Mission
To collaboratively prepare and launch the next generation of library and information professionals as strategic and ethically grounded thinkers, curious problem-solvers, and leaders in the library and information science field.
Vision and Values
To cultivate graduates who thrive in diverse, resource-variable information landscapes and who move through the world co-creating welcoming and transformative information landscapes, forging a more hopeful future for all members of library communities.
We value in our graduates the knowledge and skills to:
1. Recognize and honor local knowledge
2. Support community information practices
3. Build adaptable, sustainable systems of information access and use
4. Ethically navigate conditions of economic and political complexities by drawing on communal collaboration and reflection
5. Co-create community-centered teaching and learning opportunities, demonstrating the power of creating pathways for inquiry, belonging, and democracy to thrive
Goals
- To model and teach the application of professional ethics and principles in various situations and contexts
- To encourage and produce research that contributes to the development of the library science field
- To employ teaching methods that cultivate community and prioritize inclusivity, equity, and diversity.
- To prepare graduates with a firm grounding in core competencies of librarianship in their selected area of focus as determined by professional organizations.
- To foster globally-minded library professionals who engage with and actively contribute to their communities
- To develop a community of constituents who regularly collaborate with the MLS faculty to continuously refine the program’s direction
Program Learning Objectives
The Library Science program’s Program Learning Objectives (PLO’s) describe what our students are expected to know and be able to do by the time of graduation. The program regularly evaluates the attainment of the PLOs through a semester review of student learning, according to the program’s PLO’s. The development of these PLOs was informed by the most recent statements of ALA Core Competencies and Core Values.
PLO.a. Students will apply ethical and sustainable frameworks as they demonstrate leadership in complex information settings.
PLO.b. Students will demonstrate an understanding of accessible, community-centered, and innovativeresources and services.
PLO.c. Students will describe the importance and impact of continued, life-long learning opportunities.
PLO.d. Students will demonstrate knowledge of core library science principles and practices.
PLO.e. Students will demonstrate strong communication skills in multiple modes for various audiences and purposes.
PLO.f. Students will explore and assess disruptions and innovations in LIS practice.