Program Profile - Early Childhood Librarianship
The Library and Information Science (LIS) program is excited to offer fellowships for 10 students to be prepared to serve the early literacy needs of very young children (0-5 years), caregivers, families, educators, and community coalitions in Colorado. Through partnerships established with several disciplines, practice areas, and institutions, fellows will complete extensive coursework and direct experiences in the settings most pertinent to early childhood literacy.
LIS Early Childhood Fellows will be placed in public libraries and preschools with an emphasis on diversity of programs and populations. The coursework has been chosen to include classes in brain research and child development. Fellows will also take conversational Spanish, as Colorado and other states have a significant percentage of Spanish speaking residents. The primary goal of this project is to increase the number of Master's in Library and Information Science (MLIS)-degreed librarians who are prepared to serve this community need. Using experiential learning in at least 5 partner public libraries and at least 5 early childhood education centers, and an interdisciplinary curriculum including LIS coursework and Child, Family, and School Psychology (CFSP) coursework in brain development, language acquisition, and special needs, fellows will be uniquely prepared. Early literacy skills improve learning achievement and enhance the joy of reading, yet, many young children are disadvantaged in acquiring these skills. Furthermore, most MLIS programs in the U.S. provide only one or two courses in early childhood library services.
A secondary goal is to increase the knowledge and skills of public librarians, early childhood educators, families, and caregivers in order to encourage the development of young children's early literacy skills. These guidelines will be incorporated into instructional sessions for the targeted groups. The strengths of this project include the highly critical need for early childhood librarians, the unique configuration of partners, and the experiential learning component.
Partners in the program include: LIS; Child, Family, and School Psychology; Fisher Early Learning Center; Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy; the Colorado State Library; Arapahoe Library District; Douglas County Libraries; Denver Preschool Program; Clayton Early Learning Institute; and the Family Educational Network of Weld County.
To learn more about the LIS program and the Early Childhood Librarianship Fellowship program, please visit the LIS website, come to an MCE Information Session, or contact the Morgridge College of Education Office of Admission and Enrollment Services at 303-871-2509, edinfo@du.edu.
