Information Technology Program of Study
Students may be admitted in the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms.
Today, information technology influences almost every aspect of library management and services. Librarians must become proficient in using systems for a wide variety of tasks including circulation, acquisitions, cataloging, serial management, digitization, information storage and retrieval, and remote access for patrons. Given how quickly technology advances, it is critical to understand the concepts of such systems as well as how to use the current versions of software and hardware products.
The Information Technology specialization will enable graduates to assess, organize, and manage the various electronic systems that support library services. Courses will cover contemporary systems for tasks ranging from acquiring materials to managing patron records to providing reference support in online settings. Faculty will explore the theoretical underpinnings of such systems as well as provide a thorough understanding of their functions. This will prepare students to participate in the design -- and to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness -- of future systems. The program will emphasize database design and implementation, information architecture, and information visualization. Other courses will address digital preservation and managing digital collections, of extreme importance given the prevalence of digital materials in library systems.
This specialization will prepare students for such positions as Technical Services Librarian, Systems Librarian, Digital Assets Manager, and Digital Curators. These types of positions are most often available in academic, public, and special libraries.
Students will take the four required courses in the MLIS degree program.
- LIS 2000 Understanding Information (should be taken in the first term)
- LIS 2005 Organizing and Retrieving Information
- LIS 2600 Introduction to Information Technology
- LIS 2700 Managing Libraries & Information Centers in Changing Environments
You should carefully consult with your advisor about the most optimal sequence of required and elective courses.
Students will take eight elective courses, designing a course of study that will best meet career goals. You may choose from a wide array of other courses in:
- LIS 2630 User Needs and Information Services
- LIS 2635 Information Architecture
- LIS 2653 Digital Image Collections
- LIS 2663 Technologies for Information Management
- LIS 2670 Digital Libraries
- LIS 2674 Digital Preservation
- LIS 2675 Digitizing Library and Research Collections for Access
- LIS 2680 Database Design and Application
- LIS 2690 Information Visualization
Lead Faculty
Christinger Tomer, Lead Faculty
Research Interests:
Open source computing, scientometrics, digital libraries.
Research Interests:
Information retrieval and interactive retrieval-system design; user-modeling and adaptive Web-search system design and analysis; computational-linguistics and natural-language processing.
Research Interests:
Investigating user interaction with information structures including web-based visualizations, clusters, socially generated representations, and mobile visualizations for information retrieval.
For more information about this specialization, please contact our Student Recruitment Coordinator at lisinq@sis.pitt.edu or 412-648-3108 .