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Geographical visualization of research collaborations of library science in China

Jiming Hu (School of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China)
Ruhua Huang (School of Information Management, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China)
Yubo Wang (School of Chinese Language and Literature, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China and National Institute of Chinese Language Matters and Social Development, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China)

The Electronic Library

ISSN: 0264-0473

Article publication date: 14 May 2018

Issue publication date: 11 June 2018

585

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to visualize the collaboration network among regions in library science (LS) in China. Using various methods and tools of social network analysis and geographical visualization, results were obtained, showing the structure and patterns of research collaborations in topological and geographical views, as well as the geographical distributions of contribution.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample includes all studies published in the top journal in library science in China from 2006 to 2015. First, co-occurrence data representing collaborations among regions was extracted from author affiliations. Second, the topological network of collaboration was generated by applying social network analysis tools and descriptive statistics, network indicators of the collaboration network and research communities were calculated. Third, the topological network was projected into a geographical map with corresponding coordinates and distances using geographical tools. Finally, the topological network maps and the geographical maps were produced for visualization.

Findings

The levels of contribution are very unbalanced between regions, and overall research collaboration is low. Beijing, Hubei and several other areas are central and significant regions in China; other regions are mostly connected with central ones through direct collaborations. Research collaborations in LS research in China are mostly distributed in the east and south of China, being centralized in the “Beijing–Hubei–Shanghai” triangle zone, as well as within the triangle’s extending zones. Finally, there are three distinct research communities that connect closely within themselves and loosely between them. The Beijing community is relatively centralized in geography, while other communities are scattered.

Originality/value

This study applied various methods and tools of social network analysis and geographical mapping analysis to reveal the collaboration structure and patterns among regions in LS research in China. Visualized maps in topological and geographical views help shed new light on research efforts.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study is supported by Ministry of Education of China (MOE) World-class Discipline “Library, Information, and Data Science”, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation Special Funded Project (No. 2016T90736), and National Natural Science Foundation of China Funded Project (No. 71303178).

Citation

Hu, J., Huang, R. and Wang, Y. (2018), "Geographical visualization of research collaborations of library science in China", The Electronic Library, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 414-429. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-12-2016-0266

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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