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Home – Courses – Program Specializations – Information Organization and Description

Information Organization and Description

The MLIS program requires an introductory technology course (LIBR 203); three core courses (LIBR 200, LIBR 202, LIBR 204); one additional required course (LIBR 285); and the culminating electronic portfolio OR a thesis (LIBR 289 or LIBR 299) for graduation. Beyond these requirements, a student is free to select electives reflecting individual interests and aspirations.

Program specializations are thus provided here solely for advising purposes. No such designation appears on your transcript or diploma. Many students find these introductions to different program areas useful, however, for course selection and career planning.

Description

This specialization focuses on the organization and description of resources and files in all formats. Work in this area requires understanding of both existing standards for organization and description and intentionally non-standardized systems such as social tagging. Technology is an important dimension because of the variety of technologies in use today for creating and storing documents. Because the ability to retrieve documents depends upon the way they have been organized and described, a thorough understanding of search and retrieval using a variety of technologies is also important. Work in this specialization requires a well-balanced understanding of information agencies, management, and user perspectives as a framework for determining appropriate organization and description. A critical understanding of the social effects of decisions made at the technical level and the ethics of metadata creation is essential for professional work.

Employment Opportunities

Depending on courses taken during study, the Information Organization and Description specialization will prepare students for roles in cataloging, data management, and knowledge access management. Sample position titles include:

• Catalog/Electronic Resource Librarian
• Data Management Coordinator
• Database Information Consultant
• Digital Library Consultant
• Electronic Media Manager
• Information Architect
• Information Services Director
• Internet Cataloger
• Knowledge Management Analyst
• Library Technology Director
• Metadata Librarian
• Schema Architect
• Taxonomist
• Technical Services Director
• User Experience Architect
• Vocabulary/Information Architecture Director
• Web Applications Developer

Core Theory and Knowledge

1. Understand evolution of standards used for organizing and describing information
2. Appreciate service environments and communities of practice for organizers of information
3. Understand user perspectives, the search process, and how various files and technologies impact search strategy
4. Understand issues of vocabulary, user perspectives, and information needs both inside and outside the organization
5. Appreciate the evolution of technology, understand current capabilities and options, and explore new and innovative uses of technology for searching, web navigation, and resource discovery
6. Maintain a broad perspective of possibilities for organizers of information through an understanding of various levels of the organization
7. Understand the components of project planning and gathering input for implementing a data conversion project

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 240 Information Technology Tools and Applications
• LIBR 244 Onlilne Searching
• LIBR 247 Vocabulary Design
• LIBR 248 Beginning Cataloging and Classification

Recommended Courses:

• LIBR 241 Library Automation Systems
• LIBR 246 Advanced Information Technology Tools and Applications
• LIBR 249 Advanced Cataloging and Organization of Information
• LIBR 256 Archives and Manuscripts
• LIBR 257 Records Management
• LIBR 281 Seminar in Contemporary Issues: Metadata Seminar

Courses in references services, specific subject literatures, service environments, and management offer a helpful perspective to this specialization. In addition, internships and special studies provide application opportunities or a research focus in an area of particular interest.

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