Librarian in Residence – Goethe-Institut New York

As a continuation or even a background to my last blog entries, I wanted make a note of a study tour for representatives of the North American Library and Information Science (LIS) Schools that the Goethe-Institut New York is organizing. The background is the attempt to initiate a stronger contact and exchange between German and North American LIS Schools. Six participants from schools in the USA and Canada will have the opportunity to visit schools in Germany and speak with faculty members of German LIS Schools.

I can't say what wins: my shame at having overlooked Leipzig in my summary, or my joy that an observant reader of this blog noticed. Without further ado and with my sincerest apology to Leipzig for having overlooked Germany's oldest library school:

At the University for Technology, Business and Culture in Leipzig, the "Media Department" (web site in German only) offers bachelors degrees in "Library and Information Science", "Bookselling", "Print and Packaging Technology", "Media Technology", "Television Production", "Museum Studies" and "Publishing". Masters degrees are awarded in "Library and Information Science", "Crossmedia Publishing", "Print and Packaging Technology", "Media Management" and "Publishing Management."
(Unfortunatley I cannot guarantee that all this terminology is translated correctly.)

The School of Communication, Information and Library Studies at Rutgers University in New Jersey has decided to take the “library” out of the name, and be called “School of Communication and Information Studies” in the future. The basis for this decision was that the number of the students in the journalism, public relations and advertising departments is greater than those in library studies. All in all, there are six courses offered. Of the about 2100 students, the department hopes to confer 27% with a “Masters in Library Science” degree.

The New Jersey Library Association is criticizing the decision, because the contracting of the name sends the wrong signal. And many of the students who study library sciences do not agree with the change in the name, because their department is being marginalized.

Two short reports in Library Journal (articel 1, article 2) has persuaded me to look into how this is in Germany, and if you can barely find the word “library” in the context of training librarians.

At the Stuttgart Media University, you can become a librarian through the Department of Information and Communication, where there is a program of study “Library and Information Management” (BA and MA). You can also get a BA in "Information Management", "Information Design", and "E-Services". There is an MA program for Information Systems and Services as well.

At the University of Applied Science in Cologne, there is the Institut of Information Science within the "Department of Information Science and Communication Studies", where you can study "Library Science" (BA). The Institut also offers an MA course for "Library and Information Sciences", and a Bachelor of "Science in Information Systems", and a BA in "Online Editor".

At the University of Applied Science in Darmstadt, the course is called "Information Science and Engineering" (site in German only), and is within the "Department for Computer and Information Sciences". The degree there is a Bachelor or Masters of Engineering. The department offers additionally training in "Computer Science", "Media", "Digital Media", and "Media Direction".

The University of Applied Science in Potsdam offers in the "Department of Information Sciences" training in "Library Management", "Archive Studies", and "Documentation".

The University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg teaches future librarians in the "Department of Design, Media and Information" (site in German only). There, in the "Information Department", the program "Library and Information Science" is taught, as well as "Media and Information", and "Information Science and Management".

Another library school in Germany is the University of Applied Arts and Sciences Hannover, where you can get a degree in "Information Management" at the "School for Media, Information and Design". The other courses offered by the school are: "Interior Design", "Journalism", "Communication Design", "Medical Documentation", "Fashion Design", "Product Design", "Public Relations" and "Set/Costume Design". You may earn an MA in "Design and Media", "TV Journalism" and "Information- and Knowledge Management" and "Communication".
The webpage of the University is mostly in German, but there is a short overview in English as well.

The Humboldt University in Berlin is the only university program for Librarians in Germany and it still has the term “Library” in the name of the department. Part of the Arts and Humanities faculty is the "Department of Library and Information Science", where you can study "Library and Information Science" for a BA, MA or PhD.

(Please note, that I translated most of the terminology, so I am not quite sure if everything is correct.)