School Library Media Licensure

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Students interested in pursuing careers as School Library Media Specialists in Kansas must hold a Kansas teaching license. Emporia State University offers programs for both the initial license and advanced programs such as school library media.

The School of Library and Information Management (SLIM) at Emporia State University is the only American Library Association (ALA) and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accredited school of library and information management in Kansas. Through participation in these two continuous assessment processes, faculty at SLIM identify professional performance indicators, create course content, and design instructional methodologies that result in outcomes for students that match challenging responsibilities of today's school library media specialists.

As one personnel preparation unit of The Teachers College, Emporia State University, the School of Library and Information Management goal for preparing school library media specialists is to develop the professional in three ways: as critical thinker, creative planner, and effective practitioner. Students study, learn, and grow in an academic environment that integrates and highlights the connections among general studies, content studies, professional studies, and clinical experiences.

The student preparing for a career in the field of education will be immersed in an academic milieu that values a number of tenets the faculty view as essential for professional development and growth of school library media specialists: merit of diversity; the power of authentic assessment; the essentials of professionalism; the importance of collaboration; the value of technology; and, the merit of reflection. Candidate learning reflects historical and contemporary knowledge, research, theory, and practice that meet the academic, professional, and social needs of their students. Our graduates are skilled practitioners who are prepared with essential knowledge, skills and dispositions in their field of specialization.

The School Library Media Specialist licensure requirements within the Master of Library Science degree provide preparation in these areas of competence:

• Information technology skills; social, ethical, and legal implications of information;
• Foundations of information transfer, the knowledge society, and organization of information;
• Diagnosis of information needs and customization of services;
• Online information retrieval, basic print and electronic resources, and cataloging and classification;
• Needs assessment, evaluation, and selection of diverse literature, media information services;
• Information resources and programs for children and young adults
• Information and technology literacy instruction;
• Management of the school library media center;
• Collaboration skills with teachers, administrators, parents and other community members.

Master of Library Science degree program including School Library Media Specialist Endorsement
(36 Credit Hours) Begins Fall 2008
LI801 Info Transfer and Knowledge Soc - 3 credit hours*
LI802 Theoretical Foundations of Lib and Info Services - 3 credit hours*
LI804 Theory of Organization of Info - 3 credit hours*
LI 810 Research and Inquiry in Lib and Info Science - 3 credit hours
LI 811 Assessing Info Needs and Evaluating Info Services - 3 credit hours
LI 813 Print and Electronic Reference Sources and Services - 3 credit hours*
LI 814 Cataloging and Classification of Materials in Lib and Info Agencies - 2 credit hours*
LI 831 Info Resources and Programs for Children - 3 credit hours*
LI832 Information Resources and Services for Young Adults - 3 credit hours*
LI840 Internet Technologies and Applications - 2 credit hours*
LI 851 Managing the School Library Media Center- 3 credit hours*
LI 870 Practicum - 3 credit hours*
LI 755 Summer Institute - 1 credit hour
LI880 Assessing the MLS Exp - 1 credit hour

* If non-MLS seeking, courses required for school library media endorsement only (28 credit hours).

Kansas School Library Media Licensure Requirements
A person may apply for a conditional school library media specialist license, which becomes a professional license as indicated below.

Conditional License - A person is eligible for a conditional library media license if she/he has a professional teaching license or a current 5-year certificate, completed the core courses (above), has an advanced degree, and has passed the PRAXIS school library media content test with a minimum score of 630.  (A conditional license if required for participation in the school library media post-graduate internship classes.)

If the library media specialist (LMS) is not employed as a LMS in a public school during the time of the first two-year conditional, she/he may apply within five years of issuance of the first two-year conditional for a two-year extension (another two-year conditional). If a person does not apply within five years of issuance of the first two-year conditional, she/he can retake the content test provided it has not been completed within one year or take eight graduate semester hours in Library Media.

Professional License - To learn how to move from a conditional license to a professional license, it is best to discuss your own situation with Shannon Hall, The Teachers College, Licensure Officer at shall6@emporia.edu.  As of July 15, 2008, the post-graduate school library media internship requirement (LI878 and LI879) has been cancelled as directed by KSDE and The Teachers College, ESU.  For those who have been under a conditional (soon-to-be "initial") school specialist license for a full year and have completed the post-grad internship, you should apply for the professional license.

School Library Content Test
The school library media specialist content test is given by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The content test for Library Media Specialist is number 10310. Please indicate “Emporia State University” (code number is 6335) is a score recipient. Content test must be completed and the results received at ESU by the time an individual completes the program and makes application for the endorsement. ETS Registration booklets are available at any junior college or four-year institution of higher education, or visit http://www.ets.org/praxis

For more information about Kansas Teacher Education and Licensure visit
http://www.ksde.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1648

Applying for the School Library Media Licensure
Successful completion of the School of Library and Information (SLIM), Master of Library Science, application process is required. All school library media program students must participate in SLIM's MLS ability-based assessment process (described in the MLS Student Handbook).

Attending Classes
Classes are offered at ESU locations in Emporia, Kansas and Overland Park, Kansas.  Many classes are offered in a weekend intensive format:  Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday until noon.  Some courses are offered all online.  This unique combination of face-to-face and online course delivery enables students to be employed, minimize travel, and at the same time benefit and enjoy interactions with other students and faculty.

Students attending classes in SLIM's regional MLS programs should consult the regional program director about course schedules and delivery of courses to satisfy school library media licensure requirements in their state.

Contact Information
School library media specialists --working as curriculum leaders -- are in high demand all around the nation. Why not join the exciting information profession by becoming a school library media specialist? Whether working in a public or private school, in a classroom or library, being a teacher-librarian is one of the most effective ways to facilitate student learning and to positively contribute to lives of children and youth. We would like to assist you in getting started!

For advice about admissions, or information about school library media licensure requirements, please contact

Candy Boardman
Kansas Master of Library Science Program Director
School of Library and Information Management, Emporia State University
1-800-552-4770  
cboardma@emporia.edu

Mirah Dow
Coordinator of School Library Media and Post-MLS Internship Programs
School of Library and Information Management, Emporia State University
1-800-552-4770
mdow@emporia.edu

** Students applying to SLIM’s regional programs may also contact SLIM regional program coordinator in that area for information about the school library media program (see http://slim.emporia.edu for contact information).

School Library Media Licensure Handbook

The Practicum Handbook is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. You will need the free reader software, Adobe Acrobat Reader, to access these files. Click on the button below to download this free software.