Online Library Information Technology Program

The Minneapolis Community & Technical College Library Information Technology programs are now available entirely online. For detailed information go to
<http://www.minneapolis.edu/academics/areaofstudy.cfm?aos_id=88>. The degree and certificate programs are designed to educate and train people to work at the library paraprofessional level (also know as library technicians or associates).

The Associate of Science Degree in Library Information Technology, which is composed of 33 program credits and 30 liberal arts/general education credits, provides students with a solid grounding in library theory and practice and a strong foundation of general education courses that can lead to further study in the liberal arts. Library science classes include an introduction to public and technical services, cataloging, indexing and abstracting, reference and online services, and intellectual freedom and information ethics. The A.S. degree also requires students to do a 4 credit internship, and take an intermediate computer course in Microsoft Office applications, and a business course on Human Relations and Team Building. Required general education classes include two writing/composition courses, a speech course, and a course in Information Studies entitled Ideas, Censorship and Politics. All general education courses are also available in a fully online format, or can be taken on campus in traditional face-to-face format.

The Certificates in Public and Technical Information Services are each 14 credits, or you can earn both certificates by taking a total of 20 credits. The courses for the two certificates are the same core library courses required for the A.S. degree. Therefore if you wish to continue on for the A.S. degree you only need take (or transfer in) the remaining 30 credits of general education, and complete the computer and business courses and the library internship.

We also offer our library courses to non-degree seeking students with instructor permission. However, first priority is given to students seeking a degree or certificate.

Applications and admission for fall semester 2008 is now open. The program only accepts 20 new students per year on a first come first serve basis. Fall semester classes begin August 25, 2008. For general application and admissions information go to <http://www.minneapolis.edu/prospectivestudents/submityourapplication.cfm>.
If you have a prior college degree, or college level writing classes, you will not have to take the college placement test in reading. If you do not have a prior college degree or writing classes, you will need to take the Accuplacer reading test either at the MCTC testing center, or a
local community or technical college testing center that offers the Accuplacer test. All MnSCU community & technical colleges offer the test, and the Accuplacer test is the most widely used assessment test at 2-year colleges.

If you are interested in more information you can contact:

Tom Eland, Information Studies Coordinator, thomas.eland@minneapolis.edu, or Virginia Heinrich, MCTC Library Operations Coordinator, virginia.heinrich@minneapolis.edu

Note: Tom Eland is available for contact May 20 - June 19, and July 29 -
August 16. Virginia Heinrich is available for contact June 20 - July 28.