Incorporating Decision-Making Concepts into LIS Education

Abstract

Decision theory, or the study of how individuals make choices, is a burgeoning field of study within many disciplines: economics, computer science, psychology, and organizational theory, to name a few. However, it has been less examined in library science. The study of how library users make decisions can aid librarians in many ways, such as marketing of services, purchasing decisions, or advocacy efforts. One way to build the study of decision theory into library science would be to incorporate decision-making concepts into Library and Information Science education. This article presents an overview of decision-making concepts and explores why these ideas should be incorporated into Library and Information Science education. The article concludes with suggestions on how to best incorporate decision-making concepts into Library Information Science education.