New Graduate Cohort tentatively scheduled to begin Fall 2013.

UNI's School Library Studies program prepares students to become teacher-librarians who use their acquired knowledge of children and young people, books and information technologies, curriculum, and the power of collaboration to enhance the learning experiences of students in their schools. Under the Curriculum & Instruction Department, this program develops K-12 teacher librarians who are leaders in educational practice and who prepare their students to be informed members of a democratic society. The program is offered at the master's degree level.

Graduate Degree Requirements: M.A. School Library Studies

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Major in School Library Studies

Distance Education Information

Excellence in hands-on education

With offices and classrooms on the first floor of the UNI Rod Library, the division of School Library Studies makes hands-on learning readily available. Students can access the library's main collection of more than one million books and periodicals. UNI's library also boasts a large youth collection, an essential resource for teacher librarians.

Students will take classes in school library studies, library resources, library and instructional technologies, library curriculum and administration, and complete an internship experience. Graduate students may also specialize in either elementary or secondary school library studies and receive an elementary or secondary teacher librarian endorsement.

Here are some of the class activities:

• Learn to evaluate the best fiction, non-fiction, and electronic resources for enhancing learning.
• Develop policy to guide decision making in the school library.
• Design materials to support an elementary or secondary school unit of study.
• Use your teacher librarian skills in area schools during observation and teaching experiences.

Distance-friendly teacher education

The School Library Studies program offers nearly all courses as distance classes via the Internet or interactive video conferencing, the state's two-way face-to-face communication system; some hybrid classes combine virtual and occasional face-to-face meetings. Most graduate students use the distance education opportunity yet still feel they are part of the UNI campus as they develop a network of other students across the state.

Excellence in class and faculty resources

The UNI Rod Library gets superior marks for the size and content of its collection at a mid-sized university. Students have access to a wide variety of print sources and online databases for professional development through the Rod Library, as well as K-12 databases commonly used in school library programs. A technology lab classroom for the program is available in the library where students will learn about technologies relevant to school libraries.

School Library Studies faculty members have been teacher librarians in elementary, middle and high schools. Some also served as college librarians, so they teach from experience. They are participating members of national and state professional organizations and make substantial contributions to the scholarship of the profession.

School Library Studies Graduates at Work
See what recent School Library Studies graduates are doing in their own libraries!

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