From The South End:
Wayne State is seeking to combat a statewide librarian shortage by creating an experimental certificate program that allows educators to become library media specialists.
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Students in the program must have a valid Michigan teaching certificate. They will be required to complete 15 credit hours to obtain the Graduate Certificate in Library and Information Sciences. Previously, a master’s degree was required for enrollment, according to a news release by WSU.
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The number of librarians in Michigan schools declined by 54 percent between 2000 and 2010, according to Bridge Magazine. Moreover, only 8 percent of Michigan schools have a full-time, certified library media specialist according to WSU.
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“Schools found that one of the easiest things to cut were school librarian-media positions, so that’s been happening for over ten years,” [Matthew] Fredericks, [academic services officer for the School of Information Sciences] said.
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