With the threats currently facing our democracy, librarians are literally on the front lines in the battle for truth, knowledge, history, justice, and equity in their communities. Being a librarian or information professional has never been harder—and universities that offer Master’s in Library and Information Science degree programs are helping students rise to meet this challenge.

“We are in the midst of an unprecedented, well-funded, and well-organized attack on intellectual freedom,” says Don Hamerly, professor and director of the Dominican University School of Information Studies.

Not only are communities banning books and restricting what which topics teachers can bring up in their classrooms, but people’s ability to find and discern credible information is diminishing.

“Misinformation and disinformation continue to proliferate, positioning librarians as essential leaders in promoting information literacy, critical thinking, and civic engagement,” says Anthony Chow, professor and director of the San Jose State University School of Information.

Librarians play a critical role in helping people learn where to find sources they can trust, how to develop the necessary skills to function safely and effectively in an information society, and how to preserve the culturally important aspects of their communities, Hamerly notes.

The rise of artificial intelligence further complicates these tasks. AI and automation are transforming how information is created, stored, and retrieved, forcing librarians to learn new technical and ethical competencies. To succeed in this demanding environment, LIS professionals need strong skills in technology, communication, and leadership, combined with the ability to navigate cultural, political, and social complexities.

“Librarians have long confronted societal challenges in their work,” says Maria Bonn, associate professor and CAS program director for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Information Sciences. “As these challenges and the discourse around them grow more heated, an MLIS equips future professionals by grounding them in professional values and strategies to inform and support their own practice.”

Here are some of the leading MLIS degree programs that are stepping up to help future librarians thrive amid these challenges. 

University of Arizona

The University of Arizona School of Information believes that librarians and information professionals are the keys to a fair and just society. The school is committed to ensuring that every MLIS student leaves inspired to create positive change in their community—whether as a children’s librarian or working in a law firm or healthcare organization. 

As the only program of its kind in the country, the Knowledge River Scholars Program is a key differentiator for the University of Arizona’s School of Information. This program specializes in educating professionals who are committed to the information needs of BIPOC communities, with an emphasis on Latino, Native American, and Black populations. 

The current political climate that advocates for book banning is a big challenge for those entering the field today. To address this issue, the school’s MLIS program arms students with a robust education that includes historical and cultural perspectives on library and information services. It also collaborates with Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law and offers joint MLIS and law programs, increasing students’ ability to meet this difficulty head-on.

Another key challenge is the rise of AI and the growing role it plays in generating and analyzing information. Instead of viewing AI as a threat to library jobs, the School of Information fully embraces teaching and learning about AI, especially how it can be used ethically and equitably. Toward that end, students can take classes in areas such as ethical AI, UX and website design, and data science, to name a few examples. 

The school offers both an on-campus and a fully online MLIS program. Students have the option of structuring a more traditional library science program or a more technology-driven one. Every student must take at least one class in Information Technology and Networked Digital Information. The school offers five specialties: Academic Librarianship, Archives and Special Collections, Digital Curation, LabLibrarianship and Legal Information, and Public Librarianship. It currently enrolls 203 MLIS students: 143 online and 60 on campus.

As recent graduate Camila Becerril says, “The collective dedication to academic excellence and shared passion among my peers elevates the learning experience, making the MLIS not just a curriculum but a community of like-minded individuals committed to pushing the boundaries of knowledge together.”

San Jose State University 

As Silicon Valley’s main graduate school for librarians, the San Jose State University School of Information is naturally a high-tech program, with unmatched opportunities for understanding how information is created, discovered, preserved, and shared today using technology. Yet, the SJSU iSchool also takes a very high-touch approach with students—ensuring they have the communication and leadership skills needed to thrive in a changing cultural and political landscape.

To succeed in this landscape, LIS professionals must be versatile, digitally fluent, and deeply user-centered, says Director and Professor Anthony Chow. They also must learn how to safeguard their own health and wellness, ensuring they can sustain meaningful careers while advancing the mission of libraries as engines of equity and community empowerment.

“We embed technology fluency, equity and social justice, and wellness strategies across our curriculum,” Chow says, “equipping our students to anticipate and lead the profession into the future.”

With more than 3,100 students and 14,000 alumni worldwide, SJSU’s iSchool is the largest MLIS program in the world. Delivered 100 percent online, asynchronously, the program gives students the flexibility to learn from anywhere in the world on a schedule that works for them.

“We are proud to lead with both innovation and impact,” Chow says. “Our size allows us to reinvest unparalleled resources directly into our students.” These resources include nine vibrant student organizations; free symposia; three full-time academic advisors who are available via chat, Zoom, email, and phone; dedicated career counseling; and a wide array of courses taught by 39 full-time faculty and world-class adjuncts across 14 career pathways. 

This “unique combination of scale, diversity, and excellence” sets the school apart, he adds.

The program prepares students for meaningful careers. Students gain real-world experience through internships, independent study, and faculty-led research projects. They also benefit from free career counseling, resume and interview preparation, and alumni-networking opportunities. A Spring 2025 exit survey found that 81 percent of graduates were employed in LIS fields.

Recent advancements include the addition of three new professional certificates in Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, Instructional Design, and Emerging Technologies.

“What I’m most proud of is that our MLIS program is the largest and most diverse in the world,” Chow concludes, “yet still delivers a highly personalized and supportive experience for every student.”

Dominican University 

Relationships with faculty, access to a vast network of information professionals in the Chicago area and worldwide, and the chance to study in a program driven by social justice are some of the key advantages to pursuing an MLIS degree at Dominican University’s School of Information Studies (SOIS).

The program’s mission is to promote “radical inclusion” and to empower students as catalysts for positive change. “Through innovative education and active community engagement, we inspire ethical leaders who champion equitable information access,” says Director and Professor Don Hamerly. “We are committed to a future where information literacy is universal.”

SOIS enrolls about 400 students, three-fourths of whom are pursuing an MLIS. The program supports both on-campus and online students through a hybrid model of instruction, and students have ample access to professors and advisors outside of class. “We are a relationship-focused campus,” Hamerly states.

The school has had several graduates named LJ Movers and Shakers over the years. “It’s a testament to their hard work and dedication and a reflection of our commitment to educating library leaders,” Hamerly explains. Faculty impart not just textbook knowledge but also experiential wisdom, and many students complete internships in libraries and information institutions in Chicago and elsewhere that prepare them for the realities of modern librarianship. “We also instill in our students not only the core values of the profession but also the social justice–focused, service-centered mission of the SOIS and the university,” he notes.

This focus on leadership has served graduates well, especially at a time when information literacy and the core values of libraries are under attack.

“We hear from our alumni how challenging it is to face hostile patrons and to hold the line with some board members and decision makers who actively work to subvert the values our profession guards,” Hamerly reports. SOIS addresses these challenges head-on in its curriculum, preparing future library professionals with strategies to manage confrontation successfully, ethically use new technologies (like generative AI), and help patrons create and use information that is secure and trustworthy.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The MLIS program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Information Sciences has been ranked the top-rated MLIS program in the nation since 1996, according to U.S. News & World Report. “We believe in the power of information to change the world,” says Associate Professor and CAS Program Director Maria Bonn.

Flexibility is a key feature of the program, as students have the freedom to build a customized experience that meets their personal interests and professional goals.

“Our program offers a special opportunity to be grounded in the fundamental skills and values of librarians and information science and to also pursue individual interests and passions,” Bonn states. “Unlike many of our peers, we only require two courses, which provide a solid foundation that students build upon while tailoring their program as they learn more about their own aspirations and the needs of the profession.”

Despite this flexibility in their studies, students are equipped with the skills they’ll need to address the biggest issues of librarianship today, such as obstacles to intellectual freedom and the ubiquity of misinformation (and disinformation) within communities.

“Our program confronts those challenges head-on through coursework,” Bonn says, “by studying both individual cases and cultural trajectories. With an emphasis on communities and users, our program helps students understand the context in which those challenges arise, (so they can) design solutions for working within those contexts. We also help students understand they will not be alone in addressing those issues; they are part of a large and supportive community of practice.”

The program can be completed on campus, through a synchronous online program, or a combination of the two. In the fall 2025 semester, there were more than 370 students enrolled online and about 200 students attending on campus.

Community building is heavily valued within the program. It begins with new student orientation and continues with activities throughout the year, as well as active support of student organizations.

The program also offers high-touch career placement services, including individual assistance with preparing job applications, a three-week virtual career festival, and an AI mock interview platform. With more than 130 years of LIS education, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has an expansive network of alumni whom students can contact for advice or networking.

“The professionals who emerge from our program are critical thinkers and professional leaders, ready to jump into work,” Bonn concludes. “They make the world a better place.”

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