Campus Statistics Used in Surveys

GSLIS Overview

The University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) is recognized as a premier institution, frequently ranked number one and consistently among the top three LIS schools in the nation. GSLIS has earned its reputation by creating pioneering and innovative educational opportunities, including the oldest extant doctoral program in the country (1948), our award-winning online education program (LEEP in 1996), and an advanced degree in digital libraries (2005). Today, GSLIS is a charter member of the I-Schools Project, a community of schools interested in the relationship between information, technology, and people.

Founded in 1893, GSLIS helped establish and develop the methods used in the field of library and information science. Today we continue this tradition by translating the core principles of library science—information organization, access, use, and preservation—to meet the needs of our information society. This natural integration of library science and information science allows for opportunities to enhance and strengthen learning, teaching, and research: at GSLIS, we understand that fluency with current technologies is important to all information professionals, from librarians, archivists, and museum curators to information architects, Web developers, and data managers.

National Reputation for Teaching and Research

In the 2006 U.S. News and World Report ranking of graduate professional schools of library and information science, GSLIS held the number one spot overall as well as ranked highly in a number of specialty groups: Digital Librarianship (first); Services for Children and Youth (first); Information Systems (fourth); Law Librarianship (fifth); Health Librarianship (eighth).

In past surveys, library educators ranked Illinois first overall among schools of library and information science in providing the highest quality education at the master’s and doctoral levels and for faculty members who contribute most significantly to the advancement of the profession through research, publication, and leadership.
GSLIS researchers partner with many organizations and have a number of research collaborators, both on campus and around the world. Major founders include the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Library of Congress, Illinois State Library, Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the National Science Foundation.