The American Library Association (ALA) accredits master’s programs in library and information studies across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. There are 62 ALA-accredited master's programs and 3 programs seeking initial accreditation. Graduating from an ALA-accredited program provides flexibility in the types of libraries and jobs you can apply for and enhances career mobility. Most employers require an ALA-accredited master's degree for most professional level positions, and some states require an ALA-accredited degree to work as a professional librarian in public or school libraries.

ALA maintains a directory of information about accredited library and information studies programs. For up-to-date, detailed information about ALA accredited graduate programs in Library and/or Information Science as well as the current online addresses for each program, http://www.ala.org/ala/educationcareers/education/accreditedprograms/directory/list/index.cfm:

Distance education opportunities are listed in the state or province where available, and a reference to the main description is provided. Some distance education may be through traditional extension programs with faculty on site, while others may be through interactive video or other telecommunications. Prospective students should verify with the schools the extent to which a full master's program can be acquired off site and are advised to request catalogs and applications from the schools in which they are interested. Distance education opportunities frequently change, so prospective students may wish to inquire about other sites.

Several colleges and universities also offer a Library-Media Specialist endorsement or certificate program, some via distance delivery.