scholarly journals Topic Evolution of Library and Information Science Studies in the Last Twenty Years: A Co-Word Analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-68
Author(s):  
Shafi Habibi ◽  
Parvin Abdollahzadeh ◽  
Mohammadhiwa Abdekhoda ◽  
Hossein Aghayari

Abstract Background and Objectives: Topic evolutions of scientific and academic disciplines can be clarified by drawing scientific maps and identifies emerging or developed topics of scientific disciplines, sub-topics and the relationship between different topics of a discipline. The purpose of this study is to draw a strategic diagram to analyze the developments of the last twenty years of library and information science field. Material and Methods: This was a Scientometrics study with co-occurrence analysis of words that was conducted on ten journals with the highest impact factor in the field of library and information science. Twenty years (1998-2017) publications were extracted from LISTA database and imported into SciMAT software. After preparing the data, all publications were divided into four time periods, strategic diagrams of each period were drawn and topic clusters were analyzed. Results: The largest clusters of the first two periods were "Information Retrieval" and "Bibliometrics", which in the next period "Citation-Analysis" appeared instead of "Information Retrieval" cluster, but nevertheless the largest node of this cluster was "Information Retrieval". These clusters were the most developed topics in the field of library and information science. Conclusion: Information retrieval and bibliometrics are at the forefront of library and information science. Sentiment analysis and information literacy with a cognitive approach are emerging topics in the field. Also, studies related to information production and related indicators have led to qualitative research.

2014 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith M. Nixon

In the library science field, there is no professionally accepted tiered list of journals in the United States to guide librarians, as there is in other academic disciplines. This situation creates a challenge for both new and experienced librarians who wish to make a serious contribution to librarianship by publishing articles. This article outlines a methodology used at the Libraries of Purdue University, which could be adapted by other university libraries, to create a tiered list of journals tailored to the institution. The article begins with a literature review that identifies a short list of top-level journals. This is followed by the methodology that uses expert opinion surveys, acceptance and circulation rates, impact factors, h-indexes, and journals with local faculty articles. Tables with the journals ranked into three tiers are included.


Libri ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-237
Author(s):  
Mahdi Zeynali-Tazehkandi ◽  
Mohsen Nowkarizi

AbstractEvaluation of information retrieval systems is a fundamental topic in Library and Information Science. The aim of this paper is to connect the system-oriented and the user-oriented approaches to relevant philosophical schools. By reviewing the related literature, it was found that the evaluation of information retrieval systems is successful if it benefits from both system-oriented and user-oriented approaches (composite). The system-oriented approach is rooted in Parmenides’ philosophy of stability (immovable) which Plato accepts and attributes to the world of forms; the user-oriented approach is rooted in Heraclitus’ flux philosophy (motion) which Plato defers and attributes to the tangible world. Thus, using Plato’s theory is a comprehensive approach for recognizing the concept of relevance. The theoretical and philosophical foundations determine the type of research methods and techniques. Therefore, Plato’s dialectical method is an appropriate composite method for evaluating information retrieval systems.


Author(s):  
Mauricio Barcellos ALMEIDA ◽  
Renata Abrantes BARACHO

Within the realm of Information Science, information retrieval is a seminal issue. Knowledge organization systems are instruments that organize knowledge by connecting concepts through semantic relations for purposes of information retrieval. One of the most important of these semantic relations is the so-called part-whole relation. In this paper, we revisit some peculiarities of part-whole relations that are often overlooked by the Information Science community. In order to do this, we provide a theoretical investigation of two perspectives used to explain the notion of parts and wholes: a formal perspective, which is based on the philosophical study usually called mereology; a non-formal perspective, which is based on the linguistic study about a relation called meronym. We discuss the relationship between these perspectives through the issue of transitivity, which is an important property of part-whole relations for information retrieval. We find that these perspectives, although distinguished, are somehow complementary. The results of our analysis suggest that the choice for either a formal or a non-formal perspective could be based on a pragmatic criterion in the scope of development of knowledge organization systems. We conclude by offering some considerations correlating two main sorts of these systems, namely ontologies and thesauri.


Author(s):  
Ogochukwu Thaddaeus Emiri

Intellectual capital is now widely recognized as key factor in organization success and as such is of relevance to libraries. Intellectual capital management, therefore, is of great relevance to library and information professions. However, the wider ramification of the relationship between intellectual capital management (ICM), knowledge management (KM), and library and information science (LIS) is yet to be properly exploited by LIS professionals. Without doubt, there is a dynamic and multi-faceted relationship. This chapter introduces key aspects of this relationship, and in particular potential synergies, conflicts in literature, pre-requisites for ICM implementation in libraries and challenges faced by the library and information professions. In the light of this, the author concluded that LIS professionals must see KM and ICM as an integral part of librarianship. More so, in order for LIS professionals to properly implement ICM practices, there is the need to acquire new management skills, strategic and policy-making skills, and have in-depth experience in the management of information. Finally, from the author's perspective, the success of ICM and KM in library organizations would require strong leadership and vision from top administration, which will influence the organization's sharing efforts as a culture.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 306-314
Author(s):  
Valentini Moniarou-Papaconstantinou

The library and information science field attempts to legitimize its position in higher education, in a ‘culture of uncertainty’, where boundaries are fluid. The position of LIS in the hierarchical classification of academic subjects is influenced by the changes in both the field of higher education and in the information environment, creating expectations for the emergence of new fields of study, research and professional practices. The purpose of this paper is to examine how LIS students position themselves in their field of study and the resources they use in processes of meaning-making. Data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with students from the three LIS departments operating in Greece at the undergraduate level. The results showed that the academic knowledge content of the object, the assignment of scientific characteristics to it, the signifier of the book, the form of professional practice and, above all, technology are the most prominent resources among those that most young people utilized in their effort to negotiate the symbolic class (i.e. the dominant cultural categories which give meaning to the social world).


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Muhammad Anwar ◽  
Tang Zhiwei

Purpose The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between social media and libraries in terms of marketing. The present research is to find out the factors and impact as well as the issues related to libraries and marketing using social media. This study will give massive information regarding social media use for the marketing of library sources and services. Design/methodology/approach This study so far has been taken into account to review all the related literature of social media and library marketing. All the related literature studies were reviewed according to the suggested objectives of the study. Findings The present study reveals after reviewing literature that there is a great impact of social media on libraries. The literature shows that social media is the biggest change in the twenty-firstst century for library professionals and librarians. The reviewed literature studies have discovered that the libraries are facing too many challenges and issues to the adoption of social media for the marketing of library sources and services. The collected and analyzed works of the literature indicated that social media would be the best tool to promote library sources and services. Research limitations/implications This research or study can serve the LIS professionals and librarians in the field of library and information science and librarianships that they are looking for the adoption and application of social media in the marketing of library sources and services to the targeted customers. Practical implications This research or study can serve the LIS professionals and Librarians in the field of library and information science and librarianships that they are looking for the adoption and application of social media in the marketing of library sources and services to the targeted customers. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first among those researches that is to disclose the close relationship between social media and libraries in terms of marketing of library sources and services.


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 644-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Stenstrom

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore and describe the decision-making practices of public library managers in the context of interpersonal influence and evidence-based information sources, and to investigate the relationship between models of evidence-based practice and interpersonal influence in the decision-making process of public library managers. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through short audio blog posts participants made about their everyday decisions and coded considering the facets of three existing evidence-based library and information practice (EBLIP) models as well as the facets of interpersonal influence. Findings – The findings show that public library CEOs decision-making behaviours reflect the use of a variety of practices from analytical to intuitive as is expected of managers in any sector; however, a stronger reliance on gathering objective information may be present than in other sectors. Seeking multiple sources of information and a tendency towards rationalism may indicate a more sophisticated approach to decision making, but be less indicative of the practices employed more broadly. A possible outcome of these tendencies may result in discordance with external partners and collaborators. Practical implications – The findings from this study may inform the work of associations, library and information science (LIS) educators, and library managers in developing strategic directions and instructional strategies within their organisations. It is also the first study to jointly examine models of interpersonal influence and evidence-based decision-making practices in any field. Originality/value – While the study of the decision-making practices of various groups is growing, little previous research has been conducted with public library managers, and none has been undertaken in Canada.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jutta Haider ◽  
Veronica Johansson ◽  
Björn Hammarfelt

PurposeThe article introduces selected theoretical approaches to time and temporality relevant to the field of library and information science, and it briefly introduces the papers gathered in this special issue. A number of issues that could potentially be followed in future research are presented.Design/methodology/approachThe authors review a selection of theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of time that originate in or are of particular relevance to library and information science. Four main themes are identified: (1) information as object in temporal perspectives; (2) time and information as tools of power and control; (3) time in society; and (4) experiencing and practicing time.FindingsThe paper advocates a thorough engagement with how time and temporality shape notions of information more broadly. This includes, for example, paying attention to how various dimensions of the late-modern time regime of acceleration feed into the ways in which information is operationalised, how information work is commodified, and how hierarchies of information are established; paying attention to the changing temporal dynamics that networked information systems imply for our understanding of documents or of memory institutions; or how external events such as social and natural crises quickly alter modes, speed, and forms of data production and use, in areas as diverse as information practices, policy, management, representation, and organisation, amongst others.Originality/valueBy foregrounding temporal perspectives in library and information science, the authors advocate dialogue with important perspectives on time that come from other fields. Rather than just including such perspectives in library and information science, however, the authors find that the focus on information and documents that the library and information science field contributes has great potential to advance the understanding of how notions and experiences of time shape late-modern societies and individuals.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document