Museum Libraries (within or post MSLIS)

Preparing museum librarians for 21st century leadership in global cultural envioronments

An innovative program, introduced in 2005, is designed for students considering careers in museum libraries and related cultural institutions such as research and academic libraries. This program prepares students to meet the challenges of working in today's dynamic information environment in the museum field. Students in the program will be able to: forge new connections between museum libraries, both real and virtual, and users; integrate digital collections and services with physical places and resources; and provide user education and outreach in global networked environments.

Program Description

This 12-credit Advanced Certificate in museum libraries can be taken as part of a student's MSLIS degree or as a post-master's certificate for those holding an MLS from as ALA-accredited program.

The Museum Libraries Certificate Program consists of four 3-credit courses (12 credits), each representing one of four required areas of study that we identify as the program's four pillars of knowledge and skills: 1) Research/Curation 2) Digital Technology 3) Education and Outreach 4) Field Experience.

The curriculum addresses new trends in the profession within today's global contexts and digital landscape. Graduates will gain the knowledge and skills needed to work in a wide range of professional positions, including museum libraries, research libraries, academic libraries and libraries of various cultural institutions. The curriculum is supported by a rich array of courses and strengthened by our partnerships for LIS education with NYPL, Research Libraries, and the Watson Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  At the heart of the program is the practicum that serves to connect theory with practice and includes a culminating project. Full time faculty holding PhDs are responsible for the program's foundational knowledge and skills, while the part time faculty, recognized leaders in the museum library field, bring invaluable expertise.

As the first such program, it brings focus to emerging commonalities between museum and research libraries, evidenced by expanding roles for librarians in education and outreach, digital resources and services, and information systems. Its curriculum transforms the education of museum librarians by defining the full range of knowledge and skills librarians will need to advance the mission of libraries in contemporary museum and cultural institutions.

 

Required Courses for the Museum Libraries Certificate 12-credit program within the MSLIS presented according to the programs four knowledge areas.

1. Research/ Curatorial - Select one course from the following seven:

LIS 629 Museum and Library Research at the Watson Library, Metropolitan Museum of Art
LIS 687 Art Librarianship
LIS 688 Map Collections at NYPL HSSL, Map Division
LIS 686 Performing Arts Librarianship at NYPL, LPA, Lincoln Center
LIS 697 Rare Books at NYPL, HSSL
Florence Summer Program in partnership with SACI (two 3-credit courses)
     1. LIS 697 Florentine Art & Culture:Museum & Library Resources & Documentation; 2. Cultural Heritage Conservation

2. Digital Technology - select one course from the following seven:

LIS 643  Information Architecture & Interaction Design
LIS 665  Projects in Digital Archives
LIS 680  Educational & Instructional Technology
LIS 693  Digital Libraries
LIS 697  Web Design & Production
LIS 697  Pratt-SILS and University College London, Department of Information - E-Publishing Summer School and Bloomsbury Conference (3-credits)

New Courses to meet this requirement:

LIS 657  Digital Humanities
LIS 697  Digital Preservation and Curation
LIS 697  Projects in Moving Image and Sound Archiving
 

3. Education & Outreach - select one course from the following two:

LIS 675 Museum and Library Education and Outreach at NYPL, HSSL
LIS 697 Literacy & Learning in the Digital World
LIS 698 Practicum/ Seminar - four sessions with culminating project

Recommended elective courses that enrich and support the required program:

LIS 632  Conservation & Preservation
LIS 662  Advanced Cataloging and Classification
LIS 663  Metadata: Description & Access
LIS 687  Institute on Art Collections at NYHPL, HSSL
LIS 688  Institute on Map Collections at NYPL, HSSL Map Division.
LIS 695  Photography Collections at the International Center for Photography (ICP)

NYPL, HSSL = New York Public Library, Humanities & Social Sciences Library (42nd Street)
NYPL, LPA = Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center

Museum Library Practicum Course:

The practicum gives students high-level professional experience in museum libraries as well as libraries of related cultural institutions such as research and academic libraries. For detailed information on the practicum course visit the SILS practicum Web site.

Program Application

To receive the museum libraries certificate, matriculated Pratt SILS students must complete the set of courses described above.  There is no application for the certificate; those who complete the course requirements will automatically receive the certificate.  For those already holding a MLS, please visit the Pratt Graduate Admissions website to apply for the post MLS museum libraries certificate, and complete the online application.  The advanced certificate program will appear as an option, separate from the MLS program, under degree programs within the application.

Contact Us

For questions of further information contact: Quinn Lai, Assistant to the Dean for Academic Services, qlai@pratt.edu

A program under the rubric of Cultural informatics - defined at the intersection of culture, information science and digital technology, it is approved by and registered with New York State, Department of Higher Education