The graduate Certificate in Special Collections Librarianship requires 15 s.h. of coursework.
The certificate develops students' skills in a variety of areas suitable to work in special collections, archives, and cultural heritage settings. Students take an introductory course and select four additional courses, one from each of the areas of study: material culture research and analysis; care and use of collections; arrangement, description, and cataloging; and digital curation and stewardship. Students may choose to complete an approved practicum in special collections.
The Certificate in Special Collections Librarianship requires the following coursework.
Required Course
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| This course: | ||
| SLIS:5630 | Introduction to Special Collections and Archives | 3 |
Areas of Study
Students take four courses for a total of 12 s.h., one from each of the areas listed below.
Material Culture Research and Analysis
Courses in this area offer students knowledge of primary source literacies and research skills that can be applied to the care, use, and interpretation of unique and distinct collections and supporting the researchers who work with them.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One of these: | ||
| SLIS:4920 | The Book in Early Modern Europe | 3 |
| SLIS:5600 | Reading Culture: History and Research in Print and Digital Media | 3 |
| SLIS:6411 | Humanities Librarianship: Inquiry, Learning, and Knowledge | 3 |
Care and Use of Collections
Courses in this area explore the role of the special collections practitioner in the balance between providing access and promoting use of collections and the preservation practices that ensure the long-term safety and stewardship of unique and distinct collections.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One of these: | ||
| SLIS:5530 | Preservation Management | 3 |
| SLIS:6145 | Digital Preservation and Stewardship | 3 |
| SLIS:6335 | Metadata Theories and Applications | 3 |
Arrangement, Description, and Cataloging
Courses in this area explore contemporary descriptive practices for special collections and archives with a focus on user discovery.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One of these: | ||
| SLIS:6255 | Rare Books Cataloging (summer session only) | 3 |
| SLIS:6350 | Archives: Theory and Practice | 3 |
Digital Curation and Stewardship
Courses in this area investigate the selection, acquisition, development, preservation, and delivery of digitized and born-digital collections.
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One of these: | ||
| SLIS:5530 | Preservation Management | 3 |
| SLIS:6140 | Digital Environments and Library Users | 3 |
Practicum
Students can choose to satisfy 3 s.h. for the certificate with an approved practicum in special collections. Placements must be approved as a special collections placement.
For more information, see the School of Library and Information Science website.