A bibliometric analysis and visualization of the Journal of Documentation: 1945–2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-92
Author(s):  
Heidar Mokhtari ◽  
Sana Barkhan ◽  
Davoud Haseli ◽  
Mohammad Karim Saberi
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Scientific Output ◽  
Editorial Team ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Occurrence Patterns ◽  
Influential Journal ◽  
Further Development ◽  
Highly Cited

PurposeAs a pioneering and influential journal in the field of library and information science (LIS), the Journal of Documentation (JDoc) needs to be evaluated from a bibliometric perspective. This study aimed at conducting a bibliometric overview and visualization of the scientific output of JDoc from its inception in 1945–2018.Design/methodology/approachIn this bibliometric study, 2056 papers published in JDoc were analyzed. All needed data were extracted from Scopus in 9 July 2019 in CSV format. Bibliometric analyses were done in Microsoft Excel. Visualization was done by Vosviewer software and applying techniques such as co-citation, co-authorship and co-occurrence. As a limited altmetric study, JDoc highly mentioned papers and the rate of their presence in social media were extracted from Altmetric LLP, too.FindingsThere was an increasing trend in published papers and received citations. Highly cited and most influential authors in JDoc are well-known in the field. However, the contributions of developing countries and their affiliated institutions to the journal were relatively low. This is true in case of author, country and institute co-authorship patterns. Highly frequent keywords and keyword co-occurrence patterns showed that the journal considered most topics related to LIS, including newly emerged ones. The authors and sources (generally journals) cited by JDoc are all prolific and influential ones.Originality/valueThe results of this study can be beneficial to JDoc editorial team for decision making on its further development as well as helpful for researchers and practitioners interesting in LIS field to have better contact with and contributions to the journal.

Library and information science and sustainable development: a structured literature review

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (6) ◽  
pp. 1356-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Meschede ◽  
Maria Henkel
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Scientific Output ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainability Research ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
Structured Literature Review

Purpose Awareness on and importance of sustainability in all aspects of our lives is becoming more and more important. The question arises, how – not if – scientists can contribute to a sustainable development. As information plays an important role for development, information scientists should be included in this debate. However, is there a sustainable information science or an information science of sustainability? The purpose of this paper is to perform a mapping of publications in library and information science (LIS) directly dealing with sustainability and sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach A structured literature review was conducted, enhanced by bibliometric analyses. For this purpose, 102 LIS journals and conferences were considered. The authors identified 81 publications dealing with sustainability and sustainable development and analyzed the concrete contents and methodological approaches of these. Findings A large proportion of articles could be found dealing with sustainable development and libraries. Other publications focus on information and communication technology or information systems. Only few articles deal with further topics like government, urban development or scientific output. Research limitations/implications Sustainability and sustainable development are complex topics. This work only considers literature whose title or keywords contain the string sustainab*. Originality/value The presented work helps to get an overview on sustainability research and activities in the LIS field and additionally, potential research gaps may be identified. The authors call for more research in this area and concrete ideas to help develop a sustainable future.

Scholarly research in Library and Information Science: an analysis based on ISI Web of Science

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-32
Author(s):  
Khurshid Ahmad ◽  
Arslan Sheikh ◽  
Muhammad Rafi
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Prolific Author ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Isi Web Of Science ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Prolific Authors ◽  
Highly Cited

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative analysis of the Library and Information Science (LIS) scholarly literature published worldwide. Design/methodology/approach The ISI Web of Science database was used as a source for extracting the data of published documents during the period 2003–2017. The analysis of the published literature was based on the following indicators: research productivity of each county, annual publications, annual citations, highly cited articles, highly cited LIS journals, most productive institutions in the field of LIS and most prolific authors. The types of documents included in this study were research articles, conference proceeding papers, book reviews and editorials. Findings The findings revealed that the USA had the highest overall output of LIS scholarly publications. The year 2016 was identified as the most productive year for the number of publications, whereas 2017 was identified as the most productive year for the number of citations. “Impact of data sources on citation counts and rankings of LIS faculty: Web of Science versus Scopus and Google Scholar” was the most highly cited article. The Journal of Medical Library Association was the most highly cited journal in LIS. Indiana University from the USA was the most productive LIS research institution. Mike Thelwall, from the UK, is identified as the most prolific author in LIS. Originality/value The study will be of interest for those researchers, who intend to conduct bibliometric research studies in LIS.

Wearable computing in libraries – applications that meet the needs of users and librarians

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 735-751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Wójcik
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Wearable Computing ◽  
Wearable Devices ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Users ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Further Development

Purpose The subject of this paper is wearable computing technology. The purpose of this paper is to determine its potential in libraries to meet the needs of both users and librarians. The specific goals include: description of the main features of wearable computing from the perspective of its potential usefulness in libraries; analysis of areas of wearable computing use in public institutions; discussion of the potential of wearable computing for library users; and discussion of the potential of wearable computing for librarians to determine its potential in libraries to meet the needs of users and librarians. Design/methodology/approach The method of subject literature overview was used. The state of research from the period 2008 to 2018 on the use of wearable computing in libraries was established based on a search of selected sources Web of Science, Scopus, Elsevier and Emerald databases and LISTA database. Findings Wearable computing can be used in many areas of library activities to serve the needs of users and librarians. In the context of services for users, wearable computing can be used, among others, to help users navigate the library, to provide resources in new and interesting forms, and in education and entertainment. For the needs of librarians, additional data provided via wearable devices can accelerate the process of cataloguing resources and increase motivation to work via gamification options and features that make it possible to measure personal work efficiency. Librarians can also use the data obtained wearable computing devices to more quickly track, identify, select and organize resources. As with users, librarians can also use wearable computing in their education. Research limitations/implications The paper is a viewpoint based on subject literature. It presents only a sketch of potential wearable computing applications in libraries. The aim of the paper is to initiate further discussion on the possibilities of using wearable devices to improve both services for users and internal library processes. The author’s hope is that the concepts presented here will be tested in practice by librarians, which will allow further development of research on this subject. Practical implications The results can be widely used in practice as a framework for the implementation of wearable computing solutions in libraries. Social implications The paper can help to facilitate the debate on the role of the implementation of new technologies in libraries. Originality/value The issue of the use of wearable computing has not yet been widely discussed in library and information science journals. In the very few publications on similar topics, only the perspective on the application of new solutions in services for users is presented. This paper also shows the potential for improving libraries’ internal processes with the use of wearable computing.

RESEARCH COLLABORATION AMONG LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE SCHOOLS IN SOUTH AFRICA (1991–2012): AN INFORMETRICS STUDY

Mousaion ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan R. Maluleka ◽  
Omwoyo B. Onyancha
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Research Collaboration ◽  
Science And Technology ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Limited Extent ◽  
Microsoft Excel ◽  
The Past ◽  
Software Packages ◽  
Collaborative Activities

This study sought to assess the extent of research collaboration in Library and Information Science (LIS) schools in South Africa between 1991 and 2012. Informetric research techniques were used to obtain relevant data for the study. The data was extracted from two EBSCO-hosted databases, namely, Library and Information Science Source (LISS) and Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts (LISTA). The search was limited to scholarly peer reviewed articles published between 1991 and 2012. The data was analysed using Microsoft Excel ©2010 and UCINET for Windows ©2002 software packages. The findings revealed that research collaboration in LIS schools in South Africa has increased over the past two decades and mainly occurred between colleagues from the same department and institution; there were also collaborative activities at other levels, such as inter-institutional and inter-country, although to a limited extent; differences were noticeable when ranking authors according to different computations of their collaborative contributions; and educator-practitioner collaboration was rare. Several conclusions and recommendations based on the findings are offered in the article.

scholarly journals The concept of neutrality: a new approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 333-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Macdonald ◽  
Briony Birdi
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Normative Framework ◽  
Contextual Awareness

Purpose Neutrality is a much debated value in library and information science (LIS). The “neutrality debate” is characterised by opinionated discussions in contrasting contexts. The purpose of this paper is to fill a gap in the literature by bringing these conceptions together holistically, with potential to deepen understanding of LIS neutrality. Design/methodology/approach First, a literature review identified conceptions of neutrality reported in the LIS literature. Second, seven phenomenographic interviews with LIS professionals were conducted across three professional sectors. To maximise variation, each sector comprised at least one interview with a professional of five or fewer years’ experience and one with ten or more years’ experience. Third, conceptions from the literature and interviews were compared for similarities and disparities. Findings In four conceptions, each were found in the literature and interviews. In the literature, these were labelled: “favourable”, “tacit value”, “social institutions” and “value-laden profession”, whilst in interviews they were labelled: “core value”, “subservient”, “ambivalent”, and “hidden values”. The study’s main finding notes the “ambivalent” conception in interviews is not captured by a largely polarised literature, which oversimplifies neutrality’s complexity. To accommodate this complexity, it is suggested that future research should look to reconcile perceptions from either side of the “neutral non-neutral divide” through an inclusive normative framework. Originality/value This study’s value lies in its descriptive methodology, which brings LIS neutrality together in a holistic framework. This framework brings a contextual awareness to LIS neutrality lacking in previous research. This awareness has the potential to change the tone of the LIS neutrality debate.

Scientific literacy, librarians and information literacy in the post-truth era

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Ellen Frederick
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Scientific Literacy ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Cost Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Science Degree ◽  
Self Image ◽  
Professional Self

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to challenge librarians to reconceptualize their professional self-image and practice so that it more closely aligns with the information science discipline that is part of the Masters of Library and Information Science degree. Design/methodology/approach This column is primarily theoretical and philosophical but also draws on the author’s observations of trends and patterns in both librarianship and changes in information needs in recent years. Findings Urgent, high-cost information needs created by COVID-19 and climate change coexist in a reality where technological change has made traditional librarian roles and functions less critical. By developing their information science skills and strengthening their professional identity as information scientists, librarians have the opportunity to address the urgent information needs of the day while remaining highly relevant professionals. Practical implications Librarians will need to strengthen their science-related skills and knowledge and begin to promote themselves as information scientists. Social implications Librarians are in a position to make a meaningful contribution to two of the most pressing challenges of the day, climate change and dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Originality/value This paper is relevant to all librarians at any stage of their career. It will help them to reflect on both their skillset and career path and to make any needed adjustments so that they can remain relevant in a volatile and demanding information environment.

A secondary analysis of the library profession’s self-reported competence and comfort in working with patrons with disabilities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
JJ Pionke
Keyword(s):  
Graduate School ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Assistive Technologies ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Current State ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
The Continuum

PurposeThis article presents a secondary analysis of previously published data in order to drive discussion of the library profession’s current state of preparedness in working with patrons with disabilities.Design/methodology/approachThis article used a secondary analysis of survey data that have been previously published to determine what the continuum of data said about the current state of preparedness in the profession when working with people with disabilities.FindingsA comparison of the data from both surveys reveals that there are not only gaps in library graduate school education related to disability and accessibility but also that those gaps are not being addressed through professional development and staff training after students enter the workforce.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a secondary analysis of data, so no new data could be added. There was also no representation from library graduate school administration.Practical implicationsAn awareness is built that there needs to be more instruction for library graduate students and library employees on topics related to disability, accessibility and assistive technologies.Originality/valueThe topic has never been studied before in this kind of continuum of data, and the use of the secondary analysis of data with the library and information science profession is exceedingly rare.

Journal packing density of library and information science research journals at the global level: a study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Pandita ◽  
Shivendra Singh
Keyword(s):  
Packing Density ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Journal Publishing ◽  
Research Journal ◽  
The Usa

Purpose This study aims to find out the average journal packing density (JPD) of Library and Information Science (LIS) research journals published across the world. The concept, JPD, means the average number of research articles published by a research journal in one volume. Accordingly, the undergoing study evaluates the average number of research articles published in each volume of each research journal published in the field of LIS at the global level. Some other key aspects evaluated include the number of LIS research journal publishing countries, average JPD of LIS research journals at the continental level, etc. Design/methodology/approach This study is purely based on secondary data retrieved from SCImago, which is SCOPUS data. Keeping in view the objectives of this study, the data about research articles published in all LIS research journals during the period 2015 through 2019 were retrieved to undertake the study. Findings From the data analysis, it emerged that 256 research journals duly indexed by SCOPUS are published in the field of LIS across 36 countries. In all 48,596 research articles were published from 2015 to 2019 in these research journals at an average of 44.71 research articles per journal per volume. More than 75% of LIS research journals are published from Germany, Spain, Netherlands, the USA and the UK. Research journals published from the USA have higher JPD of 53.09 research articles per journal per volume, which is 18.74% higher than the average global JPD of LIS research journals. 50% of LIS research journal publishing countries are from Europe and the majority 52.55% LIS research articles were published in European LIS research journals. The average JPD of LIS research journals published from North America is 51.73 research articles per journal per volume, which is the highest across continents. Research limitations/implications Standardization of JPD of research journals irrespective of the subject discipline they are published in is important for many reasons and the foremost being, such standardization helps in keeping at bay the predatory research journals, which normally float such packing density norms, with the sole aim to earn money in the shape of manuscript handling charges, thereby publishing a far greater number of research article in each issue of a journal than the average research articles published by a research journal. Originality/value Very few studies have been conducted around the concept JPD, especially by the authors of this particular study. This study has however been particularized to the LIS subject discipline, while the findings add to existing lot of study already undertaken, hence outcome can be generalized.

Influence of selected factors in journals’ citations

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 90-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rabishankar Giri
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Dominant Role ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Total Citation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Citation Indexes ◽  
Citation Counts ◽  
Log Normal

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of selected factors in journal citations. Various factors can affect citations distribution of journals. Among them, skewness of citations distribution, author self-citation, journal self-citation and recitations (RCs) have been studied. Design/methodology/approach The present study based on 16 systematically selected journals indexed in Scopus under the subject category “Library and Information Science.” The study was confined to original research and review articles that were published in the selected journals in the year 2011. The temporal citation window from 2011 to 2014 was taken for analysis. Tools like, Scopus author ID, ORCID and author profiles from Google Scholar were used to minimize the error due to homonyms, spelling variances and misspelling in authors’ names. Findings It is found that citations distribution in majority of the journals under the study is highly skewed and more likely to follow log-normal distribution. The nature of authorship in papers was found to have positive effect on citation counts. Self-citing data show that higher ranked journals have rather less direct impact on total citation counts than their lower counterpart. RCs are also found to be more in top-tier journals. Though the influence of self-citations and RCs were relatively less at individual level on total citations of journals but combined, they can play a dominant role and can affect total citation counts of journals at significant level. Research limitations/implications The present study is based on Scopus database only. Therefore, citation data can be affected by the inherent limitation of Scopus. Readers are encouraged to further the study by taking into account large sample and tracing citations from an array of citation indexes, such as Web of Science, Google citations, Indian Citation Index, etc. Originality/value This paper reinforces that the citations received by journals can be affected by the factors selected in this study. Therefore, the study provides better understanding of the role of these selected factors in journal citations.

Leading with love and hospitality: applying a radical pedagogy to LIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 120 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 119-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole A. Cooke
Keyword(s):  
Classroom Management ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Ethnographic Case Study ◽  
Radical Pedagogy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Professionals ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to suggest that classroom instructors should reflect and revise their pedagogy to lead a classroom designed to produce future information professionals who will be prepared to serve their communities in a radical way. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the literature related to radical and humanizing pedagogies and then features an auto ethnographic case study which details how the author implemented some of the strategies. Findings Formal study of pedagogy can improve the library and information science (LIS) teaching and learning process. Practical implications Examining pedagogy in a formal way yields concrete suggestions for improving classroom management and content delivery. Social implications Using a radical pedagogy can improve relationships between teachers and learners, and learners will be able to model the classroom strategies in their own professional practice. Originality/value The study builds upon current examples of radical practice in the field and examines how such practices can be instilled even earlier in LIS graduate classrooms.

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