Library school rankings?

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Question: I have been accepted by three accredited library schools, and now I am desperately trying to figure out the differences among the programs I have been accepted to. I was wondering if of these schools there is a ranking from great to good in future job opportunities, schooling and prestige. Thank you very much for your time (and ALA’s fantastic list of available approved MLIS programs)!

 Answer: The American Library Association does not rank library programs in any way, and we do not offer assessments of programs beyond the regular accreditation process.  That process evaluates each program against a set of criteria and  does not result in a ranking or comparison of programs.  (Note: the “fantastic list” our inquirer references is available at http://www.ala.org/ala/educationcareers/education/accreditedprograms/dir….)

To help in your decision we suggest that you review each program’s website; talk to the faculty, students, and alumni; ask librarians in your area to answer questions about your specific interests and concerns. Please see the “Guidelines for choosing a master’s program in library and information studies” prepared by the Office for Accreditation for more suggestions.  You need to review the individual programs and specific course offerings against your career goals and professional interests, checking to see that there are faculty doing research related to your interests, for example. You may also want to set up an interview with the career counseling staff to ask about the types of libraries from which the school has had recruiters or the types of positions recent grads now hold.

Although there are surveys that result in rankings of LIS programs published in both professional and popular journals, please keep in mind that your questions and criteria may not be the same as those used for these surveys. 

Best wishes for success with your career, regardless of which program you choose!