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Public Librarian

Practice Settings and Primary Responsibilities
Public Librarians are employed in public libraries throughout the country providing a wide variety of services including:
Reference and Research Services; Information Technology Training; Technical Services, Collection Development; Community Outreach; Reader Advisory Services, Book Discussion Groups; Literacy Programs

Required CLIS Core Courses                 12 credits
The following four core courses must be completed within the first six courses taken.

Course Number        Course Title
LBSC 601                  Information Use
LBSC 650                  Information Access
LBSC 670                  Information Structure
LBSC 690                  Information Technology

Additional Required CLIS Course         3 credits
LBSC 635                  Administration and Management for the Information Professional

Recommended CLIS Electives               0 – 12 credits
Students should consult with their advisors to select electives that best support individual intellectual interests and career goals. The electives listed here are not meant to represent the complete listing of all relevant courses that a student may take within CLIS, at other units on campus, or as part of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area. In addition, the Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) Consortium may offer CLIS-approved courses that are relevant. The URL is http://www.wiseeducation.org/home_p-home.aspx, user name: md-student, password: test.

LBSC
Course Number        Course Title
LBSC 707                  Field Study in Library Service
LBSC 713                  Planning and Evaluating Library Services
LBSC 724                  Public Library Seminar
LBSC 735                  Legal Issues in Managing Information
 
Additional CLIS Electives            9 – 21 credits

LBSC
Course Number        Course Title
LBSC 621                  Library Service to the Disadvantaged
LBSC 625                  Information Policy
LBSC 645                  Literature and Services for Children
LBSC 646                  Literature and Services for Young Adults
LBSC 647                  Children’s Services in Public Libraries
LBSC 706                  Seminar in International and Comparative Librarianship and Information Science
LBSC 709                  Independent Study
LBSC 723                  Libraries and Information Services in the Social Process
LBSC 725                  Library Services for Client Groups with Disabilities
LBSC 736                  Designing Information Services and Products
LBSC 745                  Storytelling
LBSC 748                  Advanced Seminar in Children’s Literature
LBSC 750                  Information Access in Electronic Environments
LBSC 751, 752,        Information Access in the Humanities, Arts,
753, 756, etc.            Social Sciences, Science and Technology, etc.
LBSC 783                  Seminar in Technical Services

Professional Associations
American Library Association
Public Library Association
Regional:
Maryland Library Association
Virginia Library Association
And other state and regional library associations

Scholarships/Interest Free Loans

General Scholarships:
ALA General Scholarships:
Marshall Cavendish Scholarship
David H. Clift Scholarship
Christopher Hoy/ERT Scholarship

Diversity Scholarships:
ALA Spectrum Scholarship
Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies (ASCLA) Century Scholarship

Scholarship in Public Library Reference Service:
Myra Wilson Scholarship (CLIS)

Key Geographic Areas for Employment
Public Librarians are needed in all regions of the U.S.

Specialized Placement Services
Maryland Library Association Jobline
Virginia Library Association Jobline
American Libraries, the Magazine of the American Library Association, “Career Leads”