School Librarian Certification Program

The School Librarian Certification program is offered by the Texas Woman's University School of Library and Information Studies, and meets all requirements of the State of Texas State Board of Educator Certification for certification in public schools in Texas. 

Requirements for the School Librarian Certificate

1. Successfully complete a school librarian preparation program
2. Successfully complete the assessments required (TExES)
3. Hold a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education (academic program the degree is from is not specified)
4. Have two school years of classroom teaching experience from a public or accredited private school

Courses required for the MLS leading to the School Librarian Certification

• LS 5083 Foundations of Library and Information Studies (formerly LS 5813)
• LS 5013 Information Organization and Retrieval
• LS 5603 Literature for Children and Young Adults
• LS 5233 Multimedia Resources and Services
• LS 5333 School Library Media Center
• LS 5443 Librarians as Instructional Partners
• LS 5003 Collection Development
• LS 5103 Cataloging and Classification
• LS 5263 Information Sources and Services
• LS 5843 Practicum
• 2 electives

Total: 36 hours

Coursework for the certificate can be completed as part of the Master of Library Science (MLS) degree.

Courses Required for the School Librarian Certification Only

For students already holding a master’s degree, coursework can be completed by taking classes required by the preparation program. (TWU requires 24 hours.) Students who already hold a master’s degree in another field will need to take a minimum of 8 courses (24 hrs) and meet the state certification requirements. These courses are:

• LS 5083 Foundations of Library and Information Studies (formerly LS 5813)
• LS 5603 Literature for Children and Young Adults
• LS 5233 Multimedia Resources and Services
• LS 5333 School Library Media Center
• LS 5443 Librarians as Instructional Partners
• LS 5003 Collection Development
• LS 5103 Cataloging and Classification
• LS 5843 Practicum.

Out-of-State Students Seeking School Librarian Certification

A student attending TWU with plans to work as a school librarian in another state should always check with that state to find out its requirements. Different states have different requirements. For a student graduating from TWU with a MLS, having taken the required school library courses, another state might require:

1. Texas School Librarian Certificate
2. Passing that particular state’s exam for certification
3. Specific course(s) from that state
4. Other

Certification Requirements

For TWU to recommend a student as a school librarian, that student must have taken the required school library courses. Students in the state of Texas must pass the TExES examination. In order for a student to be given approval to take the TExES exam, the student must have completed or be enrolled in at least 18 hours of School Librarian Certification required coursework, including a least 12 hours taken at TWU. TWU is not responsible for the acceptance of its degree or courses by other states. Please see the SLIS Student Resources Blackboard organization (login required) for further information.

U.S. Department of Education Gainful Employment Disclosure

Advanced Studies in Library Science [pdf]

Contact

For additional Texas certification information, contact the Office of Student Support at (940) 898-2829 or email Linda Kobler at lkobler@twu.edu.