NCCU School of Library and Information Sciences

MLS Tracks -- Public Librarian

(On Campus Requirements —
See http://www.nccuslis.org/distancelearning/dl-mls.htm for distance learning requirements.)

Objectives of the public library concentration are to educate students as librarians who have the abilities to:

  1. Analyze generally accepted theories and functions of public library service and relate them to a specific community and library system.
  2. Recognize the unique role of the public library in American communities.
  3. Recognize and understand social, governmental, and economic forces which influence public libraries.
  4. Identify significant cultural, political, and social characteristics of the community and provide appropriate materials and services for the specific clienteles.
  5. Identify other community agencies and groups with which public librarians can cooperate.
  6. Recognize different life-styles of persons who reside in the community and consider means to stimulate them to seek library service.
  7. Recognize the support for public libraries from library professional associations, state libraries, trustees, and friends groups.
  8. Exhibit imagination in developing innovative means of providing library service to the entire community.
Required Course of Study (36 semester hours)

Required Prerequisites to all Library Science Courses (taken in the order listed or concurrently)

LSIS 4000, Foundations of Librarianship and Information Services.
LSIS 4220, Selection and Use of Information Sources.
LSIS 5120, Management and Systems Analysis.
 Other required courses (taken in the order listed or concurrently) LSIS 4400, Organization of Information.
LSIS 4300, Uses and Users of Information
 Other requirements for concentration (consult your academic advisor) Two resources and services courses (Additional materials courses are recommended):

LSIS 5220, Social Science Resources and Services.
LSIS 5230, Humanities Resources and Services.
LSIS 5240, Science and Technology Resources and Services.
LSIS 5245, Health Sciences Resources and Services.
LSIS 5260, Business Information Resources and Services.
LSIS 5505, Children's Resources and Services.
LSIS 5525, Adolescent Resources and Services.
LSIS 5530, Ethnic Materials for Children and Adolescents.
LSIS 5580, Government Publications.

 One type of library course: LSIS 5180, The Public Library.

LSIS 5810, Research Methods.

Elective courses to complete 36 hours (consult your academic advisor)

Language requirement

Students are also required to demonstrate knowledge of a foreign language, sign language, statistics, or a computer language. This requirement may be fulfilled by one semester of course work (3 hrs credit) in a foreign language, sign language, statistics, or a computer language at the undergraduate or graduate level. Original transcripts showing the pertinent courses must be provided as evidence prior to the application for graduation. Alternatively, the requirement may be fulfilled (a) if the student passes a modern language examination administered for this purpose by the Modern Foreign Language Department at North Carolina Central University in French, German, or Spanish, or (b) if the student has a currently valid professional IT certification. No courses taken for this purpose may be counted for course credit toward the master's degree.