Edward Benoit III Named Director of the School of Information Studies
March 19, 2026
BATON ROUGE, LA - The LSU College of Human Sciences & Education has named Edward Benoit, III, PhD director of the School of Information Studies (SIS). Benoit most recently served as interim director of the school since December 2024.
Under Benoit鈥檚 leadership, the school has experienced unprecedented growth, recently surpassing 1,000 enrolled students. During this time, the school鈥檚 Master of Library & Information Science (MLIS) program was also recognized as #1 in the nation and #5 in size by the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), a milestone that underscores the program鈥檚 national leadership and expanding reach.
鈥淓d brings a rare combination of visionary leadership, strategic thinking, and deep
commitment to student success,鈥� said LSU College of Human Sciences & Education Dean
Roland Mitchell, PhD. 鈥淗e understands how to align innovative academic programming
with evolving workforce needs while staying true to our purpose as a research-intensive,
flagship university. His leadership has already propelled the School of Information
Studies to new heights, and I鈥檓 confident its momentum will continue under his guidance.鈥�
Benoit is an associate professor in the School of Information Studies and coordinates the school鈥檚 archival studies and cultural heritage resource management programs. He holds an MA in History, MLIS, and PhD in Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin鈥揗ilwaukee.
His research focuses on participatory and community archives, non-traditional archival materials, climate change, and archival education. He is the founder and director of the Virtual Footlocker Project, which examines the personal archiving habits of 21st-century soldiers in order to develop new digital capture and preservation technologies that support their needs.
Benoit also directs PROTECCT-GLAM, a project funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) that identifies climate-change-related risks for galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAMs) and develops strategies to help cultural institutions prepare for and respond to these threats.
In addition to his role in the School of Information Studies, Benoit serves as an affiliated faculty member in the LSU College of Art & Design鈥檚 Doctor of Design in Cultural Preservation program, contributing to interdisciplinary scholarship focused on safeguarding cultural heritage.
鈥淚鈥檓 deeply honored to serve as director of the School of Information Studies,鈥� Benoit said. 鈥淥ur faculty, students, and alumni are doing extraordinary work to advance the information professions and protect cultural memory. I look forward to continuing to build innovative programs, expanding our research impact, and preparing graduates who are ready to lead in libraries, archives, museums, and information organizations around the world.鈥�
About the LSU School of Information Studies
The LSU School of Information Studies (SIS), a member of the iSchools consortium, is a dynamic and growing school within the College of Human Sciences & Education. For over 90 years, SIS has been at the forefront of information studies, and today, we are a research-intensive school with a strong commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and addressing complex challenges. Our faculty are engaged in cutting-edge research, with over $2 million in active research grants from funding agencies including the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
SIS is home to a vibrant community of more than 1,000 graduate students enrolled in our nationally-recognized, ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program. In addition to the MLIS, SIS offers a range of graduate certificates and an undergraduate minor in Digital Studies, reflecting our commitment to preparing students for various professional contexts. Our strategic vision focuses on expanding our research and academic programs, with plans to launch new undergraduate and doctoral programs and grow our faculty in key areas such as data science, artificial intelligence and health information.
For more information, visit the School of Information Studies.