm for careers in libraries and information management, particularly as technology and new media were introduced into library services and information management became more complex. Library and information science majors arose out of the need for librarians with advanced training who could comprehensively manage and evaluate the vast resources and services offered at today’s large, modern libraries.
Today, master’s programs also prepare library and information management staff to maintain the budget and manage the fiscal activities of libraries. After all, public libraries’ budgets must be transparent, showing their patrons that their tax dollars are being used for resources and services that are of the most use to the public. The major also prepares people to serve as reference librarians, to manage collections and to direct library technology.
Delving Into the Library and Information Science Major
Library and information science majors take courses that prepare them to be effective librarians and library directors. Required courses typically include: archiving, cataloging and classification, introduction to reference services, collection development, library management, information science, resource preservation and information ethics. Elective courses are varied and might include children’s literature, multicultural resources and the history of the book.
Library technology is also emphasized, as students also take courses that look at digital libraries, Internet resources, computer applications and systems analysis. Aside from required and elective courses, students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in this major must also complete the rest of their basic courses, including college writing, college algebra, literature, foreign languages, social science, art, and communication, among others.
Alongside rigorous graduate-level courses focusing on areas of library management, master’s students typically must complete a significant research project, after having their research proposal approved by a faculty member or a faculty graduate committee. Required courses might include media utilization, the American library in society, history of libraries and advanced courses in archiving, cataloging and classification, and information science.
Graduate students often take a number of seminars as well in areas such as storytelling or special problems in librarianship. A comprehensive exam often concludes the end of graduate-level work. Library and information science majors are required or encouraged to complete an internship or other library-related field work for course credit. Throughout one’s library and information science education, students will be reading works of literature alongside their textbooks, as an appreciation for reading is built into most library and information science majors.
Degree Levels:
Associate
While an associate degree in library and information science won’t be enough to prepare you to be a full-fledged librarian, associate programs do help students get a taste for what library work entails and can equip them with entry-level skills for careers as library technical assistants and other paraprofessional careers in a library.
In associate programs, information technology is emphasized as it is used in today’s libraries. Courses introduce students to the mission of libraries today and how the information age has impacted them. They will learn essential library workplace skills, such as basic cataloging and classification and helping library patrons find the information or resources they are looking for.
Students pursuing associate degrees will also learn the ins and outs of libraries, from the reference desk to archives to computer resources. Often included in an associate education in library and information science are courses in communication, organizational behavior and computer information systems.
Bachelor’s
Bachelor’s programs in library and information science are not as prevalent as master’s programs. The more common path is to earn a bachelor’s degree in another academic subject, and later apply to a master’s program. However, bachelor’s programs do exist, and undergraduate courses focus on introducing the student to information literacy, the methods behind cataloging and classification, school library media, collection development and other essential topics involved in a comprehensive library and information science education.
Students will also learn the history of the American library and explore how computers are used in libraries. Those who earn bachelor’s degrees in library and information science still do not qualify for a position as a full-fledged librarian—only as a paraprofessional or a school library media specialist. However, LIS majors can use their undergraduate education as a chance to concentrate elective hours in one subject field, professional area or language in order to better qualify for the type of library positions they want after college.
Master’s
Master’s programs are designed to prepare students for careers as librarians, and the master’s degree is a key credential for qualifying for various positions at today’s libraries. Students learn about computer-based information tools, collection development and management, academic and public library management, evaluation of information systems, and evaluation of library resources and services.
Students learn how to assist and educate library and information center patrons, not only leading them to the information they are looking for, but showing them how to find it themselves. They also learn the policies and procedures for acquiring new resources for the library. Students learn how to collaborate with fellow library staffers to put together effective community programming and encourage literacy.
Those pursuing a master’s degree in library and information science will also learn how to conduct and analyze research pertaining to information science and management. The major also equips students with a thorough understanding of the social, political and legal issues in information access.
Doctorate
Those pursuing a doctorate in library and information science are may seek to pursue high-level careers in library management at some of the largest and most distinguished libraries in the nation or wish to enter a career in teaching at the college level. The doctorate builds on what a librarian already knows, allowing them a chance to continue research that looks into the acquisition, representation, organization, use or dissemination of information, as well as the changing role of today’s libraries.
Students will hone their skills for analyzing and interpreting the results of their research. Graduate-level courses may look at professional issues within librarianship, information behavior and include advanced seminars on reading, literacy and learning. Doctoral students also explore advanced topics in library management, including issues specific to public libraries, corporate libraries, law libraries and other special libraries. Students prepare a dissertation, where they share the results of their research and advanced study in writing.
Supplementing Your Library and Information Science Major
If you decide to pursue a library and information science major at the bachelor’s level, it’s also important to speak with an academic advisor to discuss which minor would be most appropriate for helping you achieve your career goals. If you want to work for a prestigious law library, for instance, legal studies might be a good minor to supplement your major. If you want the option to work for a reputable science library, you may want to minor in biology, physics or another science.
A minor in communications often pairs well with library and information science, if you want to keep your options open for other careers that involve communicating and working with the public. If you stick to the librarian path, the additional study in communications will still serve you well in helping you work more effectively with library staff, manage conflicts effectively and clearly communicate your knowledge of library resources with the public.
Concentrations within the library and information science major can help focus you energies on learning more about the areas of library work you want to enter after college. For instance, if you have your heart set on working with children, a concentration in children’s librarianship or children’s literacy would be appropriate. Other concentrations might include reference, archives, or information technology. An information technology concentration or something similar could help equip you for positions as technical director at major libraries.
Other concentrations at the master’s level might include corporate librarianship. A number of colleges are beginning to offer joint juris doctor/Master of Library Science programs, which further prepare students for careers where law and librarianship intersect, such as law libraries and careers in legal research. You concentration can help prepare you for specific library-related jobs as archivists, rare books experts and other unique library careers.
Learn More About Library and Information Science Major
The Library and Information Science Major in the Job Market
There’s a reason that you must have completed a master’s program in library science or librarianship accredited by the American Library Association before you can serve as a librarian today. A librarian doesn’t just sit behind a desk and check out books all day long—they are information specialists. Librarians must know how to help patrons find the information they are looking for in a variety of media, and those who hold director positions at libraries must have strong leadership, communication, organizational and budgetary skills.
All librarians must be well-versed in how technology is used in today’s libraries and information centers to help organize documents, provide access to research databases and as a means of categorizing resources. Librarians must be prepared for working with and alongside their community or the special populations they serve, promoting literacy and free and open access to information. These skills are what employers in today’s library and information centers are looking for when they seek out job candidates. All of these skills and more are cultivated within the library and resource management major.
The most common career for those who graduate with this major is a librarian, and there are many different types of librarians, including pubic librarians, school librarians, university librarians, corporate librarians, law librarians, medical librarians, government document librarians and automated-systems librarians. From librarians at the Library of Congress to librarians at small town public libraries, all of them serve as information specialists in their area of expertise.
There are also a variety of related careers that can be pursued as an individual gains experience in specific areas or supplements their higher education with other areas. Those careers include archivists, computer systems analysts, database administrators, curators, teachers, college educators, researchers and community organizers and activists working within the realm of literacy or education.
Job opportunities are projected to be favorable for librarians, as a large number are expected to retire over the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nontraditional librarian jobs, however, are expected to experience the most job growth, so graduates would do well to look into librarian work with corporations, nonprofits, and consulting firms, the Bureau notes.
One of the best places on the web to look for librarian careers is LISjobs.com, which lists open positions nationwide and by state for those looking for employment. The site also allows people to post their resumes and provides information on getting started in the profession.
Careers I Can Get with This Degree:
