Overview
Mission
The Indiana University School of Library and Information Science is committed to excellence and innovation in education of information professionals, the creation of new knowledge, and service to a diverse society in a dynamically changing global information environment.
To accomplish this mission, the School has adopted as its goals:
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To educate students for fulfilling careers, professional librarianship, lifelong learning, social responsibility, and technological mastery;
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To contribute new knowledge and advance science, with a particular interest in user-centered approaches, social, behavioral, and technological perspectives, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the role of information in society;
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To serve society, our state and local constituencies, and the library and information science profession;
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To create a climate of intellectual engagement, openness, and respect within the School.
The school provides students with an understanding of the conceptual foundations of librarianship and information science and of the multifaceted nature of the wider information environment. It prepares students with a rich mix of knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to function as critical thinkers and effective communicators. Graduates should have a strong grounding in theory and the ability to translate theory into effective practice.
To provide a proper setting for the implementation of this mission, the school promotes the advancement of knowledge, both theoretical and applied, through active programs of research and scholarly publication. The school also provides service within the university and to the local, national, and international communities through contributions to, and leadership in, associations and organizations and by assuming consulting, advising, publishing, and other professional roles. This leadership by example is considered essential in providing a framework in which the goals of the program can be pursued effectively.
The school also provides opportunities for students to seek educational experiences involving the development of the specialized skills currently emphasized in information-providing agencies. The development of these skills often highlights current trends in information systems and information management that serve to assist the student in career planning. Such educational experiences are gained through selection of elective courses from the School of Library and Information Science, through cooperation with other graduate programs of the university, and through seminars, workshops, conferences, group projects, internships, and practicum experiences.