by Ashley Watts, Sports Reporter
Northwestern Oklahoma State University is adding a library and information science minor (LIS) in the spring 2020 semester.
NWOSU will be the second college in the state of Oklahoma to add this minor. Oklahoma University is the only other college in the state that offers not only the minor, but a master’s program and a PHD program.
Shannon Leaper, Director of Library Services, has been trying to get this minor approved since February 2019.
This minor consists of 21 credit hours, and it will all be online classes. Students with this minor will learn the skills necessary to provide paraprofessional support services with minimal on the job training.
This minor is also appropriate for any student who wishes to gain an understanding of the file of library and information science.
“This minor is accessible to as many people as possible since it is all online,” Leaper said.
LIS minor is also appropriate for students who hope to prepare for advanced study in the fields of libraries and information science, archives, and museums.
“This minor will provide you with a degree you can hit the ground running with,” Leaper said. “It also gives students good job opportunities throughout the state of Oklahoma.”
With this minor, students will be able to be a library technician in bigger library, or they could be a librarian in smaller libraries.
Since this minor is available online, multiple students have expressed interest in it. It allows them to work when they want to.
“I like that all the classes are available in an online format because it works best with my schedule,” said Michelle Willson, who is planning on making LIS her minor.
The core curriculum classes for this minor will have 15 credit hours that are required.
The core classes are information literacy, foundations of library and information science, library publics services, technology in library and information science, reference in the digital age and organization of knowledge.
Along with the 15 hours in core curriculum a student will also have to have 6 credit hour in elective courses.
The elective courses for this minor are library management and leadership, library and information science internship, collection development or introduction to archives.
The student can decide between any of the elective courses.
If you are interested in making LIS your minor or would like more information about it contact the advisor, Shannon Leaper at seleaper@nwosu.edu.