Program Overview

Rural Library Management Undergraduate Certificate

Program Type

• Certificate

Format

• Online
• Hybrid

Estimated Time to Complete

• 2-3 semesters

Credit Hours

• 12

Program Description

The Undergraduate Academic Certificate in Rural Library Management provides the student with a working knowledge of concepts, theories, and techniques in rural librarianship. Students will learn about resources available to support and assist staff and managers working in rural libraries. They will learn how to conduct outreach and marketing in a community-centered library, do online searches, client interviews, develop, promote, and evaluate online services, and how to plan and manage product and service procurement.

Program Highlights

• Special lectures hosted by the college and the department feature renowned scholars who provide different perspectives and insights into the information science field.
• Our students and faculty are active members of different professional associations and learned societies, such as the iSchools consortium, the American Library Association, the Association for Information Science and Technology, and the Knowledge & Information Professional Association.
• Information science students can study in a variety of concentrations such as information organization, information architecture, human information behavior and use, knowledge management, librarianship, modern information processing and retrieval systems, digitization and digital libraries.
• Instruction is offered in a variety of formats, including face-to-face, online, and blended, that allows you to balance classes with full-time or part-time employment.

Target Audience

• Library and Information Science Professionals: Bachelor’s degree holding library and information science professionals who want to develop expertise in managing a rural library by taking additional undergraduate level courses to receive an academic credential.
• Other Professionals: Associate’s or Bachelor's degreed individuals who want to develop expertise in managing a rural library by taking additional undergraduate level courses to receive an academic credential.
• Non-degreed Library Practitioners: Individuals working in a library without a degree who want to develop expertise in managing a rural library by taking undergraduate level courses to receive an academic credential.

Who Needs This Certificate?

• Potential librarians who foresee being in a management position
• Practicing librarians who foresee being in a management position
• Library staff who foresee being in a management position
• Non-degreed library managers in a rural library

Why is This Certificate Valuable?

• Many rural libraries are managed by individuals without a degree, or with a degree in a field other than library or information science.
• There is an impending wave of library manager retirements in rural libraries that will create thousands of open positions.
• Few existing programs are aimed at preparing library staff in rural libraries to move into management positions.

Courses

• Library Partnership and Community Outreach (3 hrs)
  • Covers basic skills to build collaboration among libraries and community units they serve; designed for students interested in outreach, marketing, and community-centered library practice.
• Electronic Databases and Information Services (3 hrs)
  • Development and use of online information services. Study of available databases in different fields. Conducting online searches; client interviews; developing, promoting, and evaluating online services; current trends. Supervised practical experience.
• Managing Library Automation Projects (3 hrs)
  • Planning, acquisition, development, and installation of computer-based systems in libraries of all types and sizes, oriented around activities necessary for effective library automation projects. Project planning; project approval and start-up; and planning and management of product and service procurement, development of system components, and system installation and maintenance.
• Topics in Rural Libraries (3 hrs)
  • Covers topics on concepts, theories, and techniques in rural librarianship; resources available to support and assist staff and managers working in small and rural libraries; as well as real-world problems and advanced topics of rural public libraries.