• Library.library books image by Daughterson from Fotolia.com
  
  Libraries and library professionals are important in the context of a rapidly changing digital world, and the field is more vibrant than ever before. Many universities across the country offer master's degrees in library science (MLS), but three stand out in terms of academic excellence and national reputation. In 2009, the U.S. News and World Report ranked the library programs at the University of Illinois, the University of North Carolina and Syracuse University as the three best in the country. Students who gain admission into the library school graduate programs at any of these universities are likely to obtain the education and skills necessary to succeed in the profession, regardless of their particular areas of concentration.
  
  

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

• Illinois.illinois outline image by Kim Jones from Fotolia.com
  
  The University of Illinois is a Big Ten university in central Illinois. A land-grant university established in 1867, the school is a premier research institution with 41,000 students. Many of the graduate schools on campus are nationally ranked in their respective fields. In 2009, the Graduate School of Library and Information Science shared the top ranking of U.S. library schools with the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.
  
  University of Illinois
  www.illinois.edu
  
  

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

• North Carolina.north carolina outline image by Kim Jones from Fotolia.com
  
  Established in 1793 as one the country's first state universities, the University of North Carolina (UNC) is located in the north-central part of the state. There have been 45 UNC students selected as Rhodes Scholars, and the university has an international reputation for academic excellence. Consistently ranked as one of the nation's top public universities, UNC offers a multitude of academic programs, including the MLS in the School of Information and Library Science. A student seeking an MLS degree at UNC joins a program that is ranked first in the country, sharing that spot with Illinois.
  
  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  www.unc.edu
  
  

Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York

• New York.new york map image by Vladislav Gajic from Fotolia.com
  
  Syracuse is a private university located in the rolling hills of central New York. Established in 1870, Syracuse University is home to nearly 20,000 students. The campus is diverse, and its academic programs draw students from all of the 50 states and 128 countries. Syracuse is a known leader in education. The campus's School of Information Studies is ranked third in the nation behind Illinois and North Carolina, and the staff leads the nation in the areas of digital literacy and digital libraries.
  
  Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
  www.syr.edu