SLIS History: Our Past

History of the Library School
The groundwork for the School of Library and Information Studies was laid in 1895 with the establishment of summer sessions in the field of library science in conjunction with the University Summer School at Madison - making Madison the home of one of the oldest and longest running library school programs in the nation. The summer sessions were made possible through donations from J.H. Stout, a well known supporter and innovator of traveling libraries, and were seen as a form of library training for individuals who could not attend schools with longer terms. Stout fully supported the school for the first two summers, but by the third summer, students were expected to pay $15 to attend. Classes were held in University classrooms as well as at the State Historical Society and were in session for six weeks. Teachings covered the basics of library method such as accession, classification, circulation and preservation. The Wisconsin Free Library Commission was instrumental in the success of these early classes. In 1906 the summer sessions changed to a yearlong program when the Free Library Commission created the Wisconsin Library School, which gained appropriation funds through an act of the Wisconsin Legislature in 1905, making it the ninth library school in the country. The Library School was housed on the second floor of the Madison Free Library which was supported in part by funds from Andrew Carnegie. The Carnegie gift allowed for the building to have the Free Library on the first floor and the Library School on the second floor. Through the 1930s, the Wisconsin Library School created and maintained close ties with the University of Wisconsin. In 1931 the Library School ended its practice of a separate graduation ceremony and determined that students would march with the rest of the university. In 1938 the Library School became officially part of the University when Governor Lafollette signed the executive order that as of August 1 the Wisconsin Library School would be transferred and attached to the College of Letters and Science.... Interested in continuing this narrative to bring your SLIS history up to date? Download the pdf version and read in your armchair.

History of the Library School

The groundwork for the School of Library and Information Studies was laid in 1895 with the establishment of summer sessions in the field of library science in conjunction with the University Summer School at Madison - making Madison the home of one of the oldest and longest running library school programs in the nation. The summer sessions were made possible through donations from J.H. Stout, a well known supporter and innovator of traveling libraries, and were seen as a form of library training for individuals who could not attend schools with longer terms. Stout fully supported the school for the first two summers, but by the third summer, students were expected to pay $15 to attend. Classes were held in University classrooms as well as at the State Historical Society and were in session for six weeks. Teachings covered the basics of library method such as accession, classification, circulation and preservation. The Wisconsin Free Library Commission was instrumental in the success of these early classes.

In 1906 the summer sessions changed to a yearlong program when the Free Library Commission created the Wisconsin Library School, which gained appropriation funds through an act of the Wisconsin Legislature in 1905, making it the ninth library school in the country. The Library School was housed on the second floor of the Madison Free Library which was supported in part by funds from Andrew Carnegie. The Carnegie gift allowed for the building to have the Free Library on the first floor and the Library School on the second floor.

Through the 1930s, the Wisconsin Library School created and maintained close ties with the University of Wisconsin. In 1931 the Library School ended its practice of a separate graduation ceremony and determined that students would march with the rest of the university. In 1938 the Library School became officially part of the University when Governor Lafollette signed the executive order that as of August 1 the Wisconsin Library School would be transferred and attached to the College of Letters and Science....

Interested in continuing this narrative to bring your SLIS history up to date? Download the pdf version and read in your armchair.