School of Library and Information Science
About
Page Content
1) SLIS Enrollment, Retention, MLIS Degrees Awarded
Year |
Grad/UG Enrollment* |
Retention** |
MLIS Degrees Awarded*** |
2023 |
291/142 |
94% | 125 |
2022 |
282/105 |
88% | 87 |
2021 |
313/125 |
92% | 67 |
2020 |
265/114 |
90% | 49 |
2019 |
185/112 |
85% | 54 |
* Southern Miss Institutional Research (Fall 2021)
*** IHL Degree Books: 2014 (PDF), 2015 (PDF), 2016 (PDF), 2017 (PDF), 2018 (PDF), 2019 (PDF), 2020 (PDF) 2021 (PDF) 2022 (PDF) 2023 (PDF)
2) Average Time to Degree Completion
-
Full-time students- 2.6 years
- Part-time students- 3.3 years
3) Percentage of Graduates w/Positions Relevant to Degree within 12 months of Degree Completion
-
2015-2023 - 95%
SLIS History, Educational Goals, Strategic Goals
Southern Miss SLIS has been ALA-accredited since 1980. At the last review by the ALA Committee on Accreditation (COA) in 2019, ALA Accreditation status was Continued and the next accreditation review by ALA COA is scheduled for .
Read about this history of Southern Miss SLIS in by Dr. Matthew Griffis.
Educational Goals for Students Include:
- Technological Competency and Skills
- Engagement in Research and Evidence Based Practices
- Information Resources and Reference and User Services
- Knowledge of Foundations and Inclusive Professional Practices
- Life-long Learning and Continuing Education
- Management and Administration
- Organization of Recorded Knowledge and Information
Educational Goals and Objectives (2016, updated 2022)
Strategic Plan with Strategic Goals, Objectives
- SLIS Strategic Goals 2024 (PDF)
- SLIS Organizational Chart (PDF)
- Planning Documents: Relation of Course Objectives, SLOS, to Professional Competencies
Policies
ALA Biennial Report 2022
ALA Biennial Report 2020
ALA Accreditation Report 2019
ALA Biennial Report 2016
ALA Biennial Report 2014
ALA Biennial Report 2012
ALA Accreditation Report 2012
Program Assessment
Students must complete a capstone research project, a comprehensive exam, and create an e-portfolio as part of the 40-credit hour MLIS program requirements.
- MLIS students must take a technology class as one of their electives and create an e-portfolio
- In LIS 695 capstone course, students must complete a master's research project
- In LIS 695 capstone course, students must pass a comprehensive exam.
Assessment of MLIS Program by Students
The Exit Surveys of Graduating MLIS students are aligned with the. Students evaluate their knowledge of the core competencies using a Likert Scale.
- Exit Surveys of Graduating MLIS students (Quantitative data) graduate_student_exit_survey.pdf
- Annual Focus Group conducted each October at the Mississippi Library Association Conference (Qualitative data) focus-group_mla2013-18.pdf
- Course evaluations
- Survey research conducted by Dr. Creel and Dr. Welsh
Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)
Program assessment is an ongoing, active and systematic process intended to monitor and improve the overall quality of Student Learning Outcomes (SLO). The documents below relate to SLIS program assessment based on Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) as required for SACS and ALA Accreditation.
MLIS WEAVE Assessment Reports
- SLIS WEAVE Report 2022-2023
- SLIS WEAVE Report 2021-2022
- SLIS WEAVE Report 2020-2021 (PDF)
- SLIS WEAVE Report 2018-2019
- SLIS WEAVE Report_2017-18.pdf
- SLIS WEAVE Report_2016-17.pdf
- SLIS WEAVE Report 2015-16.pdf
- SLIS WEAVE Report_2014-15.pdf
- SLIS WEAVE Report 2013-14.pdf
- SLIS WEAVE Report_2012-13.pdf
2024-25 Advisory Board
Jeannie Jones Damiano, MLIS, Pascagoula Branch Manager, MS
Natalie Dunaway, MLIS Community Outreach Coordinator/State Data Coordinator, Mississippi Library Commission
John Eye, MLIS, Ed.D., Professor and Dean, Â鶹´«Ã½ University Libraries
Mantra Henderson, MLIS, Ph.D./a.b.d., Library Director, Mississippi Valley State University
Sarah Mangrum, MLIS, Ed.D., Assistant Teaching Professor, Â鶹´«Ã½ SLIS Faculty Representative
Natalie Mitchell, MLIS, School Librarian, Jackson Elementary, Pascagoula, MS
Stephen Parks, MLIS, JD, State Librarian, Jackson, MS
Julie H. Schiavo, MLIS, Ed.D., AHIP, Assistant Director Dental Library, LSUHSC-NO Libraries
Elizabeth Simmons, MLIS, Ed. S., Instructional Materials and Library Services Director, Mississippi Department of Education
Diana Simpson, MLIS, Assistant Professor/Catalog Librarian, Â鶹´«Ã½ Libraries
Adam Singletary, MLIS, Associate Director, The Library of Hattiesburg, Petal, and Forrest County
Lorraine Stuart, MLIS, Head of Special Collections, Curator, Historical Manuscripts & Archives, Â鶹´«Ã½ University Libraries
Karlie Herndon, MA, MLIS, Assistant Professor, Curator, de Grummond Children's Literature Collection