LTA Practicum

Congratulations! You are nearing the completion of your Certificate or Degree, and it is time to register for your practicum. The practicum will give you practical, hands-on experience working in a library.

The Practicum is a capstone experience to be completed after taking 18 hours of LTA coursework. If you are completing the Certificate, you should register for LTA 276, Supervised Field Practicum I, for two credit hours. If you are completing the A.A.S. Degree, register for LTA 278, Supervised Field Practicum II, for three credit hours.

The Practicum Process -- FAQ's

When should I arrange my practicum?
What will I be doing in my practicum?
Where have other students done practicums?
How do I arrange a practicum?
What kinds of projects are appropriate for a practicum?
What details should I tell the cooperating librarian?
How many hours do I need to work?
Is there homework required outside of the work hours?
It's all arranged! Now what?
What about my progress throughout the semester?
This is a lot. How do I keep it straight?

When should I arrange my practicum?

Contact the LTA Department Chair the semester before your registration. This will allow you time to seek a placement and register prior to the first day of the semester. Read the information here, and then discuss your ideas and plans with the LTA Chair. You may discuss it in person by making an appointment or by telephone.

What should I be doing in my practicum?

What are your interests? Your practicum should reflect those interests. If you are primarily interested in a particular area or function of a library, you should aim for that. For example, a student who is interested in cataloging may look for a practicum in a technical services department. Practicums can also be arranged to give exposure to multiple departments of the library.

Where have other students done practicums?

Libraries that have recently hosted practicum students include: Round Lake Area Library, Cook Memorial Library, Arlington Heights Public Library, Ela Public Library and University of St. Mary's Seminary Library.

How do I arrange a practicum?

Students arrange their own practicum experiences with the advice and help of the LTA Department Chair. Before seeking a placement, consider your interests, your geography and your availability. Call the library where you would like to work and ask for the appropriate librarian. For example, if you'd like to work with children, you should seek out the Head of Children's Services.

Think ahead about what you want to say! You will need to explain that you are a College of Lake County LTA student who is looking for a practicum placement. Your goal is to work for this library in exchange for a learning experience. Mention why are you interested in working at this particular library. You may want to talk about some of coursework you have taken that would be relevant to the work you would like to learn. Occasionally, the librarian will want you to discuss it further with the LTA Department Chair, either by phone or in a meeting. If this is the case, please make that connection.

What kinds of projects are appropriate for a practicum?

Librarians all have a list of potential projects, and there is never enough time to complete them all. Is there a project on that librarian's list that you could complete or make substantial progess on? Or perhaps there's an ongoing project that could use the concentrated effort of one person to help out. There can be clerical components to the work, but the work cannot be entirely clerical. For example, it is appropriate for you to create a bibliography and print it for distribution with word processing. It is not appropriate for you to type up bibliographies for publication that were previously created by another staff member.

What details should I tell the cooperating librarian?

When you meet the librarian, be prepared! Dress as you would for a job interview. Be on time. Be prepared to discuss the topics above and others as well. You should know how many work hours are required. What kinds of projects are you interested in?

How many hours will I need to work?

For LTA 276, Supervised Field Practicum I, a total of 64 hours of work are required. For LTA 278, Supervised Field Practicum II, 96 hours of work are required.

Is there homework outside of the work hours?

Occasionally. Typically, this is reading assigned by your cooperating librarian which is relevant to your duties at the practicum site.

It's arranged. Now what?

Inform the LTA Department Chair about your practicum arrangement. Three forms are needed. Click each one to download.

• Student Work Plan -- This serves as a written record of what will be accomplished during the semester. It is signed by the student, the field supervisor and the LTA Department Chair. Send a copy to the Department Chair, preferably before your practicum begins. If this is not possible, send the work plan as soon as you begin working at your practicum site.
• Field Supervisor Evaluation Form -- Give this form to the supervising librarian at your practicum site. Though it will not be filled out until the conclusion of the practicum, it is helpful for the librarian to know what to be aware of as the practicum progresses.
• Practicum Log -- This will serve as a record of your work. Each time you work at the practicum site, make a note of the work you did and have your supervisor initial the log.

What about my progress throughout the semester?
Use the practicum log to keep track of your progress each time you work at your practicum site. You should make a note of the work you did and have your supervisor initial the log.

Around mid-term, the LTA Department Chair will make a site visit to see the project(s) you have been working on. It is a short, informal visit with time to talk about the progress you have made and what you have learned.

This is a lot. How do I keep it straight?

Yes, it is. You should always feel welcome to call the LTA Department Chair with any questions or concerns. If you'd like a visual reminder of tasks, click here for a checklist to help you keep track.