Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 University Bulletin 
    
2022-2023 University Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Certificate in Youth Services


Library and Information Services for Children and Young Adults

Students interested in this area of study will benefit not only from Dominican’s outstanding faculty but also access to the Butler Children’s Literature Center, recognized as one of the country’s premier centers for the study of children’s literature.

The SOIS Certificate in Youth Services provides:

  • A theoretical foundation, grounding library service to young people in the enduring values of the profession
  • A practical foundation, equipping librarians with the skills necessary to manage strong collections, present engaging programs, deliver peerless reference and readers-advisory service, and instruct young people in multiple literacies.
  • A bridge from theory to practice, giving the work meaningful context and illuminating the theory in real world terms.

Career Opportunities in Youth Services

Specialized study in children and youth services provides excellent preparation for careers in public, school and special libraries and nonprofit organizations as:

  • Children’s librarians
  • Teen librarians
  • Youth reader’s advisors
  • Literacy specialists
  • Storytellers

Additional Information


  • Certificates are offered for students currently pursuing a master’s of library and information science degree or returning scholars who want to add the specialization to a completed Dominican MLIS degree or its equivalent from an ALA-accredited graduate library program. Candidates work in collaboration with a faculty advisor to shape a plan of study.
  • Students who graduate with an MLIS lacking one or more courses towards a certificate can enroll in the course(s) any time within five years of graduating in order to add the certificate to the transcript. Students must enroll as a student-at-large (credit-bearing), not as an auditor (non-credit-bearing).
  • Students seeking two certificates may use courses that “count” toward more than one to fulfill requirements for both certificates. In other words, if a course is eligible for two certificates the student need only take it once, and may apply its credit toward both.
  • Students may also combine this certificate with other coursework toward the Master of Professional Studies .