Mission/Vision

The University of Kentucky School of Information Science, an interdisciplinary community of scholars and professionals, brings together communication, information, instruction, and technology. Students learn to leverage knowledge and skills to become critical and informed members of diverse communities. We model and foster equitable and human-centered approaches to problem solving, innovative research, information access and synthesis, and responsible leadership.

History

In 1911, the first classes in library science were offered at the University of Kentucky. In 1932, the Department of Library Science was formed, becoming the Graduate School of Library Science in 1968 and finally the College of Library Science in 1970, earning it the distinction of being the first college of library science in the United States. It first established distance learning programs in 1973. The College of Library Science became the College of Library and Information Science in 1982 and in 1993 merged with the College of Communications to form the College of Communications and Information Studies, becoming the School of Library and Information Science. As of 2009, the School offers a fully online master’s degree in library science, with an undergraduate online minor in Information Studies made available in 2013. Instructional Communication and Research became a unit of the school in 2013, and the Information Communication Technology Program debuted in 2014. On July 1st, 2015, the School's name became the School of Information Science following the expansion of programs at the School (both at the graduate and undergraduate level) and reflecting the increasing diversity of professions in the information field.

Programs and Accreditation

The program of study in library and information science is one of approximately 50 educational programs in the United States currently accredited by the American Library Association. It is the only such program in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The School is a member of the Association for Library and Information Science Education.

In addition to the Library and Information Science master's program, the School houses Instructional Communication and Research (ICR) at UK. It is the home of UK's online Information Studies undergraduate minor and the Information Communication Technology program, the first of its kind at UK, which includes (as of Fall 2015) the graduate Master's Degree Program in ICT.

The School of  Information Science strives to be one of the nation's 20 best Schools for information professionals, excelling in teaching, scholarship, and professional service. You can read details of our Diversity Plan here.

The University of Kentucky adheres to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Information on FERPA is available for students, parents, and faculty/staff.