A joint program of the Busch School of Business and Library and Information Science, the program offers evening and online course scheduling that fits the needs of working professionals. So if you’re looking for an educational experience that’s directly applicable to your current management role, or will prepare you for the next step in your career development – we think you’ll want to consider the Advanced Certificate Program in Library Leadership and Management. 

Is the advanced certificate program for me?

It’s a fact: most librarians acquire management responsibilities within a few years of completing their master’s programs in library science. Yet there’s little room in the schedules of most MLS students for management education. As a result, librarians often find themselves in positions of leadership for which they feel inadequately prepared.

If this scenario describes you – or you can see yourself in it in the future, then the Advanced Certificate in Library Leadership and Management may be the program you are looking for. It offers the management education you may have missed in library school, and it is specifically designed with the needs of working librarians in mind. It is flexible and customizable to meet the needs of librarian—managers in all sectors of the profession: higher education, public librarianship, school library media programs, specialized information and knowledge services, and those working in nontraditional information services roles.


  • Course of Study Requirements

    The Advanced Certificate requires 18 credit hours, consisting of the following 6 courses:

    MSM 505: Project Management
    Offered by the Busch School of Business
    Introduces students to the principles underlying effective project management, providing the knowledge, skills, and framework necessary to manage a real project in the workplace. Topics covered include the project life cycle, stakeholder identification, resource allocation, cost management, scheduling techniques, and human resource aspects of project management. Reviews MS Project as a useful tool to effectively and efficiently manage a project.

    MSM 652: Managerial Decision-Making: Finance and Budgeting
    Offered by the Busch School of Business
    Serves as an introduction to decision-making tools used by managers. The course focuses heavily on financial management, addressing concepts and principles, terminology, budgeting techniques, and financial reporting. Introduces the concept of “metrics” and discusses how they are used to enhance management effectiveness.

    LSC 672: Management 
    Offered by the Department of Library and Information Science
    Introduction to the management process and functions as applied to all types of libraries, archives, media, and information centers. Emphasizes the development of competencies in utilizing human, financial, and other resources, and working with and through others to achieve effective and efficient organizational performance.

    LSC 635: Human Information Behavior
    Offered by the Department of Library and Information Science
    This course will introduce students to information-seeking theories, methods, and research on users’ behavior of libraries and information use. The main focus of this course is on promoting an understanding of how different groups of people and communities seek, gather, retrieve, and use information in a variety of information environments. Topics of the course include frameworks for understanding behavior, seeking and retrieval of information, conceptual models of seeking and search process, relationships between information seeking and information retrieval and organization, research approaches and methods, and a review of the basic process in the management of information services.

    LSC 675: Research Methods in Library and Information Science
    Offered by the Department of Library and Information Science
    Covers the analysis and evaluation of research studies in library and information science and the application of analytical and evaluative techniques. Surveys research processes, including problem definition, design, sampling, measurement, data collection and analysis, and the applications of research findings to solving practical problems of libraries and information centers. Includes research design and proposal writing. No previous statistical or research background required.

    LSC 695A: Practicum
    Offered by the Department of Library and Information Science
    Supervised professional training in a library, archive, or other library/information service agency approved by the faculty of the School of Library and Information Science. Minimum of 120 hours per semester. Written goals and evaluation of practicum experience required. Requests for practicum should be made toward the end of the preceding semester to allow sufficient time to make arrangements. Graded Pass/Fail.

    The practicum is normally taken as the final, capstone experience in the program. Students are supervised and guided in selecting, defining, and executing their practicum experience by the faculty advisor for the Advanced Certificate program.

  • Admission Requirements and How to Apply

    Applicants to the Advanced Certificate program will normally have earned a Master’s degree in Library Science, Information Science, or a related field. Advanced professional competencies in librarianship are assumed.

    Interested applicants must apply online as a non-degree student, submitting transcripts of graduate as well as all prior undergraduate degrees.

    Applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee as received. To ensure consideration, we recommend the following dates for applications:

    April 1: Applicants for Summer admission
    July 15: Applicants for Fall admission
    November 15: Applicants for Spring admission