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LIS FAQs - USP Library |
How do I find out more about the Library Studies programs?
Does the change of prefix affect courses that I have already studied?
Does the change of levels affect courses I have already studied?
What is LLF11 and why is it important? | Is a B grade in LLF11 necessary? | How much is LLF11, and when is it offered?
What is ‘mature age entry’? | Is the Certificate suitable for people working on their own?
Will the Diploma courses ever be offered ‘face to face’? | Can the Diploma be offered fulltime? | How can I organise and plan my part-time study?
Do you offer your courses online? | Does the ‘distance only’ choice limit enrolments?
Are the Certificate/Diploma courses at risk of being dropped?
Are there plans for a degree in library studies? | What does the minor involve? | Why have some course levels changed? | Would a degree be by distance?
Can I request a tutorial visit? | Is it possible to have Summer classes? | Does the library arrange library attachment sessions? |
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LLF11: Communication and Study Skills is a pre-requisite for entry into the Diploma. We don’t want students taking on programs that are too advanced for their current situation, and LLF11 is an important course because it demonstrates the English language abilities of students. If a student can pass LLF11, they should be able to succeed at degree level study.
The course improves study skills and communication, and covers:
While it is advisable to get the highest grades possible, a B grade is no longer necessary to enter this Diploma program. From 2009 the regulations were changed, and a grade of C or higher is now acceptable for entry. However, if you receive a grade of D or E you will need to take the course again and achieve a higher grade. If you have not attempted the Certificate, you may choose to enrol in this first.
It is important that students who did not achieve a B grade do not overcommit themselves in their study. Studying too many courses in one semester could be an expensive mistake, especially for those with full-time employment. It is better to study one Diploma course in the first semester of the program, and then study UU114: English for Academic Purposes as soon as possible. We recommend taking UU114 before starting the LIS diploma or as one of the first courses in the Diploma, to prepare students for studying at degree level. Do not leave this course until the end of your library units.
If you are a fulltime employee of a Government or other organisation, many Governments and other organisations in the region discourage their employees from studying more than one course at a time.
As a Foundation course, the 2012 rate for LLF11 will be F$260 in addition to the general services fee (in Fiji this is $55 per student).
In 2012 LLF11 is offered by distance in both semesters.
The Certificate is a very good starting place for new students, and many graduates do work in libraries without immediate supervision. The Certificate offers a very good introduction to library practices and activities, however at a very basic level. We recommend that a graduate who is in sole-charge of a library goes on to complete a Diploma. This more advanced qualification covers management practices as well as other more advanced topics that prepare students for the responsibilities of running a sole charge library.
In 2010 our course prefixes changed from HUC to LSC (for example HUC11 becomes LSC11) and HU to LS (for example HU101 becomes LS101).
This is an administrative change, and does not affect the validity of courses using the old prefixes. This means that if you have already successfully completed some HUC or HU courses, they will continue to be accepted, and your final qualification will have a mix of courses using both prefixes.
In 2011 course levels were changed for three of our Diploma courses:
LS103 becomes LS203: Organising Library/Information Centre Resources
LS 104 becomes LS204: Library/Information Sources and Services (note also change of name)
LS210 becomes LS310: Information Environment Today
This change recognises that these courses are more complex than suggested by their original level, and does not affect the validity of courses using the old prefixes. LS203 and LS204 courses are advanced courses, and were extensively revised in 2009 and 2010. LS310 covers high level concepts, policies etc and the content also justifies the higher level. The change also makes it easier for us to plan for a degree major in future.
Offering our programs by both distance and face to face requires more staff than are currently employed in the section, which seems unlikely in the current economic climate (January 2012). However, we do offer fortnightly evening classes for students studying in Laucala and monthly satellite classes for all students. We would need to prove that there is sufficient interest in a fully face-to-face program with regular classes, so if you would like to study library courses through lectures, please contact us at libtrain@usp.ac.fj to help us gather details of numbers interested.
This may limit enrolments for those students who are only interested in study by lecture. However, offering our program by distance allows us to offer library education to library staff throughout the region. This also allows you to study while working in your own library which means you can (i) apply your newly acquired skills to your library, and (ii) allows you to obtain relevant information from your library.
We know that LIS students are often more mature students with work and family responsibilities, who cannot easily drop these responsibilities and move to a new location for study. Offering these courses face to face would limit numbers to those already based in Suva, or who can afford to come to Suva to study.
If you can afford to move elsewhere for study, library studies programs are offered face to face at undergraduate level in Australia, and at post-graduate level in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
Yes. The ten courses in the Diploma can be completed successfully in 3 full-time semesters, with the final course completed part-time, using this suggested pathway:
Full time Diploma (3 courses per semester)
Semester one: LS101, + elective + UU114
Semester two: LS102, LS204 + elective
Semester one: LS203, LS205 + elective
Semester two: LS310
If you are employed fulltime, you must seek clearance for fulltime study from your employers.
In general we recommend that students start their study with the courses with the lower level numbers. This means that best course to begin your study in the Certificate is LSC11, and the best course to begin your study in the Diploma is LS101. These are two possible part-time study paths:
Certificate: Part Time: 2 courses per semester (complete in 3 semesters):
Semester one: LSC11 and LSC12
Semester two: LSC14 and LSC15
Semester one: LSC13
Diploma: Part Time: 2 courses per semester (complete in five semesters):
Semester one: LS101, UU114
Semester two: LS102, LS204 or elective
Semester one: LS203 + 205 or elective
Semester two: LS204 or elective + LS310
Semester one: elective, elective
For Diploma students studying one course per semester, we recommend taking UU114 before starting the LIS Diploma, then starting with LS101. Students would complete their study in 5 years.
Are there any plans for a degree in library studies at USP?
We are currently investigating offering a degree in library studies, and are surveying library staff and library employers about the level of interest and support for a degree program.
Please note that the process of applying for a new program takes time, and involves approval at different stages. There are also no guarantees that any LIS degree proposal would be successful.
It is currently possible for students to take a degree in another discipline (such as Management, Computing etc), and to combine this with a Diploma in Library Studies. This combination of qualifications is worth exploring for those who wish to study for a degree now.
A Minor in Information and Library Studies was approved by USP Senate in late 2010. This can be combined with a major to achieve a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Commerce and so on. Major areas include: Computing Science, Education, History, Information Systems, Marine Affairs, Official Statistics, Pacific Literature, Sociology, Management etc.
Both the LIS Certificate and Diploma programmes will continue.
The ILS minor is made up of five courses:
LS101: Introduction to Library/Information Studies; LS102: Building the Library/Information Centre Collection; LS203: Organising Library/Information Centre Resources; LS204: Library/Information Sources and Services; LS310: The Information Environment Today.
LIS Diploma graduates can request cross credits for these courses as a minor within a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Students who have graduated with Diploma in Library and Information Studies (DLIS) and have a Minor in Information and Library Studies within their undergraduate program will get the equivalent courses cross-credited:
HU/LS101 – cross-credit will be LS101
HU/LS102 – cross-credit will be LS102
HU/LS103 – cross-credit will be LS203
HU/LS104 – cross-credit will be LS204
HU/LS210 – cross-credit will be LS310
The other five courses which they have completed under their DLIS program may also be cross-credited depending on the single major. Students need to apply for their undergraduate program, fill in a Cross-Credit Application and submit this with their Admission Application.
Internationally some courses in Information and Library Studies degree programs are recognised at a higher level than those offered at USP, although the content is very similar. Senate accepted the following changes to reflect international practices:
LS203: Organising Library/Information Centre Resources (was LS103);
LS204: Library/Information Sources and Services (was LS204: Library/Information Services: course level and title change).
LS310: The Information Environment Today (was LS210).
LS203 and LS204 courses were always more advanced than their level, and were extensively revised in 2009 and 2010. LS210 is an advanced course covering high level concepts, policies etc and the content also justifies the more advanced rating.
This means that students planning to take LS203 and LS204 in 2011 will need to meet the ELSA requirements for study at 200 level. Please talk to us if this affects you, as transitional arrangements can be made.
Would the degree also be by distance?
Currently Library Studies courses at USP are only offered by distance. However, students attending classes at Laucala campus could study classes face to face for most courses within the proposed degree. Suva LIS students can also attend fortnightly tutorials in the evenings. These provide an opportunity for some lecturing, activities and group work, and allow students to ask questions about issues in their study.
This means it is possible to study most courses within the degree face-to-face, with the exception of the six L/IS courses (LS101, LS102, LS203, LS204, LS205 and LS310).
Yes, it is possible to have Summer classes if there are sufficient students studying the same course(s) at a campus. Generally a minimum number is required to form a “cohort”. Please ask at your local campus, as they may have some suggestions on how this can be achieved, and also talk to your program coordinators.
However, a Summer school may not be possible if no L/IS teaching staff are available at the time required. Summer schools take place between November and January.
Tutorial visits are possible if there is sufficient interest from students attending a regional campus (including inside Fiji). Generally a minimum number of students are necessary. Some funds may be available from your local centre, so please talk with other students in your classes and approach your local centre for advice. L/IS teaching staff are happy to support this as much as possible. You can also ask your local centre to provide you with a local tutor to help with your studies.
Library courses are secure for the time being. Enrolment numbers have been increasing, but they do need to grow further for our programs to be fully secure. The university has recognised the importance of library programs in the Pacific, and we have the opportunity to revise our courses.
However, our programs also need to be supported by governments in the region and by library employers by supporting library workers with their career plans. If you know people who may be interested in our programs, direct them to your local campus or ask them to visit our website or talk to us.
We also need local advocates to stress the value that libraries have in schools, workplaces and for the general public. If you know of people who can act as advocates for libraries in your community, please encourage them to talk to people who are in a position to make changes.
Under certain conditions, the university can accept people who are 25 years and over but may not have formal educational qualifications. If you already work in libraries and have at least three years of relevant experience, you may be eligible to enrol in the Certificate program without the necessary Sixth form qualifications.
Preliminary programs such as the Certificate and Foundation programs are recommended as the starting point for mature students with no formal academic qualifications.
In most cases we would not recommend that students with limited or no formal qualifications begin with the Diploma. However, as we recognise that some people have worked for many years in libraries and even managed them with no formal qualifications. In these circumstances, we could consider mature age entry. Our criteria would be based on a minimum of three years experience in a library. Regular activities would need to include a range of higher level tasks such as acquisitions, cataloguing and administering a circulation system. Evidence of these responsibilities should be supported by comments from a manager or employer. Applications from mature students will be considered in individual merits.
All entrants into the Diploma are required to have a pass in LLF11: Communication and Study Skills.
A fully online course requires students to have access to the Internet for hours every week - currently many L/IS students are not in this category and our distance programs are not currently offered in a fully online format. Students receive a printed pack of course materials, including relevant DVDs or CDs.
However, we also use the learning support system: Moodle. Students must regularly visit their course website to view additional web-based material, discussion forums, to submit their assignments online, and to read past news and course announcements.
We find this approach works best, as many students would not be able to spend the hours online to study their course materials. The great thing about printed course materials is they can be read anywhere! On a bus, at the breakfast table, bedtime reading, in the bath (not the shower) - anywhere you want, any time you want.
No, we do not offer this service, but students can arrange this directly with the libraries they would like to spend time in. We can provide you with a letter to support your request, so if you are interested, please let us know.
Visit our web-site at www.usp.ac.fj/library_studies
(USP Homepage>Library>Library Information Studies)
You can also email us at: libtrain(at)usp.ac.fj.
Pam Bidwell, LIS Diploma coordinator
Liviana Tabalala, LIS Certificate coordinator
