MLS - Master of Library and Information Science Master of Library & Information Science MCQ 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which metadata standard is most commonly used to describe digital resources on the web and supports interoperability between cultural heritage institutions?
- Dublin Core (Correct answer)
- AACR2
- ISBD
- EAD
Correct answer: Dublin Core
Dublin Core is a widely adopted, simple metadata schema consisting of 15 elements designed to describe digital and physical resources, enabling interoperability across libraries, archives, and museums worldwide.
Question 2: In the reference interview process, which technique is considered most effective for clarifying a patron's information need?
- Closed-ended questions to quickly narrow the topic
- Open-ended questions to encourage the patron to elaborate (Correct answer)
- Directing the patron immediately to the catalog
- Providing a list of databases without further inquiry
Correct answer: Open-ended questions to encourage the patron to elaborate
Open-ended questions allow patrons to describe their information needs in their own words, helping the librarian accurately understand the scope and context of the request before suggesting resources.
Question 3: The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education replaced which earlier document in 2016?
- ALA Policy on Information Literacy
- Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning
- Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (Correct answer)
- Characteristics of Programs of Information Literacy
Correct answer: Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education
The ACRL Framework (2016) superseded the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000), shifting from a skills-based checklist model to a threshold concepts approach emphasizing deeper learning.
Question 4: Which principle in collection development refers to ensuring that a library's holdings represent a diversity of viewpoints, including controversial or challenged materials?
- Weeding policy
- Intellectual freedom (Correct answer)
- Demand-driven acquisition
- Interlibrary loan reciprocity
Correct answer: Intellectual freedom
Intellectual freedom is a core library value, grounded in the ALA Library Bill of Rights, that obligates libraries to provide materials representing a wide range of perspectives without censorship or content restriction.
Question 5: In Boolean searching, which operator retrieves records containing EITHER of two search terms, thereby broadening the search results?
- AND
- NOT
- OR (Correct answer)
- NEAR
Correct answer: OR
The Boolean OR operator expands a search by retrieving records that contain at least one of the specified terms, making it useful for synonyms or related concepts to increase recall.
Question 6: What is the primary purpose of an Encoded Archival Description (EAD) finding aid?
- To assign subject headings to monographs in a library catalog
- To provide a standardized XML structure for describing archival collections (Correct answer)
- To encode bibliographic records for interlibrary loan requests
- To classify manuscripts using the Dewey Decimal System
Correct answer: To provide a standardized XML structure for describing archival collections
EAD is an XML-based standard maintained by the Library of Congress and SAA that structures finding aids for archival collections, enabling consistent online discovery and access to primary source materials.
