Welcome

It is with great pleasure that we offer this Program Presentation to the American Library Association’s Office for Accreditation. This Program Presentation offers a realistic assessment of the Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences (the iSchool), covering the period Fall 2006-Fall 2012.

As noted in the Program Presentation, this period has seen a great deal of change in the Program, the School, the University and the Information Professions. Society has come to depend upon, and produce, vast amounts of information in diverse and complex forms, thus increasing the need for professionals trained to manage, retrieve, and preserve information products. The degree programs at the School of Information Sciences (the iSchool) have evolved to provide the critical skills and foundational knowledge necessary for the success of our graduates in a wide variety of settings in both the public and private sectors. The MLIS program, under the guidance of an experienced and enthusiastic faculty, has been enhanced to offer new subject areas, new coursework on leading-edge topics in the field, and to provide practical hands-on experience for students. The program is still evolving today, to address the needs of students and employers of our graduates, to prepare students for successful careers in both traditional and emerging fields associated with Library Science and archival studies, and to lead the professions and disciplines into the next era of information exploration and management.

On behalf of the faculty, staff and students of the iSchool, I hope that this Program Presentation facilitates your efforts to evaluate the MLIS Program’s ability to meet the Standards for Accreditation as set forth by the American Library Association. We are extremely proud of the national and international reputation of this program, its resiliency and growth in times of significant challenges, and its ability to produce library and archival professionals who truly benefit the Information Professions and society.

 

Sincerely,

Ronald L. Larsen
Dean and Professor
School of Information Sciences, University of Pittsburgh