New rankings released by U.S. News & World Report (March 14) place Kent State University’s School of Library and Information Science (iSchool) among the nation’s top 20 graduate programs in library and information science – again.
Kendra S. Albright, Ph.D., who became director of the iSchool in July 2016, acknowledged the program’s rigorous academic standards and renowned faculty as key factors in the strong ranking.
“Current and future students should be confident that they will receive a relevant, leading-edge education,” Albright said. “Kent State’s iSchool has an international reputation for innovation in library and information science research and teaching. Our faculty earn acclaim for their work in emerging areas of the profession, such as new knowledge organization systems, linked data, human information behavior, museum studies, cultural heritage informatics, data sciences, and social media studies, among others.”
The iSchool also claims an outstanding history of and continued commitment to pioneering education and research in the information environment of children and youth, Albright added. Activities include the Virginia Hamilton Conference on Multicultural Literature for Youth, the longest-running conference of its kind in the U.S., the Marantz Picturebook Research Symposium, and the world-renowned research collection of children’s and youth literature in the Reinberger Children’s Library Center.
Amy Reynolds, Ph.D., dean of the College of Communication and Information, said, “The iSchool consistently ranks in the top 20, which is wonderful news for Kent State. It testifies to the excellence of our faculty and staff, as well as the success of our alumni and students. It also proves that the School is headed in the right direction, preparing graduates who can create opportunities in and address the challenges of an information-based society.”
The rankings are based on a fall 2016 survey of deans, program directors and senior faculty at the 51 American Library Association-accredited schools in the U.S. The library and information science programs are ranked every four years. Kent State landed at #19 in this latest round.
With locations at the university's Kent campus and in the State Library of Ohio in Columbus, the iSchool at Kent State has the only ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science program in Ohio and one of the largest in the country. It also offers three other master’s degree programs, in User Experience Design, Knowledge Management, and Health Informatics. The M.L.I.S. and M.S. options are available completely online. The iSchool also participates in an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in communication and information. In 2016, the School joined the prestigious, international iSchools organization, which includes 77 information schools worldwide.