Pratt Institute School of Information (SI or iSchool), previously School of Information and Library Science (SILS), administers the oldest

Library and Information Science Library and information science(s) or studies (LIS) is an interdisciplinary field of study that deals generally with organization, access, collection, and protection/regulation of information, whether in physical (e.g. art, legal proceedings, e ...

program in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. It was created in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, in 1890 shortly after

Melvil Dewey Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey (December 10, 1851 – December 26, 1931) was an influential American librarian and educator, inventor of the Dewey Decimal system of library classification, a founder of the Lake Placid Club, and a chief lib ...

created such a program at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

in 1887.Sharify, Nasser.
The Pratt Institute Graduate School of Library and Information Science
" In

Allen Kent Allen Kent (October 24, 1921 – May 1, 2014) was an information scientist. Early life He was born in New York City.
ASIS&T obitu ...

, Harold Lancour and Jay E. Daily (eds.), ''Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science'', Vol. 23. New York: Marcel Dekker, 1978. Accessed December 23, 2013. Pratt School of Information is one of the six schools of

Pratt Institute Pratt Institute is a private university with its main campus in Brooklyn, New York (state), New York. It has a satellite campus in Manhattan and an extension campus in Utica, New York at the Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. The school was ...

. Based in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, the school administers a

master Master or masters may refer to: Ranks or titles * Ascended master, a term used in the Theosophical religious tradition to refer to spiritually enlightened beings who in past incarnations were ordinary humans *Grandmaster (chess), National Master ...

information Information is an abstract concept that refers to that which has the power to inform. At the most fundamental level information pertains to the interpretation of that which may be sensed. Any natural process that is not completely random ...

and

library science Library science (often termed library studies, bibliothecography, and library economy) is an interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary field that applies the practices, perspectives, and tools of management, information technology, education, and ...

degree program that has been accredited by the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members a ...

since the 1924/1925 academic year.Accredited Library and Information Studies Master's Programs from 1925 through Present, American Library Association

History

Pratt Institute - Report of students enrolled for Library Department for 1890

Charles Pratt Charles Pratt (October 2, 1830 – May 4, 1891) was an American businessman. Pratt was a pioneer of the U.S. petroleum industry, and he established his kerosene refinery Astral Oil Works in Brooklyn, New York. He then lived with his growing fam ...

, founder of

, recognized the need for a library that served both the faculty and students of the Institute as well as

residents. He also recognized the need to have a facility for training of library staff. In June 1890, Pratt Institute offered courses in cataloging and library economics.Richardson Jr., John V. "History of American Library Science: Its Origins and Early Development." In ''Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences'', 3rd Ed. Boca Raton, FL: Taylor & Francis, 2010.Vann, Sarah K. ''Training for Librarianship before 1923.'' Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association, 1961. In 1895, a regular faculty, chosen for its aptitude in teaching, was organized.White, Carl M. ''The Origins of the American Library School.'' New York: Scarecrow Press, 1961.

Mary Wright Plummer Mary Wright Plummer (March 8, 1856 in Richmond, Indiana – September 21, 1916 in Dixon, Illinois) was an American librarian who became the second female president of the American Library Association (1915–1916). Biography Mary Wright Plumme ...

, who was a graduate of

’s class of 1888 from

, led it. In 1896, the Library School relocated to Pratt's new library building designed by

William Tubby William Bunker Tubby (21 August 1858 – 1944) was an American architect who was particularly notable for his work in New York City. Tubby was born in Des Moines, Iowa, and graduated from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute in 1875.Christopher G ...

, which continues to act as Pratt Institute’s primary library. Under Plummer's leadership, the school enacted a stiff entrance exam and exams in German and French.Brand, Barbara B
"Pratt Institute Library School: The Perils of Professionalization."
In Suzanne Hildenbrand (ed.), ''Reclaiming the American Library Past: Writing the Women In'', pp. 251–278. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing, 1996. The entering class was consistently around 25 students. In 1911 when Plummer left to direct the Training School at New York Public Library,

Josephine Adams Rathbone Josephine Adams Rathbone (September 10, 1864 – May 17, 1941) was a librarian, library educator, author, and president of the American Library Association in 1931–32. She was born in Jamestown, New York. She began her studies at the Universit ...

was appointed vice-director. Both Plummer and Rathbone were elected as presidents of the

. Notable alumni from this early period include

Anne Carroll Moore Anne Carroll Moore (July 12, 1871 – January 20, 1961) was an American educator, writer and advocate for children's libraries. She was named Annie after an aunt, and officially changed her name to Anne in her fifties, to avoid confusion with Ann ...

, who was a student of

, and became a faculty member and the first children’s librarian at

New York Public Library The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...

, serving in that position for 35 years (1906–1941). Miller, Julia (1988)
"Anne Carroll Moore: Our First Supervisor of Work with Children"
New York Public Library. By Julia Miller, May 1988; revised by Julia Mucci, May 2004. Archived 2013-01-12. Retrieved 2013-09-09. Lepore, Jill (2008, July 21)
"The Lion and the Mouse: The battle that reshaped children's literature"
''The New Yorker''. On Moore and

E. B. White Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985) was an American writer. He was the author of several highly popular books for children, including ''Stuart Little'' (1945), '' Charlotte's Web'' (1952), and ''The Trumpet of the Swan'' ...

(8 pages). Another notable student from this period is

Mary Elizabeth Wood Mary Elizabeth Wood (August 22, 1861 – May 1, 1931) was an American librarian and missionary, best known for her work in promoting Western librarianship practices and programs in China. She is credited with the foundation of the first library sc ...

, who promoted the development of libraries in China and established the first program in that country to train librarians. In 1939, Pratt began to grant the degree of

bachelor of science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...

in library science and, in 1950, the master of library science degree. Notable figures from the twentieth century include

Nasser Sharify Nasser Sharify (September 23, 1925 - August 23, 2013) was born in Tehran, Iran. Since 1987, he served as a Distinguished Professor and Dean Emeritus of Pratt Institute, School of Information and Library Science in New York City. Education D.L ...

, who worked to develop the field of international librarianship as dean and professor from 1968 to 1987.Scope and content of collection
Nasser Sharify papers, Hoover Institution Archives. Accessed March 10, 2014. Soon after Nasser Sharify stepped into the role of Dean in 1968, the school’s name changed to the Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS). This would reflect the advances in technology and information science and Pratt’s embrace of these changes. “This action went far beyond a mere change in nomenclature,” Dean Sharify wrote in his 1978 history of the school. “Rather, the new designation gave recognition to an emerging and important new discipline nformation Science” Subsequent to the School's name change, the school rewrote its goals and objectives and began to expand its technology curriculum. In need of more space for computer labs, GSLIS moved from the library on the Brooklyn campus to its own building, the Information Science Center (ISC), in 1974. It included laboratories built for more hands-on technical computer study, including an instructional materials lab, an information science lab, and a technical processes lab. A class in the Pratt Institute Library School, 1897

A class in the Pratt Institute Library School, 1897

The school celebrated its centennial in 1990. In the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

, New York Congressman

Major Owens Major Robert Odell Owens (June 28, 1936 – October 21, 2013) was an American politician and librarian who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 2007, representing the New York's 11th and then 12th Congressional distri ...

(first librarian to serve in Congress) gave a salute to Pratt Institute's library school "both for its 100th anniversary, and for being the oldest such library program in the country." Pratt Institute School of Information relocated to the Pratt Manhattan Center at 144

West 14th Street 14th Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, traveling between Eleventh Avenue on Manhattan's West Side and Avenue C on Manhattan's East Side. It forms a boundary between several neighborhoods and is so ...

in Fall 2002, and it continues to operate from that location.Pratt SILS Now Anchored in Manhattan
" ''Library Journal'' (September 27, 2002). Accessed March 14, 2014. In 2004, Dean Tula Giannini repositioned the School to focus on archives and cultural heritage, introducing advanced certificate Programs in archives and museum libraries. In fall 2015, Dean Giannini, changed the name of the School from School of Information and Library Science (SILS) to School of Information (SI) as part of a strategic plan to transform the school for the 21st century digital age, which includes three new master degrees and advanced certificates (see below under "Academic programs").

Timeline

* 1890 –

begins offering courses in cataloging and library economics. Directed by Margaret Healy and ran from the basement of Pratt Institute's Main Building. * 1895–1911 –

directs the school. * 1895 – A regular faculty is organized and is designated as Pratt Institute Library School.Pratt Institute School of Information Records, Administrative History, Pratt Institute School of Information On-site Archives and Special Collections
* 1896 – Library school relocated to Pratt’s new library building designed by

. * 1909 – School name changed to Pratt Institute School of Library Science. * 1911–1938 –

is vice director of the school, reporting to Edward F. Stevens (library director). * 1924–1925 – The School is first accredited by the

* 1938–1955 – William (Wayne) M. Shirley directorship/deanship. * 1939 – Pratt offers the bachelor of science in library science. * 1950 – Pratt offers the master of library science degree. * 1955–1956 – Rice Estes acting deanship. * 1956–1968 – Louis D. Sass deanship. * 1968–1987 –

deanship. * 1968 – School renamed Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) * 1974 – The School relocates to the ISC Building (Information Science Center) * 1987–1988 – S. Michael Malinconico deanship. * 1987 – GSLIS merges with Computer Science program to become the School of Computer, Information, and Library Science (SCILS) * 1988 – SCILS begins offering some classes in the

Puck Building __FORCETOC__ The Puck Building is a historic building located in the Nolita neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It occupies the block bounded by Lafayette, Houston, Mulberry and Jersey Streets. An example of the German Rundbogenstil style o ...

, which contained additional space for computer terminals. * 1989 – SCILS dissolves, library program becomes department within School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Rhoda Garoogian is department chair. * 1991 – Library program restored as School of Information and Library Science * 1991–1999 – Seoud M. Matta deanship (1991–1992 acting dean).Pratt Institute Public Affairs (1991). ''Dr. S. M. Matta Appointed Acting Dean at Pratt Institute,'' Pratt Institute School of Information On-site Archives and Special Collections
* 2000 – Larry Kroah acting deanship. * 2000–2001 – Anne Woodsworth deanship. * 2002 – School relocates to the Pratt Manhattan Center at 144 W. 14th St. in Manhattan. * 2002–2004 – Marie Radford acting deanship. * 2004–2017 –

Tula Giannini Prof. Tula Giannini is an American academic with subject expertise in musicology, digital culture, and digital heritage. Tula Giannini holds B.M. and M.M. degrees in Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, an M.L.S. degree in Library S ...

deanship. (2004 acting dean) * 2015 – The school offers more than one master's degree: the

M.S. A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...

in Museums and Digital Culture; the school's name is changed from School of Information and Library Science to School of Information.Pratt Institute Communications. (2015, October 5)
School of Information and Library Science Renamed.
Pratt Institute On-site Archives and Special Collections. * 2016 – Pratt SI joins the iSchool organization. The school offers two new master's degrees: the

in Information Experience Design and

in Data Analytics and Visualization. * 2017–current – Anthony Cocciolo deanship (2017–2018 interim dean).

Academic programs

Pratt School of Information administers a Master of Science in Information and Library Science (MSLIS) degree accredited by the

; a

in Museums and Digital Culture; a

in Information Experience Design; a

in Data Analytics and Visualization; and a MSLIS and

History of Art dual degree program. Advanced certificate programs administered include an archives certificate, a museum-libraries certificate, user experience ( UX) certificate, digital humanities certificate, conservation and digital curation certificate, and spatial analysis and visualization certificate.

Notable people

Alumni

Sarah Byrd Askew Sarah Byrd Askew (February 15, 1877 – October 20, 1942) was an American public librarian who pioneered the establishment of county libraries in the United States. A prominent librarian during the first half of the 20th century, she worked for ( ...

—pioneered the establishment of county libraries in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

* Shirley Barker—American author, poet and librarian * Constance Bement—President of

Michigan Library Association The Michigan Library Association is a United States professional association headquartered in Lansing, Michigan that advocates for libraries in Michigan on behalf of the state's residents. Founded in 1891 its members are more than 2,700 individua ...

, 1923-24. * María Teresa Chávez Campomanes—Director of the Library of Mexico and Mexican librarian educator. *

Morris L. Cohen Morris Leo Cohen (November 2, 1927 – December 18, 2010) was an American attorney who left the practice of law to become a law librarian and professor of law at the University at Buffalo, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard Law School and Yale L ...

—Law librarian and professor of law *

Jacky Connolly Jacky Connolly (born 1990) is an American filmmaker and video artist. Artistic practice Connolly is known for her machinima filmmaking technique. She often uses The Sims, a life simulation game that she first played in the early 2000s, to creat ...

-American Artist *

Eleanor Estes Eleanor Estes (May 9, 1906 – July 15, 1988) was an American children's writer and a children's librarian. Her book ''Ginger Pye,'' for which she also created illustrations, won the Newbery Medal. Three of her books were Newbery Honor Winners, ...

—American children's book author *

Ann Herendeen Ann Herendeen is an American author of popular fiction. Herendeen's novels are notable for their queering of the traditional romance novel. Background A native New Yorker and lifelong Brooklyn resident, Herendeen graduated with high honors in ...

—American author of popular fiction *

Zoia Horn Zoia Markovna Horn (née Polisar; March 14, 1918July 12, 2014), born in Ukraine, became in 1972 the first United States librarian to be jailed for refusing to share information as a matter of conscience. Horn, an outspoken member of the American ...

—first librarian ever to be jailed for refusing to divulge information that violated her belief in intellectual freedom *

Mary Frances Isom Mary Frances Isom (February 27, 1865 in Nashville, Tennessee – April 15, 1920 in Portland, Oregon) was a librarian, and one of the founders of the Oregon Library Association, the Pacific Northwest Library Association and the Oregon State Library ...

—promoted libraries in Oregon and was head librarian of the Library Association of Portland from 1902–1920. *

Romana Javitz Romana Javitz (January 28, 1903–January 1980) was an American artist, librarian, and Superintendent of the Picture Collection at the New York Public Library. Biography Early life Romana Javitz was born in Russia to Polish parents and imm ...

—American artist, librarian, and Superintendent of the Picture Collection at the New York Public Library *

Daniel Lopatin Daniel Lopatin (born July 25, 1982), best known as Oneohtrix Point Never or OPN, is an American Experimental music, experimental electronic music producer, composer, singer and songwriter. His music has experimented with wikt:trope, tropes from ...

—Electronic musician *

Herman H. B. Meyer Herman Henry Bernard Meyer (1864 January 16, 1937) was an American librarian. Meyer attended the Pratt Institute Library School. He worked in several positions at the Library of Congress, including the Head of the Newspaper and Periodical Divisi ...

— American Library Association president (1924–1925) and Chief Bibliographer at

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

. * Susan Midler—sister of entertainer

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...

Joan Millman Joan L. Millman (born April 20, 1940) represented District 52 in the New York State Assembly, which consists of the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens, Vinegar Hil ...

—Former member of the

New York State Assembly The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits. The Assem ...

Marvin H. Scilken Marvin Herman Scilken (December 7, 1926 – February 2, 1999) was an American librarian and a leader in the field of library science during the 20th century. Scilken dedicated his life to bringing awareness to libraries and improving services for ...

—Advocate of practical customer-oriented librarianship and founding editor of the U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian, the how I run my library good letter. *

Carolyn F. Ulrich Carolyn Farquhar Ulrich (August 16, 1880 – November 22, 1969) was an American librarian. She created the Ulrich's Periodicals Directory in 1932. Early life and education Ulrich was born in Oakland, California, on August 16, 1880 to parents Lin ...

—Creator of

Ulrich's Periodicals Directory Ulrich's Periodicals Directory (, and ) is the standard library directory and database providing information about popular and academic magazines, scientific journals, newspapers and other serial publications. The print version has been publishe ...

* David Wellington—American horror author *

Margot Williams Margot Williams is a journalist and research librarian, who was part of teams at the ''Washington Post'' that won two Pulitzer Prizes. In 1998, Williams was part of a team that won the Pulitzer Gold Medal for public service for reporting on ...

—Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and librarian *

—Promoted Western librarianship practices and programs in

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

Library Journal Movers and Shakers

* 2003 Anne Coriston * 2004 Mary Graham * 2004 Suzan Lee * 2004 Jerome Myers * 2006 Kerwin Pilgrim * 2006 Gary Shaffer * 2007 Lisa Von Drasek * 2009 Lia Friedman * 2010 Gretchen Caserotti * 2010 Stephanie Chase * 2010 Lisa Chow * 2010 Sandra Sajonas * 2011 Tracey Crawford * 2012 Davis Erin Anderson * 2012 Nate Hill * 2013 Dalia R. Levine * 2014 Erin Shea * 2017 Rebecca Pou * 2017 Nicholas Higgins * 2018 Jennifer Ferretti

Faculty

—Also an alumna, she led the development of the field of children's librarianship *

—Head of the School and second female president of the

(1915–1916) *

—Head of the School and president of the

(1931–1932) *

—Dean Emeritus of the School and led the development of the field of international librarianship (d.2013) * Rhoda Garoogian–Assistant Dean (1977–1989) of the School and chair of the department (1989–1991)

References

External links

Pratt Institute School of Information

Student Work @ Pratt Institute School of Information
{{authority control 1890 establishments in New York (state) Educational institutions established in 1890 School of Information and Library Science Universities and colleges in Manhattan Schools of informatics American Library Association accredited library schools Information schools