The Library Media Teacher Services Credential is a special credential that allows you to be a Library Media Teacher in any K-12 school in California. You MUST have a California teaching credential to be eligible for thisnew credential. Either an elementary/multiple subject or secondary/singlesubject credential meets this requirement. The Library Media Teacher ServicesCredential is valid in grades K-12 regardless of the level of your teaching credential.

Where can I get the Library Media Teacher Services Credential?

Seven colleges and universities offer this credential in Californiaand three of these are in our area: CSULB, CSU Fullerton, and Azuza Pacific.

See Credential Program Requirements

Dr. Lesley S. J. Farmer
   

A different credential class is offered each semester and meets for up to six Saturdays. Classes meet from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm each Saturday (see the Program Schedule for more information). In two years and three summers, candidates can complete the seven library media classes requiredfor the credential.These seven library media classes can be completed at CSULB's campus, the Northridge area and online (enrollment is through CSULB).  Equivalentclasses may be transferred (with prior coordinator approval) to CSULB from another Library Media Teacher ServicesCredentialor MLS Program (see Library Media Teacher Services Credential Outreach Program for more information).

The Curriculum Design and Development class can be completed at CSULB or, with prior approval by the Coordinator, can be completed by credential candidates at other universities nearertotheir homes. Individual arrangements are made for Field Experience to be scheduled in schools near the credential candidate's home, with prior approval of the site by the Coordinator.

CSULB will accept transfer credits from any of the other credentialprograms in California, and may accept transfer credits from library mediaprograms in other states.

The University offers an Master of Arts degree in Education with an Option in School Librarianship, starting spring 2003. CSULB is NCATE-accredited.

The Master of Library Science or Master of Library and Information Science degree is not required for a California Library Media Teacher ServicesCredential. If you ever plan to work in a college or university library,public library, or special library, however, you will need a Master's degree in librarianship from a library school accredited by the AmericanLibrary Association or the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. In California, the universities that offer the ALA-accredited MLS are UCLA and San Jose State University. SJSU also offera Library Media Teacher Services Credential, and has an off-campus extension program at CSU Fullerton that offers the MLS degree and the credential through evening and weekend classes (see phone numbersabove).

 ALA-accredited MLS programs can accept transfer credits only from other ALA-accredited programs. In other words, CSULB will accept transfer credits from CSU Fullerton or UCLA, but these schools will not accept transfer credits for library instruction classes taken at CSULB.