How I'd Like to Begin

I'd like to begin this blog by mentioning, rather posting, my qualifications and experience, within the Library & Information Science field. (Note: I am currently a Graduate student, in my last semester, of Dominican University's Master's of Library & Information Sciences program.)


The following is a list of the courses that I have taken/will take, along with their catalog descriptions, by January 2007 in order to complete my MLIS degree:

Introduction to Library and Information Centers
An overview of the history, philosophy, purpose, functions and processes, users, collections and evaluation of academic, public, school and special libraries and information centers; of the history and trends of books and other media, publishing, and information technology; of the principles and basic elements of the collection development process; of relevant legal and ethical topics--intellectual property (copyright), access, confidentiality of records, intellectual freedom and censorship; and of current professional issues.

Organizational Analysis
An analysis of the theory and operation of large, complex, formal organizations. The course examines the organization as an economic, social, bureaucratic and nformation system with regard to such factors as structure, change, decision making and knowledge management.

Management of Libraries and Information Centers
Development of the basic theories and principles of management and their application in the organization and operation of libraries and information centers. Particular stress will be given to goals, policies, personnel, structure, work division, communications, leadership, budgets, systems analysis and future directions in administration.

Reference and Online Services
An introduction to effective reference service in an electronic age. The course deals with the selection, evaluation and use of general reference sources in both hard copy and digital formats; nature, development, functions and management of reference and online services; reference interview; concepts, principles and problems of online bibliographic organization and control.

Organization of Knowledge
An overview of principles, methods and systems in the organization of all types of library materials and information. An introduction to the basic level use and interpretation of principles for AACR2 , subject headings, Dewey Decimal Classification, OCLC (Online Computer Library Center), MARC21 (Machine Readable Cataloging) formats and Library of Congress Classification.

Library User Instruction
An introduction to the principles of information literacy with two emphases: 1) developing a conceptual framework for library user education, including an overview of learning theory, teaching methods, and instructional design; and 2) applying the theory in practical library teaching/learning situations.

Preservation and Conservation
Preservation and conservation of library materials, preventing damage, planning for disaster, restoration, equipment and supplies, environmental controls, storage and sources of information.

Public Relations
A seminar focusing on skills needed by libraries to research, plan and implement an effective public relations program for all types of libraries. Five components are covered: general background, planning, design, implementation and marketing of the library.

Internet Fundamentals and Design
An introduction to the fundamentals of the Internet, including its origins, evolution, architecture, current issues, and future. Students will gain a basic understanding about Web content languages, Web site management, and design/usability principles. Students will also be introduced to the fundamentals of telecommunications and networking with examples drawn from the Internet. Critical Internet issues such as search engine limitations, security, privacy, copyright, governance, and other related topics.

Collection Management
An overview of collection development and management for libraries and information centers. The evaluation and selection of materials in all formats will be discussed. Particular emphasis will be given to an analysis of issues related to access of electronic content. In addition, are methods for managing print, digital, and multimedia collections, along with publishing trends and emerging information product formats.

Communication for Leadership
Theory, research and practice of interpersonal and group communications for collaborative leadership roles: facilitator, coach, catalyst, and leader. Includes using a variety of media for information transfer among groups; communicating a leadership stance, creating and enrolling others in your vision (advocacy), developing organization support for your vision (systems literacy) and building skills in interpersonal communications, groups dynamics, negotiations, conflict resolution and asserting influence.

Internet Publishing
The weighing of digital options for presenting information to a variety of different audiences, with a special emphasis on Internet-based journals. There will be practical experience as well in the continued transformation of a traditional paper journal, "World Libraries" (the journal of the Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences at Dominican University), into an Internet-based journal- (http://www.worlib.org).