It is amazing that 6 years have passed since the last accreditation visit by the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Accreditation (COA). At that visit the COA “commend[ed] the School on the Dean’s leadership and the faculty’s enthusiasm in embracing programmatic innovation.” They rewarded our accomplishments by voting to continue our accreditation for the maximum allowable period of seven years.

Each fall ALA/COA prepares an annual report on all accredited programs. Our reports are always positive, and have frequently included special commendations. We look forward to our upcoming accreditation visit in 2005. We expect the commendations in our upcoming review to be equally laudatory, because of the excellent programs we have in place.

Our Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies has been continuously accredited by the ALA since 1953. The most recent accreditation visit and review occurred in 1998. This review was just two short years after we implemented our online learning program, which was one of the first in the nation.

Over the next few semesters, we will be asking our students, alumni, employers, and friends to make a difference by assisting us in preparing for our review. We anticipate using surveys, interviews and focus groups for this purpose. We are relying on our stakeholders to help us create an accurate picture of our graduate programs. If you are one of our stakeholders, you know how well we prepare dynamic librarians and IT specialists for a variety of professions in the digital age.

We will be keeping you informed about our accreditation review as it unfolds through periodic news releases. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Jane Robbins, Dean of the School of Information Studies, by email at robbins@lis.fsu.edu or by snail mail at: Room 101, Louis Shores Building, The Florida State University 32306-2100.