State University of New York at Buffalo. School of Information and Library Studies

Buffalo's first library studies program started in 1919, when university was still the private University of Buffalo. Under the leadership of Dr. Augustus Hunt Shearer the program, which offered a library science certificate and eventually a bachelor in library science, supported and aided the development of libraries in Western New York. In the early 1940's, Dr. Shearer's health began to fail and a closer examination of the program raised several concerns, including the lack of accreditation from the American Library Association (ALA). The program was phased out and eventually closed in 1945. The University of Buffalo joined with the State University of New York (SUNY) to become the University at Buffalo (UB) in 1962. Shortly after, in 1965, SUNY began exploring the establishment of a library science program at Buffalo. UB President Clifford Furnas welcomed the idea and created an ad hoc committee to organize the new school. The School of Information and Libraries Studies (SILS) began offering classes in the fall of 1966 as part of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Dr. Vincent Giuliano, a computer expert and mathematician, was hired as dean in 1967. SILS had a rocky beginning, with Dr. Giuliano's resignation as dean in 1969 and lack of resources for the school. In 1970, the students revolted at SILS' status and undetermined future. By means of response, a search committee for a new dean was quickly established and an offer of deanship was extended to Dr. George Bobinski. With construction of the new north campus in Amherst in the 1970's, SILS moved from Hayes Hall on South Campus into Bell Hall. In collaboration with the Higher Education Department of the Faculty of Educational Studies, SILS began to offer a Ph. D. in Higher Education in 1977. n 1979, a dual master's in music librarianship was established.

The 1980's was a period of growth for SILS. In 1982, the MLS program at SUNY Geneseo was ended. This affected SILS in a number of ways: Geneseo had a Rochester extension program that SILS resumed management of, several thousand monographs and serials of the Geneseo library were transferred to Lockwood Memorial Library, and SILS had an influx of new students. SILS moved to the third floor of Baldy Hall because of the additional facility needs. SILS faculty began work on a proposal for a library and information studies Ph. D. program, which was approved by SUNY and sent to the State Education Department. Growth surged and continued into the early-mid 1990's. SILS was on the leading edge of technology and Dr. Neil Yerkey was instrumental in the establishment of Buffalo Free Net, a community information portal. An exchange program with the Jagiellonian University of Krakow, Poland took place over three years and brought international attention to SILS. In 1995, SILS established the Center for Applied Research in Library and Information Science, a research institute that was to be staffed with Doctoral candidates and conduct empirical studies for libraries and library networks. In 1997, Dr. John Ellison began offering online classes and developed them further, becoming a national expert on LIS distance education.

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