Urban Library Services Program

Department: Library and Information Science
Program Coordinator: Mary Wagner
Program Option: Certificate

The urban library services certificate program is a collaboration between St. Paul Public Library, Minneapolis Public Library and the College of St. Catherine that prepares members of underrepresented populations for work in library settings. The program combines course work, mentorships and hands-on work experience in community libraries.

Earning a certificate through the urban library services program opens the door to library education, provides real library work experience and will prepare you to become a library paraprofessional.

Library paraprofessionals assist users in finding materials and information and help librarians acquire, prepare and organize materials. Typical job duties include directing library users to standard references; retrieving information from databases; checking out materials; organizing and maintaining periodicals; handling interlibrary loan requests; and performing cataloging and coding. As a library paraprofessional, you also may also take part in children’s story time, young adult programming, bookmobiles and other community activities.

The program runs 10 months, from September to June. Classes meet at the College of St. Catherine and at the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Public libraries during late afternoons and weekends.

The urban library services certificate is composed of six two-credit courses. As part of the four courses that focus on libraries and library services, you will complete a six-hour per week work rotation in the library systems. The other two courses expose you to a second language. Language instruction is currently available in Spanish, American Sign Language, Hmong, and English as a Second Language. The courses occur in sequence.

To complete the program and earn a certificate, you will complete course work, practicum (work) rotations at library sites, and a portfolio. The portfolio will demonstrate your understanding of 50 competencies in the areas of library philosophy, technical services and public services. You will also learn about technology use and application
in libraries.

The 12 undergraduate credits you earn through the program may transfer to a baccalaureate degree program, depending on the institution’s policies.
The urban library services certificate program recruits from historically underrepresented communities, but never to the exclusion of members of “majority” communities.

See also: Information management.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

LIS 1000 Foundations of Library Service: the Urban Lens
LIS 1100 Technical Services in Public Libraries
LIS 1200 Communication and Public Services
LIS 1300 The Urban Library: Community Lens

Two courses from one of the following language groups:
ASL 1050 American Sign Language for Library Paraprofessionals I
ASL 1060 American Sign Language for Library Paraprofessionals II

ENGL 1050 English as a Second Language for Library Paraprofessionals I
ENGL 1060 English as a Second Language for Library Paraprofessionals II

LIS 1050 Hmong for Library Paraprofessionals I
LIS 1060 Hmong for Library Paraprofessionals II

SPAN 1050 Spanish for Library Paraprofessionals I
SPAN 1060 Spanish for Library Paraprofessionals II

URL: http://minerva.stkate.edu/academiccatalog0709.nsf/pages/urban_library_services_program
This page was created on 05/03/2007 and last updated on 05/03/2007.
Comments, questions and feedback about this site may be addressed to registrar@stkate.edu.