1. Home
  2. Academics
  3. School of Library and Information Science
  4. SLIS Locations

SLIS Locations

As a student in the Simmons School of Library and Information Science, you can take courses at our three locations in Massachusetts.

Boston Campus

An aerial photo of the Main College Building on the Simmons campus, with the city of Boston in the background

By many accounts, Boston is the nation's best college town. Many also consider it an international library capital. We have the largest number of libraries of any region in the world. As a Simmons student, you can access these great resources every day.

The Boston Athenaeum is one of the world's most distinguished independent libraries and a national treasure. Since 1807, the Athenaeum has connected the public to great works of science and learning. It also has cultivated a stimulating forum where scholars, bibliophiles, and community interest groups exchange ideas and inspiration.

In 1848, the Boston Public Library became the first publicly-supported large, urban library in the nation. The library introduced the revolutionary concept of book borrowing.

Today, Boston is home to an array of libraries, both historic and high-tech. These include: Harvard and MIT library systems, the Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity, and the Massachusetts Historical Society, which houses the Adams Papers Collection. The Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners oversees the maintenance and development of library services for all state residents. 

SLIS partners with all these institutions. We work with them to cosponsor forums, provide continuing education, and place interns and graduates in jobs. The Boston tradition of idealism and equality — coupled with the city's incredible resources — delivers an unparalleled experience to everyone in the SLIS community.

 

Western Massachusetts Campus

An aerial view of Greenfield Community College

The SLIS West program is home to the part-time Master of Science in Library and Information Science degree program. Greenfield Community College serves as the home base for this program.

SLIS West supports all concentrations, although this location offers fewer elective courses. Depending on your specialization, you may take classes online or in Boston. Online course offerings allow you more flexibility in scheduling and more elective courses.

Dedicated SLIS faculty teach courses year-round. As a student studying at SLIS West, you also may take courses at the Boston campus. Similarly, as a student enrolled in Boston, you may choose to take courses at the SLIS West campus.

 

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Exterior of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Simmons offers all four graduate programs in children's literature onsite at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst. 

These programs include our MA in children's literature; MFA in writing for children; and the dual degree MA/MFA. You can complete the MA in children’s literature/MS in library science with courses at the Carle and LIS courses on the Greenfield Community College campus. 

Eric Carle, part founder of the museum, is famous for writing and illustrating over 70 books. His best-known book is the 1969 classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The Carle is the first major museum in the country focused on picture book art from both the US and globally.