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Home – Programs – Career Pathways – Youth Librarianship

Youth Librarianship

The MLIS program requires 43 units for graduation. Within those units, five courses are required: LIBR 203, LIBR 200, LIBR 202, LIBR 204, LIBR 285, and either LIBR 289 or LIBR 299. Beyond those five courses, a student is free to select electives reflecting individual interests and aspirations.

The Career Pathway described here is provided solely for advising purposes. No special designation appears on your transcript or diploma. All students get an MLIS degree.

Description

The Youth Librarianship career pathway is designed to prepare students for positions as children's or young adult (YA) librarians or library coordinators in public libraries, youth specialists on a regional or state level, or collection development librarians specializing in materials for youth, as well as to offer library generalists appropriate coursework to help them prepare for serving a public that includes youth. Students who want to become school librarians or school district library coordinators will be taking some of the courses from this specialization, but they should follow the Teacher Librarianship career path.

This career pathway focuses on the psychological, physical and social development of youth; youth culture and society; assets and needs of youth; and materials and services for youth, ages 0-18, including related social media technologies.

Employment Opportunities

Employment opportunities for students in this career path include positions in public libraries, academic libraries with special collections in materials for youth, juvenile detention centers, private schools, public schools (with appropriate credential), and special libraries focusing on materials for youth.

Positions might include:

• Children's Librarian
• Collection Development Librarian for Youth Materials
• Outreach Librarian
• Public Library Coordinator of Children's, Young Adult or Youth Services
• Regional or State Youth Specialist
• Young Adult or Teen Librarian

Core Theory and Knowledge

• Knowledge of developmental needs and processes, leading to an understanding of the behaviors exhibited by youth
• Ability to create a comfortable space appropriate for children or for young adults
• Ability to create a coordinated plan for programming and outreach to youth
• Ability to evaluate and select materials for youth, in order to build a collection that includes a variety of media and formats
• An understanding of the principles of intellectual freedom, including how to prepare for and deal with challenges of all kinds
• Knowledge of the recreational and informational resources for youth, and how they can be used
• Presentation skills relevant to a youth audience, including but not limited to reading aloud, storytelling and booktalking
• Skill with a variety of technologies used by youth, such as current and new social media

Recommended Coursework

Required Courses:

• LIBR 203 Online Social Networking: Technology and Tools
• LIBR 200 Information and Society
• LIBR 202 Information Retrieval
• LIBR 204 Information Organizations and Management
• LIBR 285 Research Methods in Library and Information Science
• LIBR 289 or LIBR 299 Culminating Experience

Foundation Courses:

• LIBR 246 Information Technology Tools and Applications: Advanced
  Sections on Web 2.0
• LIBR 260A Programming and Services for Children
• LIBR 261A Programming and Services for Young Adults
• LIBR 262A Materials for Children Ages 0-4
• LIBR 263 Materials for Children Ages 5-8
• LIBR 264 Materials for Tweens
• LIBR 265 Materials for Young Adults
• LIBR 267 Seminar in Services to Children and Young Adults
  Sections on intellectual freedom for youth, award winning books for youth, value of controversial literature for teens.
• LIBR 275 Library Services for Racially and Ethnically Diverse Communities
• LIBR 281 Seminar in Contemporary Issues
  Sections on storytelling and booktalking.
• LIBR 294 Professional Experience: Internships

Recommended Courses:

• LIBR 210 Reference and Information Sources
• LIBR 240 Information Technology Tools and Applications
• LIBR 266 Collection Management
• LIBR 283 Marketing of Information Products and Services

Effective leadership and management (of people and information) is critically important for all types of work environments and clients.

We recommend that students consider also selecting some courses from the Leadership and Management career path to complement or supplement core skills in other areas.

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