Library And Information Science Community Research Articles

Empowered to Name, Inspired to Act: Social Responsibility and Diversity as Calls to Action in the LIS Context

Social Responsibility and Diversity are two principal tenets of the field of library and information science (LIS) as defined by the American Library Association’s “Core Values of Librarianship” but that often remain on the margins of LIS education, leading to limited student engagement with these concepts and limited faculty modeling of socially responsible interventions. In this paper we take up the need to increase the role of both in articulating the Core Values of Diversity and Social Responsibility in LIS education and argue that the field should broaden to place LIS students and faculty in dialog with contemporary social issues of social inequality and injustice whenever possible. The paper also examines two specific cases of socially responsible activism spearheaded by LIS faculty and how these experiences shape, and are shaped by, curricular commitments to addressing the Values of Social Responsibility and Diversity in LIS in the classroom and through research. The development of a social responsibility orientation and skillset along with literacies of diversity, the paper argues, leads to better-prepared practitioners and an LIS community that is more actively engaged with its environment. The impetus for students to act can be empowered by faculty modeling a commitment to Social Responsibility and Diversity in their own professional lives.

ALISE/ASIST Joint panel on accreditation: Moving forward with LIS accreditation reform

ABSTRACTThe landscape of education in Library and Information Science (LIS) is shifting as the ways in which information is managed and used in society evolves. As these changes happen how we validate our educational programs needs to change as well. Discussion about the ways in which accreditation of LIS education programs is currently conducted has become an increasingly contested issue within the Information community. This panel will examine the current approaches to accreditation, sketch the progress that has been made on accreditation reform, consider what educational institutions and the LIS community are seeking to achieve with accreditation, and conclude by considering the next steps for ASIS&T and the information community as we press forward with efforts to reform accreditation.

Exploring the need of knowledge management education within library and information science educational courses

Purpose – The study aims to explore the relevance of knowledge management (KM) education within library and information science (LIS) educational courses in India. Design/methodology/approach – The study used a quantitative research approach. A Web-based questionnaire survey was designed and distributed through FreeOnlineSurveys.com for the collection of data. A link for attending the survey was sent via electronic mail to the teachers (95 in numbers) of 65 LIS schools. A total of 43 responses (approximately 45 per cent) were received. Findings – The findings show that there is a strong interest among LIS community towards the inclusion of KM education within LIS educational courses to impart the knowledge and skills related to KM among LIS students, and to facilitate their entry into the KM job market. Most of the respondents believe that a curriculum which embodies core elements of LIS, management and information systems and technology would best meet the needs of LIS students for their involvement in KM activities. Practical implications – Findings of the present study may be used as the groundwork for the revision of current LIS educational courses as well as the revision of LIS curricula to impart the knowledge and skills-related to KM among LIS students for working in KM environment. Originality/value – As no empirical study on the relevance of KM education to LIS professionals in India has been carried out before, this study closes this gap and provides a framework to modify existing LIS courses or curricula to fulfil the requirement of KM competencies of LIS students.

Slavoj Žižek, Rex Libris, and the Traumatic Real

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use the work of philosopher Slavoj Žižek to gain insights into representations of the librarian and the library in contemporary popular culture. Design/methodology/approach – A psycho-analytic reading of the comic book series Rex Libris using Slavoj Žižek’s treatment of Jacques Lacan. Findings – Žižek’s approach can provide novel and previously unconsidered insights into the understanding of librarian stereotypes in particular and representations of the library in general. Research limitations/implications – This paper is limited to the representations of the librarian and the library in one comic book series. Its findings need to be generalized to representations in other forms of popular culture. Originality/value – As far as the authors know, this is the only paper that has applied the work of Žižek in the library and information science (LIS) literature. As such, not only are the insights into the representations of librarians and libraries important, this paper also acts as a valuable introduction to the work of Žižek for the LIS community of scholars.

E-learning from the perspective of library and information science students (case study of Alzahra, Yazd and Payamenoor Universities)

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes of library and information science (LIS) students from Alzahra, Yazd and Payamenoor universities toward e-learning, while aiming to develop awareness in the broader LIS community of alternative and supplement solutions in the LIS educational arena. Design/methodology/approach – This is a research survey conducted amongst 142 students. Data were collected via a researcher-designed questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS software using descriptive and analytical methods. Findings – Based on the findings, a relatively favorable attitude of e-learning education exists, indicating the existence of a supportive culture that can offer this type of education. According to the findings, with the provision of necessary equipment and the possibility of other incentives, e.g. running workshops, a supportive culture would be more advanced. Results also revealed that e-learning systems are more effective for the purpose of some courses that are related to the use of computers and the Internet, courses relating to information sources and courses associated with the application of new technologies in libraries. Originality/value – The emergence of new concepts and the advancement of technologies demands that LIS schools update their curricula. The findings of this paper ascertain the importance of equipping graduates with the knowledge and skills associated with e-learning technologies. LIS students need to gain specialized skills in the application of new technologies in libraries; the implementation of an e-learning system by LIS schools, and the delivery of electronic programs, provides an environment for them in which they experience the application of new technologies.

Concept analysis for library and information science: Exploring usage

Although several library and information science (LIS) and information needs, seeking, and use (INSU) scholars have called for improving the discipline's conceptual and theoretical foundation, the LIS literature presents surprisingly few models for exploring and clarifying central concepts. While models for concept exploration such as the treatise or explication focus on determining “the” definition of a concept, other approaches, such as discourse analysis, have clear methodological and theoretical premises but lack sufficiently identifiable methods for application. The purpose of this paper is to describe, a collection of innovative approaches of concept analysis (CA) from nursing scholarship. While individual approaches to CA differ slightly from each other in terms of theoretical standpoint and method, all share the goal of clarifying individual concepts to establish a foundation for empirical research. This paper describes the theoretical foundations and application of CA approaches from nursing scholarship and presents an abbreviated case of its application to usage, a concept of interest to the LIS community. CA holds a great deal of potential for LIS scholars who seek to clarify the discipline's concepts, whether foundational and basic, or more obscure and specific.

Library and Information Science (LIS) Transferable Competencies

This article uses data obtained from a content analysis of job advertisements to explore the questions of (1) what types of non-traditional jobs are available for library and information science (LIS) professionals and (2) how can LIS students and professionals take advantage of non-traditional job opportunities. Two groups of job advertisements were used in this investigation: advertisements from LIS-targeted job boards (two library school job boards and two library association job boards) and Government of Canada internal job postings. These two sets of job postings were selected to compare the competencies in job postings targeted to LIS graduates (the LIS job board advertisements) and job postings that were not targeted to the LIS community (the Government of Canada job advertisements). An analysis of these groups of job advertisements demonstrated that both samples focused mainly on transferable competencies. Due to the emphasis on transferable competencies, the analysis of job postings from the Government of Canada job list revealed that there are many non-traditional opportunities for LIS graduates. A typical LIS professional could apply for 51 (or 25.8%) of the job advertisements in this set, having met all of the listed criteria. This individual may be able to apply for an additional 40 (or 21.2%) of the jobs listed if they had certain additional competencies or knowledge obtained through prior experience working in the Government of Canada but not necessarily obtained by the average LIS professional. This supports the argument that there are numerous opportunities for LIS professionals in non-traditional jobs. The exploration of commonly requested competencies can be used to guide LIS job seekers to craft their resumes and CVs to address the competencies requested by potential employers.

Using Web 2.0 technologies for communication, collaboration and community building: a Caribbean perspective

PurposeThis paper aims to demonstrate how Web 2.0 technologies may be used to counter some of the challenges encountered traditionally by the Caribbean library and information science (LIS) field.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores the key features of each Web 2.0 technology discussed and then shows how these characteristics might be beneficially applied to resolve or alleviate one of the challenges explored.FindingsBy providing examples of best practice the paper shows that there are Web 2.0 technologies being used by the LIS community in the Caribbean to encourage wider communication, collaboration and community building. It notes however that there are still more emerging technologies which may be successfully used to overcome other traditional challenges.Originality/valueThe paper adds a Caribbean perspective to the Web 2.0 discussions. It also demonstrates how emerging/Web 2.0 technologies might effectively be used as problem solving tools.

Hiding in plain sight: Paratextual utterances as tools for information-related research and practice

Through a qualitative content analysis of a purposive sample (the 2010 finalists of the Canadian Governor General's Literary Awards in both French and English), this study investigates what information can be gleaned from the book-as-object using peritext as a research tool. Using the theories of Gérard Genette, who defined the paratext, and Pierre Bourdieu, this research posits that paratextual utterances serve as an expression and tool of the cultural realm of publication and can be used for informational purposes in library and information science (LIS) research and practice. Findings indicate that the peritext is a rich source for gathering information about authorship and publishing as it reveals contextually relevant information, shares the author's informational tools, constructs the author, markets titles, and provides relevant information for specific age groups and genres. Discussion centers on the impact for libraries and the LIS community, with a focus on readers' advisory.

Aspects of representation of library and information science

PurposeThis paper seeks to deal with the “image problem” in the library and information science (LIS) profession from the cultural studies viewpoint. It aims to explore representations of LIS in LIS itself and to research the representation practices of LIS in the social and cultural environment.Design/methodology/approachAfter identifying some main features of professional discourse on the LIS image, the empirical part of the research particularly explored two questions: how LIS is constituted and how it is embedded in broader social practices. More than 300 articles were collected from the Slovenian daily newspaper with the largest circulation. The sample was analyzed quantitatively and two‐fold qualitatively.FindingsThe results of quantitative analysis outline the formation of LIS's community nature. The results of qualitative analysis mostly show the signifying practices in differentiating between the “old” and the “modern” and representing practices in creating “zealous” librarians and “suspicious” users. The results also point to librarians as “organic intellectuals”.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is exploratory and at this point the thesis on “organic intellectuals” cannot be confirmed; in addition to the limits in the analysis methods, the theoretical background needs to be further explored. The findings cannot be generalized due to social and cultural differences.Practical implicationsThe methodology can be applied to other research subjects. The results may be helpful for library managers and library public relations work.Originality/valueThere are only a few studies of such theoretical and methodological design that have researched the role of the LIS in society. The paper also analyzes the “image problem” in the daily newspapers.

Information science as knowledge translation

AbstractEditor's SummaryIn the medical field, knowledge translation is the process of putting research findings into action for patient education, practitioners' use and further research. It is a method of codifying what has been learned through research to improve communication within the professional community. The same view of knowledge sharing may be applied to library and information science (LIS). But the LIS community has been slow to adopt and implement our own research, to gain practical value by translating theory to knowledge. Greater attention should be paid to communication within the professional community to ensure the effective spread and use of knowledge gleaned from information science research. Just as medical informatics serves knowledge transfer in the field of medicine, exploring community informatics could shed light on how other disciplines, including LIS, translate knowledge to action through communication processes within professional communities.

Where Will They Be in the Future? Implementing a Model for Ongoing Career Tracking of Library and Information Science Graduates

This article provides an overview of Workforce Issues in Library and Information Science 2 (WILIS 2), a study aimed at developing a career-tracking and program evaluation system that can potentially be used by all library and information science (LIS) programs. Such a system could enable stakeholders at all levels to collect data on an ongoing basis, informing their planning process and resulting in more effective ways to educate, manage, and retain the LIS workforce. WILIS 2 is informed by the experience of the research team in developing WILIS 1, an in-depth career retrospective study conducted between 2005 and 2009. WILIS 2 is using a community-based participatory research approach that involves members of the LIS community in the major aspects of project design and implementation. Three working groups on survey design, data reporting, and sustainability have been formed to increase the likelihood that the data collection system will meet the needs of a wide range of LIS programs. Members of the working groups are being drawn from the WILIS project advisory committee and representatives of the participating LIS programs as well as stakeholder groups such as the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), the American Library Association (ALA), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). Eight programs are participating in a pilot test of the survey, and an additional thirty-five programs will join in the full launch. Results from a WILIS survey of LIS program administrators regarding their existing alumni-tracking practices as well as key results from the recent graduates section of the WILIS 1 survey are included in this paper. The administrators' survey found a high level of interest in a shared approach to alumni tracking, and the results from the recent graduates section of WILIS 1 serve to illustrate the type of data that programs can gather through a recent graduates' survey.

On the need for collaboration in KM education in the LIS sector: Some professional perspectives

As demonstrated in the literature, knowledge management (KM) is a multidisciplinary field of study which encompasses topics from several disciplines. As a consequence, a range of different educational programs has appeared among different stakeholder groups, resulting in competition for ownership of the field on occasion. Although understandable, this competition might more usefully be replaced by collaborative relationships that take a holistic view of the topic. Based on the findings of current research into the implications of KM for Library and Information Science (LIS) education, this paper investigates the issue of collaboration in KM education from the viewpoint of the LIS community. The research findings reveal an appreciation within the LIS community of the importance of collaborative approaches for KM education, and the need for LIS schools to enter liaisons with other interested parties, particularly with business schools and with industry. The findings also suggest that there are few serious impediments to the making of such collaborations, once schools recognise the need for such arrangements.

Recruiting and Retaining Students of Color in LIS Programs: Perspectives of Library and Information Professionals

The study was conducted to identify effective strategies for recruiting and retaining students of color in library and information science (LIS). Using a Web-based survey, the study collected data from librarians of color, enrolled in, or graduated from, ALA-accredited LIS programs. Study Findings help reassess the efforts that LIS programs made in recruiting and retaining students of color, and shed light on some key areas of focus and improvement for such efforts. Suggestions are made to develop strategies for diverse LIS community and programs. Introduction According to the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) statistical reports, the student population in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools/programs has not been as ethnically diverse as the U.S. population. Among the students enrolled in American Library Association (ALA)-accredited LIS schools, only 1 1 .3% are ethnic minorities including the four main groups, African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans.1 This proportion at LIS schools is significantly lower than the proportion of minorities enrolled in graduate programs (26.4%)2 and those in the U.S. population (31.3%).3 The under-representation of ethnic minorities is also reflected in the library community. Librarians of color constitute about 12-12.5% of academic and public librarian populations.4 More recently, the ratio of librarians of color among credentialed librarians has actually dropped from 1 2% in 1 990 to 1 0% in 20O0.5 As in the LIS student population, the proportion of ethnic minorities in the librarian population (10-12.5%) is significantly lower than the proportion in the U.S. population (31.3%) (See Figure 1 ). Recent projections of the U.S. population indicate that, by 2050, the four ethnic minority groups will represent almost half of the U.S. population.6 As Josey has pointed out, unless the LIS schools and other related organizations develop and support a more comprehensive and aggressive recruitment program, the gap between LIS and U.S. populations will widen even further.7 Such a gap could be a serious issue, especially to public organizations like libraries. The mission of libraries is to serve the public, and the public is becoming more ethnically and culturally diverse. The increasing diver- sity in the user population requires changes in library services including reference, collection management, and outreach.9 Libraries whose staff is not as diverse as their users might not be able to serve the public effectively, as their employees' lack of expertise in different cultures and languages could be a barrier in understanding and helping users. Another issue is re- lated to users. Research suggests that interpersonal similarity can increase the ease of communication, foster relationships of trust and reciprocity, and also create a sense of belonging and membership. I0 Ethnicity is a key factor for interpersonal similarity, as it is closely related to the cultural as well as physical connections between individuals. In libraries, as in other public organizations, it is important to have enough librarians of color so that all users, regardless of their ethnic and cultural background, can see authority figures (such as librarians and teachers) who look like them. This would make the users feel comfortable and affirmed that they are in the right place. Furthermore, ethnic diversity is important because it enriches a society by offering all citizens more opportunities to experience, learn, and understand one another. Over the last few decades, LIS schools/programs have worked diligently to recruit people of color into the information profession, and other related organizations also have been stalwart in supporting recruitment programs. ALA, for example, created the Spectrum Initiative in 1997, to promote diversity in the library community and recruit minority librarians by providing scholarships, mentoring, and training programs. …

Striking a balance: priorities for research in LIS

This paper examines current research activities, and future priorities for research, in the library and information community and describes some of the areas of convergence and divergence between research driven by UK government policy and that driven by practitioners themselves. Information gathered through two fact‐finding research projects, the Research Landscape Project and the Library Practitioner Research project provides the basis of the discussion outlined. The many benefits that library and information science (LIS) research, in particular collaboration between researchers and practitioners, provides are highlighted. The paper concludes that in the diverse LIS community there are various reasons for undertaking research and that the needs of practitioners should be balanced against those of other sections of the research community, such as funders and politicians.

Out of Sight out of Mind: Why Don't We Have Any Schools of Library and Reading Studies?

This article argues that current library and information science (LIS) thinking has drawn definitional boundaries around the word information so tightly as to exclude research on reading, a major means by which Americans obtain information, whether it comes off the printed page or the computer screen. This paper is intended to: (1) bring the dimensions of contemporary research on reading to the attention of the LIS community; (2) encourage LIS educators to consider the relevance of this research to a future they are preparing for the LIS professions; (3) ask provocative questions exploring race, age, gender, and especially socioeconomic class issues that, at this point, reside largely on the margins ofour current professional discourse; and (4) suggest a price the LIS profession will pay if it continues to ignore reading research.

The emerging market for information professionals in the UK National Health Service

The number of information jobs in the UK National Health Service (NHS) has increased greatly in the past 10 years as a result of NHS reforms. An overview is given of the structure of the NHS, indicating where most of the new information jobs are found. The reasons why library and information science (LIS) graduates are not recruited, and for the most part do not apply, are analysed. The main areas of work of NHS information are analysed. The conclusion is drawn that the skills and knowledge of LIS graduates are relevant and applicable to a great deal of information work in the NHS. When the LIS community becomes more aware of NHS information work LIS graduates are likely to apply in increasing numbers. When NHS information managers realize that LIS graduates are numerate and have skills and knowledge not usually associated with librarians they will begin to recruit LIS graduates.