Indiana Public Librarian Certification
Indiana state laws for the management of public libraries include a certification program for public librarians. All directors, branch and department heads, and professional assistants at public libraries in the state must have some form of certification. The Indiana State Library Certification Board oversees the public librarian certification program in the state.
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Types of Licenses
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Indiana's public librarian certification program consists of six levels of licensing. Level 6 is reserved for assistant librarians and those who do not serve as any type of library head. With Level 5 certification, a librarian may serve as the head of a librarian in a town with a population of 5,000 or less. Level 4 certification is for those in towns with populations of 5,001 to 10,000. To work in a town with a population of 10,001 to 25,000 people, Level 3 certification is necessary. Levels 1 and 2 are for librarians in the largest cities in the state.
Levels 4 Through 6
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Level 6 public librarian certification requires only a high school diploma or its equivalent and either five years of experience working in a library or nine credits of collegiate coursework in library science. For Level 5 certification, candidates must have a minimum of a two-year associate degree. In addition, they must complete nine semester college credit hours in library administration, selecting and evaluating materials, and reference sources. Level 4 certification involves a four-year baccalaureate degree and 15 semester hours of library science coursework. These classes include the three required for Level 3 certification plus courses in children's materials and cataloging and organizing library materials.
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Levels 1 Through 3
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Public librarian certification in Indiana at Levels 1 through 3 requires a minimum of a master's degree in library science approved by the American Library Association. As of February 2011, the only school in Indiana to have an ALA-accredited program was the University of Indiana at Bloomington. Candidates for Level 3 certification need only the master's degree and have no additional requirements. For a Level 2 certification, candidates need three years of work experience in a library. Level 1 certification is reserved for applicants with 10 years of work experience, three of which must consist of supervisory experience.
Continuing Education
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All of Indiana's public librarian certifications remain valid for five years. The state requires that librarians complete continuing education coursework during each licensing cycle to qualify to renew their certifications. Assistants in libraries need 50 hours of education, 10 of which must include training in computers or technology. Department and branch heads must receive 75 hours of training with 10 hours of technology or computer-related coursework. Director continuing education requirements include 100 hours of training with a minimum of 10 hours of computer or technology training.
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