Areas of Emphasis

The LIS Program offers two areas of preparation: the School Library Media Specialist Certification, and the General Track. Courses are combined in ways to prepare for various library and information-handling careers. Students work closely with an academic adviser to develop a program of study and to prepare for the oral comprehensive exam.

Not all course selections are offered each semester, so it is necessary to plan for at least three regular semesters of study for some concentrations. Multiple concentrations cannot be achieved within the 42-credit program. Following are lists of courses under their respective areas of emphasis.


School Library Media Specialist Licensure

The Hawaii Teacher Standards Board (HTSB) must license students interested in becoming school library media specialists in the Hawaii Department of Education (HDOE). As part of the licensure process, they must complete the School Library Media Specialist track for the MLISc Program. The LIS Program also works with the UHM College of Education to comply with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) guidelines.

Those who enter the LIS Program to earn HTSB licensure must also have completed an accredited teacher education program. Preparation for teacher training must include courses in developmental psychology, curriculum and instruction, teaching of reading, and student teaching. If these prerequisites have not been met at the time a student enters the MLISc degree program, he or she may concurrently take course work to meet these requirements.

While other states and private schools may not require the same course work as the HDOE, students are strongly encouraged to follow the licensure track if they intend to work in school libraries.

Certification Requirements:

Core LIS curriculum (12 credits):

LIS 601 Intro to Reference & Information Services
LIS 605 Basic Cataloging & Classification
LIS 610 The Information Environment
LIS 615 Collection Management
[*LIS 650 is replaced by LIS684 below for SLMS Certification students*]

Core School Library Specialization curriculum (9 credits):

LIS 684 Administration of School Library Media Centers
LIS 686 Information Literacy & Learning Resources
LIS 696V Practicum in Librarianship

Materials & Services for Children and Youth - minimum of 6 credits from the following:

LIS 681 Books & Media for Children
LIS 682 Books & Media for Young Adults
LIS 683 Services in Libraries
LIS 685 Traditional Literature & Oral Narration
LIS 689 Asian American Resources for Children & Youth

Technology Knowledge Requirement - minimum of 6 credits from the following:

LIS 647 Systems Analysis for Information Management
LIS 663 Basic Database Searching
LIS 670 Introduction to Information Science & Technology
LIS 671 Digital Librarianship
LIS 672 Technology for Libraries & Information Centers
LIS 678 - Personalized Information Delivery: Information Filtering
ICS 624 Advanced Data Management
ICS 691 - Information Architecture

Additional Electives (9 credits):

This must include an additional course in educational & information technology. Graduate courses at the 400 and 600 levels from other departments might be considered if they are appropriate for this specialization. The LIS advisor must first approve all courses.

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General Track

Students interested in all other areas of emphasis follow the General Track, and with their faculty advisers, select courses for a coherent program that best follow their areas of interest. The General Track requires completion of 42 credit hours. Courses that are useful to preparing for work in particular library and information environments are listed below.

Core LIS curriculum (15 credits):

LIS 601 Intro to Reference & Information Services
LIS 605 Basic Cataloging & Classification
LIS 610 The Information Environment
LIS 615 Collection Management
LIS 650 Management of Libraries & Information Centers

And at least two of the following:

LIS 647 - Systems Analysis for Information Management
LIS 663 - Basic Database Searching
LIS 670 - Introduction to Information Science & Technology
LIS 671 - Digital Librarianship
LIS 672 - Technology for Libraries & Information Centers
LIS 678 - Personalized Information Delivery: Information Filtering
ICS 624 - Advanced Data Management
ICS 691 - Information Architecture

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Areas of Emphasis

Academic Librarianship

LIS 612 History of Books & Libraries
LIS 618 Government Documents
LIS 619 Conservation of Library Materials
LIS 642 Media Technology & Resources
LIS 647 Systems Analysis for Information Management
LIS 660 Information Sources & Systems in Science
LIS 661 Information Sources & Systems in the Humanities
LIS 662 Information Sources & Systems in the Social Sciences
LIS 663 Basic Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 665 Teaching Information Technology Literacy
LIS 667 Advanced Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 670 Intro to Information Science & Technology
LIS 672 Technology for Libraries & Information Centers
LIS 677 Human Dimension in Information Systems
LIS 695 Seminar in Research in Librarianship

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Hawaiian/Pacific & Asian Resources

LIS 687 Information Sources for Hawaiian Studies
LIS 688 Pacific Islands Information Resources
LIS 701 Seminar in International Librarianship
LIS 705 Asian Research Materials & Methods

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Library Automation/Information Technology

LIS 606 Advanced Cataloging & Classification
LIS 647 Systems Analysis for Information Management
LIS 663 Basic Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 664 Abstracting & Indexing for Info Services
LIS 665 Teaching Information Technology Literacy
LIS 667 Advanced Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 670 Intro to Information Science & Technology
LIS 672 Technology for Libraries & Information Centers
LIS 673 Information & Records Management
LIS 674 Database Design & Creation
LIS 676 Expert Systems for Library/Info Environment
LIS 677 Human Dimension in Information Systems
LIS 679 Library Systems Operation & Interpretation
LIS 694V Special Topics in Information Technology
LIS 695 Seminar in Research in Librarianship

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Public Librarianship

LIS 612 History of Books & Libraries
LIS 615 Collection Development
LIS 618 Government Documents
LIS 619 Conservation of Library Materials
LIS 642 Media Technology & Resources
LIS 647 Systems Analysis for Information Management
LIS 660 Information Sources & Systems in Science
LIS 661 Information Sources & Systems in the Humanities
LIS 662 Information Sources & Systems in the Social Sciences
LIS 663 Basic Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 665 Teaching Information Technology Literacy
LIS 670 Intro to Information Science & Technology
LIS 681 Books & Media for Children
LIS 682 Books & Media for Young Adults
LIS 683 Services in Libraries
LIS 685 Traditional Literature & Oral Narration
LIS 695 Seminar in Research in Librarianship

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Special Librarianship

LIS 606 Advanced Cataloging & Classification
LIS 647 Systems Analysis for Information Management
LIS 660 Information Sources & Systems in Science
LIS 661 Information Sources & Systems in the Humanities
LIS 662 Information Sources & Systems in the Social Sciences
LIS 663 Basic Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 664 Abstracting & Indexing for Info Services
LIS 667 Advanced Online/CD-ROM Searching
LIS 670 Intro to Information Science & Technology
LIS 673 Information & Records Management
LIS 674 Database Design & Creation
LIS 695 Seminar in Research in Librarianship
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