Fred Schlipf

Fred Schlipf is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where his research focuses on the functional design of library buildings. He has been a library school faculty member for over 50 years and served as director of The Urbana Free Library for nearly 33 years. His consulting work spans 150–200 formal library building projects, and he remains an active advocate for practical library design.

Education:

• MA, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago
• PhD, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago

Schlipf's expertise bridges library science and architectural design, emphasizing how spatial functionality enhances library operations and user accessibility. His work also intersects information organization and public library management, advocating for community-centric spaces.

Scientific Awards:

• iSchool instructors ranked as excellent (2020)

Schlipf maintains a hands-on role in academia and consulting. He engages with students during office hours held on Wednesdays (1:30–2:00 PM and 4:50 PM onwards in room 46) and has authored a practical guidebook on library buildings (2017). His professional reach extends to podcasts, including the Dewey Decibel (2016), where he shared design strategies to avoid common library planning pitfalls.