history:chronologies:university-of-toronto
Table of Contents
Toronto Faculty of Information Studies
by Brian Land
Notable Events
| 1911 | The Ontario Library School was established by the provincial Department of Education under the supervision of the Inspector of Public Libraries, Walter R. Nursey, and offered a four-week course, the first training program for librarians in Ontario. |
| 1916 | The twenty-six students who successfully completed the course received certificates of library training from the Ontario Department of Education, the first such certification to be awarded in the province. |
| 1927 | The Ontario Library School continued until its termination in 1927 when the Ontario Department of Education requested the University of Toronto to establish a library school. |
| 1928 | The Library School was established in the Ontario College of Education with its own full-time Director, Winifred G. Barnstead, was administered jointly by the University of Toronto, the Ontario College of Education and the Ontario Department of Education, and offered a one academic-year Diploma program. On successful completion of the program, the graduate received a Diploma in Librarianship from the University and a Librarian's Certificate from the provincial Department of Education. |
| 1936 | The Library School introduced a one academic-year program for university graduates leading to the degree of Bachelor of Library Science. The Diploma in Librarianship program was continued for those with high school qualifications only and graduates of both programs received a Librarian's Certificate from the provincial Department of Education. |
| 1937 | The program leading to the BLS degree was accredited by the American Library Association under its 1933 Minimum Requirements for Library Schools following an accreditation team visit by Keyes D. Metcalf, Chief Librarian of Harvard University, and Margaret Mann, Professor, Department of Library Science, University of Michigan. Thirty-one graduates received the Bachelor of Library Science degree. |
| 1950 | A one academic-year program leading to the degree of Master of Library Science, the first such program in Canada, was introduced with the BLS degree as the entrance requirement. |
| 1951 | The first person to earn the MLS degree in Canada was Esther Jacobsen. |
| 1954 | The Diploma program, last offered in 1945, was formally withdrawn. |
| 1956 | The BLS program was accredited by the American Library Association under its 1951 Standards for Accreditation. |
| 1965 | The Library School was detached administratively from the Ontario College of Education, was renamed the School of Library Science (SLS) and became a fully integrated unit of the University of Toronto. It moved to a three-storey building at 167 College Street and also occupied two floors of a connected building at 256 McCaul Street. |
| 1970 | The one academic-year BLS program begun in 1936 was discontinued and replaced by a two academic-year program leading to the degree of Master of Library Science. Following a full report on the change-over to the new program to the American Library Association Committee on Accreditation, it extended accreditation to the two-year MLS program under its 1951 Standards for Accreditation. |
| 1971 | The School occupied its new seven-storey building at 140 St. George Street specifically designed to meet its requirements for teaching, research and continuing education. |
| 1971 | A program leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Library Science was introduced, the first such PhD program in Canada. |
| 1972 | The School was renamed the Faculty of Library Science (FLS) administered by the Dean of Library Science. |
| 1974 | The first person to earn the PhD degree in library science in Canada was Claire England. |
| 1975 | The Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association accredited the M.L.S. program under its 1971 Standards for Accreditation. |
| 1978 | In cooperation with the School of Library and Information Science at the university of Western Ontario, a program in Ottawa offered degree courses to holders of the BLS. Discontinued in 1980. |
| 1980 | The Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association approved the continued accreditation of the MLS program under its 1971 Standards for Accreditation. |
| 1981 | The Master of Arts in Teaching (MA(T) School Librarianship program was introduced. This program, offered jointly with the Faculty of Education, was designed for qualified practicing school librarians. |
| 1982 | The Faculty was renamed the Faculty of Library and Information Science (FLIS). |
| 1988 | The Faculty introduced a two academic-year program leading to the degree of Master of Information Science (MIS) to complement the MLS program. |
| 1988 | The MA (T) school librarianship program, introduced in 1981, was suspended. |
| 1994 | The Faculty was renamed the Faculty of Information Studies (FIS). |
| 1994 | The McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, designed to encourage understanding of the impact of technology on culture and society from theoretical and practical perspectives, joined FIS as a distinct research and teaching unit. The Program offers graduate courses but does not award a degree. |
| 1995 | The Master of Library Science degree program, begun in 1970, and the Master of Information Science degree program, begun in 1988, were replaced by the Master of Information Studies (MISt) program with three areas of specialization: Archival Studies, Information Systems, and Library and Information Science. |
| 1996 | The program leading to the MISt degree was accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association under its 1992 Standards for Accreditation. |
| 2002 | The Diploma of Advanced Study in Information Studies was introduced, a post-Master's diploma for practitioners who wish to advance their professional standing, to develop a specialization, or to redirect their career. The entrance requirement for the Diploma is a master's degree in the field of information studies and course requirements are successful completion of twenty-four credit hours (i.e., eight half-courses). The first graduate was Sylvia Lassam. |
| 2003 | The Committee on Accreditation of the American Library Association approved the continued accreditation of the program leading to the degree of Master of Information Studies (MISt) under its 1992 Standards for Accreditation. |
| 2003 | The introduction of a four-year joint degree program in Information Studies and Law (MISt/JD) is approved. |
| 2004 | “Stepping Up: Information Practice in the 21st Century: 2004-2010 Academic Plan for the Faculty of Information Studies, a Professional and Research Faculty of the University of Toronto” is published. |
Directors
| 1928-1951 | Winifred G. Barnstead, B.A., LLD |
| 1951-1964 | Bertha Bassam, B.A., B.L.S., M.S., LLD |
| 1964-1972 | R. Brian Land, BA, MA, BLS, MLS |
Deans
| 1972 | R. Brian Land, BA, MA, BLS, MLS |
| 1972-1978 | Francess G. Halpenny, CC, BA, MA, LLD, DLitt, FRSC |
| 1979-1984 | Katherine H. Packer, BA, AMLS, PhD |
| 1984-1990 | Ann H. Schabas, BA, AM, BLS, MA, PhD |
| 1990-1995 | Adele M. Fasick, BA, MA, MSLS, PhD |
| 1995-2003 | Lynne Howarth, BA, MLS, PhD |
| 2003- | Brian Cantwell Smith, BSc, MSc, PhD |
Quarters
| 1928-1965 | Ontario College of Education, 371 Bloor Street West, part of 3rd floor. |
| 1965-1971 | 165 College St. (two floors and basement) and 256 McCaul Street (2 floors). |
| 1971- | Claude T. Bissell Building, 140 St. George Street, 7 floors and basement (2 floors now shared) |
history/chronologies/university-of-toronto.txt · Last modified: 2023/12/21 20:11