Abstract
PurposeThe objective of this study is to establish the current state of library and information science (LIS) scholarship pertaining to anti-racism, equity, inclusion and social justice initiatives.Design/methodology/approachUsing comprehensive search strategies, three LIS databases were searched for relevant literature published in the last 10 years and results were exported and de-duplicated using Endnote. Citations were screened by two blinded, independent reviewers based on pre-defined eligibility criteria. Citations in the final data set were then hand coded by three reviewers using deductive coding. Subject terms for all citations were categorized and consolidated to identify major themes across the corpus of included publications. Results were analyzed using bibliometrics and thematic analysis.FindingsA total of 691 unique citations were included in this analysis based on inclusion criteria. Publication productivity has generally increased from 2011 to 2020; findings show publications from 170 source titles and 944 authors representing 33 countries. Prevalent themes included access to information, multiculturalism and social justice. Various populations groups, areas of LIS practice, library types and social justice topics have been addressed in the literature. Over 15% of citations focused on anti-racism efforts in LIS.Originality/valueThis study applied both bibliometric and thematic approaches to analyzing LIS literature at macro and micro levels regarding anti-racism, equity, inclusion and social justice.
Highlights
Libraries are perceived by society to be a welcoming, service-oriented space where the public can receive assistance with finding trustworthy information, learn new skills, apply for jobs and gather in a safe space to address challenges facing their communities (Horrigan, 2016).© Emily P
After literature searches were performed in three library and information science (LIS) databases, a total of 1,732 citations were identified
The publication trend disclosed by our results indicates that LIS literature on anti-racism, equity, inclusion and social justice have increased during the past ten years
Summary
Libraries are perceived by society to be a welcoming, service-oriented space where the public can receive assistance with finding trustworthy information, learn new skills, apply for jobs and gather in a safe space to address challenges facing their communities (Horrigan, 2016). Michelle Cawley and Fei Yu. Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons. org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
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