Learning Outcomes
The program is specifically designed to meet New York state learning objectives for library media specialists. To qualify for certification, candidates must demonstrate, through coursework and clinical experiences, that they understand the following:
- The role of the library media program and its relation to the whole school
- The roles and responsibilities of the library media specialist
- The instructional partner role of the library media specialist in curriculum development
- Professional requirements, legal requirements, and ethical issues in the library media program
- The relationship between the library media program and information resources and services beyond the school.
- Types and characteristics of print, nonprint, and electronic resources
- Types and characteristics of literature for children and young adults
- Issues and procedures related to collection development
- Methods for teaching information literacy skills to students
- How to determine information needs and initiate searches, and how to teach these skills to students
- How to locate and access resources, and how to teach these skills to students
- Strategies for assessing progress during a search, analyzing, and evaluating information and teaching these skills to students
- How to communicate information obtained from a search, and how to teach these skills to students
- The leadership role of the library media specialist within the entire educational community
- Facilities use in the library media center
- Procedures for library media resource organization and circulation
- Procedures and issues related to fiscal and staff management in library media programs
- Development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of a library media program