Master of Library and Information Science
Information experts in our digital age
Online
Students complete this degree entirely online.
Information literacy, metadata management, and other modern challenges are the focus of what we study as experts in library science and data technology.
Now you can expand your skills without putting your life on hold, by earning our Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree online. Graduates join a community of highly regarded professionals who provide creative, data-driven ideas that empower library patrons, corporations, civic groups, and our communities.
ALA-accredited
Our Master of Library and Information Science, the entry degree for a professional librarian, is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA-MLS). Universally required for professionals in academic libraries, the MLIS is essential for leadership in public libraries and provides valuable management skills.
Our graduates are honored as Movers and Shakers by the Library Journal, earn national awards for their work, and achieve positions of prominence.
100% online
A leader in the field of online learning, IU’s Department of Library and Information Science at its Indianapolis campus specializes in fostering collaborative learning from a distance. We create an environment that allows you to work from home or wherever you need to be.
In your online classes you’ll create technology plans, develop leadership strategies, build web pages, and organize and preserve information in digital libraries. To broaden your technology skill set, you can take additional courses through our school.
Preparing you for a new world of information
Your online MLIS coursework reflects what’s expected of graduates in the working world.
Areas of study such as digital libraries better prepare you for finding, collecting, organizing, and preserving information. Students learn about legal aspects of the profession, including copyright law, freedom of speech, and ethical and policy issues arising from the digital age.
- Knowing the options
You’ll learn emerging trends to help you assist researchers, small business owners, amateur genealogists and others in finding the data they need. - Creating connections
Staying current with technology in areas such as databases and social media gives you the power in more ways than ever to link users to information. - Spreading the word
Making information resources accessible relies on being well-grounded in digital technology. - Taming the data
You’ll analyze, design, and implement new systems that make searching easier for users.
Preserving a city legacy in 3D
MLIS students learn and work alongside our faculty on real-world projects such as Virtual Bethel, the digital preservation of the original Bethel AME Church building in downtown Indianapolis. Faculty and students painstakingly archived historical treasures from the city’s oldest African-American church and created a 3D virtual walk-through from thousands of photographs of its interior.
95%
Employed, self-employed or interned within major (2020-21)
Careers in library and information science
Students earning their MLIS through IU’s Indianapolis campus learn the skills to be stewards of all kinds of information, organizing and preserving the history we’re making each day. They know how to analyze problems and craft solutions.
Opportunities in the information sciences include positions in museums and other cultural institutions, research facilities, businesses, nonprofits—and anywhere that information expertise is needed.
You’ll also find our graduates in public, school, academic, and special libraries—as well as in corporate information centers. They manage physical and virtual collections, and are passionate about the vital role that libraries play in community engagement.
Our graduates are hired for positions including:
- Adult services librarian
- Catalog librarian
- Children’s librarian
- Circulation specialist
- Creative learning guide
- Digital lab librarian
- Project archivist
- Public services librarian
- Reference librarian
What our graduates do
- Assist patrons
- Write grants
- Catalog government documents
- Develop data research tools
- Take part in academic, corporate, legal, and medical research
- Create library technology plans and websites
- Archive and preserve digital information for easy retrieval
“Our program is really strong in public and digital libraries, and in youth services. That’s where we excel—in our communities.”
Andrea Copeland, Department of Library and Information Science Chair
Degree options
You can add a specialization or combine your Master of Library and Information Science degree with a graduate degree from another field to expand your career options.
All courses offered through the Department of Library and Information Science may be completed online.
Plans of Study
- Generalist (No Specialization)
- Academic Librarianship Specialization
- Archives Management Specialization
- Digital Curation Specialization
- Facilitated Learning Specialization
- Public Librarianship/Adult Services Specialization
- School Library Specialization
- Technical Services Specialization
- Youth Services Specialization
Dual Degree Plans of Study
These programs have agreed to share some courses and reduce the total credits that would be required to earn both degrees independently:
- Master of Library and Information Science + M.A. History
- Master of Library and Information Science + M.A. Philanthropic Studies
- Master of Library and Information Science + J.D. Law