About USHistory | Mission | Philosophy | Goals and Objectives
Courses in library science were first offered at The University of Southern Mississippi in 1926. It has served the profession in various ways since then and is looking forward to a bright future as it continues to expand its offerings and modes of instruction.
Initially an undergraduate program preparing school librarians, Library Science was a department in the College of Education and Psychology from 1951 to 1976. In 2003, the School of Library and Information Science rejoined the College of Education and Psychology.
The first master's degree in library science (M.S.) was awarded in 1965. In 1976, the School of Library Service was established as an autonomous professional school, and the university conferred the first Master of Library Science (M.L.S.) degree in 1977. The library science graduate program was accredited by the American Library Association in 1980. With university-wide reorganization in 1988, the school was renamed the School of Library Science and became part of the College of Liberal Arts, an administrative placement that enabled the library school to strengthen ties with several disciplines. In 1993, it was again renamed and became the School of Library and Information Science. The degree awarded became the master of library and information science (M.L.I.S.). In July 2003, the School of Library and Information Science rejoined the College of Education and Psychology as part of the university-wide reorganization.SLIS is the only Mississippi institution to offer library and information science degrees and has been assigned leadership status in library and information science by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. The University of Southern Mississippi's School of Library and Information Science provides a comprehensive, diversified program of quality education for professional librarians, archivists, and information specialists. It performs a vital role in the development and expansion of library services at all levels and in the continuing education of practicing information specialists throughout the region.
History | Mission | Philosophy | Goals and Objectives
The mission of the master’s of library and information science program is to prepare qualified individuals for professional roles in libraries and other information environments with appropriate knowledge and skills to serve the information needs of their communities.
History | Mission | Philosophy | Goals and Objectives
Intense and rapid technological changes in information services have caused profound growth and diversification in library and information studies. The School of Library and Information Science is committed to preparing its students for careers as library and information science professionals by offering a curriculum that is grounded in the traditional knowledge and skill areas of library and information science as well as focused on the diverse challenges of the future.
The program embraces the philosophy that library and other information professionals must be prepared to participate in leadership roles for their profession and communities of service, be able to adapt to dynamic work environments and engage in life-long learning. The preparation of such individuals involves two fundamental elements; preparing candidates with the necessary intellectual and technical abilities to serve in the field of library and information science, and providing candidates with the appropriate perspectives of ethical responsibility and respect for diversity.
History | Mission | Philosophy | Goals and Objectives
- To foster and promote among master’s degree candidates a commitment to freedom and awareness that freedom is a necessary condition for the proper operation of libraries and other information centers. Objectives: The student will be able to:
- Discuss and defend intelligently the articles of the Library Bill of Rights.
- Deal effectively and fairly with persons who seek to censor materials in libraries and information centers.
- Understand the importance of providing libraries and information centers with a variety of viewpoints through a balanced selection of materials and services and fostering the people’s right to read.
- To develop among master degree candidates a knowledge of the basic tenets of library and information science, including an awareness of the effects of technology on all library and information centers operations, to enable them to think critically, to communicate effectively, and to perform skillfully and professionally with diverse publics. Objectives: The student will be able to:
- Identify basic library and information science problems in the context of the mission of the parent institution and demonstrate creativity and initiative in their solution.
- Demonstrate the role of the library and of the librarian in the information process.
- Select from various possibilities those materials and services that are most appropriate in a particular community and organize those materials and services so that they are readily accessible to the public being served by a library or information center.
- Demonstrate ability to evaluate, implement, and discuss the elements of management theory, including goal setting, budget and fiscal management, collection management, program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Demonstrate a facility for appropriate oral and written communication.
- To create an environment for master’s degree candidates to know, understand and appreciate the importance of professional organizations and continuing education, the evolution of libraries, librarianship as a profession, and the various information related technologies in the context of social and cultural diversities. Objectives: The student will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the history of information technologies and a historical perspective of their chosen profession.
- Develop awareness of the role that libraries, information centers, books, and communication media in general plays in the development of human culture.
- Demonstrate understanding of the need to remain current with new developments in information technologies and with the ways in which these tend to displace traditional means of communication.
- To introduce master’s degree candidates to theoretical and applied professional research in all areas of librarianship; to develop cognizance of the role of scientific research in building a theoretical and practical knowledge base; and to provide an opportunity for each student to conduct original research. Objectives: The student will be able to:
- Apply methods of scientific social research and analysis, and draw appropriate inferences from the results of such studies.
- Explain the role of scientific research and of a theoretical knowledge base in librarianship.
- Be able to conduct original research and report the results appropriately.
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