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1901-1919 ›› 1920-1939 ›› 1940-1959 ›› 1960-1979 ›› 1980-1999 ›› 2000-2004
1901
•Louis Round Wilson becomes University librarian, a position he would hold for 31 years
1904
•The University offers its first courses in library science during the summer terms
1906
•The University offers courses in library science during regular school term
1909
•The University grants credit for courses in library science
1912
•Enrollment in summer courses warrants a visiting instructor in library science at UNC
1915
•The University allows graduate credit to students for a course in bibliography.
1922
•Dr. Wilson, in his Annual Report of the Librarian, proposes that the University offer summer courses for school and city librarians
1923
•Dr. Wilson proposes, for the first time in an Annual Report of the Librarian, that the University consider establishing a school of library science
1925
•Dr. Wilson appointed chairman of ALA Board of Education for Librarianship
1926
•Dr. Wilson, in his Annual Report of the Librarian, “strongly urges” the establishment of a school of library science at UNC
1929
•Carnegie Corporation grants $100,000 to the University for the establishment of a school of library science. Announcement of the five-year grant and of plans for school made at dedication ceremonies for the newly completed University Library building (Oct. 19-22)
1931
•School of Library Science classes begin (Sept. 17)
1932
•School provisionally accredited as a Type II (graduate) library school by the Board of Education for Librarianship of the ALA (March)
•First class of students graduates (June 7)
•Dr. Wilson resigns as librarian and director of the school to become dean of the University of Chicago Graduate Library School
•Susan Grey Akers receives nation's first Ph.D. in library science from University of Chicago Graduate Library School
•Akers named acting director of the school
1934
•School fully accredited for both Type II and Type III (undergraduate) library training by Board of Education for Librarianship of the ALA (March)
•School admitted to membership in the Association of American Library Schools (Dec.)
1935
•School begins offering its regular courses in consecutive summer terms, so that students might earn A.B. in L.S. by attendance during summer sessions only
•Susan Grey Akers named director of the school
•Alumni association formed as The North Carolina Library School Association and offers first tuition scholarship to a student in the school
1937
•University assumes financial support of the school with state funds
1939
•N.C. General Assembly authorizes establishment of a professional school in library science at the North Carolina College for Negroes in Durham. Dr. Akers agrees to help program get started and serves as dean of both schools until Oct. 1946.
1940
•Carnegie Corporation gives the school a second $100,000 grant (Sept.)
1941
•Akers appointed dean
•Type III curriculum discontinued due to lack of demand
•Degree granted by the school changed from Bachelor of Arts in Library Science to Bachelor of Science in Library Science
1942
•Dr. Wilson retires as dean at Chicago and returns to UNC as consultant and part-time professor
1947
•University approves school's proposed Master of School Librarianship program (Dec. 10), and the first students would enter the program in 1950
•Future distinguished alumus William Powell graduates from the school
1948
•Dr. Wilson retires as consultant and part-time professor
1950
•School offers first courses leading to master's degree of school librarianship
•School moves to Old Filter Plant for 1950-51 school year during construction of addition to the University library building
1951
•University approves school's program leading to Master of Science in Library Science degree (March 8)
•Alumni association establishes Susan Grey Akers Scholarship
•School moves into the new west wing of the library building (Sept.)
•Dr. Wilson returns as visiting professor to teach two courses in the MSLS program
1953
•School celebrates first Alumni Day (April 17)
•School presents first candidates for MSLS degree (June)
1954
•Akers retires after 23 years as member of the faculty, three years as acting director, six years as director and 13 years as dean
•Lucile Kelling Henderson appointed dean of the school
1955
•School's administrative board approves abandonment of the degree of bachelor of science in library science
Members of the School of Library Science faculty in 1955: (from left) Julia Boulware, Lucile Kelling, Louis Round Wilson, Sarah R. Reed, O.V. Cook, Jean Freeman, Carlyle J. Frarey, Margaret Kalp, Ethel Rose and William R. Pullen.
1957
•American Library Association accredits school under its 1951 revised standards
1958
•North Carolina chapter of Beta Phi Mu installed (May 3)
•Faculty votes to discontinue master of school librarianship program
1960
•Carlyle J. Frarey becomes acting dean of the school
1963
•Under Frarey's leadership, school introduces revised curriculum
1964
•Margaret E. Kalp becomes acting dean of the school (Sept. 1)
1967
•Walter A. Sedelow, Jr. becomes dean of the school
1968
•Law School moves out of Manning Hall
1969
•Manning Hall renovations begin
1970
•Raymond L. Carpenter, Jr. becomes acting dean of the school (July)
•School moves into Manning Hall one day before fall registration (Sept.)
1972
•Edward G. Holley becomes dean (Jan. 1)
•First issue of “News from Chapel Hill” alumni newsletter published (Nov.)
1974
•School begins providing library services for EPA Library in RTP (May 6)
•Holley inaugurated as 91st president of the American Library Association in New York City (July 12)
•School introduces revised master's program, with a new 12-hour block of basic material required of all students
1975
•Dr. Lester E. Asheim becomes school's first William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor
1976
•Former acting dean Carlyle J. Frarey dies at the age of 57 (March 13)
•Dr. Wilson celebrates 100th birthday (Dec. 27)
1977
•Dr. Fred W. Roper becomes assistant dean (Jan. 15)
1978
•Former acting dean Margaret Ellen Kalp dies at the age of 63 (April 26)
1979
•Dr. Wilson dies at the age of 102 (Dec. 10)
1980
•Jo Ann Hardison Bell becomes school's first doctoral degree recipient (May 11)
1981
•School celebrates its 50th anniversary with four days of seminars, reports and social events (March 25-28)
1982
•Dr. Roper becomes associate dean (Jan. 1)
1984
•Former Dean Susan Grey Akers dies at the age of 94 (Jan. 30)
•Elizabeth J. “Lib” Laney becomes School librarian (Nov.)
1985
•Dr. Evelyn H. Daniel becomes dean (July 1)
1986
•Dr. Roper resigns to become dean of the library school at the University of South Carolina at Columbia (June)
1987
•Scott Barker joins the SILS staff as director of computing services (Jan.)
•Dr. Barbara B. Moran becomes assistant dean (July 1)
1988
•Name change to School of Information and Library Science becomes official
•School introduces post-graduate Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) degree
•School celebrates 15 years of providing library services to EPA Library
1989
•Dr. Holley named School's second William Rand Kenan Jr. Professor
1990
•Dr. Barbara Moran becomes dean (July 1)
•Dr. Jerry D. Saye becomes assistant dean (July 1)
•Former Dean Lucile Kelling Henderson dies at the age of 95 (July 29)
•OCLC Founder Frederick G. Kilgour appointed Distinguished Research Professor
•Lester Asheim Scholarship Fund endowed with $30,000
1991
•Dr. Daniel becomes president of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) (Jan.)
•Dr. Roper, dean of USC College of Library and Information Science, presents school's first Lucile Kelling Henderson Lecture (April 19)
•Librarian Laney retires (June 30)
•School graduate Gillian M. Debreczeny becomes new School librarian (Dec. 15)
1992
•Melissa M. Cain becomes school's first director of development (January 1)
•School uses Alumni Day to celebrate 60th anniversary of school's founding (May 1)
1993
•School offers first Oxford seminar, “English Libraries and Librarianship” (May 23-June 5) with Dr. Holley serving as academic adviser
•School's newly created Board of Visitors meets for the first time (Nov.)
1994
•Dr. Saye appointed associate dean (July 1)
•Frances Carroll McColl Professorship established with $250,000 gift from Hugh L. and Jane Spratt McColl
•School celebrates 20 years of partnership with EPA
1996
•Dr. Helen Tibbo named assistant dean (July 1)
•SunSITE moves from basement of Phillips Hall to second-floor lab in Manning Hall
•Professor Dr. William M. Shaw Jr. named School's first McColl Professor
1997
•Dr. Susan Steinfirst, retired professor, dies of cancer at the age of 56 (March 7). A lecture fund is later established in her name
•School celebrates 65th anniversary with day of presentations and activities (April 25)
•First three recipients of SILS undergraduate minor graduate from UNC
•Professor Emeritus Lester E. Asheim dies at the age of 83 (July 1)
•Dr. Stephanie Haas receives School's first Outstanding Teacher of the Year award
1998
•Children's author and UNC graduate Mary Pope Osborne speaks as the first Susan Steinfirst Lecturer (April 4)
•Dr. Robert Losee named School's second McColl Professor (1998-2000)
1999
•Dr. Joanne Gard Marshall becomes dean (Jan. 1)
•School ties for first in U.S. News & World Report rankings of top graduate schools in the field (March)
•School's Interaction Design Laboratory (IDL) holds open house (March 26)
•Picnic held to celebrate school's 25-year partnership with EPA Library
•School conducts its first mid-year commencement ceremony in Wilson Library's Pleasants Family Assembly Room (Dec. 18)
2000
•SILS becomes first school to have its MSIS program accredited for a full seven years by the ALA. The School's MSLS program, continually accredited since 1934, also receives a full accreditation
•Associate Professor Dr. Paul Solomon becomes associate dean (July 1)
•Gillian Debreczeny retires as librarian (July 31)
•Dr. Tibbo named school's third McColl Professor (2000-2002)
•Thanks in part to a $4 million gift from Red Hat Center, Metalab (the former SunSITE) becomes ibiblio.org, “the public's library” (Sept. 11)
•School honors past and current assistant/associate deans at special ceremony (Sept. 29)
•School holds “Open Information Week” (Oct. 16-20)
•Dean Marshall featured on cover of Library Journal (Nov. 15)
2001
•SILS announces introduction of dual master's degree programs with Kenan-Flagler Business School and the School of Public Health
•Rebecca Vargha joins SILS staff as the new librarian (Aug. 1)
•School kicks off 70th anniversary celebration with John Vaughn's appearance as Henderson Lecturer (Oct. 8)
2002
•School begins an international summer seminar in the Czech Republic, co-sponsored by Charles University in Prague
2003
•Classes begin for newly-approved BSIS undergraduate degree program
•Dual degree programs begin with the School of Nursing, the art department and the School of Government
•Cooperative international program in information management begins with institutions in Singapore and Denmark
•School begins certificate program in bioinformatics and offers school library media certification through distance education
•25th anniversary of the doctoral program
2004
•Dual degree programs begin with the School of Law and Duke University School of Medicine
•School's undergraduate class grows from three in 2003 to 20 in 2004
•OCLC/Frederick G. Kilgour Lecture in Information and Library Science established with a pledge of $100,000 from the OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
•Dr. Barbara Wildemuth named 2004 McColl Professor
•Dr. José-Marie Griffiths becomes dean (Aug. 23)
2005
•Environmental Protection Agency Library and SILS celebrates 30 year partnership
•The Knowledge Trust and Louis Round Wilson Academy formed (October 6)
•Dr. Stephanie Haas named school’s sixth McColl Professor (2005-2007)
2006
•The School is once again ranked number one by U.S. News and World Report in the magazine’s 2007 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools”
•Louis Round Wilson Academy establishes resolutions on openness and ethics
•The first Knowledge Trust Honors ceremony awards five Oct. 12 in Washington D.C.
•UNC Library and the School join the Open Content Alliance
•Rebecca Vargha inaugurated as President of the Special Libraries Association
•Dr. José-Marie Griffiths named to the United States National Science Board
•The School hosts the 6th annual ACM/IEEE 2006 Joint Conference on Digital Libraries (JCDL)
•Frederick Kilgour, founder of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), and distinguished research professor, dies in August at 92
•SILS celebrates its 75th anniversary on Sept. 18 with the theme, “Illuminating the Past, Imagining the Future”
2007
•SILS hosts Evidence-based Practice Conference (May)
•The School observes the grand finale of its 75th anniversary on Sept. 17
•SILS is presented with Joint Resolution 249 by the North Carolina House of Representatives.
•The Knowledge Trust Honors ceremony awards eight Sept. 17 in Chapel Hill
•Donald W. King appointed distinguished
research professor
•Dr. Jane Greenberg named McColl professor
•ibiblio receives North Carolina Certificate of Acknowledgement and Congratulations
•SILS hosts The National Historic Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) Electronic Records Research Symposium on Nov. 1
2008
•SILS among the first universities in the world to work with YouTube to offer UNC-produced content
•World-renowned Data Intensive Cyber Environments (DICE) group joins SILS.
•Dr. Gary Marchionini elected president of ASIS&T.
2009
•SILS hosts the fourth annual iConference on Feb. 8 - 11 with the theme, "iSociety: research, education, engagement"
•SILS hosts the second DigCCurr 2009: Digital Curation Practice, Promise and Prospects conference April 1 to 3
•Dr. Javed Mostafa named McColl professor
•Dr. Helen Tibbo elected president of the Society of American Archivists
•Dr. Barbara B. Moran appointed interim dean (May 1)
•The School is ranked number one by U.S. News and World Report in the magazine’s 2009 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools”