The Graduate Certificate in Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults is intended for: practicing library professionals who need to advance their competency in the field of children and youth services; SIS graduate students wishing to pursue a professional career in children and youth services; and graduate students from other disciplines and professions who wish to obtain public library and youth services skills to aid their organizations in meeting community needs.

Children and young adults comprise a high proportion of the patrons of public libraries - from large urban library systems to suburban library districts to small rural independent libraries. Services to children and young adults requires specialized training in the development of programs, the creation of effective collections, and the skills necessary to collaborate with community organizations who serve children and young adults. Students completing the certificate will be able to: develop effective programs and outreach services for children and young adults in public libraries; create appropriate collections, both print and electronic, for children and young adults in public libraries; and collaborate with community agencies, such as schools, social services, health organizations, to provide needed instruction and support for children and young adults.

Admission Requirements

Admission to the School is contingent upon admission to the Graduate School. In addition, Graduate Certificate in Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults applicants must satisfy the following criteria:

1. Possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university. Possess a Masters in Library and Information Science degree or equivalent, or be currently enrolled in a Masters in Library and Information Science degree program.
2. Have an undergraduate grade point average of 3.00 or better or possess another degree beyond the bachelor's degree. Applicants with an undergraduate grade point average between 2.50 and 2.99 can satisfy this requirement by one of the Alternative Admissions methods.
3. Meet the technology requirements.
4. Submit a personal statement reflecting relevant personal and academic background and experience. The statement should be a minimum of 250 words and a maximum of 500 words (1-2 pages).
5. Submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.

Application:

1. Complete and submit the online Graduate Admission Application form.
2. Compose a personal statement and upload it to your application. 
3. Upload a current resume or curriculum vitae with your application.
4. Pay $50 application fee.
5. Request official transcripts from each university you have attended and have them sent directly to Graduate Admissions, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48202.

Program Requirements

The certificate may be completed in conjunction with the MLIS degree or as a post-MLIS certificate. The fifteen-credit Public Library Services to Children and Young Adults Certificate program includes nine credits of required coursework and six credits of electives. Students choose from among a wide range of elective courses related to children's literature, bibliographic instruction and practical experiences for six hours to complete the certificate.

As with other certificates, nine credits of this certificate may be used toward completion of the Master's degree requirements.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
INF 6420	Web Development	3
INF 7250	Programming and Services for Children and Young Adults	3
INF 7340	Collection Development and Selection of Materials	3
Elective Courses
Select six credits of the following:		6
INF 6520	Beyond Books: Youth Literature in Action
INF 6530	Young Adult Literature
INF 6850	Issues in Information Sciences (permission of lead instructor)
INF 7880	Instructional Methods for Librarians
INF 7950	Practicum: Library Services
Total Credits		15