School Library Media

PALMER SCHOOL OF LIBRARY & INFORMATION SCIENCE
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M.S. in Library & Information Science (School Library Media Specialist)

For K-12 school children, the school library represents the buried treasure at the core of our civilization. Classroom teachers give students a selective taste of these riches. But it’s the School Library Media Specialist who can unlock the entire storehouse of facts, ideas and values that make us who we are.

There is a critical need for School Library Media Specialists in the tri-state area – people who enjoy working with students, teachers and administrators along the technological frontiers of today’s information society. To meet this need, the Palmer School of Library and Information Science offers a 36-credit Master’s degree in Library and Information Science in School Library Media.

As a graduate of this program you will be empowered as an educational change agent – helping students and teachers alike become efficient and discriminating users of the often bewildering resources of print and digital information now available.

Courses for the School Library Media specialization are offered in the blended learning and online formats, which combines the convenience of online learning with the richness of face-to-face classroom instruction. Ideal for busy working professionals, students can attend classes on their own schedule virtually anywhere there is an Internet connection, while still reaping the benefits of meeting in person with professors and other professionals.

The master’s program is accredited by the American Library Association and prepares students for Initial New York State Certification as a School Library Media Specialist. After three years of successful employment in the field, professional certification can be requested from New York State.

Program Goals

School Library Media Specialists are prepared to:

  • Initiate and sustain a leadership role for using learning-based technologies to teach the integration of information literacy and inquiry skills with knowledge across the curriculum.
  • Facilitate partnerships within schools, school districts and the community at large for improved communications and educational services.
  • Maintain an awareness of school and community cultures and develop new services accordingly
  • Develop and implement management strategies that remain adaptive to changing educational objectives.

Admissions Requirements

The following admission requirement apply to those pursuing the Master of Science in Library and Information Science (M.S.L.I.S.) as well as students pursuing the M.S.L.I.S. with specializations in School Media Specialist, Public Librarianship, Academic and Special Librarianship and Rare Books and Special Collections.

Admission Requirements – M.S. in Library and Information Science

Applicants to the Master of Science in Library and Information Science must adhere to the following requirements for admission.

  • Application for Admission
  • Application fee: $50 (non-refundable)
  • Official copies of your undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts from any college(s) or universities you have attended.
  • Applicants must have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average or equivalent in a bachelor’s program or in the last two years of the undergraduate program. Applicants who have not have completed their degrees prior to submitting the admission application should submit a transcript without the final semester’s grades. Such applicants may be accepted pending receipt of their final degree noted.
  • GRE Exam
  • Two professional and/or academic letters of recommendation that address the applicant’s potential in the profession and ability to complete a graduate program
  • A current résumé
  • A written statement that describes the applicant’s motivation for seeking the degree, special areas of interest, and career objectives in the profession (500-1000 words). You may submit this statement in lieu of the Applicant’s Personal Statement requested as part of the Online Application for Admission.
  • Students for whom English is a second language must submit official score results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The required minimum acceptable TOEFL score is: 79 Internet-based (213 computer based or 550 paper-based) or minimum IELTS score: 6.5.
Limited Admission

Applicants who do not meet the above minimum criteria may be considered for admission as limited matriculants if potential for success in the program and the field can be confirmed by an unusually high GRE or MAT score, extensive and successful experience in the field, outstanding letters of recommendation from professionals in the field, or a personal interview that will demonstrate that the applicant has attained the level of maturity and dedication necessary to pursue study at the master’s level.


Program Requirements

The Palmer School of Library and Information Science prides itself on close contact with practitioners in the field of school library media and reviews its required and elective courses regularly to ensure that graduates are prepared to play critical roles in rapidly changing environments. All courses are 3 credit courses. The following outlines the School Library Media curriculum in addition to the core required courses for the master’s degree in Library and Information Science.

CERTIFICATION

The School Library specialization has the following required courses, in addition to the Palmer MSLIS core courses, for students entering the program with NYS Teacher Certification or equivalent:

LIS 620 Instructional Design & Leadership
LIS 622 Management of the School Media Center
LIS 626 Teaching Methodologies K-16 Librarians
LIS 627 Special Needs Students in K-12 Libraries
LIS 712 Literacy for a K-12 Environment LIS
LIS 725 Instruction Technologies, Applications and Media Literacy  
LIS 691 Internship/Student Teaching

And one of the following:

LIS 728 K-12 Literature
LIS 729 Young Adult Sources & Services
LIS 733 Early Childhood and Children’s Sources & Services

Students entering the program with New York State Teacher Certification will undergo a transcript evaluation to determine which education courses might be equivalent to the above courses. In such a case the student will be informed and electives to substitute for a required course will be suggested.

Suggested Electives:

LIS 628 Collection Development for K-12
LIS 724 Introduction to Online Teaching

To qualify for initial New York State Certification as a School Librarian, students must also complete the following:

• Two-hour child abuse seminar (either online or face to face);
• Violence Prevention Workshop (either online or face to face);
• DASA workshop (Dignity for All Students Art) (either online of face to face);
• EDUX 200 Preventing Child Abduction
• EDUX 300 Preventing Substance Abuse
• Fingerprinting according to NYSED requirements;
• Qualifying scores on ALST (Academic Literacy Skills Test), EAS (Educating All Students, CST
(Content Specialty Test) in Library Media and edTPA (video performance assessment);
• Enrollment in the TEACH system (New York State’s online application system for teacher
certification).

Following three (3) years of successful employment and one (1) year of mentorship in a school library media center, a candidate may apply to the NYSED for professional certification. The certification program is reciprocal for most states in the nation.

Required Workshops

Information pertaining to the above is available in the Palmer School or on the Teaching Certification Requirements Web site.

Students with Master’s Degrees in Library and Information Science

Individuals who already have a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science and are without New York State Teacher Certification must complete the “Required School Media Courses,” including the Internship (Student Teaching), as well as all "Required Examinations" and "Required Workshops" to apply for New York State School Media Library Specialist Certification.

Additional Admissions Requirements

  • A candidate for admission to the M.S. in Library and Information Science/School Library Media Program at the Palmer School must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
  • Undergraduate or graduate preparation must include a concentration of one of the liberal arts and sciences, which will include English, mathematics, science, social studies, and at least one course of study in a language other than English. A transcript evaluation will be done to ascertain if candidates have appropriate liberal arts requirements for NYS Teacher Certification. International applicants may be required to submit a professional evaluation to assist in transcript evaluation. Only evaluation services that are members of NACES may be used when requested by the International Admissions Office.
  • Applicants who obtained the M.S. degree from the Palmer School in the last five years need only to submit the Long Island University Online Application for Admission. If the Master’s degree was obtained more than five years ago, applicants must submit two letters of recommendation along with the application.


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