Denise Agosto
Professor of Library and Information Science
Curriculum Design and Coordinator of the Library and Information Science Concentration
dagosto@comminfo.rutgers.edu
Library and Information Science Concentration
This concentration offers a flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum that bridges theory and practice in Library and Information Science. You learn the foundational concepts, principles, values, skills, competencies, and dispositions needed to assume agile leadership roles in providing information services and resources for communities.
Concentration Goals and Objectives
We prepare service-oriented, user-focused practitioners who acknowledge the evolving information, technological, and learning needs of a diverse and global society, as well as the social issues involving equity of access. Upon completion of the program, you will be able to:
- Analyze, maintain, select, and build physical and digital collections
- Provide formal and informal instruction in a range of traditional and emerging literacies
- Perform and instruct in specialized research/information strategies
- Perform face-to-face and digital reference services
- Analyze and creatively meet community needs
Requirements for Library and Information Science Concentration
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36 credits, plus 3 zero-credit courses
Zero-credit Courses (required for all students):
36 credits, plus 3 zero-credit courses
- 17:610:501 Introduction to Library and Information Professions
- 17:610:502 Colloquium in Library and Information Studies
- 17:610:503 Professional Capstone
Minimum Technology Requirement (3 credits, required for LIS students):
All students (unless specializing in Data Science) must take one of the following technology courses to fulfill this requirement.
- 17:610:550 – Introduction to Information Technologies
Waivers for the technology requirement or for courses requiring it as a prerequisite may be granted with approval. Please contact Associate Teaching Professor Anselm Spoerri, course coordinator, regarding questions or waiver requests for this course.
OR
- 17:610:552 – Computational Reasoning
Students specializing in Data Science must take 17:610:552 – Computational Reasoning to fulfill this requirement. Please contact Assistant Teaching Professor Suchinthi Fernando, course coordinator, regarding questions or waiver requests for this course.
This requirement applies to all students pursuing the Data Science concentration who begin the program in Fall 2026. Students who started prior to Fall 2026 and are in the Data Science concentration are encouraged to take Computational Reasoning, but it is not required.
Foundational Requirements (Select 2 courses / 6 credits):
Note: Refer to the specific course study plans to see if a particular foundation course is required for your concentration.
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LIS Concentration-specific Elective Courses: (Select a minimum of 3 courses / 9 credits):
- 17:610:518 Community Engagement
- 17:610:519 Information Literacy, Learning, and Teaching
- 17:610:522 Cataloging and Classification
- 17:610:530 Search & the Information Landscape
- 17:610:532 Collection Development & Management
- 17:610:540 Reference Sources & Services
- 17:610:571 Transformative Library Leadership
- 17:610:592 Internship/Field Experience: Non-School Library Media (optional, but highly recommended)
- Special Topics: Misinformation & Society
- Special Topics: Public Librarianship
General Electives
Choose from any courses offered in the MI program at SC&I. You can also take up to two courses (6 credits) from outside the program.
Lisa Varga MLS’98 is Library Journal’s 2024 Librarian of the Year
Varga recognized for battling censorship attempts with “hard facts and heart.”
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Nancy Kranich
Teaching Professor of Library and Information Science
Student Advising and Coordinator of the Library and Information Science Concentration
nancy.kranich@rutgers.edu