School Library Media Program

The Dominican University Master of Library and Information Science Degree with School Library Information Specialist Certification or Endorsement prepares school librarians for service at the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels. Completion of the approved entitlement program qualifies students to apply for an Illinois Special (K-12) Certificate (Type 10) in the concentration area of Library Information Specialist.

The School Library Media Program is grounded in Empowering Learners: Guidelines for School Library Programs, the national guidelines of the American Association of School Librarians; in the Illinois content area standards for the library information specialist; in the Common Core standards; in the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IPTS); and in the School of Education’s conceptual framework centered on the core values of scholarship, leadership, and service.

Through completing the School Library Media Program, candidates learn the principles of librarianship in general and service to children and youth in particular. Developmental psychology of the child, pre-adolescent, and adolescent is woven into the library materials courses. The philosophy of education for the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels is an integral part of the curriculum. Candidates examine the design of inquiry-based curriculum and the role of the library information specialist in fostering curriculum integration and development in elementary, middle, and secondary school settings. Information literacy, educator collaboration, integration of the library media program into the school curriculum, instructional technology, resource based curriculum, program administration, communication, and professional development are some of the topics included in the curriculum. Students graduate from this program with a firm understanding of the roles of the school librarian and the library media program within the school context and the extended school learning community. Graduates become educational leaders in their schools, districts, and library systems.

What is the Dominican Difference?

What is the difference between the learning experience in this program and that in other school library media programs? The difference is the Dominican University network at the local, regional, state and national levels. The program is designed, managed and taught by nationally recognized leaders in the field. Adjunct faculty come to us from school districts that support state-of-the-art instructional technology. Additionally, students can learn first-hand about literature for children and young adults in the new Butler Children’s Literature Center that serves students in GSLIS and the School of Education.

Because we are in the Chicago metropolitan area, we take advantage of our proximity to the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, and top-quality urban and suburban school library media programs. We maintain constant contact through a network of generous and supportive alumnae/i in the geographic area and beyond. Truly, the greatest difference is found in the professional relationships that develop among students and alumnae/i both on campus and in clinical practice settings.

We strive to create a teaching and learning environment that embraces the university motto of Caritas et Veritas, compassionate service and the pursuit of truth in the hope that our graduates will spread that spirit in the institutions in which they work.

As a part of the state certification process, we foster the conceptual framework of scholarship, leadership and service. A core value of the graduate school is an understanding of and appreciation for intellectual freedom. The School Library Media Program imbues its students with the dedication to developing lifelong learners through collaboration and leadership in educational settings.