School of Library and Information Science
The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) is a national leader with top-rated faculty, prestigious alumnae/i, and great locations in Boston and SLIS West (Greenfield and Amherst, Massachusetts).
A powerful opportunity to educate, inform, and serve the communities in which we live.
Our students can complete the Master's of Library and Information Science degree entirely online. Our Archives Management, Cultural Heritage Informatics, Information Science and Technology, and Libraries and Librarianship concentrations are offered entirely online, or in blended online and face-to-face format. The School Library Teacher concentration is offered at our Boston or SLIS West location face-to-face.
Ranked among the best
Simmons University is one of U.S. News and World Report’s top ranking schools of library and information science in the nation.
- The Master's in Library and Information Science is ranked 9th in the nation.
- Our Archives Management concentration is ranked 1st among Archives & Preservation programs.
- SLIS was also ranked 9th for Services for Children and Youth programs.
- Our School Library Teacher concentration ranked 13th among School Library Media programs.
- Our Cultural Heritage Informatics concentration ranked 13th among Digital Librarianship programs.
In the School of Library and Information Science, you'll have direct and frequent access to faculty who pride themselves on being personal mentors. You'll work closely with classmates in an engaging, supportive classroom environment, be it face-to-face or through our innovative online programs.
About
Our school is big in many ways — a national leader with top-rated faculty, prestigious alumni, and great locations in Boston, Greenfield, and Amherst, Massachusetts, as well as programs offered online.
Careers
For more than 100 years, our graduates have been pioneers in their profession, recognized for their amazing achievements and remarkable careers, throughout New England, across the country, and around the world.
Alumnae/i
Our alums are innovators, challengers of the status quo, and champions of the right to information. Our alumnae/i are our most powerful ambassadors in the world of Library and Information Science.
Library and Information Science in the News
Boston Globe Interviews Professor on Threats to Archives
Katherine Wisser, Associate Professor and Master's Program Director, Director Archives Concentration, and Director of Archives Certificate Program in the Simmons School of Library and Information Science was interviewed by The Boston Globe for, “An archivist’s job is to ‘keep the receipts.’ What happens when they can’t do their job?”
Simmons SLIS Ranked as a Top 10 Library School
In the U.S.News & World Report’s “Best Library and Information Studies Programs” for 2025, Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) comes in as number nine (tied with Indiana University, Bloomington). This ranking encompasses the nation’s 56 master’s degree...
The Simmons Six: Meet the Deans
Meet the new deans of Simmons’ School of Library and Information Science; School of Sciences and Health Professions; Gwen Ifill School of Media, Humanities, and Social Sciences; School of Social Work; School of Management; and School of Nursing.
Recognizing Freedom of Information Day 2025
According to the American Library Association, Freedom of Information Day (March 16), “promotes the public’s right to know and access to information.” To honor Freedom of Information Day 2025, Simmons News has compiled stories of faculty and student research, University initiatives, and alumnae/i accomplishments published over the last calendar year that advance access, reliability, and inclusivity regarding public information.
SLIS Lecturer Researches Women Who Collected Medieval Art
In a talk she delivered at the 2024 Boston International Antiquarian Book Fair, School of Library and Information Science faculty member Dr. Lisa Fagin Davis discussed the history of women creating, reading, and owning medieval European manuscripts. To honor Women’s History Month 2025, we spoke with her about this research and its connection to her Simmons courses.
Simmons Receives Mellon Grant for Information Literacy
With funding from the Mellon Foundation, Simmons will establish the Center for Information Literacy, which aims to promote informed decision-making and nurture civic participation.
SLIS Professor Explains the Technological Shift to AI
Simmons School of Library and Information Science is leading efforts to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) literacy into the curriculum. Assistant Professor Don Simmons offered a virtual webinar covering the basics of AI and how it is shaping how we work and learn.
Two Simmons Faculty Members Receive North Star Fellowships
Samuel Odom from the School of Social Work and Don Simmons from the School of Library and Information Science, have been named fellows by the North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship, which is designed to promote supportive community and racial healing for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) faculty members across New England.
Additional Information
Student Placement
SLIS distributes the Library Journal's "Placements and Salaries" Survey to graduates of the LIS master's of science program on a rolling basis as each class — January, May, and August — completes the program.
Retention
On average, 89% of students entering the MS (LIS) degree program between AY 2014 and AY 2021 continued their programs of study after their first year at SLIS.
Assessment & Accreditation
The Simmons School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) is proud to have a degree in Library and Information Science accredited by the American Library Association (ALA).
Upcoming School of Library and Information Science Events
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School of Library and Information Science
The School of Library and Information Science (SLIS) is a national leader with top-rated faculty, prestigious alumnae/i, and great locations in Boston and SLIS West (Greenfield, MA and Amherst, MA).