About

Mission

The mission of the School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) is to prepare a diverse population of qualified professionals for roles in libraries, archives, and other information environments.  Through evidence-based active learning, students gain appropriate knowledge, applied scholarship, and skills to serve the information needs of their diverse communities.

Values

The School of Library and Information Science is committed to:

• Student-centered learning: We are committed to cultivating an active, student-centered learning community.
• Diversity: We recognize and value the diversity of modern society and support an inclusive learning environment. We ensure principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion are cultivated to create advocacy for marginalized groups in the pursuit of social justice.
• Intellectual freedom: We embrace the ideals of intellectual and academic freedom and strive to nurture an open, respectful learning environment for the free exchange of ideas.
• Service: Because we believe that it is a core of the profession, we support service at all levels and encourage ongoing professional development as a means of enhancing skills and knowledge.
• Community: We believe in creating, fostering, and participating in learning and research communities that span borders on state, national, and international levels.
• Research: We believe that research is an essential part of scholarship, not just for the creation of new knowledge but also for the support of teaching and learning and the sharing of new knowledge with multiple communities of interest.
• Assessment: We embrace a culture of assessment and evaluation that drives continuous improvement in course delivery, curriculum, and life-long learning.

Check out the current SLIS Graduate Student Handbook, Policies and Procedures.

1) SLIS Enrollment, Retention, MLIS Degrees Awarded

* Southern Miss Institutional Research 

** IHL Degree Books can be found on the IHL's website

2) Average Time to Degree Completion

• Full-time students- 2.6 years

• Part-time students- 3.3 years

3) Percentage of Graduates w/Positions Relevant to Degree within 12 months of Degree Completion

• 2015-2025 - 95%

Southern Miss SLIS has been ALA-accredited since 1980. At the last review by the ALA Committee on Accreditation (COA) in 2019, ALA Accreditation status was Continued and the next accreditation review by ALA COA is scheduled for spring 2027. SLIS regularly reviews and updates its program level goals and objectives. A current version of program level learning outcomes can be found here.

 

Read about this history of Southern Miss SLIS in Library Science Education at Southern Miss: A History of Survival and Growth by Dr. Matthew Griffis.

 

Policies

• Southern Miss Institutional Policies

• Professional Education Council (PEC) Policies
• Student Accessibility Services

Program Assessment

• MLIS students must take a technology class as one of their electives and create an e-portfolio
• In LIS 695 capstone course, students must complete a master's research project
• In LIS 695 capstone course, students must pass a comprehensive exam.

Assessment of MLIS Program by Students

The Exit Surveys of Graduating MLIS students are aligned with the American Library Association's Core Competencies of Librarianship.  Students evaluate their knowledge of the core competencies using a Likert Scale.  

• Exit Surveys of Graduating MLIS students 
• Annual Focus Group 
• Course Evaluations
• Surveys 

Advisory Board

Jeannie Jones Damiano, MLIS, Pascagoula Branch Manager, MS

Natalie Dunaway, MLIS Community Outreach Coordinator/State Data Coordinator, Mississippi Library Commission

John Eye, MLIS, Ed.D., Professor and Dean, USM University Libraries

Mantra Henderson, MLIS, Ph.D./a.b.d., Library Director, Mississippi Valley State University

Sarah Mangrum, MLIS, Ed.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, USM SLIS Faculty Representative

Natalie Mitchell, MLIS, School Librarian, Jackson Elementary, Pascagoula, MS

Stephen Parks, MLIS, JD, State Librarian, Jackson, MS

Julie H. Schiavo, MLIS, Ed.D., AHIP, Assistant Director Dental Library, LSUHSC-NO Libraries

Elizabeth Simmons, MLIS, Ed. S., Instructional Materials and Library Services Director, Mississippi Department of Education

Diana Simpson, MLIS, Assistant Professor/Catalog Librarian, USM Libraries

Adam Singletary, MLIS, Director, The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal, and Forrest County

Lorraine Stuart, MLIS, Head of Special Collections, Curator, Historical Manuscripts & Archives, USM University Libraries

Karlie Herndon, MA, MLIS, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Curator, de Grummond Children's Literature Collection