Information school of the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
Information School
Mary Gates Hall, home of the Information School
Former names
Department of Library Economy (1911–1916) Library School (1916–1932) Department of Library Science (1932–1935) School of Librarianship (1935–1984) Graduate School of Library and Information Science (1984–2001)
The Information School (abbreviated as iSchool) is the information school of the University of Washington, a public research university in Seattle, Washington. Formerly the Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences since 1984, the Information School changed its focus and name in 2001.[2]
In 1911, it was a library school founded by Harriet Howe, Josephine Meissner, William E. Henry and Charles W. Smith, established in response to a growing need in the Western United States for highly trained, well-prepared librarians.[3] Prior to 1911, librarians in the Pacific Northwest were trained through a six-week summer course offered at the University of Washington.
Name changes include: (1911-1916) Department of Library Economy; (1916-1932) Library School; (1932-1935) Department of Library Science in the Graduate School; (1935-1984) School of Librarianship; and (1984-2001) Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Finally, in 2001, the school was renamed the Information School, becoming the newest independent school at the University of Washington.
Dean Emeritus Michael Eisenberg said, “I want to bring together many of the best things that are going on at the UW, as well as introducing some new things. Information science is a discipline that studies the organization, management, processing and use of information by people in every possible environment. We also plan to take advantage of the leading role that Northwest companies are playing in this transformation. Our students will be trained to make important contributions to society. And our discipline also will be working closely with other campus departments. I believe there is a void in information technology—the ability to apply technology to various fields, as it can be done by an information professional.”[4]
The Information School introduced several new continuing education certificate programs and degree programs in 2000 in response to changes in how people create, store, find, manipulate and share information. Under the leadership of Professor and Dean Emeritus Michael Eisenberg, the Information School introduced the Bachelor of Science in Informatics, online Master of Library and Information Science, Master of Science in Information Management, and Ph.D. in Information Science. In 2023, under the leadership of Professor and Dean Anind Dey, the University of Washington Museology program became a part of the Information School, adding an additional degree option with the MA in Museology.[5]
Directors and deans
1914-1931 William E. Henry
1931-1945 Ruth Worden
1945-1950 Robert L. Gitler
1950-1955 Gladys Boughton (acting, 1950-1952)
1955-1956 Dorothy Bevis (acting)
1956-1972 Irving Lieberman
1972-1974 Mae Benne (acting)
1974-1981 Peter Hiatt
1981-1992 Margaret E. Chisholm (acting, 1981-1983)
The Information School offers one undergraduate degree: the Bachelor of Science in Informatics. The Informatics program is focused on the design of information systems and services, with particular emphasis on the following focus areas:
The program touches on privacy issues, ethics, and management, as well as design, search engines, web development, and database design. Students study a broad range of areas in the information field, including: information management and technology, information-related research, interactive system design, human-computer interaction, and information science, with a goal of improving user experiences and technology access. The program's curriculum culminates in a design or research capstone project. The Informatics program has the largest enrollment of any program at the iSchool.
Graduates of the Informatics program typically go on to jobs such as:[7]
In 2017, the Information School added an Informatics minor. The minor complements a variety of majors on campus by offering students an opportunity to learn about data, design, policy, ethics, and code in order to solve information problems. It may be especially helpful to students in the humanities and social sciences who wish to know more about data, code, design, and policy.
The Informatics minor is open (not competitive or capacity-constrained, unlike most UW majors to which students must apply). In order to declare the Informatics minor, students need to have declared a major and should contact the advising staff of their major for the appropriate procedures. A minimum of 25 credits. A minimum grade of 2.0 must be earned in each class being used to fulfill the minor requirements.
The MLIS is the iSchool's oldest degree. It is a professional degree that prepares students for careers in library and information professions. The MLIS program offers two degree options: 1) residential, and 2) online. In 2017 the iSchool's MLIS program was ranked #2 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.[9] The program is consists of three elements: core courses, electives, and a final degree project. Program requirements are the same for students in the Residential MLIS and Online MLIS programs.
Additionally, the iSchool offers a third MLIS degree—the law librarianship master's program, a degree designed to prepare lawyers to serve as law librarians. The program is designed to take 10 months for full-time students and 22 months for part-time students to complete.[10] The UW iSchool’s law librarianship program provides the highest level of preparation for a career in legal information. The curriculum blends a strong theoretical foundation in the principles of information science with the specialized legal research, technological and operational background they will need to thrive as a law librarian. An accompanying internship allows students to further build their technical skills.
Ph.D. program
The Ph.D. program is a theoretical, research-based doctorate in the field of Information Science.[11] Research areas include:
Ph.D. program alumni have gone on to careers in public sectors (tenure-track faculty, post-doctoral researchers, administrators in higher education) and private sectors (industry researchers, business/industry positions).[11]
Leadership
The Founding Board offers strategic advice to the dean with a focus on building awareness of and attracting resources to the Information School. The Founding Board also leads fundraising initiatives for the Information School. Anind Dey was named Dean of the Information School in 2017, and serves in this role currently.[12]
Faculty
As of October 2023, the Information School's faculty numbered 79 core members, along with numerous adjunct and affiliated faculty members.
Notable faculty include:
Cindy Altick Aden, teaching professor, MLIS program chair, and former Washington state librarian
Scott Barker, former Informatics program chair (died 2021)
The school is in Mary Gates Hall, one of several university buildings bordering Drumheller Fountain. Formerly known as the Physics Building, it was renamed in 1995 after receipt of a $10 million gift from the family of Mary Maxwell Gates.[18] In 1999 a $35 million[19] expansion added updated classrooms and computer labs, office spaces, and commons, transforming the 1928 historic building and 1949 addition into a 175,000-square-foot quadrangle with a skylit commons at its center and a new main entry facing Suzzallo Library.[20] The architects of the original building were John Graham & Company and the architects of record for the 1999 expansion were Bassetti Architects.[21]
^ ab"Ph.D. Program Brochure"(PDF). Information School, University of Washington. March 2019. Archived from the original(PDF) on June 10, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
