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Library and Information Services for Children and Young Adults 

The Youth Services certificate is grounded in a foundation of ethics and social responsibility within a philosophy of radical inclusion for the field of children’s and young adult literature. Students interested in this area of study will benefit not only from Dominican's outstanding faculty but also access to the Butler Children's Literature Center, recognized as one of the country's premier centers for the study of children's literature.

The SOIS Certificate in Youth Services provides:

  • A theoretical foundation, grounding library service to young people in the enduring values of the profession
  • A practical foundation, equipping librarians with the skills necessary to manage strong collections, present engaging programs, deliver peerless reference and readers-advisory service, and instruct young people in multiple literacies.
  • A bridge from theory to practice, giving the work meaningful context and illuminating the theory in real world terms.
Career Opportunities in Youth Services

Specialized study in children and youth services provides excellent preparation for careers in public, school and special libraries and nonprofit organizations as:

  • Children's librarians
  • Teen librarians
  • Youth reader's advisors
  • Literacy specialists
  • Storytellers

Students may combine this certificate with other coursework toward the completion of the Master of Professional Studies.

Degree Requirements

The certificate is offered for students currently pursuing an MLIS, MSIM, or MPS at the School of Information Studies (SOIS) or to returning students who want to add the specialization to a completed post-graduate degree. Candidates work in collaboration with a faculty advisor to shape a plan of study. Certificate completion requires 15 graduate credit hours.

Curriculum

The certificate requires completion of 15 graduate credit hours from the following course offerings:

  • LIS 718 Storytelling for Adults and Children
  • LIS 719 History of Children's Literature from Western Europe to the United States
  • LIS 720 Picture Books and Early Literacy
  • LIS 721 Library Materials for Children
  • LIS 722 Library Materials for Young Adults
  • LIS 723 Services for Children and Young Adults
  • LIS 724 Integrating Technology into Programming, Services and Instruction
  • LIS 725 Curriculum and School Libraries
  • LIS 728 Clinical Practice
  • LIS 732 Introduction to Critical Race information Theory (CRiT)
  • LIS 773 School Libraries
  • LIS 777 Issues of Access, Advocacy, and Policy in Youth Services
  • LIS 796 Special Topics (when offered, such as International Book Fair in Bologna, Italy)
  • LIS 799 Practicum
  • LIS 801 Independent Study in Library and Information Science
  • LIS 804 Special Topics (when focused on youth services or literature)
  • LIS 820 Clinical Practice
  • LIS 801 Independent Study in LIS
  • MAYL 810 Book Reviewing and Publishing for Children and Young Adults
  • MAYL 811 Diversity Issues in Youth Literature
  • MAYL 812 Fairy Tale Fantasy and Contemporary Media for Young Adults
  • MAYL 814 Graphic Novels and Other Genres
  • MAYL 815 History of Folk and Fairy Tales for Youth
  • MAYL 817 Picture Book Illustration

View course descriptions.

Back to SOIS Certificate Programs