University of Toronto Faculty of Information

The Faculty of Information was founded as the University of Toronto Library School within the Ontario College of Education in 1928 and was housed at 315 Bloor Street.[1] In 1965, the School was designated as an independent unit within the university and became known as the School of Library Science and thus moved it quarters to 167 College Street and 256 McCaul Street.[2] In 1971, SLS moved again to its present location at 140 St. George Street.[3] In 1972, the name changed to the Faculty of Library Science (FLS), as the school attained faculty status.[4] The name changed again to the Faculty of Library and Information Science (FLIS) in 1982 and then the Faculty of Information Studies (FIS) in 1994.[5] In 2004, FIS joined the iSchool Caucus and accordingly in 2008, it was renamed the Faculty of Information (FI), also identifying itself as "the iSchool at Toronto".[6]

The faculty has offered a variety of degrees since its inception, which at the same time reflect the changing requirements of entry into librarianship and more recently, into other information professions. Between 1928 and 1936, it offered one-year university Diploma in Librarianship, and from 1936 to 1970, a one-year Bachelor of Library Science degree, which was accredited by the American Library Association in 1937.[7] The late 1960s saw the emergence of the Master of Library Science (MLS) degree as the first professional degree in librarianship, which was introduced in the School in 1970 and required four semesters to complete.[8] Doctoral program, leading to a Doctor of Philosophy was established in 1971, with Claire England holding the first Ph.D. in library science that was awarded in Canada in 1974.[9] In 1988, the faculty began to offer a Master of Information Science (MIS) degree. In 1995, the MLS and MIS degrees were both replaced with the Master of Information Studies (MISt) degree, which had three areas of specialization: archival studies, information systems, and library and information science. The name of the degree was changed to Master of Information (MI) in 2009.

Since 2006, when the Department of Museum Studies became part of FIS, the faculty began to offer a Master of Museum Studies degree.[10]

The Faculty of Information currently offers two master's degrees: Master of Information (MI) and Master of Museum Studies (MMSt), which are also offered together as a combined degree program (CDP).[11] In addition, students can also enroll in a Ph.D. program and Graduate Diploma of Advanced Study in Information Studies (DAIS).[12]In 2019, the school welcomed its first cohort of its Bachelor of Information program.[13]

• Master of Information (MI)
  • Archives and Records Management (ARM)
  • Critical Information Policy Studies (CIPS)
  • Culture & Technology (C&T)
  • Human-Centred Data Science (HCDS)
  • Information Systems & Design (ISD)
  • Knowledge Management & Information Management (KMIM)
  • Library & Information Science (LIS)
  • User Experience Design (UXD)
• Master of Museum Studies (MMSt)

The iSchool occupies all seven floors of the Claude Bissell building, which is attached to the John P. Robarts Research Library and the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. The building houses classrooms, administration, faculty offices, as well as the Inforum.

• 2016–Present Wendy Duff, PhD
• 2009–2015 Seamus Ross, BA, MA, DPhil, CorrFRSE
• 2003–2008 Brian Cantwell Smith, BSc, MSc, PhD
• 1995–2003 Lynne Howarth, BA, MLS, PhD
• 1990–1995 Adele M. Fasick, BA, MA, MSLS, PhD
• 1984–1990 Ann H. Schabas, BA, AM, BLS, MA, PhD
• 1979–1984 Katherine H. Packer, BA, AMLS, PhD
• 1972–1978 Francess Georgina Halpenny, CC, BA, MA, LLD, DLitt, FRSC
• 1972 R. Brian Land, BA, MA, BLS, MLS

• 1964—1972 R. Brian Land, BA, MA, BLS, MLS
• 1951—1964 Bertha Bassam, B.A., B.L.S., M.S., LLD
• 1928—1951 Winifred G. Barnstead, B.A., LLD

The Faculty of Information Quarterly (F/IQ), is a scholarly, peer-reviewed, open-access e-journal founded and operated entirely by students at the FI.[30] The mission of F/IQ is to create an intellectual space for the information community to analyse and critically assess the divergent topics that comprise the field's study and practice, and to define and direct the iSchool movement through scholarly and professional communications as a means to fostering collective identity among students, faculty and practitioners of the field.[31] F/IQ was first published in October, 2008.[32]

The journal accepts submissions from both established and emerging scholars and practitioners in information-related fields, such as archival science, information systems, library science, museum studies and others.[33]

Published four times a year, F/IQ includes original research, guest editorials, interviews with senior scholars and professionals in the field, and book reviews. It uses Open Journal Systems (OJS) for publishing.

The Faculty of Information Alumni Association (FIAA) was first founded in 1929 and represents over 6,700 graduates of the FI.[34] It sponsors a number of events and programs, including Job Shadowing and publishes an online magazine, Informed, dedicated to news about the FI, faculty and alumni.[35]

• Faculty of Information
• Inforum
• Collaborative Program in Book History and Print Culture
• Collaborative Program in Knowledge Media Design
• Ex Libris Association: Library Education Chronologies A chronology of the FI by former director, R. Brian Land
• University of Toronto
• Archival papers of Winifred Barnstead, Director (1951-1964), are held at the University of Toronto Archives and Record Management Services
• Archival papers of R. Brian Land, Director (1964-1972) and chairman of the committee that reorganized the University of Toronto Library School Alumni Association, are held at the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services