NOTE: The title of this GAC was previously "Youth Services in Libraries and Information Agencies". Students who first enrolled in the program in Fall 2022 and beyond should refer to this degree plan. Students who first enrolled in the program prior to Fall 2022 should consult the following page for the degree plan for the Youth Services in Libraries and Information Agencies GAC.
The Graduate Academic Certificate (GAC) in Children’s and Young Adult Library and Community Services provides students with core knowledge in programs, literature, and information organization for youth. Graduates will develop skills to effectively design and deliver services for children and young adults in culturally diverse communities. This GAC responds to the ongoing need for people-centered professionals with cutting-edge knowledge and relevant abilities to work with children and young adults, as described in research from the fields of library and information sciences and learning sciences.
This GAC is intended for Bachelor's or Master’s degree students from any field, or current library and information science professionals who want to develop expertise and enhance their knowledge of community services to children, teens and their families by taking Master's-level courses to receive a Certificate.
Note: This GAC is not the same as School Librarianship. Teachers seeking state certification for school librarianship should apply to the School Library Certification program.
Coursework
Required Courses - Students will complete the following courses:
- INFO 5445 History and Culture of Youth Information Services - History of youth services librarianship. Theory and methods of ethnographic evaluation. Community assessment and interviews. Users and designers of youth information services and systems. Current trends.
- INFO 5421 - Literature for Youth in Public Libraries - Survey of children’s and young adult literature, focusing on awards, genre, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic literature. Involves a wide range of reading, evaluation, and development of program skills for public library settings.
Students will choose ONE course from the following :
- INFO 5400 – Information Resources Development. Principles and methods of evaluating, selecting, and acquiring different kinds of information resources. Development and maintenance of information collections. Bibliographic tools and online databases. Searching and verification; publishers and publishing; censorship issues; acquisition processes. Representative research, problems, and practice.
- INFO 5440 – Storytelling for Information Professionals - Storytelling ethnography, history, theory, methods and bibliographic resources. Story research, analysis, selection, adaptation, and preparation. Oral performance development and audience dynamics. Program planning, implementation, evaluation and grant writing for schools, libraries or other information settings.
Students will choose ONE course from the following list:
- INFO 5208 - Learning Resources Organization. Organization of print and non-print collections, including descriptive cataloging, AACR2, Resource Description and Access (RDA), Dewey Decimal Classification, Library of Congress and Sears Subject Headings and MARC records.
- INFO 5210 - Introduction to Cataloging and Classification. Descriptive and subject cataloging to represent multiple forms of information resources in bibliographic databases.
- INFO 5310 - Marketing and Customer Relationships for Information Professionals. Demonstrates marketing and customer relationship management and their importance for libraries and information centers, principles of marketing, public relations, and outreach. Marketing mix, development and implementation of marketing and customer relationship strategy, mission statement.
- INFO 5320 - Public Libraries. Problems of organization and management of public libraries and urban/rural library systems; their resources, functions and services. Related municipal, regional and state information agencies and services. Federal and state programs; development and trends. Individual investigation of major issues and topics.
- INFO 5685 - Information Resources and Services in Culturally Diverse Communities. Seminar in information resources, methods and services for diverse communities. Issues in the provision of information services to diverse communities. Study of the needs and cultural milieu of these communities. Materials and methods for serving these groups.
Ready to Apply?
Students are admitted following a holistic review of applications. The steps to apply for a Graduate Academic Certificate are below:
1. Apply to the University of North Texas Toulouse Graduate School via ApplyTexas and pay the application fee.
- Send transcripts from previous schools attended to the UNT Toulouse Graduate School. Official transcripts may be sent from previous institutions via email to GradAdmission@unt.edu.
2. Complete the Department of Information Science GAC Application Form and attach a current resume to the application.
Students who are awarded Academic Certificates and later apply for admission to the M.S. in Library Science or Information Science program will be required to submit the additional materials needed for admission to that program.
NOTE: If you are a current student in the Department of Information Science and you are applying for a GAC, please complete the Application for Concurrent Graduate Academic Certificate Programs (EUID and UNT password login required) so that your academic certificate program will be reflected on your transcript. If you do not complete the form before your graduating semester, the Toulouse Graduate School will not accept your request for the certificate.
Once You Are Admitted
Once admitted, you will be assigned an advisor who will assist you in getting enrolled for classes and beginning the Graduate Academic Certificate Program.
Academic Certificate Completion Form and Request to Receive Your Certificate
Once you complete your course work, please submit the Request for Graduate Academic Certificate of Completion form to receive your certificate.
Contact Information:
| Title | Contact | |
|---|---|---|
| Program Coordinator | Dr. Sarah Evans | Sarah.Evans@unt.edu |
| Asst. Dir., Student Support Services | Rachel Hall | CI-Advising@unt.edu |
| Department Chair | Dr. Jiangping Chen | LIS-Chair@unt.edu |