School of Information and Library Science
GARY MARCHIONINI, Dean
Barbara Wildemuth, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Professors
Jane Greenberg, Stephanie Haas, Robert Losee, Gary Marchionini (Cary C. Boshamer Distinguished Professor), Richard Marciano, Joanne Marshall (Alumni Distinguished Professor), Sarah C. Michalak (Associate Provost for Libraries), Reagan Moore, Barbara Moran (Louis Round Wilson Distinguished Professor), Arcot Rajasekar, Helen Tibbo (Alumni Distinguished Professor), Barbara Wildemuth.
Associate Professors
Deborah Barreau, Claudia Gollop, Brad Hemminger, Sandra Hughes-Hassell, Diane Kelly (Francis Carroll McColl Term Professor), Javed Mostafa, Jeffrey Pomerantz, Brian Sturm.
Assistant Professors
Christopher Lee, Ryan Shaw.
Instructor
Phillip Edwards.
Clinical Associate Professor
Paul Jones (Director, ibiblio).
Introduction
The School of Information and Library Science (SILS) was founded in 1931 and is one of the most highly regarded programs of its kind in the nation. The school first offered a minor in information systems in 1997 and initiated a major in information science in 2003. UNC–Chapel Hill is the only university in the state offering a bachelor’s degree in information science and is one of only a small number of schools nationwide offering such a program.
Information science is the study of cognitive, social, technological, and organizational roles of information in all its forms. It rests on three foundational pillars: 1) content: the substance of the information being created, communicated, stored, and/or transformed; 2) people who interact with the content as creators of information, recipients of information, or intermediaries in the communication process; and 3) technology used to support the creation, communication, storage, or transformation of the content.
The bachelor of science in information science is designed to prepare its graduates for a variety of careers in the information industry, including information architecture, database design and implementation, Web design and implementation, networking support, and information consulting, as well as for graduate study. The minor in information systems provides students with an understanding of computing, networking, multimedia, electronic information resources, and the Internet that complements their major field of study. Students concentrate their studies in the junior and senior years.
Programs of Study
The degree offered is the bachelor of science in information science. A minor in information systems is also offered. Students are subject to the requirements in place when they are admitted to the School of Information and Library Science; consequently, the requirements described in this bulletin particularly apply to students admitted to the school during the 2011–2012 academic year.
Admission to the School of Information and Library Science
Undergraduate students who have completed at least the first semester of their sophomore year may apply for admission to either the major or minor program. Participation is limited, and admission is competitive. Criteria for admission include the candidate’s academic record, work and extracurricular experience, and substantive thinking about the role of information in society (and, for applicants to the minor, in their major field). Candidates from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds are sought for the minor. Prior computer experience is not a criterion for admission to the minor.
To apply for admission, students must complete an application through the MyUNC portal. Information regarding the application process is available at sils.unc.edu/programs/undergraduate/admissions. Applicants are asked to provide the following materials:
• A current résumé, including information about work experience and/or extracurricular activities
• A brief essay (100–300 words), discussing the role of information (its creation, communication, storage, and/or transmission) in a particular application area or in society at large, and the candidate’s reason(s) for pursuing the major in information science
Applications for the spring semester are available September 1 through October 1. Applications for the fall semester are available February 1 through March 1. Applications are accepted only during the application windows. No paper applications are accepted.
Questions can be addressed to the Undergraduate Student Services Manager, School of Information and Library Science, CB# 3360, 100 Manning Hall; or by sending e-mail to sils-ug@ils.unc.edu; or by calling (919) 962-8366.
Preparing for the Major in
Information Science
First-year students and sophomores who plan to apply for the B.S.I.S. should complete certain courses as part of their required basic skills and perspectives requirements. These include the following courses:
• Foundations: Quantitative reasoning: MATH 152 or 231, or STOR 151 or 155
• Approaches: Physical and life sciences: PSYC 101
• Approaches: Social and behavioral sciences: INLS 101
• Connections: Quantitative reasoning: COMP 110, 116, or 121
Majoring in Information Science:
Bachelor of Science
The information science major consists of 10 courses (30 credits), in addition to the prerequisite course, INLS 101. The courses required for completion of the B.S.I.S. are as follows:
• INLS 200 Retrieving and Analyzing Information
• INLS 261 Tools for Information Literacy
• INLS 285 Information Use for Organizational Effectiveness
• INLS 382 Information Systems Analysis and Design
• INLS 523 Introduction to Database Concepts and Applications
• INLS 697 Emerging Topics in Information Science (taken in the senior year)
• A coherent set of four or more electives, chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor, that will meet the student’s objectives. All electives, including SILS courses, must be approved by the Undergraduate Committee.
The information science major integrates the study of the creation and management of information content, the characteristics and needs of the people who create and use information, and the technologies used to support the creation and manipulation of information. Graduating students will
• Understand the many ways in which information can be created, communicated, stored, and/or transformed in order to benefit individuals, organizations, and society
• Possess practical skills for analyzing, processing, and managing information and for developing and managing information systems in our knowledge-based society. They will possess problem-solving and decision-making skills, be able to use information tools effectively, and be able to take a leadership role in our information economy
• Comprehend the value of information and information tools, and their role in society and the economy
• Be prepared to evaluate the role of information in a variety of industries, in different organizational settings, for different populations, and for different purposes
• Maintain a strong sense of the role of information in society, including historical and future roles
B.S.I.S. students are encouraged to participate in internship or part-time employment opportunities in an information agency or an information technology company. To do so, they may enroll in INLS 397 Internship in Information Science. During the internship, they will be supervised on site by an information professional and will work with a SILS faculty member as an advisor. Faculty-led seminars and a paper enhance the experience.
B.S.I.S. students are encouraged to consider pursuing a minor or double major (e.g., in business administration or computer science in the arts and sciences). The completion of a minor or second major must be certified by the college or school in which it is earned.
B.S.I.S. students are not allowed to complete more than 40 credits of their program (i.e., 40 of the 120 credits needed for graduation from UNC–Chapel Hill) in SILS courses. They may take a few additional electives in SILS but are encouraged to acquire a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences.
All SILS courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Students may not select the Pass/D+/D/Fail option for any of the courses fulfilling requirements for the B.S.I.S. major or for any additional electives in SILS, except for INLS 397 Information Science Internships. INLS 397 is only graded Pass/Fail. A minimum grade point average for graduation is 2.0.
Minoring in Information Systems
The undergraduate minor in information systems provides students with an understanding of computing, networking, multimedia, electronic information resources, and the Internet and can be used to solve problems in a variety of contexts. The minor complements the student’s major field of study by offering knowledge, skills, and experience using these information technologies. The undergraduate minor in information systems requires 15 credits of approved courses, receiving grades of C or better. Students enrolled in the minor must take either INLS 101 or 200, as well as INLS 261, 382, and 523. In addition, students will take the remaining three credits as an elective. The elective may be INLS 285, 318, 396, 397, or 697, an INLS course numbered above 400, or a course from outside of SILS of use or interest to the student that is relevant to the minor. Information systems minors may not use any course required for their major as an elective for the minor. All electives, including SILS courses, must be approved by SILS.
Honors in Information Science
An honors program is available to information science majors who have demonstrated the ability to perform distinguished work. The honors thesis allows exceptional students in the undergraduate major to demonstrate the ability to treat a problem in a substantial and scholarly way. Students write an honors thesis on a topic related to information science and defend it before a faculty committee. They may graduate with honors or highest honors.
The honors program consists of two courses: INLS 691H Honors Research in Information Science and INLS 692H Honors Thesis in Information Science. These courses are in addition to the 30 hours required for the major. INLS 691H will be taken in the fall of the senior year. In this course, each student selects a research topic of interest, learns about research methods, and writes a research proposal. Assuming satisfactory completion of INLS 691H, students register for INLS 692H in the spring of their senior year. The student and advisor meet regularly to discuss the student’s research and writing. The second reader for the thesis, identified jointly by the student and advisor, is chosen by the end of January. The director of the honors program (associate dean for academic affairs) is the third reader. The thesis must be completed and circulated to the thesis committee by the end of March, and the oral defense of the thesis must take place in the middle of April (exact dates will be based on the registrar’s calendar for the year). The final approved copies of the thesis must be submitted to the SILS office. The due date will be communicated to those in the honors program; it is always before the end of the semester.
Students may apply for the honors program in the spring of their junior year. Admission to the honors program requires a grade point average of 3.5 or better in the major and 3.2 or better overall and approval of the director of the honors program. Continuation in the honors program requires maintenance of a grade point average of 3.2 or better and completion of INLS 691H with a grade of B or better.
Students who complete a high-quality thesis will graduate with honors; those whose thesis is exceptional will graduate with highest honors.
Special Opportunities in SILS
Facilities/Resources
SILS maintains a combined specialized library and computer lab with ample seating for student collaborative work. The SILS Library is part of the UNC–Chapel Hill Academic Affairs Library System, and its collections are available for use in the Library by all interested persons. The current collection consists of over 90,000 volumes and several hundred serials titles. The SILS computer lab is located in the school’s Information Technology and Resource Center in Manning Hall and is available to students enrolled in SILS courses and programs. More than 40 PCs are available for student use, with space for use of student laptop machines in a wireless environment. A large selection of software is available, including data management, word processing, publishing, statistical analysis, Internet tools, graphics, development tools, multimedia, etc. Student assistants staff the lab help desk and are available to answer questions.
SILS students also have access to a small student lounge in Manning Hall.
Student Involvement
Undergraduate students are encouraged to participate in ISSUE (Information Science Student Undergraduates Empowered). All of the school’s standing committees have student representation, and all students are members of the Information and Library Science Student Association (ILSSA). In addition, students may participate in professional associations in information and library science, including the student chapters of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST), the American Library Association (ALA), Special Libraries Association (SLA), the Art and Museum Library and Information Student Society (AMLISS), the Society of American Archivists (SAA), and Checked Out: SILS LBGTQ (lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgendered, and queer).
Study Abroad
SILS has formal study abroad agreements with four schools: the Faculty of Information Studies at the Royal School of Library and Information Science in Copenhagen, Denmark; Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic; the Department of Library Science, Information Science, and Book Studies at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia; and the University of Carlos III in Madrid, Spain. In addition, UNC–Chapel Hill has formal university ties with approximately 75 other universities—many of them with library and information science schools—where SILS students can spend a semester studying abroad. In most cases, a student pays UNC tuition and becomes a regular student in the overseas institution. Benefits include low cost for in-state students, full immersion in the host culture, and a wide range of subjects and courses from which to choose. Credit received for the classes appears as transfer credit on the student’s transcript.
Undergraduate Awards
Two scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded to newly admitted undergraduates in the spring and fall. Undergraduates completing an honors thesis are eligible to apply for a Carnegie Grant. This award of up to $200 may be used to offset any costs that might occur during their research.
Undergraduate Research
Undergraduates enrolled in the honors program conduct research as part of the completion of their honors thesis. Students not in the honors program may also take advantage of a number of opportunities to participate in research with faculty members.
Career Opportunities
The School of Information and Library Science works closely with University Career Services to assist its graduates in securing professional employment. Students desiring placement services consult with a career services counselor and establish a credentials file when they begin seeking a job. The school assists in placement by providing information concerning the various areas of opportunity and their relation to the SILS program. SILS solicits and maintains information on employment opportunities for its students and graduates.
Contact Information
Questions and requests should be directed to Undergraduate Student Services Manager, School of Information and Library Science, CB# 3360, 100 Manning Hall, (919) 962-8366, sils-ug@ils.unc.edu. Web site: sils.unc.edu.
INLS
89 First-Year Seminar: Special Topics (3). Special topics course; content will vary each semester.
101 Foundations of Information Science (3). Examines the evolution of information science; information representation, organization and management; search and retrieval; human information seeking and interaction; organizational behavior and communication; policy, ethics and scholarly communication.
200 Retrieving and Analyzing Information (3). Introduction to and application of the processes that can be used in seeking information, evaluating the quality of the information retrieved, and synthesizing the information into a useful form.
261 Tools for Information Literacy (3). Tools and concepts for information literacy. Includes software use and maintenance, computer applications, and networked information systems.
285 Information Use for Organizational Effectiveness (3). Prerequisite, INLS 200. Basic concepts in the way that information, people, and technology interact to influence organizational effectiveness. Principles of problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and organizational change/innovation.
318 Human Computer Interaction (3). Prerequisite, INLS 382. Design, implementation, and evaluation of interfaces for computer systems. User-based techniques, usability issues, and human factors.
382 Information Systems Analysis and Design (3). Pre- or corequisite, INLS 261. Analysis of organizational problems and how information systems can be designed to solve those problems. Application of database and interface design principles to the implementation of information systems.
396 Independent Study in Information Systems (1–3). Study by an individual student on a special topic under the direction of a specific faculty member. A prospectus/plan for the work is required in advance of registration.
397 Information Science Internship (3). Prerequisites, INLS 200, 261, and 382. Permission of the school. Supervised observation and practice in information science. The internship typically takes place in an information agency or an information technology company. Faculty-led seminars and a paper enhance the experience. Pass/Fail only.
461 Information Tools (3). This course may not be taken if the student has already taken INLS 261. Tools and concepts for information use. Information literacy, software use and maintenance, computer applications, and networked information systems.
465 Understanding Information Technology for Managing Digital Collections (3). Examines the evolution of information science; information representation, organization and management; information in social organizations; search and retrieval; human information seeking and interaction; policy, ethics and scholarly communications.
490 Selected Topics (1–3). Exploration of an introductory-level special topic not otherwise covered in the curriculum. Previous offerings of these courses do not predict their future availability; new courses may replace these.
500 Human Information Interactions (3). The behavioral and cognitive activities of those who interact with information, with emphasis on the role of information mediators. How information needs are recognized and resolved; use and dissemination of information.
501 Information Resources and Services (3). Pre- or corequisite, INLS 461. Analysis, use, and evaluation of information and reference systems, services, and tools with attention to printed and electronic modes of delivery. Provides a foundation in search techniques for electronic information retrieval, question negotiation, and interviewing.
502 User Education (3). Prerequisite, INLS 501. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Examines the history and context of LIS training programs. Pedagogy, teaching skills, methods of evaluation are addressed. Students may tailor learning projects to their own interests.
509 Information Retrieval (COMP 487) (3). Study of information retrieval and question answering techniques, including document classification, retrieval and evaluation techniques, handling of large data collections, and the use of feedback.
512 Applications of Natural Language Processing (COMP 486) (3). Prerequisite, COMP 110, 116, or 121. Study of applications of natural language processing techniques and the representations and processes needed to support them. Topics include interfaces, text retrieval, machine translation, speech processing, and text generation.
513 Resource Selection and Evaluation (3). Identification, provision, and evaluation of resources to meet primary needs of clientele in different institutional environments.
520 Organization of Information (3). Introduction to the problems and methods of organizing information, including information structures, knowledge schemata, data structures, terminological control, index language functions, and implications for searching.
521 Organization of Materials I (3). Introduction to the organization of library materials. Covers formal systems for description, access, and subject cataloging including AACR2, MARC, Dewey Decimal classification, Library of Congress Classification, and subject headings.
523 Database Systems I: Introduction to Databases (3). Pre- or corequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Design and implementation of basic database systems. Semantic modeling, relational database theory, including normalization, indexing, and query construction, SQL.
525 Electronic Records Management (3). Explores relationships between new information and communication technologies and organizational efforts to define, identify, control, manage, and preserve records. Considers the importance of organizational, institutional and technological factors in determining appropriate recordkeeping strategies.
530 Young Adult Literature and Related Materials (3). A survey of print and nonprint library materials particularly suited to the needs of adolescents.
534 Issues for Children and Technology (3). This course will encourage students to explore the array of technologies available to children and adolescents, the issues surrounding their use, the role of care givers, and potential impacts on development.
550 History of the Book and Other Information Formats (3). The history of the origin and development of the book in all its formats: clay tablets to electronic. Coverage includes scientific and other scholarly publications, religious works, popular literature, periodicals, and newspapers.
551 History of Libraries and Other Information-Related Cultural Institutions (3). The history of cultural institutions related to information from earliest times to the present day. Includes specific institutions, trends in service and facilities, and individuals important in the development of these institutions.
554 Cultural Institutions (3). Explores cultural institutions—libraries, museums, parks, zoological and botanical gardens, reconstructions, and other settings—as lifelong educational environments.
556 Introduction to Archives and Records Management (3). Survey of the principles, techniques, and issues in the acquisition, management, and administration of records, manuscripts, archives, and other cultural and documentary resources in paper, electronic, and other media formats.
558 Principles and Techniques of Storytelling (3). An overview of storytelling, its historical development, and the presentation and administration of storytelling programs. The class focuses on performance skills merged with theoretical issues.
560 Programming (3). Prerequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Introduction to programming and problem solving using the Java language. Fundamentals of programming languages including basic computation, flow of control, file handling, graphical user interfaces, and object-oriented concepts.
566 Information Security (3). Prerequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Aspects of data integrity, privacy, and security from several perspectives: legal issues, technical tools and methods, social and ethical concerns, and standards.
572 Web Development I (3). Prerequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Introduction to Internet concepts, applications, and services. Introduces the TCP/IP protocol suite along with clients and servers for Internet communication, browsing, and navigation. Examines policy, management, and implementation issues.
574 Introduction to Local Area Networks (3). Prerequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Introduction to local area network hardware, topologies, operating systems, and applications. Also discusses LAN management and the role of the network administrator.
576 Distributed Systems and Administration (3). Prerequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Distributed and client/server-based computing. Includes operating system basics, security concerns, and issues and trends in network administration.
578 Protocols and Network Management (3). Prerequisite, INLS 261 or 461. Network protocols and protocol stacks. Included are discussions of protocol classes, packet filtering, address filtering, network management, and hardware such as protocol analyzers, repeaters, routers, and bridges.
582 Systems Analysis (3). Introduction to the systems approach to the design and development of information systems. Methods and tools for the analysis and modeling of system functionality (e.g., structured analysis) and data represented in the system (e.g., object-oriented analysis) are studied. Undergraduates are encouraged to take INLS 382 instead of this course.
584 Information Ethics (3). An overview of ethical reasoning, followed by discussion of issues most salient to information professionals, e.g., intellectual property, privacy, access/censorship, effects of computerization, and ethical codes of conduct.
585 Management for Information Professionals (3). An introduction to general management principles and practices intended for information professionals working in all types of organizations. Topics include planning, budgeting, organizational theory, staffing, leadership, organizational change, and decision making.
613 Text Mining (3). This course will allow the student to develop a general understanding of knowledge discovery and gain a specific understanding of text mining. Students will become familiar with both the theoretical and practical aspects of text mining and develop a proficiency with data modeling text.
623 Database Systems II: Intermediate Databases (3). Prerequisites, INLS 382 or 582, and 523. Intermediate-level design and implementation of database systems, building on topics studied in INLS 523. Additional topics include MySQL, indexing, XML, and nontext databases.
672 Web Development II (3). Prerequisite, INLS 572. Study of design and implementation of applications using both client and server side configuration and programming. Example topics include PHP, ruby on Rails, and Javascript.
691H Research Methods in Information Science (3). Senior standing and permission of the instructor. Restricted to information science majors. An introduction to research methods used in information science. Includes the writing of a research proposal.
692H Honors Thesis in Information Science (3). Senior standing and permission of the instructor. Restricted to information science majors. Students in the SILS undergraduate honors program engage in independent research and write an honors thesis reporting the research under the supervision of a faculty member.
696 Study in Information and Library Science (1-3). Permission of the instructor. Study by an individual student on a special topic under the direction of a specific faculty member. Six credit maximum for master's students. Graduate faculty.
697 Emerging Topics in Information Science (3). Senior standing; information science major or minor. Contemporary topics of information science, information systems, information technology, information design, and information management. Assessment of future impact of new developments.