The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa program leading to the degree of master of library and information science (LIS) has received continued accreditation status for the maximum seven-year period from the American Library Association’s committee on accreditation. The decision was made at the association’s meeting in Boston on January 10, 2016.
“We received both praise for our uniqueness and constructive suggestions for improvement,” said Rich Gazan, library and information science chair. “But, in my final meeting with the committee on accreditation, they mostly wanted to talk about how impressed they were with the level of engagement of our students, alumni, faculty, administration and the local LIS community.”
The master of library and information science degree program was first accredited by the American Library Association in 1967 and gained reaccreditation under new standards in 1974, 1980, 1986, 1994, 2000 and 2009. The COA’s next comprehensive review visit is scheduled for fall 2022.
Library and information science celebrating 50 years
Library and information science is 50 years old, and has graduated more than 1,600 information professionals working in Hawaiʻi and throughout the world. There are currently 59 American Library Association-accredited LIS programs, with the UH Mānoa LIS program’s School Library Media Specialization ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News and World Report.
On Friday, September 11, 2015 Governor David Ige and Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui proclaimed September 13–19 to be UH Mānoa Library and Information Science Program Week in honor of LIS’ 50th anniversary.
—A School of Library Studies news release
