Drexel’s iSchool Maintains Rank in
U.S.News & World Report’s Top 10 Graduate Schools
PHILADELPHIA (March 119, 2013)—U.S.News & World Report has ranked Drexel University’s master’s degree program in Library and Information Science among the
nation’s top 10 library science programs in the 2014 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.”
U.S. News & World Report ranks the program—housed in The iSchool, College
of Information Science and Technology—10th in the nation, and one of the top three among private colleges and universities.
The iSchool’s specialty in Health Librarianship was ranked number one in the nation.
The iSchool’s specialties in Information Systems and Digital Librarianship maintained their national rank at numbers three and six, while other specialties such
as Services for Children and Youth, and School Library Media were newly ranked at numbers nine and ten, respectively. Additionally, the iSchool’s specialty in Archives and Preservation—a program launched two years ago—earned a first-time national ranking at
number 12.
According to the publication, U.S.News & World Report’s rankings are in part based on peer assessment by leaders at other colleges and universities, graduation
and retention rates, college resources, financial resources, and student selectivity.
The iSchool’s graduate program in Library and Information Science has consistently been ranked in the nation’s top 20 programs for over 17 years. In 2010, the program
was ranked ninth in the nation.
“Our consistent ranking among the nation’s top ten library science programs is testament to the College’s 120-year reputation of setting the bar in the LIS field,”
said Dean David E. Fenske. “We continue this trend in our health librarianship specialty’s ranking, and by paving the way for new and innovative careers that uniquely combine librarianship and informatics skills to advance healthcare—for the better.”
The iSchool’s graduate program was the second of its kind in the country, and is the nation’s oldest continually running library science program. Graduates from
the program work around the world, at various organizations and government entities including the Library of Congress, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Cairo American College (in Cairo, Egypt), The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Harvard University
Law School Library, The American Philosophical Society, Baltimore City Public Schools, QVC Television Network’s Information Services Department, and the Getty Research Institute at the J. Paul Getty Trust.
It is one of 63 American Library Association-accredited programs nationally. Re-accredited in 2011, the iSchool has proudly maintained its ALA accreditation since
1924.
According to the American Library Association, as of February 2013 there are an estimated 121,169 libraries in the United States, a number which includes public
libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, special libraries (such as law, medical and religious libraries) and armed forces libraries.
Corporations, law firms, and government entities employ librarians to manage information, documents, archival materials, and electronic resources.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that nearly 61 percent of librarians are projected to reach the retirement age of 65 by 2020, providing additional
employment opportunities for future librarians.
Founded in 1892, the iSchool educates students in information science and technology at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels and features Drexel University’s
Cooperative Education program.
The College’s mission is to unite technology, people, and information to make a fundamental difference in tomorrow's knowledge society.
The iSchool is a founding member of the iSchools Caucus of 24 prominent colleges dedicated to advancing the information field in the 21st Century.
For more information, visit ischool.drexel.edu.
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News Media Contacts:
Kerry Boland
Writer/Editor, The iSchool, College of Information Science and Technology
Drexel University
Phone: 215-895-6271
Britt Faulstick
News Officer, University Communications
Drexel University
Phone: 215-895-2617
Mobile: 215-796-5161