Dr. Linda R. Most, Department Head
Odum Library
The Department of Library and Information Studies at Valdosta State University educates a diverse community of online learners in the core competencies and values of the library and information professions, provides students with learning opportunities in traditional and emerging information environments, and prepares graduates to serve in a rapidly changing information society.
The MLIS Program is a 39-hour non-thesis program that is delivered primarily over the Internet. It is based on VSU’s assessment of the graduate education needs of library and information science professionals in Georgia and the United States. The program features a curriculum designed for students who cannot leave jobs and families to return to a single campus for extended periods.
New students begin in the fall or spring semesters. MLIS 7000, Foundations of Library and Information Science, offered every fall and spring, is prerequisite or corequisite to many other MLIS courses. The program requires all entering students to attend a face-to-face orientation on the Valdosta State University campus. For additional information about the Master of Library and Information Science Program, click here.
MLIS 7000. Foundations of Library and Information Science. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Admission to the MLIS program as a degree-seeking student. An introduction to the library and information science field, its history, and future directions. The focus is on the history, concepts, and technological development of the discipline. Students will gain familiarity with library and information theory, the discipline and sub-disciplines within the information sciences, and ethical practices and standards.
MLIS 7100. Information Sources and Services. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or co-prequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to concepts and processes in reference and information science and to fundamental information sources and services provided by libraries and information organizations. An overview of the reference function includes the history and future of reference service, question negotiation, information needs analysis, effective research strategies, evaluation of information sources in various formats, and ethics of information services.
MLIS 7110. Online Searching. 3 Hours.
An introduction to methods of information retrieval used in commercial databases and on the World Wide Web. Advanced search strategies such as complex Boolean operations and keyword commands will be included.
MLIS 7120. Government Information Sources. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. Use of and access to government documents, defining government documents, how they are generated or created, how and who uses them, how and where to find them. The course addresses government documents at the federal, state, and local levels as well as documents of international organizations (UN, EU, etc.) and foreign governments.
MLIS 7125. Genealogy for Librarians. 3 Hours.
An overview of resources on genealogy and techniques for providing library service to genealogists. The course allows students to acquire practical knowledge of genealogical materials and to explore related topics for providing library service to genealogists.
MLIS 7130. Humanities Information Services. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7100 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Examination of processes and resources used to provide reference services in the humanities disciplines. The fields of art, communications, literature, languages, linguistics, music, philosophy, religion, and theater will be considered.
MLIS 7140. Advanced Reference. 3 Hours.
An examination of multi-disciplinary information domains, addressing user behavior and information needs, resources, and services unique to researchers in the humanities and social sciences.
MLIS 7180. Library Services for Patrons with Special Needs. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. Disability issues in libraries, with a particular emphasis on visual disabilities. Obtaining funding and providing services for patrons with special needs will be emphasized.
MLIS 7200. Management of Libraries and Information Centers. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to the functions of library management and its underlying theoretical concepts. This course provides an overview of the history of management, an introduction to management theory and functions, including planning, leading, organizing, staffing, controlling, budgeting, human resource issues, and an understanding of management as a system involving all staff.
MLIS 7210. Academic Libraries. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7200 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. An examination of the functions of the library within the higher education environment. The course promotes the Jeffersonian ideal of the library as the center of the university and explores administrative issues and service patterns specific to the academic library.
MLIS 7220. Public Libraries. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7200 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. A study of the American public library and its place in contemporary communities. Topics include standards, planning, evaluation, governance, funding, and advocacy.
MLIS 7222. Adult Services in Public Libraries. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7220 or consent of the instructor. An exploration of adult services in public libraries including adult library use, programming for adults, services to special populations, partnerships, marketing, digital services, and introduction to reader's advisory services.
MLIS 7230. Special Libraries and Information Centers. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7200 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. An examination of the administration and context of special libraries and information centers. Management, user services, technical services, collections, facilities, and marketing are addressed.
MLIS 7240. Marketing Library Services. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7200 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Marketing techniques and their applications in all types of libraries. Planning, research, goal setting, relationship marketing, and marketing with technology are considered. Development of marketing plans and tools is included.
MLIS 7250. Human Resources Management. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7200 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. A comprehensive look at issues that shape the nature of human relations in libraries. Topics include staff recruitment and development, diversity, equal opportunity, performance evaluation, and legal requirements.
MLIS 7260. Leadership in Libraries and Information Centers. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to leadership theory, principles, and practices. The course provides an overview of the relationship between leadership theory and the effective practice of leadership as well as an understanding of the competencies required of effective leaders in today's libraries and information organizations.
MLIS 7280. Community Building. 3 Hours.
An introduction to theoretical and pragmatic aspects of community building through libraries in areas such as social services, social learning, media, civic engagement, cultural enrichment, and the creative spirit. The course emphasizes a partnership between libraries and the communities they serve.
MLIS 7290. Project Management for Libraries. 3 Hours.
An introduction to fundamental concepts and practices of project management for libraries, including the five project management process groups and project management knowledge areas.
MLIS 7300. Organization of Information. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to the conceptual and theoretical frameworks for organizing and retrieving information, including organizational systems objectives, structures, formats, standards, and vocabularies; choice and form of access points; authority control; subject access; the impact of new technologies; and the information life cycle.
MLIS 7310. Introduction to Descriptive Cataloging. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7300 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Introduction to the theories, principles, and practices of bibliographic descriptive cataloging, including the application of current and emerging standards; the description of primary print and non-print resources; choice of access points, creation of headings, authority work, and application of encoding standards. The course includes an examination of current trends and future directions of descriptive cataloging.
MLIS 7330. Metadata and Advanced Cataloging. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: MLIS 7300 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Advanced study of the theory and practice of bibliographic descriptive cataloging, including the principles and theories of metadata development; application of current and emerging cataloging and metadata standards, methodologies, and practices; and issues in metadata interoperability, quality control, and evaluation.
MLIS 7355. Subject Cataloging and Classification. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7300 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Study of the theories, principles, and practices of subject cataloging and classification; including determining aboutness, vocabulary control, application of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), classification theory; and application of classification schemes including Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), Library of Congress Classification (LCC), and other systems.
MLIS 7360. Indexing, Abstracting, and Thesaurus Construction. 3 Hours.
A study of the principles and practices of creating indexes, abstracts, thesauri of information, and other knowledge resources. The course includes evaluation of software and overview of professional opportunities.
MLIS 7400. Collection Development. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7000 or consent of instructor. Principles and processes for building and maintaining library and information center collections. Identification, evaluation, selection, acquisition, and preservation of materials in all formats will be emphasized. The contexts of all types of libraries, needs of diverse patrons, and legal/ethical issues will be considered.
MLIS 7420. Literature for Children. 3 Hours.
A study of the literature created for children in relation to their needs, interests, and abilities. Emphasis will be on the process of evaluation in order to meet the developmental, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of children.
MLIS 7421. Multicultural Youth Literature. 3 Hours.
A survey of multicultural literature for children and teenagers. Evaluation, selection and use of multicultural literature in school and public libraries will be emphasized.
MLIS 7422. Programming for Children and Young Teens. 3 Hours.
An overview of the nature, philosophy, design and delivery of library programs for youngsters from birth through early teens. The course includes principles of planning, implementing, promoting, and evaluating programs for this age group. Emphasis will be on creative arts including story time and storytelling, puppetry, reading incentive programs, and other age-specific activities.
MLIS 7423. Literature for Young Adults. 3 Hours.
A study of the literature created for young adults in relation to their characteristics, needs, interests, and abilities. Emphasis will be on the process of evaluation in order to meet the developmental, educational, cultural, and recreational needs of young adults.
MLIS 7425. Youth Electronic Resources. 3 Hours.
Evaluation, selection, management, and use of electronic materials for children and young adults including, web and computer-based materials. Learners will explore categories of resources and develop materials to facilitate access and promote learning.
MLIS 7430. Information Literacy Instruction. 3 Hours.
An examination of the information literacy movement from its origins in library instruction to the learning theories and teaching practices that shape its current standards. The information literacy model used in academic libraries will be emphasized.
MLIS 7440. Electronic Resources in Libraries. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of instructor. Policies and procedures for managing electronic information resources as part of a library collection. Selection, budgeting, acquisitions, assessment, copyright, licensing, and preservation are considered.
MLIS 7510. Essential Technologies in Libraries. 3 Hours.
An introduction to technologies defining or influencing library operations and services with an emphasis on essential library technologies. Course activities center upon conceptual and practical application of information technologies.
MLIS 7520. Database Design for Information Professionals. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Government and industry needs for design, implementation, and management of database systems. This course focuses on the application of data modeling technologies in library and information science practice and research.
MLIS 7540. Integrated Library Management Systems. 3 Hours.
Introduction to fundamental concepts of library management systems, with an emphasis on integrated library systems and electronic resource management systems. Topics include planning, selecting, and implementing managerial practices related to library management systems.
MLIS 7570. Information Architecture. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of instructor. Theory and techniques of designing Web sites for effective information delivery. Study of organization, labeling, navigation, and indexing systems included.
MLIS 7580. Digital Libraries. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Current trends in digital libraries' research and practice. The impact of digital libraries on society will be emphasized.
MLIS 7610. Information Policy. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better or consent of the instructor. Study of governmental information policy, with emphasis on the United States. Issues include privacy, intellectual property, access to information, media deregulation, and networking initiatives.
MLIS 7650. Information and Ethics. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to the basic ethical precepts of the information professions and the importance of ethics. The course examines differences among ethical, legal, moral, and religious systems and includes a case study methodology to explore ethical situations in the professional practice. Drawing upon lessons offered by relevant professional organizations and their ethics codes.
MLIS 7700. Research Methods. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to the various approaches to social science research and research methods. Students will perform small scale research projects and develop skills in the research uses of libraries and the needs of library patrons.
MLIS 7710. Archival Theory and Issues. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better. An introduction to archival theory and practice. The course explores archival history and the profession, including legal issues, standards and ethics, terminology and concepts research tools, and methods and practice.
MLIS 7730. Preservation. 3 Hours.
An introduction to the fundamental principles of preservation in libraries and archives. Course content covers the nature and deterioration of library and archival materials, collections care, analog and digital reformatting, conservation considerations, disaster planning, and issues in digital preservation.
MLIS 7740. Rare Book Librarianship. 3 Hours.
A foundation in the principles and practices of rare book librarianship. Topics include book collecting, acquisitions and access, support for teaching and research, professional competencies, programming, preservation, ethics, and current issues and trends.
MLIS 7800. Capstone. 3 Hours.
Taken during the final semester of study. Required for partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MLIS degree. Emphasis will be on synthesis of knowledge, honing writing and presentation skills, and creating a professional development plan.
MLIS 7950. Independent Study in Library and Information Science. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite or corequisite: MLIS 7000 with a grade of "B" or better, and consent of advisor, and consent of instructor. Supervised study in areas of library and information science not normally available in regular course offerings, with regular conferences between instructor and students.
MLIS 7960. Supervised Fieldwork. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: MLIS 7000, consent of advisor, and consent of instructor. Graded "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". A minimum of 120 hours in an approved library or information center. Learning objectives that are specific to the individual student's interests and goals will be identified collaboratively by the student, the on-site supervisor, and the instructor.
MLIS 7970. Library and Literacy in History. 3 Hours.
An exploration of the development of reading, writing and information management from the proto-literate stages of the ancient Near East to the present computer age, intellectual foundations of research and librarianship will be emphasized in their historical contexts.
MLIS 7995. Special Topics in Library and Information Sciences. 3 Hours.
Special topics in Library and Information Sciences.
MLIS 7996. Special Topics in Library and Information Sciences. 3 Hours.
Special topics in Library and Information Sciences.
MLIS 7997. Special Topics in Library and Information Sciences. 3 Hours.
Special Topics in Library and Information Sciences.
MLIS 7998. Special Topics in Library and Information Sciences. 3 Hours.
Special topics in Library and Information Sciences.
MLIS 7999. Special Topics in Library and Information Sciences. 3 Hours.
Advanced study of specific issues in library and information science. Course may be repeated under different topics.
