Beta Phi Mu (also or ) is an American honor society for library & information science and information technology. Founded by a group of librarians and library educators, the society's express purpose is to recognize and encourage "superior academic achievement" among library and information studies students. Beta Phi Mu now has 31 active chapters in the U.S. and abroad, continues to sponsor various publications, and funds several scholarships.
History Beta Phi Mu was founded in August 1948 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignBeta Phi Mu International Honor Society for Library and Information Science Its founders were library educators and leading librarians. Beta Phi Mu was created as an honor society for information sciences to recognize the notable achievements within the profession. Rolland Stevens was its first president and Harold Lancour was its first executive secretary.
Beta Phi Mu held its first initiation in Illinois in the spring of 1949 at the University of Illinois. In 1954, it presented its first Distinguished Service to Library Education Award; the award became an official award of the American Library Association in 1956.
The oldest library honor society in the United States, local Pi Lambda Sigma founded in 1903 at Syracuse University, became a chapter of Beta Phi Mu in 1959.Special Libraries, October 1959 (vol 50, no 8), p. 402.
Beta Phi Mu was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1969. The society becomes an affiliate of the American Library Association in 1998.
As of August 2012, ΒΦΜ had initiated 40,000 members. In 2024, it has 23,000 active members.
The archives of Beta Phi Mu are at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Symbols The society's name comes from the initials in the Greek phrase , meaning "the librarian is the guardian of knowledge".Green, Carol (2015) "History of the Beta Phi Mu, Beta Psi chapter at The University of Southern Mississippi," SLIS Connecting: Vol. 4: Iss. 2, Article 3. DOI: 10.18785/slis.0402.03 Its motto is "Aliis inserviendo consumor" or "consumed in the service of others". A dolphin and anchor, the mark of Venetian printer Aldus Manutius, serves as the society's insignia. The society's colors, as signified on honor cords, are purple and white. Its publication is The Pipeline.
Activities The society presents the Beta Phi Mu Award to a library school faculty member or an individual for distinguished service to education for librarianship. The first award was made in 1954 to Rudolph Hjalmar Gjelsness, dean of the University of Michigan's Library Science Department from 1940 to 1964.
Beta Phi Mu has a scholarship program for beginning students, members seeking continuing education and foreign study, and doctoral students. One of its main activities is the publication of its Monograph Series.
Membership Eligibility for membership in Beta Phi Mu is by invitation of the faculty from an ALA-accredited professional degree program. Invitations are extended only to individuals who complete the requirements for a master's degree and achieve at least a 3.75 (out of 4.0) GPA; invitations are further limited to a maximum of 25% of any given graduating class. Each eligible candidate must also be recommended for election by the faculty of the candidate’s school.
Chapters The following list indicates active chapters in bold. ChapterCharter dateInstitutionLocationStatusAlphaUniversity of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IllinoisActiveBetaUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactiveGammaFlorida State UniversityTallahassee, FloridaActiveDeltaLoughborough, United Kingdom/Loughborough UniversityLoughborough, United KingdomInactiveEpsilonUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, North CarolinaActiveZetaClark Atlanta UniversityAtlanta, GeorgiaInactiveThetaPratt InstituteNew York City, New YorkActiveIotaCatholic University of America/University of Maryland, College ParkWashington, D.C./College Park, MarylandActiveKappaWestern Michigan UniversityKalamazoo, MichiganInactiveLambdaUniversity of OklahomaNorman, OklahomaActiveMuUniversity of MichiganAnn Arbor, MichiganInactiveNuColumbia UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactiveXiUniversity of Hawaiʻi at MānoaHonolulu, HawaiiActiveOmicronRutgers University–New BrunswickNew Brunswick, New JerseyActivePiUniversity of PittsburghPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaActivePi Lambda Sigma1959Syracuse UniversitySyracuse, New YorkActiveRhoKent State UniversityKent, OhioInactiveSigmaDrexel UniversityPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaActiveTauState University of New York at GeneseoGeneseo, New YorkInactiveUpsilonUniversity of KentuckyLexington, KentuckyInactivePhiUniversity of DenverDenver, ColoradoInactiveChiIndiana University BloomingtonBloomington, IndianaInactivePsiUniversity of MissouriColumbia, MissouriActiveOmegaSan Jose State UniversitySan Jose, CaliforniaActiveBeta AlphaQueens College, City University of New YorkFlushing, Queens, New YorkInactiveBeta BetaSimmons UniversityBoston, MassachusettsActiveBeta GammaUniversity of OregonEugene, OregonInactiveBeta DeltaUniversity at BuffaloBuffalo, New YorkActiveBeta EpsilonEmporia State UniversityEmporia, KansasActiveBeta ZetaLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, LouisianaInactiveBeta EtaUniversity of Texas at AustinAustin, TexasInactiveBeta ThetaBrigham Young UniversityProvo, UtahInactiveBeta IotaUniversity of Rhode IslandKingston, Rhode IslandActiveBeta KappaUniversity of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaActiveBeta LambdaTexas Woman's UniversityDenton, TexasActiveBeta MuPalmer School of Library and Information Science/LIU PostBrookville, New YorkInactiveBeta NuSt. John's UniversityJamaica, Queens, New YorkInactiveBeta XiNorth Carolina Central UniversityDurham, North CarolinaInactiveBeta OmicronUniversity of TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeInactiveBeta PiUniversity of ArizonaTucson, ArizonaActiveBeta RhoUniversity of Wisconsin–MilwaukeeMilwaukee, WisconsinActiveBeta SigmaClarion University of PennsylvaniaClarion, PennsylvaniaInactiveBeta TauWayne State UniversityDetroit, MichiganInactiveBeta UpsilonAlabama A&M UniversityNormal, AlabamaInactiveBeta PhiUniversity of South FloridaTampa, Florida ActiveBeta ChiSouthern Connecticut State UniversityNew Haven, ConnecticutInactiveBeta PsiUniversity of Southern MississippiHattiesburg, MississippiActiveBeta OmegaUniversity of South CarolinaColumbia, South CarolinaActiveBeta Beta AlphaUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaInactiveBeta Beta GammaDominican UniversityRiver Forest, IllinoisInactiveBeta Beta DeltaCologneInactiveBeta Beta EpsilonUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonMadison, WisconsinInactiveBeta Beta ZetaUniversity of North Carolina at GreensboroGreensboro, North CarolinaInactiveBeta Beta ThetaUniversity of IowaIowa City, IowaActiveBeta Beta IotaState University of New York at AlbanyAlbany, New YorkInactiveBeta Beta KappaUniversity of Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto RicoInactiveBeta Beta LambdaUniversity of WashingtonSeattle, WashingtonInactiveBeta Beta MuValdosta State UniversityValdosta, GeorgiaActiveBeta Beta NuUniversity of North TexasDenton, TexasActiveBeta Beta XiSt. Catherine UniversitySaint Paul, MinnesotaActiveBeta Beta OmicronEast Carolina UniversityGreenville, North CarolinaActiveBeta Beta PiUniversity of Central MissouriWarrensburg, MissouriActiveOmicron Delta UpsilonOld Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VirginiaActive?Duke UniversityDurham, North CarolinaInactive?University of Maryland Eastern ShorePrincess Anne, MarylandInactive
Notable Alumni Notable Alumni and Honorary members include: Alphonse F. Trezza (Honorary)
See also
Honor society Professional fraternities and sororities
References
External links