Designed for K-12 educators, the School Library Professional (SLP) Endorsement Program prepares you for the K-12 Library Media Endorsement for the teacher-librarian in Washington state and the Type C Special Services Endorsement for School Librarian in Alaska. Fully approved by the UW Information School, this five-quarter graduate-level program has also successfully prepared teachers from across the U.S. and overseas to be certified teacher-librarians.
SLP provides you with the knowledge and experience necessary to develop and facilitate a successful school library media program. You will learn to establish information-rich learning environments to help students become effective creators, critical users, and communicators of ideas and information.
You will learn how to help students:
- Access information for their learning and personal needs
- Read diverse materials for a variety of purposes
- Derive meaning from many resources
- Communicate ideas and understanding to others
Working with teaching staff, you will acquire skills to:
- Integrate instructional technologies
- Engage in professional development
- Collaboratively plan and teach resource-based learning
You will also work with community members to:
- Use the library media center and perceive it as a unifying resource and clearinghouse for information
The UW Endorsement Program for the School Library Professional integrates a variety of field activities within a coherent, comprehensive course of study that focuses on collaboration and mentoring. The program is based on guidelines established by the American Association of School Librarians, the Washington Library Media Association, and the Alaska Association of School Librarians.
The UW Information School has approved the program. Courses are graduate-level credit which may be applied to degree programs.
Program Structure
The 25 graduate-level credits required for successful completion are earned over five quarters. Participants take courses on the UW campus, Seattle, for two weeks each summer, and online courses during the school year. Internet access and e-mail are needed to complete the online courses.
Coursework includes:
- Development of a professional growth plan
- Mentored guidance during field activities
Messages from the Deans
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"At the University of Washington, we are committed to providing the very best to fulfill the mission of library media programs, to ensure that students are effective users of ideas and information."
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Dr. Mike Eisenberg
Dean Emeritus, UW Information School |
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| "As a School Library Professional, you will be responsible for meeting students' information needs and acting as an instructional partner with classroom teachers."
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Harry Bruce
Dean, UW Information School
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What Program Graduates Are Saying
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"We formed powerful friendships and professional collaborators within our group. These are people I still use as resources for my work."
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Karen Grey-Levine
Anchorage, AK |
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| "After completing the School Library Media Professional Endorsement Program, I knew right where to jump in and begin making a difference right away."
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Sara Strobin
Olympia, WA
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| "I appreciated the instructors' insight and experience and the fact that I could complete the program in a year. "
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Sarah Hertlein
Sumner, WA
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Related UW Information School Master's Program
The goal of the Master of Library and Information Science degree program is to prepare you for a variety of professional information-related positions in libraries and other environments. Admission to the on-campus or distance graduate degree program is competitive. For further information, call the UW Information School at 206-543-1794, or see www.ischool.washington.edu.
How Online Learning Works
Some classes in this endorsement program are delivered online via the World Wide Web, which means you don't need to come to campus for those courses: You can study from anywhere. To access your course materials, you'll simply log on to the Internet. You'll use e-mail and online discussion boards to communicate with your instructors and other students. Just like in a classroom course, in these "group-start" online courses, students begin each course at the same time and work through the coursework together. To participate, you'll need a computer with access to the Web (see technology requirements). After you are accepted and enrolled in a course, you will be mailed instructions on how to access your online classes.
