scholarly journals Are Best Practices Really Best? A Review of the Best Practices Literature in Library and Information Studies

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackie Druery ◽  
Nancy McCormack ◽  
Sharon Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Common Definition ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Definition Of

Objective - The term “best practice” appears often in library and information science literature, yet, despite the frequency with which the term is used, there is little discussion about what is meant by the term and how one can reliably identify a best practice. Methods – This paper reviews 113 articles that identify and discuss best practices, in order to determine how “best practices” are distinguished from other practices, and whether these determinations are made on the basis of consistent and reliable evidence. The review also takes into account definitions of the term to discover if a common definition is used amongst authors. Results – The “evidence” upon which papers on “best practices” are based falls into one of the following six categories: 1) opinion (n=18, 15%), 2) literature reviews (n=13, 12%), 3) practices in the library in which the author works (n=19, 17%), 4) formal and informal qualitative and quantitative approaches (n=16, 14%), 5) a combination of the aforementioned (i.e., combined approaches) (n=34, 30%), and 6) “other” sources or approaches which are largely one of a kind (n=13, 12%). There is no widely shared or common definition of “best practices” amongst the authors of these papers, and most papers (n=94, 83%) fail to define the term at all. The number of papers was, for the most part, split evenly amongst the six categories indicating that writers on the subject are basing “best practices” assertions on a wide variety of sources and evidence. Conclusions – Library and information science literature on “best practices” is rarely based on rigorous empirical methods of research and therefore is generally unreliable. There is, in addition, no widely held understanding of what is meant by the use of the term.

Indian Contribution to Open Access: A Study of e-LIS

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-75
Author(s):  
Subhash Khode
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Journal Article ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
The World ◽  
Indian Contribution

The concept of open access has been increased in recent years around the world and India is also contributing in open access movement actively. e-LIS is an international open repository in the field of library and information science established in 2003 and as of today e-LIS contains 21,123 various types of documents. The basic aim of this study is to provide an analysis of Indian contribution towards open access movement, particularly the documents submitted in the e-LIS. This study provides analysis of 1090 various types of documents submitted to e-LIS (Eprint for Library and Information Science) from India as on 30 January, 2019. It found that the position of India in terms of number of documents submitted in the e-LIS is first among Asian countries. The maximum documents (432) are submitted as” Journal Article (Print and Online)” and maximum documents (72) are published in 2006.The maximum numbers of submitted articles (35) were published in “Annals of Library and Information Studies”.

Library and Information Science Source

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-27
Author(s):  
Stephanie Luke
Keyword(s):  
Conference Proceedings ◽  
Full Text ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Degree Program ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Library Staff

EBSCO's Library and Information Science Source (LISS) is a subscription database that was developed from the merger of EBSCO and H.W. Wilson in 2011. LISS features journals, periodicals, conference proceedings, monographs, and book reviews in the field of library and information studies. It includes full-text access to over 180 journals in both English and other languages. It also provides extensive indexing, a comprehensive thesaurus, and coverage from as early as the 1930s. The database's lack of OA content is at odds with library science's increasing commitment to freely accessible content. LISS will be of the most interest to institutions with large library staff as well as those that offer a degree program in library and information studies.

Library and Information Studies Education, Technology, and Professional Identity

2013 ◽  
pp. 89-109
Keyword(s):  
Professional Identity ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Science Studies ◽  
Professional Organizations ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Core Courses ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Core Course

Librarians start to form their professional identities during their Master’s of Library and Information Science/Studies programs. With this in mind, this chapter explores how technology is taught in Library and Information Studies (LIS) programs by examining the core course offerings at 51 of the 57 American Library Association’s accredited programs. Technology-focused courses are the sixth most commonly offered core courses by LIS programs, and an examination of their content using course descriptions and available syllabi indicated that the content taught in these courses matched with expectations as described in competency standards from professional organizations. This indicated that LIS programs are teaching an understanding of technology that agrees with how practising librarians understand technology. The recent iSchool movement has led some professional librarians to claim that LIS programs are no longer offering an education that is relevant for today’s information world. This chapter finds that this claim is false and that the LIS education offered by both iSchools and non-iSchools appears to meet professional expectations for technology education. What the iSchool movement offers LIS education, however, is an expanded understanding of how information users interact with technology in all information settings, not just the library. This provides librarians with a broader understanding of patrons’ information needs. Finally, there is a brief examination of international LIS education, with specific attention to how it is emerging in developing countries.

scholarly journals Bioinformatics education in an MLIS program: the McGill experience

2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joan C Bartlett
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Program Objective ◽  
Mcgill University ◽  
User Groups ◽  
Bioinformatics Education

Program objective – The objective of this course (GLIS691 – Bioinformatics) was to provide formal bioinformatics education within a master of library and information studies (MLIS) program. As bioinformatics becomes increasingly integral to biomedical research, there is a need for librarians to expand their practice into the domain of bioinformatics, supporting the efficient and accurate use of these complex resources. We developed this course, the first such course offered in a Canadian library school, in response to the demand for librarians to be able to support bioinformatics information needs. Setting – The course was offered in the winter term of 2005 in the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, McGill University. Participants – Course participants were MLIS students. Program – The course took a library and information science perspective to bioinformatics. The goal was to provide students with the skills and knowledge to provide information services in the domain of bioinformatics and to collaborate in the design and development of bioinformatics resources. This included understanding the field of bioinformatics and the range of resources, the needs and requirements of user groups, practical searching skills, the creation of resources, and the role of the librarian. Conclusions – This course represents one approach to providing formal bioinformatics education for librarians. Librarians who are knowledgeable and proficient in bioinformatics will be able to expand the role of the library into this domain; apply their knowledge, skills, and expertise in a complex, chaotic information environment; and develop the essential role of the librarian in the domain of bioinformatics.

scholarly journals Philosophy and the library and information studies: Vectors of interaction

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (11) ◽  
pp. 17-24
Author(s):  
G. Varganova
Keyword(s):  
Information Society ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
Digital Economy ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Close Interaction ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies

The author analyzes the origins of interest towards philosophical issues the book and library scientists and researcher bibliographers take. The need for more close interaction between philosophy and the library and information science in the circumstances of transition from information society to knowledge society and digital economy is substantiated. The process of cognitive institutionalization of philosophical knowledge in the library and information science is examined. The author analyzes several works by Arkady V. Sokolov on the content and specific features of bibliosophy as a philosophical system focused on biblioshere within the historical context. The key functions of philosophical knowledge are discussed as related to library and information science which enables rationalizing and reliable, accurate and relevant assessment of multiple and unique processes and phenomena in this disciplines. The focus is made on the worldview, ontological, gnoseological, methodological and axiological functions. The authors emphasizes the role of philosophy in developing conceptual, theoretical, logical and methodological structures for serious study of bibliosphere and its rational perception as one of the fundamental cultural segments

scholarly journals Representations of the Concept of Trust in the Literature of Library and Information Studies

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 54-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean Leith
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Truth Telling ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
Definition Of

Governments and organizations around the world are increasingly turning to knowledge and information sharing as a lead strategy for developing response capacity to address issues in a wide range of programs and policy areas. The sharing of information and knowledge within organizations may be influenced by a range of factors, one being trust. This paper seeks, firstly, to identify and explore some key theoretic approaches to trust applied in the broader social sciences literature, including trust as a “leap of faith” or willingness to vulnerability; trust as a key component of social capital; and trust as a component of the concept of power-knowledge and truth- telling as found in the work of Michel Foucault. Second, the paper presents the findings of a meta-analysis conducted of recent library and information science (LIS) literature in order to analyze how these three theoretical approaches are represented. Findings of the meta-analysis indicate that the trust definitions offered by two of the three theoretical perspectives investigated are well represented in recent LIS research; that other simpler definitions of trust are also represented; and that over one quarter of the sample were found to offer no explicit definition of trust. Analysis of these latter studies suggest that trust is represented by the implicit views and assumptions of researchers and the focus is more on the embedded authority of the information or abstract system rather than on the trustor as an essential component of the trust dynamic. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5130/ccs.v5i3.3430

scholarly journals Bibliometric Study of Library and Information Science Journal Articles during 2014 2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (06) ◽  
pp. 390-395
Author(s):  
Ramani Ranjan Sahu ◽  
Lambodara Parabhoi
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Journal ◽  
Journal Articles ◽  
Research Papers ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Library And Information Studies ◽  
Information Studies ◽  
Scopus Database ◽  
Published Research

Library and information science education (LIS) has been spreading out all over India. Every state, one or more institutes/universities, offers LIS education. The research papers contributed by both academics and working professionally in the libraries. This paper examines the current trends of LIS publications in India from 2014 to 2018. The study reviewed 1357 documents from 2014 to 2018 indexed in the Scopus database. The study found that majority of the 342 (25.2%) papers published in the year 2018. Favorite source for publications was DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology. Similarly, LIS Indians professional more likely to published research papers collaboratively. Further noted that most frequently used keywords were scientometric, bibliometrics, India and authorship patterns, etc. The degree of collaboration (DC) for five years was 0.79. The analysis of co-citations of reference sources or cited sources indicated that “Scientometric,” and “Annals of library and information studies” mentioned in their articles.

scholarly journals Almost Halfway There: An Analysis of the Open Access Behaviors of Academic Librarians

2011 ◽  
Vol 72 (5) ◽  
pp. 443-453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly Mercer
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Open Access Publishing ◽  
Academic Librarians ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Science Literature ◽  
Scholarly Publications ◽  
Scholarly Communications

Academic librarians are increasingly expected to advocate for scholarly communications reforms such as open access to scholarly publications, yet librarians do not always practice what they preach. Previous research examined librarian attitudes toward open access, whereas this article presents results of a study of open access publishing and self-archiving behaviors of academic librarians. Following an analysis of open access to library and information science literature in 2008, several strategies to encourage academic librarians to continue to embrace open access behaviors are discussed.

Community engagement, cultural competence and two Australian public libraries and Indigenous communities

IFLA Journal ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 288-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona Blackburn
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Sustainable Community ◽  
Science Framework ◽  
Definition Of

Two examples of community engagement in Australian public libraries, drawn from the author’s experience, are analysed using Sung and Hepworth’s (2013) community engagement model for public libraries and Overall’s (2009) definition of cultural competence in a library and information science framework. The examples are examined for the community engagement characteristics identified by Sung and Hepworth; each is also considered for cultural competence, using the domains which Overall posits are the sites where this competence occurs or is developed. A virtuous circle of community engagement is extrapolated from the second example. ‘Hierarchical equivalence’ between organizations, a group’s proportional presence in a population and the nature of each group’s aims, are suggested as further factors in sustainable community engagement. That culture is an asset on which communities draw to engage with libraries and the broader community, and that communities will respond to engagement approaches if they offer the possibility of meeting community aspirations, is evident in both examples.

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