Teacher-Librarianship (LIBE)
Today’s teacher librarian is a dynamic teacher able to:
- collaboratively plan inquiry-based units of study with classroom teachers;
- teach information literacy to students within inquiry-based learning contexts;
- develop curricula that integrates information literacy, new media and new technologies;
- collaborate with teachers to strengthen literacy learning for all students;
- select quality resources and manage collections that support the curriculum, lifelong learning, and independent reading.
The diploma and certificate programs incorporate course work in educational leadership, inquiry-based learning, literacy, collaborative planning and teaching, information literacy, curriculum design and implementation, multi-media resources, digital literacies, and learning technologies.
For any questions specific to the Teacher-Librarianship progam, please reach out to the LIBE Program Coordinator, Amber Moore.
Certificate in Teacher-Librarianship
UBC offers a 15-credit Certificate in Education – Teacher-Librarianship. Courses for the Certificate should be selected in consultation with individual school districts, as hiring and qualification policies vary. If your school district does not require specific courses, options for completion of the LIBE certificate are:
- Any 5 of the 7 core LIBE diploma courses
- Any 4 of the 7 core LIBE diploma courses plus of the required literature or literacy options from the Diploma (In the diploma 3 credits of LLED 450-459; and 3 credits of LLED 440-449 are required. It is from these options that this 5th course may be selected). Courses we recommend for this option are listed below as “Recommended electives” (LLED 441, LLED 446, LLED 452, and LLED 459, which are all offered online and asynchronously, as well as taught by members of the Teacher-Librarianship Program Instructor team).
Students have the option to complete their Certificate entirely online.
Important note for Certificate Students
Moving from the certificate to the diploma stream requires a separate application to the diploma.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission into the Certificate in Education – Teacher-Librarianship, you require:
- Bachelor of Education or equivalent,
- Additional teaching experience in community and/or schools with children and/or adolescents is preferred.
Application
Admissions for Diplomas and Certificate programs are handled by the Office of Professional Learning. See the OPL website for application procedures. For program advice and other questions, please consult with the admissions office.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. It is recommended that students submit their application at least one month prior to their anticipated start date. Please refer to the application form for the deadlines to apply.
Registration
Once you have been accepted into the program, you will need to register for the courses you want to take. You can take them in any order you want. All of the required courses for your Certificate or Diploma must be completed within 5 years.
Using your Campus Wide login ID and password, log on to Workday to pay the registration deposit and register in the courses. Due to their popularity, register in Term 1 and Term 2 courses at the same time.
Before registering in courses, check available seating on Workday. Please note – not all courses are offered in every session or term.
Courses
indicates online course
indicates on-campus course
Required Courses: (15 credits, choose 5 courses)
LIBE 461 – Administration of the School Library Resource Centre (3 credits)
This course explores the evolution of the school library into a collaborative, inquiry-driven learning commons while examining the key elements involved in effectively administering and managing its programs, resources, and instructional partnerships.
LIBE 463 – Selection of Learning Resources (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of collection management (including collection evaluation, weeding and selection of resources) in school libraries, and covers issues such as copyright, intellectual freedom, curriculum support, and recreational reading.
LIBE 465 – Organization of Learning Resources (3 credits)
This course provides background and the knowledge of the importance of organizing learning resources and the strategies necessary to provide best access to learning resources for students and teachers in the K-12 setting.
LIBE 467 – Information Services (3 credits)
This course offers an introduction to reference materials, reference services, and how these relate to the school library program.
LIBE 477B – New Media and New Technologies in the School Library Program (3 credits)
This course introduces digital media and technologies to foster personal and social learning and communication in school libraries and aims to support students to increase knowledge and skills in current EdTech trends and develop inquiry skills to scrutinize online information.
LLED 462 – School Library Resource Centre Programs (3 credits)
This course emphasizes the teacher librarian’s role in the creation of dynamic and equitable learning environments that encompass curriculum, learning technologies and offer strategies for working with learners, in a variety of ways. This course serves as a starting point for many broad-based topics that are relevant to teacher librarians and school libraries today. It also provides a springboard for discussion, advocacy, future study and best pedagogical practice.
LLED 469 – Inquiry-Based Pedagogy in School Library Programs (3 credits)
This course provides a rationale for using the inquiry approach in teaching and learning where educators often work collaboratively to design inquiry units; the teacher-librarian can provide teaching expertise, resources, and other services that support inquiry-based teaching and learning.
Recommended Electives: (choose one if you select Option 2 for completing the certificate; please see above)
LLED 441 – Introduction to Children’s Literature (3 credits)
This course presents children’s literature as a resource for developing multi-literacies across the curriculum. Such multimodal forms of literature offer content and inspiration for transformative activities and reflective thinking that serve students literacy and literary development needs.
LLED 446 – Teaching with Illustrated Materials: K-12 (3 credits)
This course explores the use of illustrated children’s materials in k-12 classrooms with particular attention given to the role of the visual modality in conveying narrative and concept information to readers. This course also explores how illustrated materials support the instructional goals and aims to promote awareness and acceptance of diversity, our own and that of our peers, students and that of the creators of illustrated literary texts.
LLED 452 – Disciplinary Literacies: Intermediate Through Secondary (3 credits)
This course offers opportunities for deepening knowledge(s) of theoretical developments, pedagogical strategies, and emerging possibilities related to the teaching and learning of content-area material in today’s diverse intermediate-secondary classroom settings.
LLED 459 – Trends and Issues in Literacy Education Services (3 credits)
This course explores current trends in literacy instruction, critical literacies, and multiliteracies, expanding the concept of reading to explore a broader conception of literacy. Issues such as assessment, barriers to literacy, new technologies, as well as teaching with and through literature, are explored.
Program Completion
If enrolled in the Certificate program, you have 5 years to complete all 15 required course credits. This five-year time period is counted from the date of the first course started. For example, Winter 2024, Term 1 is when you started your first course. Your completion date would be Winter 2029, Term 1.
When you have successfully completed your 15-credit certificate program, you may apply for a certificate by filling out the Certificate of Completion Request Form.
Certificate to Diploma: If you wish to move from the certificate to the diploma stream, this requires a separate application from the diploma. Please contact admissions.educ@ubc.ca.
Diploma in Teacher-Librarianship
UBC offers a 30-credit Diploma in Education – Teacher-Librarianship. This diploma meets all the course recommendations of the Canadian School Library Association. Students have the option to complete their Diploma entirely online.
The Diploma in Education – Teacher-Librarianship offers flexibility in course selection. Students are encouraged to take the required courses in any order, and at their own pace. All 30 credits must be completed within five years from the commencement of the first applicable course. If students begin their coursework as an unclassified student, they may advance their UBC coursework to a maximum of 18 credits (or, if a student has studied outside of UBC, 12 appropriate non-UBC credits) into their Diploma program. Please note that any transferred credits must also be within the five year limit.
Important note for Diploma Students
Moving from the certificate to the diploma stream requires a separate application to the diploma.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission into the Diploma in Education – Teacher-Librarianship, you require:
- Bachelor of Education or equivalent,
- Additional teaching experience in community and/or schools with children and/or adolescents is preferred.
Application
Admissions for Diplomas and Certificate programs are handled by the Office of Professional Learning. See the OPL website for application procedures. For program advice and other questions, please consult with the admissions office.
Application deadline: Applications are accepted throughout the year. It is recommended that students submit their application at least one month prior to their anticipated start date. Please refer to the application form for the deadlines to apply.
Registration
Once you have been accepted into the program, you will need to register for the courses you want to take. You can take them in any order you want. All of the required courses for your Certificate or Diploma must be completed within 5 years.
Using your Campus Wide login ID and password, log on to Workday to pay the registration deposit and register in the courses. Due to their popularity, register in Term 1 and Term 2 courses at the same time.
Before registering in courses, check available seating on Workday. Please note – not all courses are offered in every session or term.
Courses
indicates online course
indicates on-campus course
Core Courses: (21 credits)
LIBE 461 – Administration of the School Library Resource Centre (3 credits)
This course explores the evolution of the school library into a collaborative, inquiry-driven learning commons while examining the key elements involved in effectively administering and managing its programs, resources, and instructional partnerships.
LIBE 463 – Selection of Learning Resources (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of collection management (including collection evaluation, weeding and selection of resources) in school libraries, and covers issues such as copyright, intellectual freedom, curriculum support, and recreational reading.
LIBE 465 – Organization of Learning Resources (3 credits)
This course provides background and the knowledge of the importance of organizing learning resources and the strategies necessary to provide best access to learning resources for students and teachers in the K-12 setting.
LIBE 467 – Information Services (3 credits)
This course offers an introduction to reference materials, reference services, and how these relate to the school library program.
LIBE 477B – New Media and New Technologies in the School Library Program (3 credits)
This course introduces digital media and technologies to foster personal and social learning and communication in school libraries and aims to support students to increase knowledge and skills in current EdTech trends and develop inquiry skills to scrutinize online information.
LLED 462 – School Library Resource Centre Programs (3 credits)
This course emphasizes the teacher librarian’s role in the creation of dynamic and equitable learning environments that encompass curriculum, learning technologies and offer strategies for working with learners, in a variety of ways. This course serves as a starting point for many broad-based topics that are relevant to teacher librarians and school libraries today. It also provides a springboard for discussion, advocacy, future study and best pedagogical practice.
LLED 469 – Inquiry-Based Pedagogy in School Library Programs (3 credits)
This course provides a rationale for using the inquiry approach in teaching and learning where educators often work collaboratively to design inquiry units; the teacher-librarian can provide teaching expertise, resources, and other services that support inquiry-based teaching and learning.
Children’s Literature: (choose one course for 3 credits)
LLED 440-445, 449 (3 credits each)
LLED 446 – Teaching with Illustrated Materials: K-12 (3 credits)
This course explores the use of illustrated children’s materials in k-12 classrooms with particular attention given to the role of the visual modality in conveying narrative and concept information to readers. This course also explores how illustrated materials support the instructional goals and aims to promote awareness and acceptance of diversity, our own and that of our peers, students and that of the creators of illustrated literary texts.
LLED 441 – Introduction to Children’s Literature (3 credits)
This course presents children’s literature as a resource for developing multi-literacies across the curriculum. Such multimodal forms of literature offer content and inspiration for transformative activities and reflective thinking that serve students literacy and literary development needs.
Language and Literacy Education: (choose one course for 3 credits)
LLED 450, 451, 453, 454, 456 (3 credits each)
LLED 452 – Disciplinary Literacies: Intermediate Through Secondary (3 credits)
This course offers opportunities for deepening knowledge(s) of theoretical developments, pedagogical strategies, and emerging possibilities related to the teaching and learning of content-area material in today’s diverse intermediate-secondary classroom settings.
LLED 459 – Trends and Issues in Literacy Education Services (3 credits)
This course explores current trends in literacy instruction, critical literacies, and multiliteracies, expanding the concept of reading to explore a broader conception of literacy. Issues such as assessment, barriers to literacy, new technologies, as well as teaching with and through literature, are explored.
Elective Courses: (suggested choose any one course for 3 credits)
EDCP 362, EDCP 460, EDCP 470, EDCP 470, EDCP 473 (3 credits each)
Or any 400 level course with the prefix: LLED or LIBE
Other courses may be used as substitutions with permission from Diploma advisor. Please contact the admissions office for more information.
Program Completion
In order to graduate, you must have completed 30 credits of the above listed courses. Please consult with the admissions office, to ensure all requirements have been met only if you have deviated from the above course list.
Students may apply to graduate through the UBC graduation website.