Core Competency A establishes that the graduate candidate is able to

• demonstrate awareness of the ethics, values, and foundational principles of one of the information professions,
• discuss the importance of intellectual freedom within that profession,
• demonstrate knowledge of the chosen profession’s ethical principles and the documents in which they are articulated, and
• provide examples of the complexity of applying values and principles in a real (as opposed to a theoretical) context.

Core Competency B establishes that the graduate candidate is able to

• describe and compare organizational settings in which information professionals practice,
• demonstrate understanding of the differences and similarities in organizational settings, and
• compare characteristics of at least three informational organizations, such as policies and practices regarding relationship to a parent organization, mission, funding structure, audience/clients, personnel, etc.

Core Competency C establishes that the graduate candidate is able to

• recognize the diversity (such as cultural and economic) in the clientèle and employees of an information organization and be familiar with actions the organization should take to address this diversity,
• show awareness of diversity within a selected information environment,
• show knowledge of the impact diversity may have on the organization, and
• show knowledge of programs or policies that promote a diverse environment.

Core Competency D establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy;
• demonstrate the ability to participate in long-term planning or carry out project management;
• demonstrate understanding of how management theory can be applied in the workplace;
• show the ability to market her work to users/clientèle within or outside of the organization;
• show understanding of how an information professional can be an advocate for a specific information entity; and
• demonstrate an understanding of the impact the organizational setting has on the application of marketing and advocacy techniques.

Core Competency E establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• design, query, and evaluate information retrieval systems;
• address each of the three parts of the competency;
• demonstrate an awareness of design principles for information systems;
• demonstrate the ability to retrieve information from different kinds of information systems (such as bibliographic/full-text databases, web portals and search engines, OPACs, social media tools, etc.);
• describe how the organization of an IR system affects the search strategies used;
• demonstrate the ability to use different searching functions, strategies, and tactics for locating relevant information; and
• demonstrate the ability to evaluate multiple components of an information retrieval system, such as the organization system used (hierarchical, classification, controlled vocabulary, tagging, menus, etc.), the underlying collection of information, the usability of a website, or the findability of the information system.

Core Competency F establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital information items;
• demonstrate understanding of the concepts that comprise the management of collections of data or objects, including selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation; and
• apply collection management principles for both physical and digital content.

Core Competency G establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• demonstrate understanding of basic principles and standards involved in organizing information such as classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, metadata schemas or other systems for making information accessible to a particular clientèle;
• show knowledge and application of official standards for organizing a particular kind of information;
• demonstrate knowledge of basic principles, de facto standards, and best practices for organizing information in physical and virtual environments; and
• apply standards and principles to make information accessible.

Core Competency H establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies;
• identify and describe current and emerging information and communications technologies;
• demonstrate knowledge of current and emerging technological issues and trends and their impact on the information professions; and
• articulate how emerging technologies might impact an information environment.

Core Competency I establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• use service concepts, principles, and techniques to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information;
• explain what information service consists of in a particular environment; and
• articulate and demonstrate the ability to design and provide the services that assist people in accessing information in that environment.

Core Competency J establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors,
• articulate some of the prominent theories of information-seeking behaviors, and
• show an understanding of how knowing about information-seeking behaviors can lead to improved service.

Core Competency K establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• design instructional programs based on learning principles and theories,
• articulate some contemporary learning theories and demonstrate the ability to employ them effectively, and
• demonstrate understanding of and ability to apply relevant learning theories in a particular information environment.

Core Competency L establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the ability to design a research project, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature;
• articulate an understanding of both qualitative and quantitative research methods and their applicability to a specific environment;
• demonstrate ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature; and
• show ability to apply appropriate research methods in a specific work environment.

Core Competency M establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional work, including collaboration and presentations,
• articulate several ways in which these skills are important to information professionals, and
• demonstrate oral and written communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.

Core Competency N establishes that the graduate candidate is able to 

• evaluate programs and services using measurable criteria,
• demonstrate understanding of the concept of measurable criteria and their importance,
• focus on the evaluation of professional activities and services rather than on content or collections, and
• include discussion of how evaluation can improve the design or provision of information services and programs.