Teachers in the K-12 setting are often drawn to the role of school librarian, seeing it as a way to engage students creatively and to work with colleagues on all aspects of student learning. Transitioning from classroom teaching to library leadership requires intense preparation. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Indiana University offers the only school library program in Indiana.

The Graduate Certificate in School Librarianship prepares licensed K-12 educators to be effective school librarians and to act as curricular leaders in their school and district. You learn to lead collaborative planning conversations with colleagues in order to design instruction that integrates standards encompassing content-area concepts, information literacy, technology literacy, and media literacy standards. 

As a student in the program, you learn to manage the collections and facilities of a school library, including the space, technology, and staff. You learn to implement teaching methods, collaborative planning techniques, learning styles, and evaluation processes that are associated with effective instruction. You will also use state grade-level curriculum standards to plan, teach, and evaluate instruction that embeds information, media, and technology literacy within the classroom content. This certificate prepares you for the Pearson Library Content test or other state librarian licensure exams.

Your IU Online Graduate Certificate in School Librarianship prepares you for such careers as:

• Elementary school librarian 
• Middle school librarian 
• High school librarian 
• Library media teacher (K-12) 
• Library media specialist (K-12) 
• Library assistant (K-12) 
• Library clerk (K-12) 

Certificate Requirements 

To earn the Graduate Certificate in School Librarianship, you must complete 16 credit hours.

NOTE: If you choose to pursue the IU Online Master of Library and Information Science, these certificate courses may apply toward your degree requirements. Completion of the certificate program does not guarantee admission to the graduate program.