Founded in 1948 by a group of librarians and educators at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Beta Phi Mu, The International Library and Information Studies Honor Society, is one of the newer recognition programs we’ve seen. According to their website, the organization whose name means “the librarian is the guardian of knowledge” was established “to recognize and encourage scholastic achievement among library and information studies students.” Despite having only been formally admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) within the last 50 years, they currently have close to 40 chapters and 35,000 members worldwide.

Beta Phi Mu has both regular and professional membership options with extensive requirements for eligibility. Eligible students must have completed all requirements leading to a master’s degree while maintaining a minimum of a 3.75 GPA and be attending an accredited college or university recognized by the American Library Association, American Association of School Librarians, or the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. 

Membership lasts a lifetime and offers a number of benefits including networking, publishing opportunities, continuing education discounts, scholarships, and recognition of outstanding achievements. Beta Phi Mu graduates wear two solid-color honor cords of purple and white, signifying their organization’s colors.

As a reminder, our team continues to operate with a modified business solution, complete with remote and isolated order processing locations. Our goal is to safely deliver honor and recognition gear to schools and institutions to have ready for their students once graduation dates have been reworked. We understand the importance of graduation regalia and what it means to students and faculty and want graduates to mark their accomplishments in a way in which they deserve.

Are you a member of Beta Phi Mu? Let us know in the comments!