UCL MA Library and Information Studies accredited by American Library Association

The Department of Information Studies at University College London (UCL) is pleased to announce that its MA Library and Information Studies has now been accredited by the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation, with the status of Initial accreditation. The programme is the first outside North America to be granted accreditation status. The Library and Information Studies programme has benefitted from being accredited by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the UK library profession representatives, for many years. This additional accreditation recognises the importance of the wider global profession and will broaden graduates’ opportunities.

Programme director, Dr Alison Hicks said: “We are over the moon to have become the first LIS programme outside of North America to be accredited by the ALA. This fantastic achievement is testimony to the dedication and commitment of the LIS teaching team, the ambition of our hard-working students, and the support and backing of local employers. We remain committed to advancing theoretically robust yet practically oriented LIS education that recognises the structural inequities that impact our local, national and international communities.”.

The new ALA accreditation is the culmination of a long period of thorough consultation and comprehensive programme review. The ALA’s mission is to provide leadership for the development and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and to ensure access for all. Their core values are access, equity, intellectual freedom and privacy, public good, and sustainability. Engaging formally with ALA is an important step in strengthening the programme’s global ties. It will provide opportunities for staff and students to benefit from the wide range of resources available from ALA as well as encouraging the sharing of teaching, research and practice.

ALA President Cindy Hohl: said: “We are thrilled to have University College London receive accreditation from ALA, making their LIS program the first outside North America to obtain status. Graduating from an ALA accredited program enhances career mobility and expands the opportunities in the types of libraries and positions library professionals can apply for. We recognize the importance of working with the global library community, and this is a significant step as we build opportunities for people joining our profession.”

UCL was established nearly 200 years ago and was the first university to be established in London, and the first entirely secular university to admit students regardless of religion. It was also the first university to admit women on equal terms with men. UCL has been teaching librarianship for more than 100 years.

Incoming programme director, Dr Deborah Lee said: “We are very excited to be accredited by ALA, and all this means for LIS education in both a local and global setting.  Our MA programme is designed to bring together the theoretical underpinnings of libraries and information with their practical applications, while interrogating the myriad of ethical issues which surround and inform this work.  We are so proud of our students and all they achieve, and hope that this accreditation will further enhance their studies and working lives.  We are grateful to ALA for their thoughtful work throughout this process, and the opportunities it provided for reflection and development.  A huge thank you to our amazing employers, students, alumni and LIS team for all their advice, ideas and support.”

The accreditation will apply to all students who have graduated from the MA programme since July 2022. The next comprehensive review visit is scheduled for Spring 2031.

Head of Information Studies, Dr Charles Inskip said: “This is wonderful news. I believe this accreditation has secured a future for the programme which is relevant for today’s profession while remaining true to our roots. While some of the core competences have not changed since 1919, the cultural context has and we are currently facing enormous challenges in information equity. Technology has of course had a huge impact and the role of the librarian in navigating an AI-enabled world is paramount. Our mission is to strengthen traditional principles with cutting edge practice, and this recognition helps us to maintain relevance in these fast-moving times. We look forward to a healthy relationship with ALA and CILIP into the future.”

For further information please contact Laura Keshav l.keshav@ucl.ac.uk or Charlie Inskip c.inskip@ucl.ac.uk