Develop your skills with our Library and Information studies

Open Polytechnic are the leaders in distance learning. Our flexible online delivery means you can fit study around your life.

Members of SLANZA can receive a 10% discount on all course fees as part of a Library qualification. Please ensure you contact SLANZA in the first instance for their approval to enrol under this offer.

We also offer two courses fee free as part of the New Zealand Certificate in Library and Information Services for Children and Teens:

LIS606 Reader Development (fee free for SLANZA members)

LIS607 Services and Collections for Children and Teens (fee free for SLANZA members)

The qualification has been designed around the needs of the industry. Students explore best practice in readers advisory and book talking. Students evaluate current library services to children and teens, identify gaps, and make recommendations for improvement. Some of the assignments have been designed to be of practical value by applying learning to a real-life context/your own library situation.

Graduates will have skills in multiple literacies, reader development, and library programme design and delivery for children and teens within Aotearoa. The Certificate was designed to prepare graduates who could create, lead and deliver programmes.

How much time will you need?

Time calculator tool – Our time calculator tool will help you calculate how much time you spend on different activities in a typical week, it also gives advice on how much study you could do in your free time. The results are only a guide, but they can help you think about how you can fit study in.

You can find this tool in the ‘Choose courses and apply’ section of each Open Polytechnic qualification.

Course Information

On each course page on the website you’ll see a grey box with lots of key information. Look for these headings:

Workload – This will tell you the approximate number of hours you’ll need each week to study the course.

Teaching weeks – This will tell you how long we teach the course.

Generally for each individual course you would need to set aside 13 hours a week for 16 weeks.

Open Polytechnic learner Melloney Meek completed the NZ Diploma in Library and Information Studies a few years ago, and has now completed the last course in the degree programme.

“Every course I have studied has helped in my work as a library assistant; sometimes in practical ways that help from day-to-day, and other times learning about the broader view of libraries that helps me to understand that libraries are not just about books and internet access.”

As part of her work, Melloney interacts with children of all ages.

“I very much enjoy linking a child with the perfect reading material for them, from tiny tots who are just starting their reading and literacy adventure, to teenagers who are feeling their way to their personal preferences in more sophisticated reading materials. I love the way that different types of literacy are valued these days and I can help a child find the right content and format that will start them on a lifelong enjoyment of reading.”

We offer multiple library and information qualifications that can help you advance your career as an information professional.

NZ Certificate in Library & Information Services for Children & Teens (Level 6)

NZ Diploma in Library & Information Studies (Level 5)

NZ Diploma in Records & Information Management (Level 6)

Bachelor of Library & Information Studies

Graduate Certificate in Library & Information Leadership

Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Leadership