Welcome to the College of Information Studies, Maryland's iSchool, a groundbreaking academic community providing essential information at a time of incredible transformation.

Information is empowering, and the iSchool creates new ways for the public to connect with information that will transform society.   The iSchool is ideally located near Washington, D.C., the information capital of the world. This cosmopolitan center of cultural, political and intellectual activity provides ample opportunity to connect with national information leaders and mine significant data sources. Work and research take our students and faculty to agencies including NASA, the Smithsonian Institution, National Archives and Records Administration, Library of Congress, National Library of Medicine and the National Agricultural Library.

In a diverse and rapidly changing field, we are recognized as among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. We prepare students for careers in traditional positions and in emerging information specialties. Our research shapes the way people find, assess and provide data, whether they are looking for a book, archiving thousands of digital images, offering online services or tackling a mega-computing project.

Making connections is what we did as a small college with a strong foundation in library science and information studies, and making connections continues to be our focus now that we are a fast-growing center of information and technical expertise.

We help people of all ages, backgrounds and educational interests manage the information explosion and employ the latest information technology - as well as traditional research methods to support work in a variety of disciplines. We are forging strong relationships with researchers in computer science, education, public policy, sociology and other academic fields, while also pursuing partnerships with government and industry. The wide appeal of our work and its impact on the public ensures our programs will maintain a leadership role in this rich and evolving field of information.   With significant momentum and achievements in growth and innovation, the iSchool is poised to lead the information revolution through its next iteration. We hope you will stay connected with us.

Jennifer J. Preece, Dean
University of Maryland, College Park
College of Information Studies