MLIS Program Receives Accreditation

VALDOSTA - Valdosta State University’s Master of Library and Information Science Program was officially accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association at its meeting June 24.

The VSU MLIS is now the only ALA-accredited program of its kind in Georgia. In fact, there are only 56 accredited institutions in the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. The distinction of ALA-accreditation will allow VSU to offer library and information science education to all of Georgia.

Approved by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia in 1999, the program formally began in fall of 2001 with knowledgeable faculty members and its first class of enthusiastic students. The ALA-accreditation process takes a minimum of five years and VSU was granted permission to begin in 2001, successfully advancing through each phase, including a site visit in February 2007.
Based on an evaluation of all evidence and reports, the Committee on Accreditation granted initial accreditation to the VSU MLIS Program for the full term of seven years. The program’s next comprehensive review is scheduled for spring 2014.

The focus of the MLIS Program is to educate librarians for academic, public and special libraries in Georgia. The program is primarily distance education using Internet instruction with brief periods of face-to-face classes at central locations, normally selected weekends at Macon State College. The program is designed for students who cannot leave jobs and families to return to a single campus for extended periods of time.

Contact the MLIS department (229) 245-3732 for more information.