Faculty of Art
1961
School of Librarianship formed
In response to a growing need for professional librarians in Western Canada, a School of Librarianship was established at the University of British Columbia in 1961 as a professional school within the Faculty of Arts and Science. The School graduated its first class of Bachelors of Library Science in May 1962.
1962
ALA Accreditation
The one-year Bachelor’s program was accredited in February 1963 by the Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association (ALA).
1971
Development of two-year Master of Library Science program
In order to incorporate new technologies into the program of studies and to prepare students better for careers as information specialists, the School replaced the one-year Bachelor’s degree program with a two-year Master of Library Science degree. This program was re-accredited in 1976, 1985 and 1992 under the 1972 standards of the ALA. In 1998 and again in 2007, the program was re-accredited for the full seven-year period under the 1992 standards of the ALA.
1981
Archival Studies program develops
In conjunction with the Department of History, the School inaugurated a two-year program leading to the degree of Master of Archival Studies, the first graduate program in archival studies in North America.
1984
The School of Library, Archival and Information Studies
The name of the school was changed to the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies to better recognize the programs offered by the school.
1990
ALA Accreditation
UBC’s Faculty of Graduate Studies re-named and revised the degree programs. In 1995, the School graduated the first students to receive the newly re-named Master of Library and Information Studies degree.
1998
Development of additional specializations and degrees
The school initiated a Joint MAS/MLIS program, a First Nations Concentration in the MLIS and MAS programs, and part-time studies in the MLIS program.
1999
MA in Children’s Literature program
The newly formed program enrolled its first students in 1999.
2001
40th anniversary book
As part of the celebrations, the iSchool created a special book on its history, written by Maurizio Dattilo and then faculty member Judith Saltman. Forty Years of Library Education: The School of Library, Archival & Information Studies, The University of British Columbia — 1961-2001 is available for download online.
2013
PhD program
The school developed a Ph.D. in Library, Archival and Information Studies. Graduates of the iSchool’s doctoral program are now teaching and conducting research in universities and other institutions in Canada and the US, Korea, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
2014
Development of Bachelor of Media Studies program
The school became a partner in the newly developed Bachelor of Media Studies program.
2020
The School of Information
The name of the school was changed to the School of Information in response to the evolution of the information professions and changes within the disciplinary areas of library, archival and information studies.
2021
Minor in Informatics
The school launched a new interdisciplinary minor in Informatics to provide an opportunity for undergraduate students to study the field of information and understand how data and technology are reshaping our world.