Seminar

Library and Information Science

Ever growing types and formats of information – physical space is limited on the library

We need to know what our books and journals are about and if they’re really helping the user
in his quest for information

We also deal with a lot of representation – catalogs, indexes, abstracts, keywords otherwise
would be impossible to have exact descriptions of our collections

Do we need more computers? Do we have to acquire more physical items or we can go trough
digital?

We do a lot of user studies – To know what items to discard, to acquire, what our user needs

We also have a reference librarian that will help patrons find books and other materials in a
library, answer questions .

We also have to communicate with the user through different mediums: so we still dealing
with print media, like posters and signage systems and digital media through the website, the
online catalog, a different number of user interfaces are available to the user, how do we train
them?

Our research seeks to fill an existing gap that consists in the need for visual and digital literacy
to be able to provide the users with the necessary access and accessibility to our library.

Work with Information design since the bachelors degree, first by exploring Graphic design
history and communication and its relation with Information design

In the masters we sought to explore theoretically what is Information design and how it can
contribute to Information Science.

In the thesis I propose a discipline model, so it can be adapted to different realities, that will
teach a part of Information design to archivists and librarians so they can be able to connect
their knowledge of the user, products, services and systems that are on the Library with a
designer that will be able to transform it visually in a way that is accessible, user-friendly and
relevant in today’s world.

How can you deal with all these highly visual interfaces

Organizing information -> organizing and presenting visual information

Other aspects are interoperability and technology obsolescence. A format that goes into
desuse, has limitations in front of newer technologies.

Educate

Create

Engage

how libraries and librarians must and certainly can continue to be relevant, vibrant and
enduring

- Skills that archivists and librarians are familiar with / are not familiar with.

Project work makes it possible to convey important content of teaching and

practice in a task--oriented way. This concerns:

• strategies of thinking and creativity

• relevant laws, regulations and standards

• precision in expression and rendering

• adequate to perfect presentation of the results

• practice in native and English language.

Consequently, high demands are posed on both students and faculty. No won-

der information design courses are rare at the university level.

- Cite this above.

The lack of education in information design and the growing interest in the

potential of information among designers of all sorts results in the currently

heterogeneous information design profession. “Horizontal invaders” of other

disciplines turn up. Though speaking with rather strange accents, they 喣nd

ample possibilities for developing the 喣eld and occupying its many available

niches, often competing with information designers who graduated from

“disconnected” universities. I characterize “disconnected” universities as those

with low or no interest in the professional challenges waiting to be met by

their graduates.

- Ask Jeanne-Louise about this…

Too many potential

industry partners do not even realize that information design exists. Still, there

are opportunities that can lead up to success whenever adequately quali喣ed

experts make the e曌ort to engage in highly complex information challenges

Compulsory modules

 Cataloguing and Classification

 Managing Collections
 Supporting Information Users
 Managing Information Organisations
 Using Technology in Information Organisations
 The Library and Information Professional

Optional modules

 Students choose two of the following:

 Academic and Journals Publishing
 Collections Care
 Database Systems Analysis and Design
 Digital Resources in the Humanities
 Electronic Publishing
 Historical Bibliography
 Information Literacy
 Information Governance
 Individual Approved Study
 Knowledge Representation and Semantic Technologies
 Manuscript Studies
 Organising Knowledge
 Web Publishing

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is
published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is
subject to change.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, computer

laboratory and classroom practicals, with a strong emphasis on active learning and the
acquisition of practical skills. Assessment is through a mixture of essays, reports, and
practical assignments such as website design and the creation of indexing tools.

Careers
The programme aims to be broad-based: we are not trying to produce graduates who can
work in only one kind of library or information service. The skills and competences we
aim to develop are intended to apply in a wide range of different sectors.

Employability

As a vocational Master's, this programme prepares students for employment in the

library and information sector, and, in most cases, for promotion from their pre-library
school role as a library assistant to a qualified librarian role, such as senior library
assistant, assistant librarian, librarian and library manager. Students also choose careers
in information provision, such as taxonomists and web designers. There are specialist
employment agencies that place students in both short-term and permanent positions, so
if students do not find their ideal post straight away, they usually find suitable
employment while continuing to seek their ideal post.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL has been the home of professional library training and education since 1919. The
current programme continues to attract an outstanding team of researchers, teachers,
students, practitioners and information industry leaders. It combines an appreciation of
the traditional library with the latest developments in internet and digital technologies to
develop an understanding of the ever-evolving information environment.

Networking opportunities include a two-week work placement, regular journal club and
speaker events, guest lectures by professionals and career seminars led by industry
professionals. Additionally, in terms of expanding its international connections, the
programme has been granted precandidacy status by the Committee on Accreditation of
the American Library Association (ALA). Precandidacy status is an indication that the
programme has voluntarily committed to participate in the ALA accreditation process
and is actively seeking accreditation. Precandidacy does not indicate that the program is
accredited nor does it guarantee eventual accreditation of the program by ALA.

Students benefit from UCL's proximity to major libraries and repositories, including the
British Library, UCL Special Collections and the Senate House Library of the
University of London.

Accreditation:

The Library and Information Studies MA/PG Diploma has had its accreditation by the
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) as professional
level qualifications extended to 2019/20. The programme will be will seeking
accreditation for a further five years once the current accreditation has expired.

Department: Information Studies

What our students and staff say

Staff view

"It is a very exciting time in the library and information landscape. As a lecturer I
particularly enjoy the engagement with students, who are bringing their own experience
of the workplace into the classes. It's really important to develop opportunities for
students to share with their peers because that helps learning happen."

Charles Inskip
Library and Information Studies
UCL Information Studies
Application and next steps
Applications

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those
applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of
application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £80 for online applications
and £105 for paper applications. Further information can be found at:
www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/taught/application.

Who can apply?

The MA is a broad-based programme, and the skills that graduates learn are intended to
apply to a wide range of jobs within the field of library and information studies. The
general framework of the programme allows plenty of scope for students to follow their
particular subject interests.

Application deadlines

All applicants
3 July 2020

Applications received by 10 January 2020 will be considered for interview in the spring
and the majority of the places on the programme will be filled following these
interviews. Later applications (especially from overseas applicants) may be considered
until 12 June 2020 in the year for which entry is sought, but at this stage fewer places
are likely to be available.