Beta Phi Mu

Beta Phi Mu was founded in August 1948 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 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. 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. Beta Phi Mu was admitted to the Association of College Honor Societies in 1969. As of August 2012, ΒΦΜ had initiated 40,000 members. In 2024, it has 23,000 active members. == Symbols ==

The society's name comes from the initials in the Greek phrase , meaning "the librarian is the guardian of knowledge". 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. == See also ==