i School of Library and Information Science
State University of New York at Albany
School of Library and Information Science
State University of New York at Albany
\RREASRE
LG
Si.
ys
_f\
fi
A\
VAVA
»
A\
Va
7\
Perspectives
This is an invitation to consider
entering a career in a crucially
important, challenging, and rapidly
advancing profession. Librarianship
has moved far beyond the time-
honored (but limited) business of
locating and retrieving, marking and
parking, storing, and serving books
and magazines to patrons.
As Jesse Shera, respected
authority on education for
librarianship and classification
theory, observed, “The library is
more than an important link in the
communication chain; as an
intellectual system it is part of the
total knowledge situation. The
librarian must be concerned not only
with that which is known, but also with
the intellectual condition or state of
knowing. This condition is both
personal and social, and the librarian
must operate in two worlds at once,
the microcosm of the individual and
the macrocosm of the culture in which
the individual resides and with which
he must work out a harmonious
relationship.”
Although the profession has been
criticized for its lack of disciplinary
definition, its very dependence upon
more formal disciplines for the
derivation of a theoretical base,
combined with its vast corpus of
practice, places librarianship in a
uniquely strategic position to integrate
human knowledge in the public
interest. Drawing upon psychology,
logic, mathematics, sociology,
linguistics, economics, information
theory, and systems design, librarian-
ship is fast becoming a rich
interdisciplinarity.
Today's librarian must grapple with
a perplexing mosaic of problems
associated with the accretion and
management of recorded knowledge
and, in addition, devise means by
which individuals and society can
acquire healthful perceptions of the
total living environment.
The librarian (now often referred to
as an “information professional”)
must continually strive to make
existing and planned bibliographic
mechanisms and systems conform to
the realities of the communication
process and findings of episte-
mological inquiry. The basic
mission of the librarian/information
professional is to mediate between
humans and recorded knowledge in
its diverse forms (e.g., video-cassette,
computer tape, print, microfiche,
transient electronic image). This task
is now more difficult than ever
because of the barriers between user
and needed information. A glut of
printed publications (over 2,000
pages of print are created each
minute), the profusion of formats from
codex to interactive television, the
rapidity of social and technological
changes, persistent adult illiteracy
with declining productivity, political
apathy, deprivation of access to
information for persons who lack
language facility, and the inundation
of trivia and commercially or politically
shaped media—all of these
obstructions make it hard to
distinguish between useful and
useless data, irrelevant and
applicable information, ephemeral
and permanently valuable messages.
Facing these conditions, the
librarian must encourage enjoyment
and appreciation of information's
value from the time of the
preschooler's first exposure to the
charm and mystery of imaginative
creation. Benefits should accrue alike
to students in the midst of learning, to
researchers probing the outer edges
of new knowledge, to the many who
seek recreational reading, and to
retired persons who desire renewed
perspectives and freshened skills and
knowledge to round out their lives.
Furthermore, it is of paramount
importance that the information
professional/librarian resist
censorship imposed either by
public authority or private parties,
because everyone, regardless of age,
residence, minority status, health, or
social condition should have access
to quality information services which
are free, efficiently managed,
pertinent to local need, timely, and
comprehensive.
Richard S. Halsey, Dean
Librarianship and Information Resources Management at Albany
One of State University of New York
at Albany's missions is a commitment
to public policy analysis and public
service, and the School is fortunate in
being able to claim expertise in (1) the
management and development of
information resources and service for
state and local government, (2) the
direction of information policy,
including facilitation of legislative
action to assure statewide access to
an ever-increasing mass of recorded
and transient knowledge, (3)
provision of guidance in defining the
structure of emerging multi-type
regional library organizations in New
York State, and (4) analysis and
assessment of the impact of library
and information resources agencies
upon economic, educational, and
cultural conditions.
Because of the School's proximity
to the Empire State Plaza, internships
in governmental agencies and
opportunities to provide public service
are plentiful. There are constant calls
for our students and faculty to assist
in devising solutions to information
resources management problems and
to observe or participate in the daily
operations of agencies such as the
various state departments (e.g.,
Commerce, Law, Social Services,
Health, Division of Budget),
community service centers, public
interest groups, and units within the
State Cultural Education Center. In
addition, there is and will continue to
be an increasing demand for the
School and its graduates to get
involved in the administration of
multi-type library cooperatives and
networks to speed access to the
resources of school, public, special,
and academic libraries. There are
abundant opportunities for such
undertakings because of the many
projects initiated by locally based
libraries and governmental agencies.
In addition to its established
excellence in government
publications bibliography and public
sector library services, the School is
strong in bibliographical control of
nonprint materials and general
reference. Several indispensable
keys to film and sound recording
literatures have been produced by
School faculty. The Reference
Librarian, a quarterly journal which
focuses upon a single emerging topic
or trend in modern reference and
information services, is edited by
members of our faculty. Indexing
and abstracting is especially
well represented with Physical
Education/Sports Index and Film
Literature Index, both School-based
publications.
Concentrated activity also is
generated as a byproduct of our
commitment to combat functional
illiteracy and to enhance public
awareness of the values and
contributions of libraries and related
information-handling agencies to
society. Library skills, information
usage education, and adult
independent learning instructional
programs are frequently cosponsored
by the School of Library and
Information Science and other
academic units or off-campus
organizations in the form of
professional advancement/renewal
seminars, workshops, and symposia.
The Citizens’ Library Council of New
York State, an outgrowth of the
Governor's (1978) and White House
(1979) conferences on library and
information services, has its
headquarters at the School. The
Council's purpose is to increase
public awareness of libraries and to
stimulate rigorous examination of the
ties between academic achievement,
inventiveness, productivity, and other
indicants of human accomplishment
and well being and the presence of
adequate library staff, collections, and
services throughout New York State.
The Council's official publication, the
CLIC Quarterly, is a journal of opinion,
research, and advocacy in the field of
library and information resources
management.
Management of archival resources
and information services for the
aged, physically disabled, and insti-
tutionalized persons are two other
areas in which the School can claim
noteworthy strength. Finally, we offer
opportunity for specializations in
school media and medical and health
sciences librarianship (see page 9).
The University
State University of New York at
Albany is the senior campus of the
largest centrally managed system of
public higher education in the nation.
Founded in 1844, it is one of four
university centers in the New York
State system. The main campus is |
housed in a modern complex
designed by Edward Durell Stone and
first opened in 1966. The complex
occupies a 400-acre site at the }
western edge of the city of Albany.
The University also maintains a
recently renovated downtown campus
with free, easy access between the
two. The School of Library and
Information Science is located on the
downtown campus.
Albany currently enrolls 15,000
students, 30 percent of whom are
graduate students. It is organized into
nine degree-granting schools and
colleges offering a range of programs
in the humanities and fine arts, 1
science and mathematics, social and
behavioral sciences, business,
criminal justice, education, library and
information science, public affairs,
and social welfare. The University
offers the master's degree in 49
areas, the certificate of advanced
study in 8, and the doctoral degree in
23.
The Area
The tri-city area (Schenectady, Troy,
Albany) offers a wide spectrum of
dynamic urban attractions.
Of particular interest to the
prospective librarian are the
approximately 40 libraries, in addition
to University support facilities, which
are located in the city of Albany.
Among these are college and
university, public, hospital, state
agency, newspaper, bank, and law
libraries; the New York State Library;
and several federally operated
facilities, such as the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban
Development Library. There are many
additional libraries in Saratoga,
Schenectady, and Troy, including
those.associated with museums and
industrial firms, such as the Albany
Institute of History and Art, Sterling
and Francine Clark Art Institute,
General Electric Company, Norton
Company Coated Abrasives Division,
Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute,
and Bibliographic Retrieval Services,
a major data base vendor located in
nearby Latham, New York.
As the center of New York
government, Albany is headquarters
for the state legislature, the court
system, and numerous service
agencies, all located within walking
distance of the School of Library and
Information Science. The State
Cultural Education Center and
Museum are part of a resplendent,
two-billion-dollar government building
complex, the Nelson A. Rockefeller
Empire State Plaza, created on a
monumental scale and indicative of
the upbeat, quickened tempo, and
cosmopolitan tone of contemporary
Albany. Two symphony orchestras are
based in the Capital District, chamber
concerts featuring performing artists
of international distinction occur
during the winter season, and live
theatre productions can be seen fairly
frequently. Saratoga Springs is an
active sports and cultural center in the
summer months with the Philadelphia
Orchestra and New York Phil-
harmonic, City Center Acting
Company, and New York City Ballet
as guest performing organizations.
Nearby Williamstown, Jacob's Pillow,
Tanglewood, and Woodstock all come
alive each summer with theatre,
music, arts, and crafts.
Several major metropolitan centers
are also within convenient traveling
range. New York City is 150 miles to
the south, Boston is 175 miles to the
east, and Montreal is 225 miles to the
north. Transportation to these cities is
available by AMTRAK, Greyhound,
and Trailways buses, major airlines
including USAir, Eastern, American,
and a number of commuter carriers.
In addition, Albany is at the inter-
section of three major highways:
the New York State Thruway,
Interstate 90, and the Northway.
fo
In summary, the concentration of
cultural-educational-political activity
within the School's environment adds
significantly to its ability to generate
well-rounded, socially responsible,
pragmatic leadership for the
profession.
The Program
Historical Background
The School of Library and Information
Science at State University of New
York at Albany has its historical
origins in the School of Library
Economy established at Columbia
College in 1887 by Melvil Dewey. The
school, the first in any American
academic institution, remained at
Columbia for only two years. It was
transferred to the State Library in
Albany in 1889 and was renamed the
New York State Library School. In
1926, after 37 years during which
it established an international repu-
tation and served as a training
ground for many of the leaders of the
profession, the School was moved
back to Columbia at the invitation of
that university's Board of Trustees
and by action of the New York State
Board of Regents. To replace this
school, an undergraduate program for
the preparation of secondary school
librarians was established at the
recommendation of the State
Education Department at the then
New York State College for Teachers
in Albany. Classes began on
September 23, 1926. The entire
College, including the Department of
Librarianship, moved to its new
campus at Western and Washington
Avenues in Albany in 1929.
The Department was provisionally
accredited under the 1925 American
Library Association Standards as a
junior undergraduate library school for
the training of school librarians. Full
accreditation was granted in 1932. In
1934 the Department was reclassified
as a Type Ill library school authorized
to train school librarians only. In 1940
the American Library Association
Board of Education for Librarianship
removed this restriction, and in 1966
the School was reaccredited by the
American Library Association under
the 1951 Standards for Accreditation.
The degree of Bachelor of Science
in Library Science was awarded at
Albany until 1950; the master's
degree has been granted since 1951.
Between 1926 and 1962 various
combinations of graduate and
undergraduate library science
curricula were implemented along
with diverse administrative structures,
and changes in name occurred. The
program significantly broadened its
goals during the 1950s and 1960s,
and in 1971, its current name, the
School of Library and Information
Science, was adopted. In fall 1978, a
sixth-year program leading to the
certificate of advanced study was
established. About 3,500 persons
have graduated from the School
during its 57-year existence.
Mission, Goals
The mission of the School, which is
consonant with that of the University,
is to contribute to the development of
the theories and practices of library
and information science through
teaching, research, and participation
in professional and public service. We
have set for ourselves the following
goals:
1. To provide an effective
educational program for
professional careers in library and
information science.
2. To sustain effective scholarly and
research activities which support
its mission.
3. To advise and assist
organizations and agencies to
develop effective information
services with particular attention
to the needs of New York State.
4. To contribute to the formulation
of public policy relating to infor-
mation service.
5. To support and assist
professional societies in the
development of standards of
ethics and practice.
Master of Library
Science
Objectives
It is expected that graduates of our
M.L.S. program will achieve the
following objectives:
1. They will understand the
principles, problems, and
practices involved in the
production, collection,
organization, maintenance,
dissemination, utilization, and
interpretation of recorded
information.
2. They will know how
methodologies and content of
other disciplines relate to library
and information science.
3. They will be familiar with the
changing social, cultural, and
educational roles of libraries and
other information agencies,
including the ideal of timely
access to information services
provided without censorship or
violation of privacy.
4. They will recognize the
contribution of the information
specialist in the formulation of
public policy.
5. They will be qualified to evaluate
the results of research in library
and information science. They will
be qualified to conduct
rudimentary research in library
and information science.
6. They will understand the
importance of professional
development, continuing
education, and participation in
professional societies.
7. They will have the opportunity to
pursue a specialization within
library and information science.
General Requirements
The program in library and
information science, leading to the
degree of Master of Library Science,
requires 36 credits of appropriate
study beyond the bachelor's degree,
of which a minimum of 27 credits
must be in graduate library science
courses. The program requires two
semesters and a summer session, or
three semesters, or the equivalent in
part-time study, to complete.
All degree requirements must be
completed within a maximum period
of six years, except in unusual
circumstances when an extension of
time may be granted by the dean of
the School and approved by the dean
of graduate studies. A maximum of 6
credits of appropriate graduate work
may be transferred from another
institution. Credits from another
institution must have been completed
within the maximum six-year period in
which the M.L.S. degree is to be
granted.
There are three 4-credit courses
required of all candidates for the
M.L.S. Students should register for
these courses at the beginning of the
degree program: Lib 601 The
Information Environment, Lib 603
Information Processing, and Lib 605
Information Sources and Services.
In addition, each student must, at
some point after the completion of 15
credits, complete a 3-credit seminar,
Lib 680. (You may, with approval,
substitute a thesis, Lib 699, for the
seminar requirement.)
The seminar in library and
information science requires some
sophistication in research meth-
odology. Students who have not
acquired some demonstrable grasp of
research methods must take Lib 608
Research Methods and Lib 609
Analysis of Information Populations
before registering for the seminar.
The remainder of the 36-credit
sequence is elective. The student is
expected to develop, working closely
with an advisor, an integrated
program of study that is explicitly
consistent with the objectives of the
master’s degree program and that is
designed to accomplish his/her
self-defined educational and career
objectives.
Appropriate graduate courses
offered in departments or schools of
the University other than the School
of Library and Information Science
may, with the advisor's approval, form
part of the student's master's degree
program to a maximum of 9 credits.
School Media Specialization
Candidates for provisional
certification as elementary or
secondary school media specialists in
New York State are required to have
completed at least 12 semester hours
of professional education courses
prior to admission to the School of
Library and Information Science.
Students must be admitted
specifically to the program for school
media specialists, and it must be so
stated on the acceptance letter in
order to qualify for state certification
through the University.
To qualify for certification as a
school media specialist, you must
include the following courses in the
36-credit program for the M.L.S.
degree:
Lib 571 Literature for Children
Lib 578 Library Materials for Young
Adults
Lib 668 Internship
Lib 675 The Curriculum and
Supportive Resources
Lib 676 Administration of School
Media Centers
One year of paid, full-time experience
in a school media center may be
substituted for the internship (Lib 668)
requirement. Any of these courses
which have been taken on the
undergraduate level may be applied
to the certification requirement but not
to the M.L.S. degree.
Other Specializations
The School offers a group of three
courses related to medical and health
sciences librarianship which are
recommended for students who plan
to take the Medical Library
Association's certification
examination.
There are many other beginning
specializations that can be developed
in less formal fashion as part of the
master’s degree program. Students
may plan, with the aid of faculty
advisors, their own programs of
concentration in an area of
librarianship or information studies.
Specializations or concentrations in
which the School is able to provide
particular faculty competence include
reference, government documents,
indexing and abstracting, biblio-
graphic instruction and user
education, management and
bibliographic control of nonprint
materials, archives and records
management, and information
services for the aged and
handicapped.
Certificate of
Advanced Study
Objectives
It is expected that students in this
program will achieve the following
objectives:
1. They will achieve and
demonstrate superior depth and
currency in a selected
specialization.
2. They will produce a substantial
research paper of publishable
quality.
General Requirements
Completion of the program requires
30 credits of appropriate study which
must be taken within a five-year
period. The program is divided into
the following three parts.
1. General requirements (12-18
credits).
2. Specialization courses (6-12
credits). These courses
contribute directly to the student's
declared specialization.
3. Supporting courses (0-6 credits).
These are courses not directly
related to, but supportive of, the
student's specialization. The
profession of library and
information science is eclectic
and uses applicable knowledge
and skills from many fields.
Students are encouraged to
range broadly in selecting these
electives.
Courses may be selected from
present course offerings of the
School or from other schools and
departments of the University. Up to
6 of the 30 required credits may be
transferred from work taken at
another institution. The five-year time
limit applies to these credits also.
The course Lib 701, Pro-Seminar in
Library and Information Science, is
required of all students in the program
and should be taken as early as
possible. Other courses which must
be taken as part of the general
requirements follow:
Lib 702 Directed Readings in
Library and Information Science
(3 credits)
Lib 768 Advanced Internship in
Library and Information Science
(3-6 credits)
Lib 780 Major Research Seminar
(3-6 credits)
Undergraduate
Minor
Objectives
It is expected that students in the
program will achieve the following
objectives:
1. They will have a knowledge of
information sources and services
that will assist them in their
pursuit of a liberal education.
2. They will have an opportunity to
study the way in which
knowledge is organized, stored
and disseminated, particularly in
its relation to their major fields.
3. They will become aware of the
need for effective information
systems in various disciplines,
especially those which affect
public planning and policy
making.
4. They will have an opportunity to
explore library and information
science as a career option.
General Requirements
The School offers an 18-credit
undergraduate program as a second
field (minor). The program comprises
three required courses in library and
information science: Lib 203 Intro-
duction to Library Resources, Lib 301
Information Systems and Services,
and Lib 303 Organization of
Information Sources; electives from
other fields; independent study in
library and information science; and
upper division library and information
science courses.
Combined B.A./M.L.S.
A combined B.A./M.L.S. degree
program is being developed and will
be initiated in 1983. For more
information, contact the admissions
officer of the School.
10
Advisement
In both the master's and the
certificate program, applicants are
asked to state their professional
objectives; most applicants are
interviewed and advised by faculty
members before admission. Admitted
students are assigned to faculty
advisors, with whom they work out
specific study plans. Course
selections must be approved by the
advisor each semester. You may, of
course, request a change of advisor if
warranted and may seek supple-
mental advisement from the
dean, the associate dean, or other
faculty members. Each semester an
orientation session is conducted for
new students in order to acquaint
them with the University’s academic
policies and procedures and with the
School's programs and activities.
If a student chooses, and is
permitted, to substitute a thesis for
the normal seminar requirement, the
thesis topic must be approved by the
faculty and by the Office of Graduate
Studies; when completed, the thesis
must be approved by the faculty
thesis committee. In the certificate
program, it is required that the
student prepare an advanced seminar
paper and that the student also take a
comprehensive examination tailored
to his/her particular area of
specialization.
Courses
The following three courses are
offered principally for undergraduate
students and may not be used to fulfill
any part of the degree requirements
for the M.L.S., except for those
students enrolled in the B.A./M.L.S.
program.
Undergraduate Courses
Lib 203
Introduction to Library Resources (3)
Productive and creative use of library
resources; development of bibliographic skills,
using general and specialized reference
sources and searching scholarly literatures;
techniques for retrieving and evaluating
information for research papers.
Lib 301
Information Systems and Services (3)
‘An examination of online information
systems and interactive telecommunications
processes. Exploration of public policy related
to information access, systems, and services.
Lib 303
Organization of Information Sources (3)
An introduction to the theoretical and
practical foundations of cataloging, indexing,
abstracting, and classification as used in the
organization of information sources. Broad
issues involved in subject access to infor-
mation sources; general concepts (@.9.,
classification, vocabulary control); and
experience in constructing and using
vocabularies and classification systems.
Graduate Courses
Lib 099
Media Equipment and Use (0)
Instruction in the use of audiovisual
equipment and media production.
Lib 500
Computer Programming for Information
Services (3)
Analysis of programming languages in
terms of their suitability to various information
applications. Topics will include syntax types,
data file definition and organization, input/
output, string handling, random access
file handling. Students will write their own
information handling programs. Prerequisites:
Lib 607 or Lib 303 and Csi 101 or consent of
instructor.
Lib 501
History of Books and Printing (3)
History of the development of books,
printing, and publishing from ancient times to
the present in relation to the society of which
they were a part.
Lib 503
The Book in America (3)
History of the printed word in American
culture from colonial times to the present.
Primers and almanacs, book collection,
literary piracy, dime novels, bestsellers,
banned books, periodicals, popular series,
and other selected topics.
Lib 536
Systems Analysis in the Information
Environment (3)
Theory and methods of systems analysis as
applied to information systems and services.
Prerequisites: Lib 607 or Lib 301 and Lib 303,
Lib 539
Online Database Searching (3)
Evolution and development of online search
services; introduction to logic, formulation of
search strategies, searching techiques. In
addition to class demonstrations, online time
is made available to each student through one
of the major search services. Prerequisites:
Lib 603 and Lib 605 or Lib 301 and Lib 303.
Lib 550
Lib 605
Film and Libraries (3)
An introduction to off-Hollywood 8-mm and
16-mm films through an examination of
representative film genres. Attention will be
given to the development of film literacy, the
special problems of acquisition and rental of
films, the bibliographic organization of film
literature, and the establishment of film
programs in libraries.
Lib 571
Literature for Children (3)
An introductory survey of literature for
children with the emphasis on 20th-century
authors and illustrators. Problems and trends
in writing and publishing. Class discussion
and written critical evaluations based on
extensive readings.
Lib 573
History of Children’s Literature (3)
The development of books for children from
the 15th century to the present. Attention is
given to changing attitudes toward children as
reflected in the books provided for them and
to the authors and their literary intent. The
development of various types of literature and
kinds of books is also traced.
Lib 578
Library Materials for Young Adults (3)
Characteristics, needs, and media interests
of youth (ages 13-18); critical study of
selection aids, books, periodicals, films,
recordings, and other materials created for, or
popular with, adolescents; practice in media
presentations and library programs for youth.
Lib 601
The Information Environment (4)
The evolving social, political, and
institutional environments within which
information services are and can be
organized.
Lib 603
Information Processing (4)
The nature of documents, their bibliographic
description, indexing and classification.
Controlled and natural language vocabularies
for document access. Major taxonomies.
Information retrieval theory.
Information Sources and Services (4)
Consideration of reference/information
services, the types of knowledge, the kinds of
formats in which knowledge is recorded, and
the ways in which it is pursued and retrieved.
Lib 606
Selection and Acquisition of Library
Materials (3)
Guidelines for evaluating, selecting, and
acquiring materials for libraries and infor-
mation centers. Both theoretical and
practical aspects are considered. Emphasis
‘on books, periodicals, and, to a lesser extent,
audio-visual and nonbook materials.
Lib 607
Information Technology and Library
Automation (3)
A survey of information technology
emphasizing computer hardware and software
and their application to library administration,
technical services, and information services.
Lib 608
Research Methods (2)
An overview of research methods and their
applicability to library and information science,
enabling students to evaluate existing research,
to design research proposals, and
to develop research strategies.
Lib 609
Analysis of Information Populations (1)
Consideration of statistical measures
relevant to library and information science,
with practice in their application. Includes
familiarization with computerized statistical
program packages.
Lib 614
Administration of Information Agencies (3)
Principles and theory of administration.
Consideration of planning, organization,
budgeting, personnel, standards,
inter-institutional cooperation. Recommended:
Lib 601.
W
Lib 615
Lib 640
Lib 647
Library and Information Networks (3)
Organization and service patterns of
multi-unit library and information service
systems making use of telecommunication
links. Analysis of the development of biblio-
graphic, numeric, regional, subject, and
type-of- institution networks. Recommended:
Lib 603 or Lib 607.
Lib 617
Popular Culture and Libraries (3)
The nature and the social functions of
contemporary popular culture as disseminated
by the mass media; relationships between
popular culture and the library. Bibliographic
sources; selection and acquisition problems.
Lib 619
Special Libraries/Information Centers (3)
The application of contemporary
management techniques with emphasis
on the operation, function, purpose, and
problems of special libraries/information
centers.
Lib 623-629
Special Topics (1)
Short one-credit courses examining various
aspects of library and information science.
Topics change from semester to semester.
Lib 632
Organization of Nonbook Materials (3)
Analysis of materials requiring special
treatment and description; e.g., serials,
microforms, maps, phonorecords, technical
reports, and similar documents. Prerequisite:
Lib 603.
Lib 633
Information Storage and Retrieval (3)
Methods of analyzing, storing, and
retrieving information and their relationship to
perceived costs and benefits in information
service. Recommended: Lib 607. Prerequisite:
Lib 603.
Lib 635
Theory of Classification (3)
History and theory of classification;
principles underlying the construction of
classification schemes; comparative study of
individual schemes; current activity in
classification research. Prerequisite: Lib 603.
12
Abstracting and Indexing (3)
Characteristics and applications of
abstracts and indexes and techniques for their
creation. Impact and implications of recent
technology.
Lib 641
Information Services to Business (3)
Bibliographic and reference sources in
business and economics; building a business
collection; library service to the business and
economics community; data banks for
business reference; commercial information
services. New York City field trip is required.
Prerequisite: Lib 605.
Lib 642
Advanced Online Cataloging
Creation of online catalog records using
the various MARC formats (books, maps,
manuscripts, audio-visual materials, scores,
serials, and sound recordings). Tagging,
inputting of data, online editing, card printing
programs, and quality control. Prerequisite:
Lib 603.
Lib 643
Information Sources in the Humanities (3)
Bibliographic structure, information
resources and services, classic and
contemporary scholarship, research problems
and trends in the humanities. Prerequisites:
Lib 603 and Lib 605.
Lib 644
Information Sources in the Social
Sciences (3)
Bibliographic structure, information
resources and services, classic and
contemporary scholarship, research problems
and trends in the social sciences.
Prerequisites: Lib 603 and Lib 605.
Lib 645
Information Sources in the Sciences (3)
Bibliographic structure, reference and
information resources, research problems,
specialized information problems and services
in the pure and applied sciences.
Recommended for individuals intending to
take the Medical Library Association
certification examination. Prerequisites: Lib
603 and Lib 605.
Health Sciences Bibliography (3)
History and scope of the biomedical
sciences; information sources in the health
science disciplines; biomedical bibliographic
tools; specialized information services
including MEDLINE. Recommended for
individuals intending to take the Medical
Library Association certification examination.
Prerequisites: Lib 603 and Lib 605.
Lib 650
United States Public Documents (3)
‘An analysis of the basic sources that
provide the bibliographic structure for
government publications. Topics include
statutory and administrative law, treaties,
presidential and agency documents,
government-sponsored technical report
literature, collections in microform, federal law
reports, and online databases. Prerequisites:
Lib 605 or permission of instructor.
Lib 651
Serials (3)
General bibliographic control of serials,
including cataloging and recent efforts at
international standardization; serials
management; collection development, and
resource sharing. Prerequisites: Lib 603 and
Lib 605.
Lib 652
State and Local Government Sources of
Information (3)
An analysis of the various problems of
acquisition, access, bibliographic control,
depository arrangements, cataloging and
classification, collections in microform, and
online databases associated with the official
documents and records of state and local
governments. Topics include national trends
and the documents and records of New York
State and its local governmental units.
Lib 653
Documents and Publications of
International Organizations (3)
An analysis of the basic sources that
comprise the bibliographic structure for
researching materials produced by the United
Nations, its specialized agencies, and other
selected intergovernmental bodies. Topics
include problems of acquisition, depository
programs, cataloging, classification,
computerized systems, microforms, and
reference use.
Lib 654
Lib 666
Lib 676
Contemporary Publishing (3)
Structure and problems of the publishing
industry (including print and non-print
materials); production and distribution
systems and their implications for libraries
and other information agencies; legal and
economic aspects and technological
developments, A field trip is required.
Lib 655
Rare Books (3)
History and development of rare book
collections; conservation and preservation;
terminology and principles of bibliographic
description; the antiquarian book trade, and
rare book collecting.
Lib 656
Archives and Manuscripts (3)
Administration of archival and manuscript
collections; appraisal, arrangement,
description, and reference services; current
practices at national, state, and local levels.
Topics include concepts of records
management, preservation and conservation,
online retrieval systems, and freedom of
access and privacy.
Lib 657
Legal Bibliography (3)
Basic sources that provide the bibliographic
structure for legal research, Topics include
court reports, digests, annotated law reports,
constitutions, federal, state and local statutory
and case law, Shepard's citations, legal
encyclopedias, periodicals, looseleaf services,
microform, and online databases.
Prerequisite: Lib 650 or consent of instructor.
Lib 659
Information Systems in Human
Services (3)
Current developments and future trends in
systems which provide access to information
in the human services fields. Includes
bibliographic and non-bibliographic
databases, clearinghouses, networks, and
public policy issues.
Current Problems in Library and
Information Science (2-3)
Special course on a current problem, issue,
or development in library and information
science. Topics vary.
Lib 668
Internship (3)
Opportunity for skill development and
problem solving through observation and
Practice in an information environment under
the supervision of a faculty member and a
cooperating librarian or other information
professional. Meetings, reports, and 120-140
hours of experience required. Prerequisites:
Lib 601, Lib 603, and Lib 605 and consent of
instructor.
Lib 669
Independent Study in Library and
Information Science (1-3)
Supervised reading, research, or field
project in some specialized area of library and
information science to meet the needs of
advanced students. (Written approval of the
independent study proposal by a supervising
faculty member and by the dean is required
before registration.) Prerequisites: Lib 601,
Lib 603, and Lib 605.
Lib 672
Library Materials for Children (3)
Critical analysis and evaluation of print and
nonprint materials. Topics include folk and
ethnic literature, biographies, films, recordings,
picture and vertical file materials.
Prerequisite: Lib 571 or equivalent.
Lib 674
Library Services to Children (3)
Philosophy and objectives of library service
to children; organization and administration;
techniques and program planning for
storytelling, book talks, puppetry, audiovisual
media, and reference service. Prerequisite:
Lib 571 or equivalent,
Lib 675
The Curriculum and Supportive Resources
(3)
Elementary and secondary curriculum and
the school media center program; analysis,
appraisal, selection, and use of curricular
resources and related print and nonprint
materials. Consultative and instructional
responsibilities. Prerequisite: Lib 605.
Administration of School Media Centers (3)
Problems, practices, and research in the
organization and management of school
media centers. Topics include standards,
programs and services, facilities, policies,
budgets, human and organizational factors.
Recommended: Lib 601.
Lib 680
Seminar (3)
Research of a specific problem or issue in
library and information science. Reports,
discussions, and submission of a major paper
are required. Prerequisites: Lib 608 and Lib
609 or equivalents, and consent of instructor.
Lib 699
Master's Thesis in Library and Information
Science (2-6)
Prerequisites: Lib 608 and Lib 609 or
equivalents, and consent of instructor and
dean.
Post-Master’s Certificate Program
Lib 701
Pro-Seminar in Library and Information
Science (3)
Trends, issues, and problems in library and
information science; problem formulation;
research design and method; development of
research projects.
Lib 702
Directed Readings in Library and
Information Science (3)
Supervised reading on selected topics in
library and information science appropriate to
the planned specialization of the advanced
student. (May be taken twice.)
Lib 768
Advanced Internship in Library and
Information Science (3-6)
Planned experiences in an organization or
information agency related to the student's
professional objective. Requires a critical and
analytical paper dealing with some aspect of
the organization's program.
Lib 780
Major Research Seminar (3-6)
Preparation of a major research paper in
the area of the student's specialization. Paper
is expected to follow thesis format and be
suitable for deposit in the University Library.
13
Faculty
Vincent J. Aceto
John J. Farley
Professor
A.B., Social Studies, M.A., Guidance, and
M.L.S., Library Science, State University of
New York at Albany
Vincent Aceto’s specializations include
automated indexing systems, bibliographic
control of film/ty literature and school library
media management. He is originator and
co-editor of Film Literature Index and Film
Literature: Current, which are supported by
grants from the National Endowment for the
Humanities and the National Endowment for
the Arts. He has served as a Fulbright scholar
in Bangladesh and as a consultant to the New
York State Department of Education,
numerous school districts, and media
producers. Currently, he chairs the Subject
Access Committee of the American Film
Institute and the AV section of the Library
Information Technology Association.
Robert S. Burgess
Professor
B.A., Mathematics, Vanderbilt University; B.S.,
Library Science, George Peabody College for
Teachers; M.A., Library Science, University of
Chicago :
Robert Burgess was head of the
Department of Librarianship at Albany from
1948 until 1959 and was acting dean from
1977 to 1978, He has advised library science
educators in Puerto Rico and Korea and has
developed courses on library services to
business and on access to computerized
information files. He has served as visiting
Fulbright scholar at the University of Iceland.
He is actively involved in continuing education
programs for information professionals and
serves as chairperson of the School's
certificate of advanced study program.
Professor
B.A., English, Catholic University; M.A.,
English, Columbia University; M.S., Library
Service, Columbia University; Ph.D.,
Education (Administration), New York
University
John Farley was director of the Department
of Library Science at Queens College (CUNY)
and is also a former dean of the School of
Library and Information Science. He is a
contributor to the Encyclopedia of Library and
Information Science, American Reference
Books Annual and is a reviewer for Reference
and Subscription Books Reviews. His
research interest centers on the concept of
literacy in the United States; primary teaching
areas are social sciences bibliography and
library administration. From 1979 to 1980 he
served as acting director of the State
University of New York at Albany libraries.
Richard S. Halsey
Associate Professor and Dean
B, Mus., Composition and M. Mus., Music
Education, New England Conservatory;
S.M.L.S., Library Science, Simmons College;
Ph.D., Library and Information Science, Case
Western Reserve University
Dean Halsey was formerly an information
scientist at the Central Mid-Western Regional
Educational Laboratory and has held
administrative positions in school and
academic libraries. Before coming to Albany,
he was on the library science faculty at the
University of Toronto. He is executive director
of the Citizens’ Library Council of New York
State and is active in governmental relations
at the state and national levels. Dean Halsey
is author of Classical Music Recordings for
Home and Library, is senior editor of the CLIC
Quarterly, and has written numerous articles
on reference works.
Norman E. Hoyle
Associate Professor
B.A., English, University of Redlands; M.A.,
English, Duke University; M.A., Library
Science, University of Chicago; Ph.D.
English, Duke University
Norman Hoyle's teaching interests include
cataloging, humanities bibliography, and serial
literature management. He serves on several
professional and publishing committees
charged with developing indexes and
Anglo-American Cataloging Code revision. He
is senior editor of the Physical Education!
Sports Index and Sports Literature
Index, which embrace the literatures of
physical education and allied fields, such as
sports medicine and exercise physiology.
William A. Katz
Professor
B.A., Journalism and M.A., Library Science,
University of Washington; Ph.D., Library
Science, University of Chicago
William Katz is author of two acclaimed
professional tools, Magazines for Libraries
and Introduction to Reference Work, He is
editor of The Reference Librarian, anda
reviewer for Library Journal. He is acknow-
ledged as a cogent and respected
writer on library-client interaction. Winner
of numerous awards and contributor to
Encyclopaedia Britannica, he is currently
working on a monograph on the iconography
of the book in art.
15
16
Irving M. Klempner
Professor
B.A., Liberal Arts, Brooklyn College; M.S.,
Library Science, Columbia University; D.L.S.,
Library Science, Columbia University
Access to information in technical,
socio-political and human environments,
retrieval mechanisms and organizational
factors—the subtleties of the information
transfer process—are the major concerns of
Dr. Klempner's teaching. His current research
centers upon the concept of intellectual
property and its implications for networks. In
1980 Dr. Klempner received the Special
Libraries Association Professional Award for
significant contributions to the discipline. He
chaired the Special Committee on the White
House Conference on Library and Information
Services in 1979. Dr. Klempner is author of
Diffusion of Abstracting and Indexing
Services for Government Sponsored
Research and Audio-visual Materials in
Support of Information Science Curricula.
Ben-Ami Lipetz
Professor
B.M.E., Mechanical Engineering, and Ph.D.,
Public Administration, Cornell University
Ben-Ami Lipetz is known for his published
research in many areas of information
science, including studies of library catalog
use, development and evaluation of citation
indexes, and automation of indexing and
cataloging. He was formerly head of the
Research Department, Yale University Library,
and was previously at Itek Corporation and at
Battelle Memorial Institute. He was editor of
Information Science Abstracts from 1966 to
1981. He has served on state planning
committees of libraries in Connecticut and
New York and participates in national
standardization activities. He is a referee and
advisor for several information science
journals.
David L. Mitchell
Assistant Professor
A.B., English Literature, Harvard College;
M.L.S., Library Science, State University of
New York at Albany
David Mitchell's varied teaching interests
include bibliographical instruction, history of
American children's literature, and the refer-
ence process. Former head of the School
of Library and Information Science Library, he
has focused upon the humanistic foundations
for the study of librarianship. He has pub-
lished an audio-cassette, Old Tales for
Tender Years, on which he reads “children's
stories from the past, some familiar, some
forgotten.”
Joe Morehead
Associate Professor
B.A., English, Trinity College (Connecticut);
M.A., English, Columbia University; M.L.S.,
Library Science, University of Kentucky;
Ed.D., Social Foundations, University of
California at Berkeley
Joe Morehead is nationally known for his
work in the field of government publications.
His Introduction to United States Public
Documents is considered generally to be the
classic text on the subject. A prolific writer and
reviewer, he is a frequent consultant and
speaker on government and legal reference
sources.
Gordon Stevenson
Lucille Whalen
Associate Professor
B.M., Music, and M.A., Music Theory,
Duquesne University; M.A., Library Science,
and Ph.D., Library Science, Indiana University
Gordon Stevenson's teaching interests
include classification, sound recordings, mass
media, and popular culture. He is currently
conducting research on the history of the
comparative development of classification
systems in Europe and the United States and
has been active on American Library
Association committees charged with the
revision of cataloging code standards.
Pauline M. Vaillancourt
Associate Professor
B.S., Biology, St. John’s University; M.S.L.S.,
Library Science, and D.L.S., Library Science,
Columbia University
Author of the International Directory of
Acronyms and a frequent contributor to
professional journals, Pauline Vaillancourt
is active in special and medical library asso-
ciations. She has served as chair of the
Medical Library Association Certification
Eligibility Committee and has had publishing,
continuing education, and advisory assign-
ments in the field of health-related
librarianship throughout the United States
and in Mexico, Canada, and Australia. Her
teaching interests encompass medical and
special librarianship, contemporary publishing,
and science and technology bibliography.
Lillian K. Orsini
Assistant Professor and Associate Dean
AB., English, New York State College for
Teachers; M.S.L.S., Library Science, State
University of New York at Albany
Lillian Orsini is an expert in the field of
children's literature and services, and has had
experience in school and public libraries and
with the New York State Education Depart-
ment. She is an authority on reference
services and magazines for children and has
published in these areas. Also she initiated
and administers the annual Upstate
Storytelling Institute held each spring in
conjunction with the Upper Hudson Library
Federation. She became associate dean in
1979.
18
Professor
B.A., English, Immaculate Heart College (Los
Angeles); M.S.L.S., Library Science, Catholic
University; D.L.S., Library Science, Columbia
University
Lucille Whalen’s teaching interests center
on archives and manuscripts management,
reference services and information systems
serving the aged, handicapped, and insti-
tutionalized. Formerly dean of the graduate
program in library science at Immaculate
Heart College (Los Angeles), she
has also held the office of associate dean at
Albany. She has chaired the American Library
Association's Committee on Accreditation and
the Special Libraries Association's Research
Committee. She has also conducted frequent
workshops and HEA Title II-B Institutes. She
is currently involved in research regarding the
information needs of the aged, prisoners, and
the professionals who serve outreach clients,
Instructional Associates
Dorothy Butch
Associate Librarian
Collection Acquisition and Processing
New York State Library
Robert Allan Carter
Senior Librarian
Legislative and Governmental Services
New York State Library
William H. Clarkin
Librarian
State University of New York at Albany
Catharine A. Currin
Library Media Specialist
Niskayuna Middle School
Glyn T. Evans
Director of Library Services
State University of New York
Larry Hackman
State Archivist
New York State
Thomas R. Heitz
Chief of Library Services
New York State Department of Law
Joyce D. Horsman
District Director of Library/Audio-Visual
Services
North Colonie Central Schoo! District
Charles McCambridge
Director of Instructional Materials
Niskayuna Central Schoo! District
Patricia Molholt
Associate Director of Libraries
Folsom Library
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Thomas W. Nelson
Director of Instructional Services
Emma Willard School
Edward M. O'Connor
Assistant Director
Mid-York Library System
Edward Oetting
University Archivist
State University of New York at Albany
Patricia Patrick
Children's Consultant
Upper Hudson Library Federation
Peter Paulson
Director
New York State Library
Ralph E. Plant, Jr.
Senior Management Development Consultant
and Program Manager
IBM Corporation
John J. Regazzi
Director of Computerized
Bibliographic Services
H. W. Wilson Company
Anne F. Roberts
Associate Librarian
State University of New York at Albany
Joseph F. Shubert
Assistant Commissioner for Libraries and
State Librarian
New York State Library
M. Geraldene Walker
Senior Lecturer
College of Librarianship Wales
Stephanie Welden
State Law Librarian
New York State Library
GladysAnn Wells
Special Assistant to the State Librarian
New York State Library
Careers
Employment Prospects
The outlook is currently favorable for
school media specialists; future
demand will depend upon
demographic factors (upturns in
primary school populations are
projected as of 1983) and the extent
of public funds for education. For
special librarians, there currently exist
more jobs than qualified applicants,
and this situation is expected to
continue at least through the
mid-1980s. Business, science, law,
and medical and health-science
librarians, along with individuals who
are familiar with current technological
applications in libraries and
information centers, will have
excellent job prospects. In contrast,
traditionally trained and oriented
graduates will face strong
competition. In public libraries, the
number of new job openings has
been gradually decreasing as
economic cutbacks have slowed
expansion of services and facilities.
Among recently emerging
specializations are those of
information broker and data base
manager. The outlook for these
developing lines of work remains
indeterminate, but could dramatically
briahten durina the next decade.
Is This Field Right for You?
The profession of librarianship and
information management, because
of increased stresses associated
with the matching of users and
required information and ongoing
metamorphoses in information
coding, access, and transfer
techniques, is intellectually
demanding, lively, and infinitely
varied. Stamina, adaptability, the
exercise of imagination, and
enjoyment of public service are
prerequisites, as are both a sound
and well-balanced cultural back-
ground and an appreciation of
the cumulating transcribed works of
20
human imagining. History, literature,
the social and natural sciences, for-
eign languages —all have value for
the librarian/information professional.
In ever higher demand will be people
who can demonstrate expertise in the
life sciences, communications theory,
mathematics, physics and chemistry,
engineering, law, and public admin-
istration. A graduate degree in
any one of these subject fields, in
addition to one in library and infor-
mation science, is very helpful; in
fact, it may even be a prerequisite for
obtaining and retaining employment
in some academic and special
libraries.
Persons who are attracted to the
unknown and the unresolved, who
are resilient but tenacious in their
search for solutions, who are
intrigued by mathematics as well as
literature, will find this profession
congenial. Imaginative, flexible,
sociable people who believe that
access to and proper utilization of the
human record are essential for
effective decision making, the
enjoyment of life, and sustenance of
democracy are needed for this
expansive and fast-evolving field.
oa
Placement
The school maintains a placement
activity that is designed to augment
the more comprehensive University
Office of Career Planning and
Placement. Its principal function is
to bring entry-level professional
positions to the attention of all recent
degree recipients and prospective
graduates. The placement service
also posts part-time positions
available in the area to current
students.
Representative Alumni
Millicent Abell (1965)
University Librarian
University of California at San Diego
La Jolla, CA
Ruth Aronson (1966)
Associate Librarian
New York State Department of Correctional
Services Training Academy
Albany, NY
Augusta Baker (1934)
Coordinator of Children’s Services (Retired)
New York Public Library
New York, NY
Murray Bob (1953)
Director
Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System
Jamestown, NY
Marianne J. Cirrito (1979)
The Futures Group
Glastonbury, CT
Lucie Chu (1978)
Technical Information Specialist
Enviro Control, Inc.
Rockville, MD
Kathryn Deiss (1976)
Serials Librarian
Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York, NY
Louise Dolan (1971)
Regional Coordinator
Island Interrelated Library System
Barrington, RI
Barbara Whyte Felicetti (1976)
Information Broker and Director
Info/Motion
Lenox, MA
Cornelia L. Holbert (1976)
Librarian
Hudson Correctional Facility —*
Hudson, NY
Margaret H. Johnson (1959)
Director of Libraries
City School District of Albany
Albany, NY
E. J. Josey (1953)
Chief
Bureau of Specialist Library Services
New York State Education Department
Albany, NY
Margaret Monroe (1937)
Professor Emeritus
Library School
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
Peter Paulson (1955)
Director
New York State Library
Albany, NY
Ursula Poland (1963)
Director
Schaffer Library
Albany Medical College
Albany, NY
Ann Prentice (1964)
Director
Graduate School of Library and Information
Science
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Knoxville, TN
Barbara Will Razzano (1974)
Children's Services Consultant
Mid-York Library System
Utica, NY
Eleanor Reppenhagen (1966)
Head Librarian
Fulton-Montgomery Community College
Johnstown, NY
Frank Sutliff (1982)
Technical Consultant
User Services Division
Library Automation Division
Bro Dart, Inc.
Williamsport, PA
Esther Swanker (1962)
Assistant Commissioner
New York State Department of Transportation
Office of Communications
Manpower and Employee Relations
Albany, NY
Patsy L. Thomas (1979)
Research Specialist
Library Services
Sterling-Winthrop Research Institute Library
Rensselaer, NY
Brenda P. Tirrell (1975)
Head
Business, Science and Technology Division,
Houston Public Library
Houston, TX
Edgar Tompkins (1948)
Director
Upper Hudson Library Federation
Albany, NY
21
ec rco
\ RR IO A AT aS
Ss
Expenses and Financial Aid
Charges are predicted to be billed
at the following rates but are subject
to change:
Tuition
New York State residents
(regular session) $ 850.00
Part time
(under 12 credits) 71.00*
Out-of-state residents
(regular session) 1092.50
Part-time
(under 12 credits) 91.50*
University Fee
Full-time
(regular session) 12.50
Part-time
(under 12 credits) .85*
Student Activity Assessment
(Optional) 36.00
Room and Board in residence
halls (except lunches,
estimated per regular
session) 900.00
Service Charge for Late
Registration 10.00
Service Charge for Late
Payment of Fees 10.00
Books and Supplies
(approx.) 100.00
Health and Accident
Insurance (estimated)
Fall Session 40.00
Spring Session 51.00
Binding a master’s thesis 12.00
Binding and microfilming
a doctoral dissertation 45.00
Copyrighting a doctoral
dissertation (approx.) 20.00
“per credit
To the expenses listed should be
added approximately $600.00 for
lunches, clothing, travel, and
miscellaneous expenses. It is
suggested that each student have
available at least $4,000 for the
academic year. International students
should have available at least $4,800
in order to meet the expenses of a
calendar year.
Payment Procedures
All tuition, fees, and on-campus room
and board charges are payable at the
time of registration (MasterCard and
Visa are accepted). Holders of Tuition
Assistance Program awards, National
Direct Student Loans, and similar
forms of financial assistance may
defer payment of tuition and
residence fees until their checks are
received. Veterans may be allowed to
defer payment pending receipt of their
monthly benefit check. Arrangements
for deferment should be made with
the Office of Student Accounts at the
time of registration. A late service
charge of $10 is made for payment of
tuition and fees after the day of
registration.
Assistantships
Assistantships range from $2,700
with a full tuition waiver and a work
commitment of 15 hours per week to
$4,700 with a waiver of tuition up to
10 credits per semester and a work
commitment of 20 hours per week.
The University also provides
special assistantships for minority
students. Stipends are up to $4,700
with a tuition waiver of 10 credits per
semester. The School of Library and
Information Science usually receives
three or four of these assistantships
per year.
Students who received support
through SEEK, HEOP, or EOP are
eligible for tuition support through the
Graduate Tuition Opportunity
Program.
The Film and Television
Documentation Center employs
two graduate assistants every year
to do data entry and other computer
operations related to the production of
the Film Literature Index data base
and print index. Additional opportunity
for employment is available during the
periods between semesters on an
hourly basis. Stipends for the two
graduate assistantships are $2,700
with a full tuition waiver and a work
commitment of 15 hours per week
and $4,000 with a waiver of tuition up
to 10 credits per semester and a work
commitment of 20 hours per week.
A graduate assistantship is also
customarily offered each year by the
University Office of Career Planning
and Placement to a student from the
School of Library and Information
Science. A stipend of $4,000, plus
tuition waiver up to 10 credits per
semester, is received for work that
entails assistance in the Office's
career library.
All tuition waivers are applicable
after the credit of any Tuition
Assistance Program (TAP) award to
the tuition charge.
Several students in the Health
Sciences Librarianship program
are awarded traineeships with
compensation up to $2,500 an
academic year, through a cooperative
arrangement with the local Veterans
Administration hospital.
Besides the preceding assis-
tantships, the School of Library
and Information Science Alumni
Association offers a tuition assistance
stipend to a student in the certificate
of advanced study program each
year.
Loans, Grants, Workstudy
Any student applying for loans,
grants, or workstudy through the
University is required to submit the
University's financial aid application,
the College Scholarship Service
Financial Aid Form, and a copy of the
student's and/or parents’ IRS Form
1040, as appropriate. Students may
request the University’s financial aid
application form directly from the
Office of Financial Aids. Statements
describing amounts and duration of
all nontaxable income, such as Social
Security, veterans benefits, social
services, etc., must accompany the
application.
All loan, grant, and workstudy aid
awarded by the University is based
on demonstrated financial need as
determined by the College Scholar-
ship Financial Aid Form and other
application data submitted to the
Office of Financial Aids.
For further information contact:
Office of Financial Aids.
23
How to Apply
The application process should begin
at least six weeks before the start of
the desired session. (An application
fee of $20 is required for the M.L.S.
and C.A.S. programs.) Throughout
the year applications are reviewed
and a response is sent within one
week of receipt of all credentials.
M.L.S. Degree Program
It is the aim of the school to admit to
the master's degree program persons
with a strong academic record,
promise of success in professional
study at the graduate level, reason-
ably well-defined professional
objectives, and personal qualities
which are suitable to librarianship and
the information profession.
Admission to the school is based
on academic and personal
qualifications, as evidenced in the
following:
1. A satisfactory undergradute record
2. Official scores of the Graduate
Record Examination (for those
who do not hold a degree beyond
the bachelor’s)
3. Three letters of recommendation
4. A personal interview with a faculty
member or representative of the
school, when feasible
While there are no conditional
admissions to the school, applicants
are sometimes admitted whose grade
point average is somewhat below 3.0
but who present a high-percentile
24
GRE score, or whose total GRE score
falls slightly below 1,000 but who
present a high grade-point average.
Also taken into consideration are the
following:
1. Personal statement. This
statement, in which the applicant
describes career plans and
reasons for undertaking graduate
study and which allows for some
autobiographical detail, is sent to
the school as part of the
completed application form.
2. Other factors. These include
relevant work experience,
academic or professional honors,
academic majors that are
particularly appropriate to the
current needs of the field, other
graduate degrees, unusual
competencies, foreign language
abilities, and publications.
Foreign students should apply
to the Office of Graduate Studies; in
addition to a completed applica-
tion form, transcripts, and
recommendations, they must also
submit an International Student
Affadavit and, where necessary, a
score on the Test of English as a
Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Certificate of Advanced
Study Program
For the sixth-year program leading to
a certificate of advanced study, the
School requires a completed
application form, an official transcript,
and two years of successful
professional experience.
Nondegree Study
Students who wish to take specific
courses but who do not want to enter
a degree program or who plan to
pursue a degree but are not able to
provide credentials in time for
registration should apply for
nondegree status. The School must
receive an official transcript from the
college from which the student
received his or her highest degree,
together with a completed application
form. Students admitted to a non-
degree program are limited to a
maximum of 12 credits. Students who
do not meet degree program entrance
requirements are not admitted on a
provisional, nondegree basis for
possible future admission to the
degree program.
A selection of the School's late
afternoon and evening courses is
available through the “Simplified
Admissions” program administered by
the College of Continuing Studies.
Transfer Credit
Credit, not to exceed six hours, may
be accepted and applied to a program
for graduate work completed at
another institution. Courses pre-
sented must be graduate courses
completed with at least a grade of B
at an accredited institution authorized
to grant graduate degrees,
If you would like further information
or would like to take the opportunity
to visit the School and discuss the
programs, please write or call:
Lillian K. Orsini, Associate Dean
School of Library and
Information Science
State University of New York
at Albany
135 Western Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
(518) 455-6288
Advisory Council
Donna Dolan
Consultant
Bibliographic Retrieval Services, Inc.
Corporation Park, Scotia
Mary Joan Egan
Library Department Chairperson
Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake Central Schools
E. J. Josey
Chief, Bureau of Specialist Library
Services
New York State Library
Cultural Education Center
Ronald L. Lagasse
Director
Schenectady Public Library
Barbara Paino Norelli
Law Librarian
New York State Supreme Court Library
Troy
Jean C. Pelletiere
Director, Schaffer Library
Union College
Teresa Strozik
Associate for Library Services
State University of New York
Central Administration
State University Plaza
Barbara Van Nortwick
Librarian
New York State Nurses Association
Christine Ward
Manuscripts Librarian
Albany Institute of History and Art
MIN. 5051-0100-4m- Arcus
