Approved Courses for Candidates
There are several ways to earn the Library Support Staff Certification. If you are interested in taking courses to complete the certification, please see the information below. If you are interested in completing portfolios for certification, please head to the Portfolio Development and Submission section. You can also complete LTA Programs that have a recognition agreement with the LSSC Program.
Taking courses from Non-college Providers
Non-college Providers offer courses that have been approved by the LSSC Program and align with the Competency Sets. These Providers do not offer programs that lead to a college degree or college certificate, but rather, single courses that meet the requirements of an appropriate competency set. The Approved Course Catalog displays all these individual courses and the corresponding information for those courses, including the provider, dates, cost, and contact information. You only need to take one approved course per competency set.
Taking courses from an LTA Program that partners with the LSSC Program
Library Technical Assistant Programs also offer LSSC Approved Courses. These programs offer comprehensive courses of study that lead to a college degree or a college certificate. The LSSC Program has reviewed many LTA Programs and decided that their graduation requirements corresponds to the completion of the three required LSSC Competency Sets and at least three or more elective Competency Sets, with occasional exceptions sometimes requiring an extra course. LSSC candidates can either choose to enroll in an LTA Program if they are interested in pursuing a two-year college degree or a certificate or take single courses from the individual LTA Programs, just as if they were taking courses from an Approved Provider. Please visit the LTA Partner Programs list for more information.
After Completing an Approved Course
If you are not enrolled in a LTA program to receive a certificate or a degree, after you complete a course, ask your instructor to sign a Course Completion Form and add this form to your LiveText record.
Library Technical Assistant Program Partners
The LSSC Program has reached agreements with these colleges that offer degrees or certificates in Library Technical studies.
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College of DuPage, Illinois Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana Palomar College, California Pasadena City College, California Illinois Central College Waubonsee Community College, Illinois |
Three Rivers Community College, Connecticut NMSU-Dona Ana Community College, New Mexico Central Carolina Community College, North Carolina Highline Community College, Washington Belmont College, Ohio |
These agreements allow for several things:
- Recent graduates, and graduates from the past two years, from these Partner Programs are immediately eligible for Library Support Staff Certification; they only need to enroll in the LSSC Program. If you fall into this category, please contact the head of your LTA Program for more information or contact LSSC staff.
- Candidates can enroll in one of our partner LTA Program and complete it, thereby obtaining an LTA Degree or Certificate as well as receiving the LSSC.
- Candidates can complete courses from an LTA Program Partner just as if they would from a Non-College Approved Provider. This is a good option if you live in the same state as the LTA Program because many times colleges offer in-state tuition.
All of the pertinent information from LTA Program Partners is listed below. Candidates interested in individual courses or enrolling in a degree or certificate program from LTA Program Partners will find a list of each LTA Program course and the competency set it corresponds to listed under each college. To find out more information visit the LTA Program’s website.
Approved Courses for Potential Course Providers
There are several ways that Candidates can earn the Library Support Staff Certification. One of these ways is for a candidate to complete LSSC Approved Courses approved by the LSSC. Providers can be any organization that provides library education.
Providers that wish to submit a course for approval must submit the following:
1. Course application, including a detailed syllabus and an instructor’s resume
2. A competency –course map that compares the course content, including readings, assignment an assessment to each of the competencies in one LSSC competency set
After submission, LSSC course evaluators review each course using a course approval rubric. Course providers are urged to review this rubric before submitting a course for approval. If your course is approved, students who successfully completed the course in the last two years from the date of course approval can receive LSSC “credit” for that course. A LSSC candidate who successfully completes the course must only submit proof of course completion. Approved course providers must agree to sign this course completion form.
Course application fees are: First and second courses are $100 for each course and each additional course is $50. Providers must reapply four years after LSSC approves a course.
