All Courses : Graduate School of Library and Information Science

All courses offered are at three credits. GSLIS students are able to view full syllabi at http://gslis.simmons.edu/wikis/syllabi/Main_Page (you must have a Simmons log in to be able to view the page; requests from non-GSLIS students can be sent to gslishelp@simmons.edu).

LIS 403 - Eval of Info Services

The course applies the principles of evaluation research to contemporary information management problems. It covers the fundamentals of identifying and investigating problems relevant to continuous quality enhancement and communicating the results to decision makers. NOTE: This is a required course for students entering Fall 2005 and thereafter; for students who entered prior to Fall 2005, this course may be taken to fulfill the program requirement of either LIS 403 or LIS 404.

LIS 404 - Principles of Management

Designed to acquaint students with the basic management functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. The course is intended to help provide understanding of human interactions in the workplace and develop the practical problem-solving skills needed to handle managerial problems professionally. Approaches to managing, from authoritarian to participative to laissez-faire, are examined. Readings, case studies, critical incidents, simulations, and discussions. NOTE: This is a required course for students entering Fall 2005 and thereafter; for students who entered prior to Fall 2005, this course may be taken to fulfill the program requirement of either LIS 403 or LIS 404.

LIS 407 - Reference/Information Services

Covers reference services, searching, and sources. Introduces reference concepts and services, such as the reference interview, customer service, evaluating the reference collection, management, ethics, reference philosophy, service in different institutional settings and for diverse populations, and the assessment of reference services. Students learn how to search in digital and print sources, including full text information retrieval in subscription services and the freely available web. Students become familiar with over two hundred core, fundamental print and digital sources.

LIS 415 - Information Organization

The phenomena, activities, and issues surrounding the organization of information in service of users and user communities. Topics include resource types and formats, information service institutions, markup, descriptive metadata, content standards, subject analysis and classification, and the information life cycle. Readings, discussions, examinations, and oral and written exercises.

LIS 488 - Tech. for Info. Professionals

This is a course that provides the conceptual foundation and context of computing, Internet, and digital publishing technologies as used in information-intensive professions. The course serves as a gateway to all other technology courses offered at GSLIS beginning with the Fall 2005 semester. The course provides an overview of how computers, telecommunications, networking, and digital publishing function. Particular emphasis is upon terminology that appears in the professional literature. Students are strongly encouraged to take this course early in their course program. This is a required course for students entering Fall 2005 and thereafter; it does not replace the Technology Orientation Requirement which provides hands-on skills.

LIS 400 - Technology Orientation Requirement (TOR)

The Technology Orientation Requirement is designed to serve as a self-paced introduction to the technology and resources you will use in the GSLIS program. It ensures that all incoming GSLIS students are prepared to use the technology required for their GSLIS classes, regardless of a specific LIS track to be taken. It was created by a faculty committee who specifically chose the format and content that is most pertinent to the LIS curriculum.

LIS 406 - Management of School Library Media Programs

This course examines the philosophy and management of school library programs, including the roles of the school library teacher and of the pre-K-12 school library program, through the study of teaching and learning, library facility design, integration of instructional technology, electronic access, differentiation of instruction, literacy, 21st Century information skills, service to English Language Learners, access, equity, ethical issues, budget, advocacy, strategic planning, and program evaluation. Field-based course work is also required.Prerequisites: LIS 400 and LIS 426. Please note: new title and description were voted in at the 4/13/11 Faculty Meeting.

LIS 408 - User Instruction

This course offers an overview of user instruction, including needs assessment, planning, educational strategies, and evaluation of programs in all types of libraries. Critical evaluation of concepts of information literacy, learning theories, and the goals of user instruction. Application of best practices principles in development of user instruction program modules for either oral presentation or online tutorials. Readings, discussion, guest lectures, oral presentations, and a term project. Prerequisites: 12 semester hours.

LIS 409 - Literature of the Social Sciences

Overview of social science information, environment, structure of resources, and users. Emphasis upon navigating through an increasingly interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary body of knowledge. Discussion will include the evolution of the various disciplines, organization of inquiry, and role of research methodologies. Techniques used to evaluate social science information are covered. Typically includes guest speakers and field trips. Prerequisite: LIS 407.

LIS 411 - Information Sources for Children

This course introduces criteria and professional tools for evaluating and selecting nonfiction books, reference materials, periodicals, nonprint materials, and electronic resources to serve the varied needs and interests of children in public libraries and school library/media centers. Considers changing forms of material and aspects of how content is influenced by format. Examines the usefulness of library catalogs and other access tools in guiding children to appropriate information. Attention is given to theories of critical thinking and information literacy to expand understanding of children as users of information.

LIS 412 - Library Programs and Services for Young Adults (formerly LIS 531L)

This course examines the planning and delivery of information and recreational services to meet the diverse needs of young people between the ages of 12 and 18 in public libraries and school library/media centers. Examination of the developmental tasks of adolescents and relevant social, education, and demographic trends. Emphasis on the development of library policies and collaboration with youth serving community agencies. Attention to communication and program skills and the promoting, funding, and evaluating of library programs and services for teenagers.

LIS 413 - Literature of the Humanities

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the numerous types of standard and current works, reference materials, bibliographic sources, and Web portals in the humanities. In addition, the course emphasizes various approaches to searching for information and to the bibliographic structure of disciplines. Students will evaluate sources, search for information, and investigate topics in the humanities. Prerequisite: LIS 407.

LIS 414 - Organization and Management of Corporate Libraries

This course examines the history, types of libraries, staffing, development, and future of company libraries in the United States. Specific attention will be given to examples of highly successful models as well as those corporate information centers which have encountered problems. Recent research on the value of information professionals and the perceived value of corporate libraries will be examined in detail. Methodologies to evaluate the company library will be discussed. Comparative data on corporate libraries in the U.S., Europe, and Japan will be included in this course.

LIS 417 - Advanced Subject Cataloging and Classification

This course addresses the theories, principles, and practices of subject cataloging and classification. It covers the application of national standards to the creation of bibliographic records and to the construction of catalogs in libraries and other information environments. It teaches the concepts of subject cataloging including: understanding the various approaches to and pitfalls in determining aboutness; the theoretical foundations, structure, and the application of LCSH in subject cataloging; the application of the policies in the LC Subject Heading Manual; and complex number building in Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification. The course also includes examinations of the history and theoretical foundations of subject cataloging and classification and explores other subject access systems from around the world (e.g., UDC, Colon, Bliss, Expansive classification, PRECIS, AAT, and MeSH). May include readings, discussions, presentations, exams, exercises, and individual or group projects. Prerequisites: LIS 415 and LIS 532A.

LIS 418 - Technical Services

Organization, administration, and functions of technical services, including selection, acquisition, and management of monographic, serial, print, and electronic resources; management of metadata, cataloging, and preservation functions; commercially available technology and services, including outsourcing and vendor-supplied metadata, to support technical services functions; and consortial purchasing and other cooperative projects. Course may include lecture, readings and discussions on current topics, guest lectures, field trips, papers, and other individual projects.

LIS 419 - Indexing and Thesaurus Construction

Design, evaluation, and improvement of systems providing subject access to information resources. Indexing, classification and taxonomy, indexing language development, abstracting, algorithmic approaches. Subject organization and retrieval in a range of information systems and settings, including Web sites, subject gateways, and digital libraries. Practical exercises, individual or group projects, in-class presentations. Prerequisites: LIS 407 and LIS 415.

LIS 420 - Book Publishing and Librarianship

The course focuses on the book publishing industry and its relationship to the library profession. Students examine all the segments of the publishing process: editorial, design, manufacturing, marketing, and sales. The course explores current issues in the book publishing industry; it helps librarians develop critical skills to evaluate books; it clarifies aspects of copyright as related to printed material; and it provides information about ways libraries can influence what appears in print and can take advantage of current conditions in the publishing marketplace. Also included are guest speakers from the publishing industry, media presentations, and individual research papers.

LIS 421 - Social Informatics

"Social Informatics" refers to the body of research and study that examines social aspects of computerization - including the roles of information technology in social and organizational change and the ways that the social organization of information technologies are influenced by social forces and social practices. This graduate seminar is for students interested in the influence of information technology in the human context, including cultural heritage, professional concerns, and social inequities. The course introduces some of the key concepts of social informatics and situates them into the view of varied perspectives including readers, librarians, computer professionals, authors, educators, publishers, editors, and the institutions that support them.

LIS 422 - Literacy and Services to Underserved
Populations: Issues and Responses

This course provides an overview of the social, economic, and political impact of adult functional illiteracy in the United States; it discusses the issue at both the federal and state level with implications for library involvement at the community level. Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of the literacy needs of a community and at the development and implementation of programs to meet that need. It will introduce advocacy, training, budgeting, staff recruitment, student assessment and instruction, publicity and program evaluation of both traditional and innovative library-based literacy/ESOL programs; it will suggest approaches to serve traditionally underrepresented communities by exploring how to improve equity of access to those populations.

LIS 423 - Storytelling

This course examines cultural origins and contemporary practices of oral storytelling. It explores the psychological and social value of stories and practical and ethical issues in selecting, adapting, and presenting story materials. Students observe and practice storytelling and develop a personal repertoire of stories. Readings, class discussion and exercises, and course assignments will acquaint them with a wide variety of story types, skills of story presentation, and the development of story programs.

LIS 425 - History of the Book

The course will cover a wide variety of topics concerned with the history and development of the book, both as a physical object and as the bearer of intellectual content. Therefore, the lectures / discussions will look at two different kinds of phenomena: the physical properties of the objects that carried written and pictorial texts and the intellectual use to which books have been put. A third area that the course will address picks up the miscellaneous but important issues of the world of libraries; the antiquarian and out-of-print book trade; remainders; handling, storing, caring for, repairing, and conserving books; legal considerations of book/text ownership and use; and other areas of book history. Students will be introduced to the extensive vocabulary of the book world. With a mastery of this new vocabulary, the students will have a grasp of a subject of extraordinary breadth, boundless fascination, and endless debate. As Milton said, "A good book is the precious life blood of a master spirit." This course will explain why. Formerly LIS 532.

LIS 426 - Curriculum and the School Library Teacher
Strategies for Library Teachers

This course provides a close examination of the organization, structure, and content of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and of the Common Core. Students will identify elements of the Frameworks that promote student achievement through library activities, projects, and instruction. The central role of curriculum in teaching and learning will be discussed. Emphasis will be on lesson and unit planning, organizing, implementing, and assessing library activities and student projects that support and enhance the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and Common Core topics and bridge to AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner, and that result in student achievement. Some key topics will be cross-disciplinary learning, inquiry-based learning, differentiation, literacy, research skills, assessment, and collaboration with classroom and subject area teachers, and developing the role of the school library teacher as a reflective practitioner. Please note: new title and description were voted in at the 4/13/11 Faculty Meeting.

LIS 428 - U.S. Government as Publisher

Within an information policy context, the course examines the life cycle of government information, with particular emphasis on public access issues, the evolution from distribution to dissemination, and the emergence of e-government--a multi-faceted concept. Students learn to navigate through a rich body of current and historical literature.

LIS 430 - Business Information Sources and Services

A survey of print and electronic information sources as well as coverage of basic business concepts is provided. It will include sources basic to business, finance, trade, company and industry reference and be both national and international in scope. The objective will be to familiarize students with source material including government sources and statistics, industry and trade literature, used for business research. Attention will also be paid to the information needs of business people and researchers as well as the issues and concerns associated with business information gathering and research. Prerequisite: LIS 407.

LIS 431 - Instructional Strategies for the School Library Teacher

This course provides an in-depth look at the pedagogy of teaching and learning including an analysis of the research base that informs the use of specific instructional strategies. It is structured to enable the future library teacher to understand his/her role and responsibilities as a teacher and instructional partner with classroom/subject area teachers with whom he/she will collaborate. Students prepare lessons, teach, participate in peer reviews, and begin to develop as reflective practitioners. Please note: new title and description were voted in at the 4/13/11 Faculty Meeting.

LIS 433 - Oral History

This course is in four components: 1] studying the ethics and responsible practice of oral history; 2] studying the mechanics of analog and digital recording; 3] developing a project to document a life, event, occupation, family, institution or experience; 4] archiving, providing access and preserving analog and digital recordings. The class will make use of films, field trips and guest lecturers. All projects must secure the approval of the Simmons College Internal Review Board.

LIS 434 - Medical Librarianship

Basic concepts and trends in the organization and management of the medical library. Selection, organization, and utilization of print and electronic medical literature and information. Emphasis on the institutional and environmental information needs of medical education, research, and practice in which the health sciences librarian works. Utilization of the online databases and controlled vocabularies from the National Library of Medicine and experience in the navigation, identification, and evaluation of Internet-based medical and health information resources. Current and future trends in health sciences librarianship .

LIS 435 - Music Librarianship

Scope, types, and functions of music libraries; their physical and intellectual organization and administration. Included are principles and techniques of selection, acquisition, classification, cataloging, binding, storage, and dissemination of music materials; principles, techniques, and materials of music reference and research; music publishing and recording, including listening facilities; and philosophy and functions of the music librarian. Music-reading ability and substantial music literature background required. Prerequisite: LIS 415.

LIS 437 - Legal Information Sources

Study of legal information; origins, organization, dissemination, and use of legal media, as well as techniques of basic legal research. Prerequisite: LIS 407.

LIS 438 - Introduction to Archival Methods and Services

Fundamentals of a wide range of archival activities including appraisal, acquisitions, arrangement, description, reference, and access. Overview of history and terminology of the profession. Discussion of the types and varieties of archival repositories and the value of historical records beyond traditional research use. Course includes a required 60-hour internship completed in an archives or manuscript repository. Required course for Archives Management Concentration.

LIS 439 - Preservation Management in Libraries and
Archives

This course covers the fundamentals of planning and managing programs of prevention and remedial treatment for the preservation of information resources in libraries and archives. The study of the nature of all types of materials and the factors contributing to their deterioration serves as background. Preservation planning topics, such as environmental control and light, security, risk management, fire prevention, housekeeping and storage, general collections maintenance and testing methods, are covered. Additional topics include: emergency planning in the areas of preparedness, mitigation and response; selection of materials for basic repair, conservation or reformatting; budgeting for preservation activities; preservation training for staff and users; digital preservation; and cooperative programs. Course includes readings, guest lectures, media presentations, field trips, demonstrations, and individual projects. .

LIS 440 - Archival Access and Use

Explores access to and use of archives and manuscript collections within the framework of archival description and representation. How archives are described and the surrogates that are used to represent them profoundly impact their access and use and are central to the archives profession. Students will explore various types of archival use including exhibits (physical and virtual) in addition to the creation of surrogates for primary sources and will gain a theoretical and practical understanding of EAD (Encoded Archival Description) as well as other emerging metadata standards. Required course for Archives Management Concentration. Prerequisite: LIS 415 and LIS 438

LIS 441 - Appraisal of Archives and Manuscripts

Archival appraisal, or the assessment and evaluation of archival records to determine their continuing value for long-term retention, is one of the central and most critical challenges and responsibilities of the archivist. Building on the introductory exposure to appraisal offered in LIS 438, this course will focus on developing a theoretical framework for appraisal by introducing students to the strategies and methodologies of appraisal, through case studies and by exploring appraisal models developed and implemented within the profession. It will place the issues and activities of appraisal within the context of the documentation of society and the preservation of organizational and community memory. Prerequisite: LIS 438

LIS 442 - Establishing Archives and Manuscript Programs

Developing a knowledge base that encompasses a variety of competencies around sustaining an archives is vital for archivists who often work in small one or two person repositories or may face the challenges of establishing new repositories. This course will analyze the requirements of such small or emerging programs and focus on the ways to develop strategic plans, locate and pursue sources of funding, market and design outreach, understand the physical and intellectual resources of an archival facility; and sustain program growth. The class will also examine these issues within the context of different types of archives (i.e. government, academic, historical societies). Prerequisite: LIS 438

LIS 443 - Archives, History, and Collective Memory

This is a bridge course between Archives and History that explores the relationship between historical events, the creation and maintenance of archival records, and the construction of collective memory. It analyzes the role of archives and records in the process of documenting and remembering (or forgetting) history. Focusing on twentieth century events, it considers such archival issues as repatriation, records destruction, contested history, and memory construction. These issues are presented within the context of various types of records such as genealogical records, oral records, and records of material culture (artifacts) in addition to traditional print materials. Required for Dual Degree Archives/History students. Prerequisite: LIS 438 for Archives Concentrators and dual degree students

LIS 444 - Archiving and Preserving Digital Media (formerly LIS 531K)

The preservation and retention of media in digital environments are increasingly urgent issues for archival digital repositories. This course focuses on archiving and preserving a wide variety of digital media (primarily text, image, sound, moving images, and web sites) as well as thinking in a long-term way about overcoming the many challenges. Topics under discussion will include the characteristics of digital media that make a difference in their long-term preservation, media formats, rights issues, digital asset management, each addressed theoretically, historically, and practically. Please note: this class is not limited to Archives concentrators. All students are welcome. No prerequisite.

LIS 446 - Art Documentation

Generation, management, and dissemination of art information in art libraries, visual collections, and museums. Examination of art historical methodology and impact of new technologies of research; challenges of developing collections with unique format materials; developments in technologies and their impacts on art libraries; developments in cooperative programs to establish standards for cataloging, organizing and disseminating visual materials; interrelatedness of automated documentation projects in libraries, archives, visual collections, and museums. Course requires class discussion, reading and written assignments, an individual or group project and in-class presentation. Prerequisite: LIS 415

LIS 447 - Collection Maintenance

This course in preservation management deals with the planning, implementation, and management of an effective collections maintenance program, including an effective repair program for a small/medium general collection. Topics include developing criteria for the selection of items in need of repair, binding, or replacement; learning the proper repair and housing techniques for bound and unbound materials in order to be able to administer an in-house repair program; selecting and processing materials for remote storage facilities; the cost factors involved in developing a collections maintenance program for general collections; and selecting and managing staff, space, equipment, and supplies for such a program.

LIS 450 - Organization and Management of Public Libraries

Examines the principles and techniques of planning and delivering public library services to individuals and communities. Emphasis on preparation of a community profile and development of service goals and objectives, with attention to library relationships with other community agencies. Examination of the governance and service structure of metropolitan and town libraries with consideration of political, fiscal and societal trends affecting them. Analysis of the library needs of specific groups and the means of implementing particular programs and services.

LIS 451 - Academic Libraries

Survey of the development, current state, and future directions of college and university libraries. The focus will be on broad issues within a context that connects academic libraries, and their infrastructure, with their parent institutions. Such issues include managing change, scholarly communication, publishing, information technology, advocacy, evaluation and assessment, planning, budgeting, and higher education. Prerequisite: LIS 407.

LIS 453 - Collection Development and Management

Activities through which library collections are systematically developed and managed are explored, especially the formulation and implementation of written collection development policies. Other specific topics include identification of user needs; collection evaluation; fund allocation among competing departments, subjects, and/or media; selection methods; intellectual freedom; storage alternatives; and cooperative collection development. Course includes readings, guest lectures, and a term project in which a collection development policy for a real information agency is prepared. Prerequisites: LIS 407 and LIS 415 or the permission of the instructor.

LIS 454 - Digital Information Services and Providers

Provides a survey of the use and management of commercial electronic resources. The course will focus on search strategies and logics as applied to online databases in bibliographic, full-text, numeric, and directory formats. Focuses on management considerations such as client relationships, collection development, equipment purchasing, and the management of public access services. Trends in electronic publishing both in multimedia CD-ROM and the World Wide Web are explored. Instructional methods include lecture, online demonstrations, hands-on training, and guest speakers. Prerequisite: LIS 407

LIS 456 - Managing Records in Electronic Environments

Records Management is an essential component of archival practice. This course covers the principles, standard, procedures, and technologies utilized in modern recordkeeping and information resources management. Topics include appraisal, scheduling and disposition, systems theory, functional analysis, systems design and electronic records management and policy. Required course for Archives Management Concentration. Prerequisite: LIS 415 (LIS 438 is recommended as a pre-requisite for archives concentrators)

LIS 457 - Digital Publishing

Whether delivered on the Internet or in print, publishing is now produced in digital formats. One of the most significant effects of the digitization of publishing is that the concept of who is a publisher has significant expanded. Many institutions, particularly libraries, archives, and museums, find themselves assuming the role of publisher. Moreover, in addition these institutions also deliver and manage the digital content they acquire from publishers. This course demonstrates how this content are constructed and from both traditional and nontraditional publisher perspectives, such as institutional repositories. The overall goal is to present the "big picture" view of the digital publishing process from conceptualization to final product. This course will introduce students to the core and evolving technologies of digital publishing and the software applications used to create them.

LIS 458 - Database Management

Principles and practices of database management and database design. Discussion and practice cover database application lifecycle, data modeling, relational database design, SQL queries, reports and other interfaces to database data, and documentation. Lectures also cover Web databases, XML, multimedia databases, and ethical and privacy issues associated with database systems. Individual and group projects. Prerequisites: LIS 488 and Technology Orientation Requirement (TOR).

LIS 460 - Technology and the School Library Teacher

This course will prepare the school library teacher to successfully integrate new and emerging technologies into the school library program, technology lab, and classroom. Technologies studied will be appropriate for integration into all areas of the school's curriculum. Web-based and mobile resources and tools are used extensively throughout the course and are directly tied to current topics in successful school library management and practice. Hands-on learning and discussion of issues that could arise as a part of technology integration with pre-K - 12 students are foundational elements of the course. The role the school library teacher plays in the professional development of teachers in his/her school as a resource person, leader in technology instruction, facilitator, collaborator, and instructor will be discussed throughout the course. Prerequisites: LIS 400 and LIS 407. Please note: new title and description were voted in at the 4/13/11 Faculty Meeting.

LIS 462 - Digital Libraries

Digital libraries are regulated collections of distributed networked resources made accessible to users, usually through a transparent and standardized interface. This course will examine publicly and privately funded digital library projects in the US and internationally, and will explore evolving definitions and visions, as well as issues such as preservation and intellectual property. Through hands-on investigation, students will also become familiar with the components of digital libraries, and with digital library research. Assignments will include (but are not limited to) papers and presentations. Prerequisites: LIS 415 and LIS 488

LIS 465 - Knowledge Management

This course will cover the entire knowledge management cycle from knowledge capture and codification, to sharing and communities of practice, transfer and application. It will also include major theories and models in knowledge management. Students will learn to apply the case study research design in knowledge management in organizational improvement. Contemporary knowledge management software (including knowledge creation and sharing in social networking websites) will be covered. Finally, the course will explore knowledge management not just from the organizational perspective, but also from the individual perspective.

LIS 466 - Information Retrieval (formerly LIS 531H)

This course covers all aspects of Information Retrieval (IR). In this class, students study technical foundations of text-based retrieval: IR models, system evaluation, improvements on retrieval through relevance feedback, human-computer interaction for IR, multimedia IR, and IR in the library, especially web, library, and digital library applications. Some specific class topics include interactive information visualization, IR and multimedia, free-text searching and the integration of semantically-tagged records, language issues that form domain-specific retrieval research programs (e.g. bioinformatics, medical librarianship; latent semantic indexing, generalized vector model and Markov-chain clustering techniques). Prerequisite: LIS 488

LIS 467 - Web Development and Information Architecture (formerly LIS 531G)

Organizing and structuring content to help individuals, communities, and organizations find and manage internal and external Web-based resources and services. Application of current coding, metadata, and style standards to create Web documents. Evaluation of Web site quality and usability, and assessment of resource discovery tools. Strategic planning and user needs analysis for information architecture. Content inventory, organization, and management in support of wayfinding and navigation. Design documents for prototyping large Web sites. Readings, essays, design projects, in-class presentations. Prerequisites: LIS 407 and 488

LIS 469 - XML - eXtensible Markup Language (formerly LIS 531F)

This course introduces students to eXtensible Markup Language (XML), its role as a standard in enabling and managing metadata applications, and its application as a data-modeling technique. Students create XML schemas and document type definitions (DTDs), and learn to apply transformations using eXtensible Stylesheet Language (XSL). The course examines a wide range of applications of XML in libraries, archives, and related information settings, and considers the technical requirements of making XML-tagged content available and useful to Web browsers and to metadata harvesting applications such as the OAI (Open Archives Initiative). Topics include XML applications in bibliographic utilities, cross-walks between XML and other systems, the role of XML as an alternative or complement to the structured database model, and managing metadata services with XML. Please note: This is a new course being offered beginning in the 2005-2006 academic year. Prerequisites: LIS 415 and 488

LIS 470 - Visual Communication

Intensive study and analysis, through illustrated lectures, of visual forms of information and communication. Upon a foundation of the history of graphic forms of communication, semiotics, philosophy, and media analysis, students study the basics of theory and iconographic languages to understand visual information resources in society in general and specifically in libraries, archives, and emerging visually-rich environments. Topics may include visual literacy, rare books, prints and printmaking, typography, photography, posters, ephemera, propaganda, digital images, exhibit construction, and other topics driven by student interests. The readings and activities from a foundation of (a) graphic/visual knowledge, (b) theory, (c) history, and (d) application in LIS. Students will be able to pursue media studies, human-computer interaction, information architecture and related topics with greater understanding.

LIS 471 - Photographic Archives and Visual Information

Photographs as visual information. Problems of meaning, context, and definition. Responsibilities of the photo archivist. History of major types of photographic artifacts and development of photographic genres. Characteristics of 19th century processes. Special problems of subject access and remote access. Utilization by scholars, visual researchers, and communication industries. Onsite examination of management practices in a variety of institutions. Guest specialists include, when possible, visitors from special libraries, historical societies, major archives, museums, and picture agencies. Prerequisite: LIS 415

LIS 475 - Organizational/Information Ethics

The course will examine the ethical implications of decisions made within various organizational contexts regarding issues such as property ownership, strategy formulation, the utilization of computer technology, employee relations, accountability, conflicts of interest, as well as other topics relevant to today's managers. Participants will examine the ethical implications of cases at the individual, organizational, and societal levels. The course will assist professionals to clarify and apply their own moral standards and ethical norms, beliefs, and values to unfamiliar, complex situations in which the appropriate application of these values may not be obvious. The course makes no effort to dictate what is "right," "proper," and "just"; that is left to the individual's own moral standards of behavior and ethical systems of belief.

LIS 481 - Children's Literature and Media Collections

This course considers critical evaluation and selection of materials for children in public libraries and schools. Examination of the characteristics of major genres of children's books and non-print formats. Emphasis on evaluation of collections and the development of collection policies and procedures. Attention to the learning needs of children and to the impact of popular media, societal and teaching trends, and contemporary information technology.

LIS 482 - Library Programs and Services to Children

This course examines trends and techniques in planning and delivering public library services to children and their families. Attention is paid to the learning needs and recreational interests of children through the various stages of childhood. Students have opportunities for observation and practice of storytelling and other program techniques. Emphasis on planning, developing, funding, publicizing and evaluation of services and programs.

LIS 483 - Young Adult Literature

This course explores the social and psychological needs and attitudes of adolescents and the literature created especially for this demographic. This class emphasizes the evaluation, selection and oral presentation of books and non-print materials for young people between the ages of 12 and 18. Special attention is paid to the developmental tasks of this age group with an eye towards literary recommendation. Topics of discussion include the literacy practices of young adults, popular literature for teen readers, and the use of specialized selection materials to develop collections in school and public libraries.

LIS 484 - Literature of Science and Technology

The structure and properties of the literature of science and technology as they relate to information generation, dissemination, and use. Major reference sources and bibliographic tools encountered in scientific information work, including exposure to machine-readable sources. Collection development, scientific communication patterns, bibliographic instruction, and other topics related to scientific technical information handling. Practical assignments in scientific and technical reference, and individual projects. Prerequisite: LIS 407.

LIS 486 - Systems Analysis in Information Services

From a foundation of systems theory, the software- and systems-development life cycle, intergroup communication, Systems Analysis & Design considers all aspects of the analysis of information systems documentation (needs analysis, feasibility study) and improved systems design (logical and physical design (e.g., technical needs; input and output requirements [forms, screens, reports, &c], networking, pseudocoding, UML and object-data models, SQL, evaluation and documentation). The course also covers management, personnel, and resource issues of project management, such as "build-or-buy" analysis & communicating with user groups. By casting libraries as small enterprises, students work with a specific library information systems project, such as a digital library project, to construct a professional-grade project analysis, in the form of a project portfolio, and present their analysis to the class. Prerequisite: LIS 488

LIS 490 - International and Comparative Librarianship

Comparison of American and foreign library systems in terms of national differences in philosophy, objectives, and services. Evaluation and comparison of collection policies, technical processes, public services, professional training, management, and facilities. Selected in-depth area studies. International cooperation and major projects in the information fields; contributions of international organizations. Guest lectures, presentations, and individual research projects.

LIS 493 - Intellectual Freedom and Censorship

This course provides students with in-depth knowledge of intellectual freedom and related access issues that information professionals cope with in libraries and information settings. Students learn about the history of censorship practices, the evolving and sometimes controversial role of librarians/information professionals and others who promote the philosophy of intellectual freedom, the policies of various countries and associations regarding intellectual freedom and ethical practice, freedom of information and privacy legislation, and overall influence of technology on censorship and access issues.

LIS 495 - Practicum Equivalent Experience (preK-12)

The Practicum Equivalent Experience provides students with the opportunity to apply in a school setting the skills and knowledge that he/she has learned throughout the School Library Teacher Program. If a student is currently working in a school library as "the teacher of record," he/she can choose to substitute one of the practica with a Practicum Equivalent Experience. The Practicum Equivalent Experience allows the student to receive credit for work experience gained at the school in which he/she is employed. The Practicum Equivalent Experience is done under the direction of a college supervisor and supervising practitioner. The minimum time requirement for a Practicum Equivalent Experience is 300 clock hours. Registration is made by arrangement with the Director of the School Library Teacher Program. Pre-requisite: LIS 495 is a capstone experience which is completed after all pre-practicum course work has been completed. Please note: new title and description were voted in at the 4/13/11 Faculty Meeting.

LIS 498 - Practicum (preK-8

This is an educational field-based experience at the preK-8 grade level for students needing a practicum as certification requirement. Students will have the opportunity to practice school library skills and methods under the direction of a college supervisor and supervising practitioner. A minimum of 100 clock hours will be arranged. Registration is made by arrangement with the Director of the SLT program. Pre-requisite: LIS 498 is a capstone experience which is completed after all pre-practicum (course) work has been completed. For students who are graduating in a given semester, he/she may concurrently take remaining course work and a practicum.

LIS 499 - Practicum (7 - 12)

This is an educational field-based experience at the 7-12 grade level for students needing a practicum as certification requirement. Students will have the opportunity to practice school library skills and methods under the direction of a college supervisor and supervising practitioner. A minimum of 100 clock hours will be arranged. Registration is made by arrangement with the Director of the SLT program. Pre-requisite: LIS 499 is a capstone experience which is completed after all pre-practicum (course) work has been completed. For students who are graduating in a given semester, he/she may concurrently take remaining course work and a practicum.

LIS 500 - Independent Study

The independent study program provides an opportunity for the student with a distinguished academic record, who has achieved degree candidacy, to pursue an individual topic related to his/her own interests for use in a substantial paper or project. A faculty member guides and advises the student in conferences, reviews preliminary drafts, and assigns the final grade. Academic credit is dependent upon substantial accomplishment at a distinguished level of quality. Members of the faculty actively encourage publication of those completed seminar studies that represent useful contributions to professional literature. The study proposal must be initiated by the student at least eight weeks before the semester in which it is to be undertaken. The student bears responsibility for formulating the study, approaching an appropriate faculty member, securing his/her consent to act as a sponsor, and submitting a full written statement outlining the study to that sponsor at least four weeks before the semester opens. Detailed instructions and Independent Study proposal forms are available at http://my.simmons.edu/gslis/resources/forms/policies.shtml.

LIS 501 - Internship in Library and Information Science

The internship is approximately 150 hours of field experience that represents an important learning experience for the student. As a 3-credit course, it has a significant hands-on learning component. Through discussion with key personnel in the organization and working under professional librarian supervision the student gains hands-on experience in the information environment. Prerequisites: Completion of at least 18 credits of which 15 hours are the core courses.

Current Topics - LIS 530

The 530 series of courses allows the faculty the opportunity and flexibility to develop courses based on current interests and trends in the field. After a course has been offered several times, the faculty vote on whether it will be entered into the regular curriculum or cease to be offered. Please note: some of these courses may be offered only occasionally rather than on an annual basis.

After being offered twice, LIS 530 courses are typically moved into the permanent curriculum and given new course numbers. If you are looking for a particular course and can't find it here, please use our Course Status page as a guide.

LIS 530J - Information Services for Diverse Users

Given the increasing diversity of information users in the United States, information professionals need to learn more about specific groups in order provide appropriate services. This course examines the special needs and potential contributions of groups that are traditionally underrepresented in information settings. Through readings, discussion, and guest lectures, students will explore diversity issues which impact information services and develop skills for planning, implementing, and evaluating programs for addressing these issues. Specific diversity issues include race and ethnicity; gender and sexual orientation; social class; national origin; physical, psychological, and learning ability; and age. Students will gain experience in addressing diversity issues in two interrelated projects. The first project will involve writing a paper on a particular group and its needs in terms of collection development, programming, or accessibility issues, etc. For the second project, students will build on the first paper in a service learning project with an information center of their choice. Examples of service learning projects include constructing a detailed program or service activity for a specific group; compiling an annotated bibliography of best current materials and digital sources for a specific group; implementing a mentoring program for a specific group; evaluating diversity programs which are already in place; or writing a staff training proposal. Prerequisite: the prerequisite for this course has been dropped.

LIS 530M - Competitive Intelligence

Organizations and organizational units increasingly employ competitive intelligence (CI) to support decision-making, management, and to build and sustain competitive advantages. As the formal practice of CI has grown in adoption and sophistication, information professionals are often charged with intelligence-related responsibilities. This course examines competitive intelligence models, functions, and practices; the roles of information professionals in CI, and the management of CI. Discussion and practice topics include: intelligence ethical and legal considerations; identifying intelligence needs; intelligence project management, research methods, analysis, production, and dissemination; the uses of intelligence; intelligence sources and tools; managing the intelligence function; and the evolution of CI. A working knowledge of print and electronic business information sources is recommended. Prerequisite: LIS 404 and LIS 407. Please note: This course was voted back into the curriculum in October 2007.

LIS 531F - XML - eXtensible Markup Language

Please see LIS 469.

LIS 531G - Web Development and Information Architecture

Please see LIS 467.

LIS 531H - Information Retrieval

Please see LIS 466.

LIS 531K - Archiving and Preserving Digital Media

Please see LIS 444.

LIS 531L - Library Programs and Services for Young Adults

Please see LIS 412.

LIS 531M - Advanced Descriptive Cataloging

This course addresses the theories, principles, and practices of bibliographic description. It covers the application of national standards to the creation of bibliographic records and to the construction of catalogs in libraries and other information environments. It covers: the description of non-book resources; the history of cataloging codes; the current conceptual models and standards for descriptive cataloging; the principles and practices of authority work; the creation of headings and authority records for corporate names, geographic names, uniform titles, and series titles; cross-references structures; and bibliographic relationships. The course also includes examinations of the history, theories, current trends, and future directions of descriptive cataloging. May include readings, discussions, presentations, exams, exercises, and individual or group projects. Prerequisites: LIS 415 and LIS 532A.

LIS 531O - Rare Book and Special Collections Librarianship

With the growth of the Internet and the proliferation of electronic applications in librarianship, the role of the Special Collections and Rare Book library has not gotten simpler. In fact, the new technology has added a layer of complexity to the life of the librarian, while many operations remain unchanged. Often, Special Collections/Rare Books Departments are like a library in microcosm, for many of these departments do all of what the parent institution does, in both technical and public services. On top of this, many administrators look to the Rare Books Department and use the department's facilities and holdings for public relations and other fund-raising activities. This course is designed as a practical introduction to Rare Book and Special Collections Librarianship, to cover for the neophyte as well as the experienced librarian the many issues of these departments' responsibilities. Pre-requisite: None. Please note: This course was voted into the curriculum in December 2006.

LIS 531P - Foundations of Library and Information Science

This course is an introduction to the field of library and information science, exploring information professions, services, and institutions, as well as addressing fundamental concepts and theories of information. Topics which will be the subject of discussion and study include settings in which an information professional might work (libraries, information centers, archives, and the information industries), the history of the information professions, the organizational structures of information institutions, the information needs of users and their information-seeking behavior, and information concepts, theories, and practices. The class will engage with current issues and trends affecting the information professions in today's society. Assignments may include presentations, posters, papers, case studies, examinations, and written exercises. Please note: This course was voted into the curriculum in Fall 2007.

LIS 531Q - Special Topics in Children's Literature and Library Science

This co-taught course offers a thematic exploration of children's and young adult literature as viewed through the sometimes complementary, sometimes contradictory disciplinary lenses of literary criticism and library science. Topics for discussion include the differences and similarities between professional reviewing and literary criticism, literary reception and the reading audience, and the intersections between theory and practice. Required course for Dual Degree in LIS/Children's Literature. Pre-requisite: None. Please note: This course was voted into the curriculum in Fall 2007.

LIS 531R - Library Automation Systems

This course provides an overview to the historical, current, and future automation and technological concerns facing information professionals in a variety of library information settings. It examines various functional components of automated library systems in acquiring, harvesting, organizing, maintaining, accessing, circulating, and disseminating collections. The course covers the process and principles of managing and evaluating library automation systems, including functional specifications, needs assessment, vendor review, RFPs, system implementation and customization, systems integration, and usability testing. It also addresses state of the art library automation trends, including incorporating new technologies such as wikis, RSS feeds, user tagging, and participatory services into library systems. Class activities may involve presentations and demos from vendors and systems librarians and possible site visits. Course requirements may include exercises using components of one or more integrated library systems (ILS). Projects may include vendor profiling, comparative analysis of online public access catalogs (OPACs) and other ILS modules, RFPs for library system products, and investigative reports on Library 2.0 technologies. Pre-requisite: LIS 415 and LIS 488. Please note: This course was voted into the curriculum in Fall 2007.

LIS 531S - Metadata

This course will cover the theory and practice of metadata as it is applied to digital collections. It will provide students with a comprehensive overview of current metadata standards in the library, archives, and visual resources communities, and offer them an opportunity to get hands-on practice using selected standards. It will examine the role of metadata in the discovery, delivery, administration, and preservation of digital objects, and consider current and emerging issues in metadata. The course will address all aspects of metadata, including creation, management, and use. In-class exercises and assignments will provide students with the opportunity to apply specific content and structure standards. Pre-requisite: LIS 415. Please note: This course was voted into the curriculum in December 2008.

LIS 531T - The Medieval Manuscript from Charlemagne to Gutenberg

This course will introduce students to the components of the medieval manuscript codex and teach them how to localize and date this kind of material, introducing them to the fields of paleography, codicology and manuscript illumination from the reign of Charlemagne in the ninth century to the invention of printing in the fifteenth. They will trace the development of book production and literate culture from its monastic origins to the later commercialization of the book trade. Different types of texts, such as Books of Hours, will be introduced. Students will learn the fundamentals of manuscript bibliographic description, and issues involving the modern book trade and curatorship of this type of material will be addressed. Pre-requisite: none. Please note: This course was voted into the curriculum in February 2009.

LIS 531U - Issues in International Librarianship: Nicaragua

The objective of this course is to provide students with the opportunity to gain hands-on, practical experience working in an international library. This course is offered in conjunction with the Simmons College Study Abroad Office. This course will take place at the international library San Juan del Sur Biblioteca Movil, the first public lending library in Nicaragua. Established by volunteers in 2001, the library currently serves almost 5000 registered patrons in San Juan del Sur with more than 12,500 books in Spanish and English. In addition, a mobile library project, begun in 2003, includes more than 8000 books and serves an additional 35 rural communities. Over the duration of this course, students will participate in a variety of projects that will include some of the following: initiating libraries, training librarians, software testing, working on business documentation for the SJDS library, presenting to the Nicaraguan Library Association, participating in book readings, book fairs, assisting SJDS library staff on the mobile book project and helping SJDS library staff with library activities. Requirements: Knowledge of beginner Spanish language skills.

**Those who do not meet this requirement but wish to attend this trip will be examined on an individual level.

LIS 531V - Concepts in Cultural Heritage Informatics

This course serves as a foundation course for students who seek careers as information professionals in archives, museums, libraries, and other cultural heritage settings. Working with representative partner sites, the course introduces students to diverse information organizations. With a focus on the purpose, mission, and history of these institutions, the course examines key concepts and activities in an interdisciplinary context. Differences in the purposes and missions of these institutions are also considered. Speciﬁc topics include: collection building, organizing knowledge structures, conserving and preserving collections, collection use, exhibitions, education, the application of technology, and cultural politics. Assignments include case studies, presentations, and group projects.

LIS 531W - Digital Stewardship

This course is designed to teach the concepts and skills involved in creating and managing a sustainable digital repository, library or archive. It has two foci: the digital convergence of cultural heritage information; and the management of digital objects over the long term through active, ongoing oversight of the total environment (content, technologies, and user expectations) during all phases of the projects' life cycle. It is underpinned by principles from the eScience arena and the Open Access movement. The course is taught through a combination for classroom component, and experimentation and problem solving in the Digital Curriculum Laboratory located at GSLIS.

LIS 531X - Practicum for Cultural Heritage Informatics

This course is a focused practical experience combined with a related classroom component that addresses and experiments with the digital convergence of cultural heritage information. Using a case study approach,students will work in small teams (normally no more than three students) on projects identiﬁed by the cultural heritage site and pre-approved by the instructor. The practicum will include site visits as well as experimentation and problem solving in the Digital Curriculum Laboratory located at GSLIS. The classroom component applies the theoretical framework for cultural heritage convergence introduced in the "Concepts" course and offers students opportunities to share and discuss their projects within the framework. The instructor will work individually with each team throughout the project. Pre-requisite: LIS 531V: Concepts in Cultural Heritage Informatics.

LIS 531Y - Usability and User Experience Research

This course covers the conceptual frameworks and applied methodologies for user-centered design and user experience research. Emphasis is placed on learning and practicing a variety of usability research methods/techniques such as scenario development, user profiling, tasks analysis, contextual inquiry, card sorting, usability tests, log data analysis, expert inspection and heuristic evaluation. Rather than a Web or interface design course, this is a research and evaluation course on usability and user experience with the assumption that the results of user and usability research would feed directly into various stages of the interface design cycle. Assignments may include usability methods plan, user persona development, scenario and task modeling, card sorting, usability testing project, and user experience research project. The usability test project will use actual real-time cases from organizations in the Greater Boston area. Usability experts and research specialists will be invited as guest speakers to present in class and some will serve as mentors/site supervisors for the usability testing project. Field trips to local usability labs will be arranged. Simmons GSLIS Usability Lab (http://gslis.simmons.edu/usability/) will be used as the platform for class projects/assignments.Prerequisites: LIS403 (or permission of the instructor); LIS467 (Preferred to take prior to this course but not a prerequisite)

LIS 531Z - Data Interoperability and Web-Based Resources

As a result of simplified computer technology and popularity of creating websites, relational databases, and xml files, anyone in a data-centric work environment (librarians, archivists, web designers, information architects, etc.) almost faces the question of how to solve access and interoperability of locally-created and third-party data resources. Data interoperability is seen as critical in business processes, medical work, eGovernment, public safety, controlled vocabularies use and the technical core of Web 2.0 activities. This course explores, using web-oriented scripting and programming, means to bridge heterogeneous resources. It will provide the computing foundations for access, manipulating, exporting, and creating new information objects and will enable the student to confront the question of data interoperability on a stronger technical footing. Through lectures and demonstrations, students will see the Internet as a client/server architecture, what is necessary to communicate between C/S using different techniques, and various data stores (flat files, xml, rdbms), and to address real-world information resource need and practices in libraries, archives, and other information-centric organizations. Students will document the need, design screens and identify data, and adapt scripts, such as php, and programming code, such as Java, to create solutions. The course includes discussion of library applications of newer applications (e.g., mashups, drupal and so on). The course will help students to address real-world information resource need and practices in libraries, archives, and other information-centric organizations. Prerequisites: LIS488 or equivalent.

LIS 532A - Introduction to Cataloging and Classification

This course covers the principles and practices of bibliographic description, subject cataloging, and classification. It covers basic descriptive cataloging of books, including: the elements of bibliographic description; the choice of descriptive detail; authority control; the choice and form of access points; and the application of MARC21. It covers basic subject cataloging and classification processes, including the application of subject headings to information resources and the creation of call numbers in Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress classifications. May include readings, discussions, presentations, exams, exercises, and individual or group projects. Prerequisites: LIS 415.

LIS 532B - Archives Field Study

This course is a field experience of 130-140 hours working in an archives setting. In includes three in-class sessions and is required for Archives concentrators. This course replaces the required internship section of LIS 440 by separating the course from the internship component and creating a separate and required Archives Field Study course. While the internship component of LIS 440 was 60 hours, the Field Study will be 130 - 140 hours and also include three in-class sessions, one at the beginning of the semester, one in the middle and one at the end. These in-class sessions will serve as mentoring, guidance and sharing sessions for students. Students may complete this Field Study concurrent with LIS 440 or may complete it any time after they have completed LIS 440. Prerequisites: LIS 438 and LIS440 (or concurrent with LIS 440).

LIS 532C - History of Libraries

This course covers the history of libraries from earliest times to the present day. It includes specific institutions, trends in service and facilities, and individuals important in the development of these institutions. While the primary focus of the course is libraries in the Western World, consideration of libraries in other traditions will be covered as source material allows. The objectives of the course include gaining a broad perspective on the history of libraries, an understanding of the history of libraries in the context of socio-cultural, political and economic developments, and an understanding of historical methods both through the analysis of primary sources related to the history of libraries and through critical reading of texts on the history of libraries. Course material includes lecture, discussion, and field trips. Assignments include several writing assignments and in-class presentations. There are no prerequisites.

LIS 593D - Information Visualization

Information visualization is the interdisciplinary study of the visual representation of large-scale collections of non-numerical information, such as library and bibliographic databases, networks of relations on the Internet, query and retrieval set relationships. Collections of digital objects—text-based and digitized visual resources—are part of a larger stream in information work of presenting large volumes of data in graphic forms from library, archive, museum and scientific work. Traditionally information visualization has been associated largely with information retrieval, data mining and information graphics with purposively design explanatory images, but as the volume of digital resources grows and visualizing techniques are simplified, library systems, digital libraries, and special-purpose information systems in both the sciences and humanities turn to visualization techniques to display, explain, and help users establish meaning from the retrieved data sets. This course complements Visual Communication (LIS 470), Photographic Archives and Visual Information (LIS 471) and similar visual resource-centric classes as well as born-digital-oriented materials, stored and processed. It may be studied on its own or be an application of what is learned in Data Interoperability and XML classes. Prerequisites: LIS 400 and LIS 488.

Current Topics - LIS 530

LIS 530J - Information Services for Diverse Users

Course details (PDF)

LIS 530M - Competitive Intelligence

LIS 531F - XML - eXtensible Markup Language

Please see LIS 469.

LIS 531G - Web Development and Information Architecture

Please see LIS 467.

LIS 531H - Information Retrieval

Please see LIS 466.

LIS 531K - Archiving and Preserving Digital Media

Please see LIS 444.

LIS 531L - Library Programs and Services for Young Adults

Please see LIS 412.

LIS 531M - Advanced Descriptive Cataloging

Course details (PDF)

LIS 531O - Rare Book and Special Collections Librarianship

Course details (PDF)

LIS 531P - Foundations of Library and Information Science

LIS 531Q - Special Topics in Children's Literature and Library Science

LIS 531R - Library Automation Systems

LIS 531S - Metadata

LIS 531T - The Medieval Manuscript from Charlemagne to Gutenberg

LIS 531U - Issues in International Librarianship: Nicaragua

**Those who do not meet this requirement but wish to attend this trip will be examined on an individual level.

LIS 531V - Concepts in Cultural Heritage Informatics

LIS 531W - Digital Stewardship

LIS 531X - Practicum for Cultural Heritage Informatics

LIS 531Y - Usability and User Experience Research

LIS 531Z - Data Interoperability and Web-Based Resources

LIS 532A - Introduction to Cataloging and Classification

LIS 532B - Archives Field Study

This course is a field experience of 130-140 hours working in an archives setting. In includes three in-class sessions and is required for Archives concentrators. This course replaces the required internship section of LIS 440 by separating the course from the internship component and creating a separate and required Archives Field Study course. While the internship component of LIS 440 was 60 hours, the Field Study will be 130 - 140 hours and also include three in-class sessions, one at the beginning of the semester, one in the middle and one at the end. These in-class sessions will serve as mentoring, guidance and sharing sessions for students. Students may complete this Field Study concurrent with LIS 440 or may complete it any time after they have completed LIS 440. Pre-requisites: LIS 438 and LIS440 (or concurrent with LIS 440).

LIS 532C - History of Libraries

LIS 532D - Information Visualization

LIS 600 - Supervised Study (1 semester hour for Ph.D. students; 2 semester hours for D.A. students)

Open only to students in the doctoral program. Required of all such students (1) not in residence in any regular semester in order to maintain matriculation, (2) not taking a course for credit during the fall or spring semester, and (3) working on their concept paper, proposal, or their field research project. Supervised study may not be applied toward academic credit requirements for the doctoral degree.

LIS 601 - Independent Study for Doctoral Students

Independent Study offers an opportunity for the doctoral student to pursue individual study related to aspects of management not covered in detail in the regular course offerings. Independent Study may be a reading course, a group investigation of a topic of mutual interest, or a directed research project. An end result will be an oral presentation to the faculty supervisor and the Committee on Doctoral Studies, as well as a possible paper of publishable quality.

LIS 605 - Special Topics Seminar

This course offers an opportunity for elective doctoral seminars on different topics, and is designed to respond to current issues and interests. Each seminar topic must be approved by the Committee on Doctoral Studies before it is offered, and must be reapproved if it is repeated. The Doctoral Committee will bring each topic proposal to the Curriculum Committee for discussion prior to making a final decision. This course is open to master's students with the permission of the instructor.

Each seminar will contain the following elements:

1. Focus on a narrow and clearly-defined topic which is not taught as a course in the master's program.

2. Focus on theoretical analysis and reflection.

3. A reading list at an appropriate level for doctoral studies.

4. A final paper suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, or some other form of creative output.

Prerequisites: GLSIS doctoral students: LIS 620; master's students and graduate students from other units of the College: permission of the instructor.

LIS 620 - History, Concepts, and Research Opportunities

LIS 620 serves as a foundation and a cohort-building course. The course takes an international perspective in exploring historical developments, current issues, and research activities of interest to library and information science, archival studies, and related information fields. It reviews the history and major developments in LIS education and considers the role of scholarship in higher education. It introduces key topics related to the research process, including problem identification, funding opportunities, the communication of findings, use of human subjects, research ethics, and research misconduct. Assignments include papers, presentations, leading classroom discussions, and completion of the Simmons College Institutional Review Board "Investigator 101" module. This is the required first course for PhD students.

LIS 621 - Conducting Research

This course addresses the theories, principles, and practices of social science research. It examines reflective inquiry (including the development of the problem statement, literature review, theoretical framework, logical structure, research objectives, and questions/hypotheses) and research design, data collection methods, and data analysis. The course also covers generalizability, reliability and validity, and the report and presentation of research results. Methods in quantitative and qualitative data analysis are introduced. Students are able to develop their own research proposals and select appropriate methods based on specific research questions. The course builds on themes and research concepts introduced in LIS 620: History, Concepts and Research Opportunities. The course requirement might include assignments, quizzes, research projects, and presentation of the research results. Pre-req: LIS 620.

LIS 642 - Applied Statistics for Library & Information Science

A basic course in the application of measurement procedures in library management problems. Emphasis on basic statistical procedures and techniques commonly employed in the analysis of operational data for managerial decision making.

LIS 666 - Advanced Problems in School Media Center Administration

Application of management theory to the school library media program at the system/ district level. Emphasis on system-wide coordination, principles, and methods of supervision; program development and implementation; and newer trends. A field-based component of 75 clock hours in this course is required. Prerequisite: LIS 406 or equivalent.

LIS 667 - Internship S/D (preK-12)

An educational experience consisting of 150 clock hours in actual service in a public school system in which the candidate acquires practical supervisory experience under the direction of a local employer. Supervision and evaluation are the responsibilities of the Director of the SLTP program. Registration is arranged with the Director of the SLTP program for the Supervisor/Director certificate. A student who intends to become certified as a Supervisor/ Director is required to take the appropriate field work components in LIS 667-669.

LIS 668 - Practicum S/D (preK-12)

An educational field-based experience for students needing a practicum as Supervisor/ Director certification requirement. Students will have the opportunity to practice supervisory skills and media methods under the direction of a faculty member and cooperating practitioner. A minimum of 75 clock hours will be arranged. Registration is arranged with the Director of the SLTP program. A student who intends to become certified as a Supervisor/Director is required to take the appropriate field work components in LIS 667-669.

LIS 669 - Clinical Experience S/D (preK-12)

An educational field-based experience for students needing a clinical experience per the Supervisor/Director certification requirement. This experience must be in the role as Supervisor/Director at the preK-12 level. Students must demonstrate the ability to integrate content area knowledge with pedagogical theory and practice. A minimum of 400 clock hours or one full semester is required. A student who intends to become certified as a Supervisor/Director is required to take the appropriate field work components in LIS 667-669.

LIS 671 - Managerial Leadership for Library and Information Services

This course reviews the major contributions to contemporary managerial leadership research, theory, and practice, including such areas as strategic planning, change management, and team building. It also places emphasis on a greater awareness of one's behavior, its impact on others, and the elements needed to influence people to accomplish desired goals in information organizations.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 672 - Research for Managerial Leadership for Library and Information Services

Research for managerial leadership is positioned within the larger context of social science research. The course examines the research process from conceptualization of a researchable problem, through the reflective inquiry process, to completion (including review of the publication process). The need for research in library and information science is discussed, as well as trends and issues, types of research studies, problem identification, and the set up and reporting activities of a research study.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 675 - Evaluation of Library and Information Services

The course applies the principles of evaluation research to contemporary problems related to managerial leadership in the information professions. Building on the Research for Managerial Leadership for Library and Information Services course, it covers the fundamentals of identifying and investigating problems relevant to continuous quality improvement and communicating the results to decision makers. It also provides an introduction to statistics and accountability.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 676 - Leadership in Financial Management for Library and Information Services

This course provides an overview of financial management for libraries, information-related organizations, and projects within the context of identified leadership values. The topics of planning, implementing and reporting on budgets, financial management measures, internal and external communications, partnering, stewardship, and integrity are all issues that are discussed relative to the desired outcomes of institutional accountability, credibility, and trust.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 677 - Human Resources Management for Library and Information Services

This course is a comprehensive examination of the various functions and best practices of human resource management. This course will cover human resources management (HRM) as it relates to strategic planning for human resources development; work design; recruitment, selection and retention of staff; compensation and position classification; performance planning and assessment; labor relations; motivating and leading a diverse workforce; and staff and organization development. The course also examines the interactions between managers, organizational staff, and/or specialists.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 678 - Managing and Leading Library and Information Services in a Political Environment

This course covers the skills necessary for interacting with the larger communities in which libraries and information centers operate (academic institutions, municipalities, corporations). It will specifically address advocacy and cooperation within complex, multi-stakeholder power structures as encountered when working with administrators, political leaders, and community groups (e.g., citizens, faculty, and students). The effect of political contexts on planning activities will also be covered.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 680 - Independent Inquiry

Students execute two managerial leadership research studies. Activity may begin upon completion of LIS 672 (Research for Managerial Leadership for Library and Information Services) and concurrently or subsequent to LIS 675 ( Statistics for Evaluation of Library and Information Services ). The Independent Inquiry research projects will be the execution of the research proposals developed in LIS 672 (becomes 680a research study) and LIS 675 (becomes 680b research study). This learning activity will have a flexible time frame, but it must be completed as a prerequisite to the capstone course, Issues in Leading Transformation in Library and Information Services. Program faculty will guide students in developing an appropriate schedule for completion of both studies. Students will produce two research papers of publishable quality.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 681, 682, 683 — Independent Modules accompanying LIS 676, 677, 678

The content of the 3-credit courses is complex and therefore the program curriculum also includes corresponding "modules" of 1-credit each, to provide students with the opportunity to synthesize and integrate what they have learned. The modules are similar to small capstone projects. Instructors for each module assign a project to be completed by students independently or in groups. The project is designed to enable students to pull together the elements they have learned in the corresponding 3-credit course. The nature of the module project is somewhere between that of traditional assignments and the complex, integrated questions the students will see in the Qualifying Examinations.

LIS 685 - Managerial Leadership in Public Settings

This course, which is taken just before the capstone course, covers critical issues that face public and state libraries as they continue to meet present and future challenges. It specifically builds on courses previously taken and addresses significant topics that have both managerial and leadership implications.

LIS 687 - Issues in Information Policy

Information policy is a set of interrelated principles, laws, guidelines, rule and regulations, and procedures that guide the oversight and management of the information life cycle. This field of public policy intersects most disciplines and professions, including law and public administration. Information policies determine what information is publicly available, and guide organizations in their information management practices.

LIS 688 - Fundraising and Entrepreneurial Strategies for Library and Information Services

Resource development, that is the identification and successful recruitment of new sources of funds to advance the library and information services program, is an essential aspect of leadership and strategic progress. This course addresses two aspects of resource development: fundraising and entrepreneurial strategies. The conditions and trends in the environment of libraries and information services which drive resource development will be identified. The cultural, organizational, and programmatic elements of successful library fundraising programs will be reviewed and debated, with a particular focus on the role of the library leader. The function of innovation, risk-taking, competition and business planning in enabling and promoting entrepreneurial thinking and action in library and information services will be discussed, with an emphasis on income-generating projects.

Course details (PDF)

LIS 691 - Transformation in Library and Information Services

This capstone course involves sustained interaction with faculty and fellow doctoral students in examining issues critical to transformational change. It draws on all the theories and applications explored in previous coursework and independent investigation to lead and guide informed conversation about and exploration of leading transformation in information services. Content is flexible in order to serve the competencies, needs, and interests of the student cohort. Assignments and activities include in-class presentations, discussion facilitation, and reflection on the group process. Work associated with this course does not extend beyond the week of class meeting.

LIS 699 - Dissertation/Supervised Field Research

Open only to doctoral students who have completed 32 semester hours and have successfully passed the comprehensive examination. Note: while working on the dissertation or field research project, students are enrolled in LIS 600 in the fall and spring semesters. The semester in which the study is completed, the student enrolls in LIS 699.

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LIS 403 - Eval of Info Services

LIS 404 - Principles of Management

LIS 407 - Reference/Information Services

LIS 415 - Information Organization

LIS 488 - Tech. for Info. Professionals

LIS 400 - Technology Orientation Requirement (TOR)

LIS 406 - Management of School Library Media Programs

LIS 408 - User Instruction

LIS 409 - Literature of the Social Sciences

LIS 411 - Information Sources for Children

LIS 412 - Library Programs and Services for Young Adults (formerly LIS 531L)

LIS 413 - Literature of the Humanities

LIS 414 - Organization and Management of Corporate Libraries

LIS 417 - Advanced Subject Cataloging and Classification

LIS 418 - Technical Services

LIS 419 - Indexing and Thesaurus Construction

LIS 420 - Book Publishing and Librarianship

LIS 421 - Social Informatics

LIS 422 - Literacy and Services to Underserved Populations: Issues and Responses

LIS 423 - Storytelling

LIS 425 - History of the Book

LIS 426 - Curriculum and the School Library Teacher Strategies for Library Teachers

LIS 428 - U.S. Government as Publisher

LIS 430 - Business Information Sources and Services

LIS 431 - Instructional Strategies for the School Library Teacher

LIS 433 - Oral History

LIS 434 - Medical Librarianship

LIS 435 - Music Librarianship

LIS 437 - Legal Information Sources

LIS 438 - Introduction to Archival Methods and Services

LIS 439 - Preservation Management in Libraries and Archives

LIS 440 - Archival Access and Use

LIS 441 - Appraisal of Archives and Manuscripts

LIS 442 - Establishing Archives and Manuscript Programs

LIS 443 - Archives, History, and Collective Memory

LIS 444 - Archiving and Preserving Digital Media (formerly LIS 531K)

LIS 446 - Art Documentation

LIS 447 - Collection Maintenance

LIS 450 - Organization and Management of Public Libraries

LIS 451 - Academic Libraries

LIS 453 - Collection Development and Management

LIS 454 - Digital Information Services and Providers

LIS 456 - Managing Records in Electronic Environments

LIS 457 - Digital Publishing

LIS 458 - Database Management

LIS 460 - Technology and the School Library Teacher

LIS 462 - Digital Libraries

LIS 465 - Knowledge Management

LIS 466 - Information Retrieval (formerly LIS 531H)

LIS 467 - Web Development and Information Architecture (formerly LIS 531G)

LIS 469 - XML - eXtensible Markup Language (formerly LIS 531F)

LIS 470 - Visual Communication

LIS 471 - Photographic Archives and Visual Information

LIS 475 - Organizational/Information Ethics

LIS 481 - Children's Literature and Media Collections

LIS 482 - Library Programs and Services to Children

LIS 483 - Young Adult Literature

LIS 484 - Literature of Science and Technology

LIS 486 - Systems Analysis in Information Services

LIS 490 - International and Comparative Librarianship

LIS 493 - Intellectual Freedom and Censorship

LIS 495 - Practicum Equivalent Experience (preK-12)

LIS 498 - Practicum (preK-8

LIS 499 - Practicum (7 - 12)

LIS 500 - Independent Study

LIS 501 - Internship in Library and Information Science

Current Topics - LIS 530

LIS 530J - Information Services for Diverse Users

LIS 422 - Literacy and Services to Underserved
Populations: Issues and Responses

LIS 426 - Curriculum and the School Library Teacher
Strategies for Library Teachers

LIS 439 - Preservation Management in Libraries and
Archives