NC Licensure As a School Library Media Coordinator (076)

All professional employees of public schools must hold a license for the subject or grade level they teach or for the professional assignment they hold. The official title for school librarians in North Carolina is Library Media Coordinator and the license code number is 076.

A clear and continuing license as a school library media coordinator requires:

• A master’s degree in library science with specialized courses in school library-related topics
• Fieldwork (i.e., internship) in a school library media center under supervision of a licensed and experienced library media coordinator
• A satisfactory score on the Media Coordinator (#0311) PRAXIS/NTE (National Teacher’s Exam) specialty area

Under certain circumstances a school can apply for a provisional license for a candidate who has either an A-level teaching license or a bachelor’s degree in media but lacks some of the other requirements. In addition, a May 2006 provision passed by the NC State Board allows individuals with 18 graduate semester hours applicable toward a school media coordinator program to be issued a provisional license. The provisional license holder has five years to complete all requirements.

The standard basis for licensure is the completion of a state-approved educational preparatory program at an accredited university. Several approved programs exist in North Carolina. Each has a slightly different program. The 076 license seeker should compare and select the program best suited to his/her needs.

SILS specialization program in school library media satisfies the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepares students to sit for the Praxis exam. However, requirements in other states may be different.

If you are considering the specialization in school library media please note that at this time UNC-CH may or may not be able to advise whether a program meets requirements outside of North Carolina. Prior to enrolling in the program, please discuss this important topic with the coordinator of the school media library program at SILS. The following information applies to all UNC-CH programs that lead to a license to work in any level in public schools, i.e., teachers, principals, librarians, social workers, school counselors, superintendents, etc., in North Carolina.

Upon successful completion of educator preparation program degree requirements and licensure requirements for the State of North Carolina, such as, but not limited to, testing and national assessments, candidates will be eligible for an UNC-CH recommendation for a NC license. However, final licensure granting decisions are the sole responsibility of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction not UNC-CH. You should apply for a North Carolina license within 5 years of completing any program leading to licensure. After 5 years, UNC-CH cannot guarantee the ability to recommend for a license due to potential changes in licensure requirements and programs.

Candidates who graduate and seek out of state employment will have to meet the receiving state’s requirements for licensure. There is no automatic licensure reciprocity between states. UNC-CH will verify the completion of an approved, accredited program for candidates who seek employment out of state, and those candidates will be responsible for working with the receiving state to complete any additional requirements needed to obtain the license for employment.

Once an applicant has completed the UNC-Chapel Hill approved school media licensure program, the license application may be submitted online at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/licensure.

For questions about the process contact:

See UNC's School of Education Licensure page for specific steps to follow.