Library information specialist

Professional 1st level higher education study program “Library Science and Information”

Qualification to be acquired: Library information specialist

Code of the study program in accordance with the Latvian Education Classification: 41322

Duration and amount of the study program:  2 years 6 months

80 CP

Type and form of the study program: Part-time, intramural,  2 years 6 months

Admission requirements: General secondary education

The study program provides an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills corresponding to library science and information science under the guidance of professional lecturers working in the field: the principles of information resource management, provision of library services, information literacy, and other professional study courses are mastered. The knowledge and skills necessary for the organization and management of library work are also provided, for example, project management, personnel management, event organization, digital communication. Thus, students acquire competencies to perform work corresponding to the duties of a library information specialist, as well as to independently organize the work of the library or its structural unit in changing socio-economic conditions.

In order to strengthen the theoretical knowledge in practice, training seminars and practical classes are implemented in libraries and information centers, as well as four work practices. Traineeships are organized in both public and university, school and special libraries, as well as within Erasmus it is possible to implement internships in foreign libraries.

Studies are carried out on a part-time basis, which allows combining studies with full-time work. The study program is implemented as a first-level professional higher education program, after the graduation of which the graduate obtains the qualification “Library Information Specialist” corresponding to the labor market of the library industry.

MAIN COURSES OF STUDY

• Cultural Heritage
• An insight into contemporary literature
• Professional foreign language (English)
• Professional foreign language (French)
• Research methodology
• Social psychology
• Digital communication and social networks
• Business Basics
• Legal basis and copyright
• Environment protection
• Civil protection

COMPULSORY COURSES OF INDUSTRY

• Library history and bookkeeping
• Information sources and search
• Information systems
• Introduction to information literacy
• Management of digital resources in memory institutions
• Digital educational and research information resources
• Introduction to the science of bibliography
• National bibliography
• Management of cultural events
• Library work management and legislation
• Human Resource Management
• Project management

LIMITED ELECTIVE INDUSTRY COURSES OF STUDY

• Management of information centers and services
• Communication strategy and creation of communication campaigns
• Creating content in digital media

SPECIALIZATION LIMITED ELECTIVE COURSES OF STUDY

• Information services in libraries 1
• Information services in libraries 2. Children and teenagers.
• Inventory management
• Classification
• Bibliographic description
• Local studies in libraries

COURSE WORK

PRACTICE

QUALIFICATION WORK

Graduates can work in state and municipal libraries, private institutions related to information work and non-governmental organizations; to continue studies in the bachelor’s study program “Information Management” of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Latvia.

ADMISSION RULES

ENTRANCE EXAMINATION

Entrance examinations are not organized for part-time study programs!

REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICANTS

To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• get acquainted with the College Admission Regulations;
• fill in the application form;
• submit a copy of the passport or identity card and present the original;
• 2 photographs must be submitted (3 × 4);
• submit a copy of the document certifying secondary education and the transcript of records and present the original;
• submit a copy of the General Secondary Education Certificate with grades in the centralized examinations, presenting the original.
• Applicants who have completed secondary education abroad must submit a notarized translation of a document certifying secondary education in English or Latvian and an opinion of the Academic Information Center of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Latvia on equating the acquired education to the level of secondary education.
• If any of the documents submitted or presented at the reception contain a person’s surname (first name) other than the person’s passport, then a document certifying the change of surname (first name), such as a marriage certificate, must be presented and a copy submitted.
• If the applicant has obtained an educational document or degree abroad, the application must be accompanied by a statement from the Academic Information Center on which educational document or degree obtained in Latvia corresponds to the educational document or degree obtained abroad.
• Applicants who have completed upper secondary education before 2004, as well as persons who have completed upper secondary education abroad or persons with special needs, do not need certificates of centralized examination results.

When submitting the documents, a registration fee of 20 EUR is set for each application, which covers the administrative costs related to the admission process.

Payment only with a payment card.

* Orphans and children who have been left without parental support (after presenting the original document issued by the state social security institution), are exempted from the registration fee.

 

 

DETAILED ON SPECIALIZATION

When studying part-time, those interested can choose:

• to master the entire study program fully and to obtain the first level higher education;
• to study several study courses and receive a confirmation regarding the completion of the study courses (by taking the final examinations) or to receive a confirmation regarding the listening of the study courses (without the final examinations);
• to study one study course of interest to you, receiving a confirmation of its completion or listening.

Part-time studies in the specialization “Library Information Specialist” take place on Saturdays.

RECOGNITION OF PROFESISIONAL EXPERIENCE

IT IS POSSIBLE FOR LIBRARY EMPLOYEES TO SHORTEN THE STUDY TIME IN THE FIRST LEVEL PROFESSIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM AND TO STUDY 1.5 – 2 YEARS INSTEAD OF 2.5 YEARS!

Recognition of knowledge, skills and competencies acquired outside formal education or acquired through professional experience, as well as study results achieved in previous education, takes place in accordance with Cabinet Regulation No. 505 of 14 August 2018.

Only in professional study programs it is possible to pass examinations to recognize knowledge, skills and competencies acquired through self-study or professional experience in certain study courses, as well as to recognize study courses of other universities or knowledge acquired in further education programs, professional development education programs.

WHAT TO DO?

1) contact the Study Department of the College and state your wishes;

2) after the conversation, copies of all possible formal and non-formal education documents, CVs, statements on the performance of work duties appropriate to the library sector must be sent to the Study Department;

3) after reviewing them, you will receive information on how many credit points could be equated by taking examinations corresponding to the study courses (in order to study later, you must obtain 20 credit points per semester, for example, one internship is 4 credit points, study course “Local Libraries in Library” – 2 credit points);

4) if a higher education has been obtained in another study program or incomplete studies in a higher education institution, it is possible to simultaneously recognize the study results achieved in the previous education (for example – in the study course “Professional English” – 4 credit points);

5) then a decision must be made and, in case of interest, a reasoned submission must be written, which study courses you want to equate or recognize; *

6) after submitting the application to the Study Department, you will receive information about the examinations with the tasks to be prepared and the date of the examinations; *

7) after passing the examinations, an agreement on the commencement of studies at a later stage of studies (depending on the number of equated credit points) and an individual plan on how to pass those study courses that could not be equated will be concluded.

YOU CAN START STUDIES AT A LATER STAGE OF STUDY DURING THE STUDY YEAR!

* paid service in accordance with the Price list of paid services of the Latvian College of Culture of the Latvian Academy of Culture.