As we are often reminded, we live in an “information age.” Increasingly, we see questions about “information” defining our time. A huge amount of information is produced by us and for us, and that information is increasingly important to all aspects of our lives. Our lives are better for all this information, but only if we can manage it and use it. Because of the sheer volume of information, we face unprecedented challenges in preserving, organizing, accessing, and evaluating all this information. It is crucial that we continue to develop ways to meet these challenges while remaining focused on our humanity as the primary locus of meaning.

Our school strives to educate professionals who can rise to this mandate. I am proud to be on the faculty of the School of Library and Information Science here at Iowa. I think we have a unique school. We exist in a rigorous research environment, yet our school is small and personal. Our faculty is friendly and collegial, but we approach our roles with high expectations of ourselves, each other, and the students we work with. We strive to create a challenging environment designed to prepare our students for the “information age,” taking into account all that the phrase entails. As you browse our web site, you might have questions about who we are and what we do. Please feel free to contact us to learn more about our program.

Jim Elmborg
Director
School of Library and Information Science
The University of Iowa