Emerging roles in Library and Information Science: consolidation in the scientific literature and appropriation by professionals of the discipline

Abstract

In recent years, profound transformations have taken place in the treatment, access and use of information, leading to the emergence of several concepts that reflect specific functions performed by Library and Information Science (LIS) professionals. The objective of this study is to identify the terminology related to emerging roles in the area of information science, quantifying the extent to which this terminology appears in the scientific literature and the extent to which it is associated with LIS. The roles most closely associated with LIS come under the categories of "librarianship" and "treatment and provision of document services", revealing their enduring status as the core areas of the discipline. However, we identified several other roles related to content organization and management, the web, and knowledge management, which constitute other potential career opportunities for LIS professionals, although in today's competitive job market a number of disciplines are vying to claim these roles as their own. Teaching, research support and advisory roles related to the ethical and legal issues in information science constitute other important emerging career prospects.