Intermediate Librarianship Courses

This course focuses on the development of tools that patrons can use for self-instruction to aid with use and access of the collection.

Approximate contact hours to complete this course: 24 to 30

The types and quantities of resources available on the Internet are ever expanding. In this course we will cover all the many kinds of genealogical Internet resources available, as well as some of those that are not typically thought of as being genealogically focused.

Approximate contact hours to complete this course: 24

This course presents techniques for programming and promoting your collections and services. Success in this area increases usage and user satisfaction and may generate funding possibilities.

Approximate contact hours to complete this course: 18 to 30

This course provides an overview of many categories of record types that can be used by genealogists in their research pursuits. While government-mandated and -issued records may be available to the researcher, there will be times when a given record may not yet have been used or when the record simply cannot be located. In these instances, it is important to understand what records may be used as substitutes that contain much of the same information in order to substantiate or refute a hypothesis.

You will be presented with many examples of materials, and these will provide an understanding of what record types are available, where they are likely to be located, and what type of content they contain. We will not focus so much on the actual "how-to" analysis of the data contained in the records, although we will discuss the use of your "critical thinking skills" in helping patrons.

The Librarianship Certificate Program is intended to provide overlapping and complementary content between modules. One of your primary goals is to assimilate the information presented in each course and integrate it into a "big picture" that will help you provide the best possible service to your genealogical patrons. Therefore, you will find that this course compliments material presented in the other Librarianship courses.

Finally, it is important that you become familiar with your local service area and the record repositories where specific records may be found and accessed. Your library will provide a focal point for connecting with many types of print, electronic, and document source materials. While your physical collection may or may not include original source materials, you will always be assisting patrons in research that provides clues and pointers to original, derivative, and authored sources. You cannot connect the patron to the appropriate resources if you do not have a clear understanding of what records exist, where they are located, and how to access them.

You will be amazed at the sheer numbers of different record types available to support genealogical research but, by the time you complete this course, you will be much better prepared to support your genealogical patrons with knowledge and confidence.

Approximate contact hours to complete this course: 21