NEW LIBRARY MEDIA
PROGRAM IN HIGH DEMAND

By JULIE JORDAN

Indiana State University is leading the nation in having a complete library/media services certification program available via the Internet.

In its first semester of operation, 51 students from throughout the United States are enrolled in the innovative program. There is high demand for trained and certified individuals in public and school libraries, states Lawrence Reck, professor of education, who spent two years putting the program together. That was when the School of Education stepped in to rescue a library science program offered through the College of Arts and Sciences which was in danger of being terminated.

"Upon consulting the job market possibilities, literally hundreds of job openings were noted," said Reck, "Every week since then, a stream of jobs have come across my desk, some weeks bringing 40 to 50 new job opportunities for both school and public libraries in Indiana alone. This gave me the impetus to develop a program to meet those needs."

Designed for working professionals and other busy people wanting to obtain school and public library certification, the program consists of 27 hours of integrated course work leading to an undergraduate minor and certification, or graduate certification in library/media services. Core courses consist of literature, production of instructional materials, reference, practicum, cataloging, school and public library administration, selection of materials and electives in the computer, distance education and library assessment areas. The complete undergraduate program of 10 courses is currently online.

"We have a unique program whereby a person can be certified in both school and public library work," boasts Reck.

An ambitious program, it meets all qualifications required by five state and national agencies, including: The American Library Association/Association for Educational Communications and Technology; The Indiana Professional Standards Board; Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium; National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education; and the Indiana Library and Historical Board Standards for Public Libraries.

Graduates of the program are granted professional certification for school libraries, school library media centers and public libraries. Public library IV certification also enables individuals to be directors of a library in a marketplace of less than 10,000 people. Certification as a teacher is required in Indiana for a school library/media specialist; however, this is not a public library requirement.

Two faculty members are teaching the courses -- Reck and Scott Davis of the curriculum, instruction and media technology faculty. Twenty professional librarians analyzed the entire curriculum as part of a pilot program on campus this summer.

It’s a highly individualized program of study. Most course requirements consist of projects with each course typically having 10-14 projects selected from a list of 30-60. Some projects will require working with others enrolled in the same class to foster a "team" effort and sharing of ideas. The projects also require the students to interact with professionals out in the workplace.

One of the expected fears of taking courses online is what Davis describes as "cyberisolation," where students feel cut off from the instructor and classmates.

"Apprehension was the only way I could describe how I felt about taking a course online, because I get near a computer and it just shuts down," said Sylvia Rogers, an elementary school teacher from South Carolina, who learned about the program from a colleague. Her principal gave the 22-year teacher the opportunity to become the school’s librarian, but in order to qualify for that position she has to take courses to become certified in media services.

"To get this degree elsewhere I would have had to travel, and I did not want to travel," she said. "What makes the Indiana State program outstanding are the people I’ve been communicating with via phone and e-mail. Without these truly caring and patient people, the program would not be a success."

Reck admits that there have been technical glitches, but he’s taking the frustrations in stride.

"It is taking an astronomical amount of time, because you’re dealing with each individual student," says the 32-year educator who recently received the Holmstedt Distinguished Professor Award at ISU. "The ideal size would be 15 per class. But, we’re getting so many inquiries from across the country that we may double the current number by next fall."

Among the current mix of enrollees is a 79-year-old woman from West Virginia who wants to improve the libraries in the rural schools where she serves as an Americorps volunteer and a married woman from Brown County, Ind., who chose the ISU program after being injured in an auto accident; a 40-year-old Loogootee woman who wanted a distance education solution; the mother of three wants to add media specialist to her teaching degree so she will have a better chance of getting a job closer to home (she now travels 70 miles to work).

The on-line course may be viewed at:
http://isu.indstate.edu/libraryprogram
When prompted for username
and password, type in "guest"

 November 15, 2000