ALA AND LIS PROGRAMS: PARTNERS FOR
GRADUATE EDUCATION OF LIBRARIANS &
INFORMATION PROFESSIONALS
February 26, 2013, ILS submitted its Program Presentation
(responding to each of the six Standards for Accreditation
of Master’s Programs in Library & Information Studies). The
External Review Panel representing the American Library
Association’s Committee on Accreditation will be on
campus April 7-9, 2013 to meet with faculty, students,
administration, and constituents.
WHAT IS IT AND WHY?
ALA Accreditation
PROGRAMS ARE ACCREDITED – in this case the Master
of Library Science program -NOT SCHOOLS
NOT COLLEGES
NOT DEGREES
PROFESSIONAL, NOT REGIONAL
>ALA does specialized, professional accreditation.
This is not about regional accreditation.
ALA works with The Association of Specialized
and Professional Accreditors http://www.aspausa.org/
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY
>Accreditation provides the constituents of an MLS
program – students, prospective students, alumni, the
general library community and users of libraries –
some assurances about the preparation of librarians.
THE COMMITTEE ON ACCREDITATION (COA)
• Appointed by the ALA President-elect
• Consists of different types of people, including members of
the general “user” public
4-year staggered terms
12 members – 10 personal members of ALA;
-- 2 members of the public
• Benefits from hard-working committee members who make
an enormous commitment
ALA OFFICE FOR ACCREDITATION
ALA Staff, led by Karen O’Brien
Supports the Committee on Accreditation (COA)
Maintains documents
Schedules reviews
Publishes directories, newsletters, website on the
topic of accreditation
Keeps up to date with accreditation issues in general
THE STANDARDS
First standards for LIS education – adopted in 1925
Most recent standards – adopted by ALA Council in 1992
Update to language & emphasis on outcomes – adopted
January 2008; effective for reviews with fall 2010
visits; some programs (such as Southern) were early
adopters
SIX MAJOR AREAS ARE ADDRESSED BY SIX
STANDARDS
I Mission, Goals and Objectives
II Curriculum
III Faculty
IV Students
V Administration & Financial Support
VI Physical Facilities & Resources
QUALITATIVE NOT QUANTITATIVE
Emphasis on
• Planning
• Processes
• Evaluation and Assessment
• Contextual Environment and Consistency
Emphases are directed to the
ongoing status of a program
THE PROCESS
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Continuous planning
Invitation to review
Appointment of External Review Panel (ERP) Chair
Appointment of ERP (6 members total)
Plan for Program Presentation developed
Development of Program Presentation & Delivery
Visit of ERP
Report of ERP
Meeting with COA, ERP Chair, Dean/Director
Decision time!
CATEGORIES OF ACCREDITATION
Pre-candidate
Candidate
Initial Accreditation
Continued Accreditation
Conditional Accreditation
Withdrawn Accreditation
LEGALITIES AND OTHER ISSUES
Very prescribed processes followed
Confidentiality protected
Appeals are allowed
Ethical conduct by all parties
WHO IS INVOLVED
Faculty
Staff
Students
University administrators
Alumni
Employers
Friends of the School/Program
THE ERP HAS SIX MEMBERS
Chair: Elizabeth Aversa, Ph.D., University of Alabama
Members:
Richard AmRhein, CIO, Valparaiso University
Gail Dickinson, Associate Professor, Old Dominion
University
Donna Dziedzic, Executive Director (retired), Naperville (IL)
Public Library
June Lester, Professor Emerita, University of Oklahoma
Mary Elizabeth (Ma'lis) Wendt, Associate Director (retired),
New York Public Library
What are our Program’s likely “issues” for COA?
Assessment and Planning (adoption of Tk20 for
documentation of measurement of student learning
outcomes)
Faculty Productivity (research and publication)
YOU CAN HELP IN THIS EFFORT
Thank you, first, for taking an interest
Look at our program presentation report if you have the
time. The document is available on the department
website:
http://www.southernct.edu/ils
[Click on “2013 ALA Site Visit”]
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Participate
Site visit interviews are scheduled or will be scheduled
for the visiting period
Plan to attend the gathering of the community on
Sunday, April 7. The ERP Chair will brief those who
attend: alumni, students, staff, and Southern officials
in Adanti Student Center, Room 301. Time: 3-5 pm.
OFFICIAL SCHEDULE
Sunday, April 7, 2013, 3-5 pm Reception with members of the
External Review Panel, students, alumni, practitioners, and other
constituents, Adanti Student Center (ASC) 301 [breakout
sessions from 4-5 pm to permit you to talk in smaller groups with
ERP members]
Monday, April 8, 2013, 3:30-4:30 pm ERP members wish to meet
with students working on the Special Project and Portfolio, Adanti
Student Center (ASC) 303
Monday, April 8, 2013, 5:30-6:30 pm Student Reception and
Briefing with ERP members, Adanti Student Center (ASC) 303
THANK YOU FOR CARING ABOUT OUR
PROGRAM
Arlene Bielefield, MLS, J.D.
James Kusack, Ph.D.
Mary Brown, Ph.D.
Yan Quan Liu, Ph.D.
Yunseon Choi, Ph.D.
Elsie Okobi, MSLS, MSIS, Ed.D.
Chang Suk Kim, Ph.D.
Josephine Sche, Ph.D.
Hak Joon Kim, Ph.D.
Eino Sierpe, Ph.D.
The ILS Fulltime Faculty