Search results

This paper aims to explore the citation aging pattern of Library and Information Science (LIS) and further investigate the impact of interdisciplinary citation on the aging of scientific literature.

The study examines LIS journal articles published between 2016 and 2020. Articles were retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) and were organized using Scopus's discipline classification system. Citation aging patterns within LIS are described using literature aging indicators. The study examines the effect of interdisciplinary citations on the literature aging pattern by comparing the half-life of LIS literature and the median age of interdisciplinary citations.

The study results show that the citation aging rate of LIS in the last five years has been slow, and the rate of slowing down is decreasing. Interdisciplinary citations are sourced from various disciplines, focusing on computer science, social sciences and business. The proportion of self-citations is declining. The Reference Diversity Index (RDI) increases from 0.690 to 0.724 between 2016 and 2020. Currently, the median age of interdisciplinary citations is higher than the LIS's half-life. It has a diminishing effect on the citation aging rate. But the median age of interdisciplinary citations is decreasing. The interdisciplinary citation may contribute to the literature aging rate in the future. The effect of interdisciplinary citation on literature aging needs to be judged dialectically.

This study still has some limitations. Due to the wide variety of citation journals in LIS, there is no database to cover all journals, so it is impossible to match all citation journals with disciplines. Therefore, it is still feasible to analyze interdisciplinary citations based on the two-eight principle for large-scale data. This approach necessarily sacrifices some of the precision of the study. However, the results of this paper can still be helpful for the development of the discipline. In addition, LIS is a discipline with solid cross-cutting properties, and this paper concludes only with this interdisciplinary discipline in mind. It is necessary to test the applicability of the findings to other disciplines.

The study explores the impact of interdisciplinary citation on literature aging from a professional communication perspective. The results reveal underlying reasons for the aging of scientific literature. These findings further enrich the study of the effect of interdisciplinary communication.

This bibliometric study aims to analyze the latest trends and patterns of big data applications in librarianship from 2000 to 2022. By conducting a comprehensive examination of the existing literature, this study aims to provide valuable insights into the emerging field of big data in librarianship and its potential impact on the future of libraries.

This study employed a rigorous four-stage process of identification, screening, eligibility and inclusion to filter and select the most relevant documents for analysis. The Scopus database was utilized to retrieve pertinent data related to big data applications in librarianship. The dataset comprised 430 documents, including journal articles, conference papers, book chapters, reviews and books. Through bibliometric analysis, the study examined the effectiveness of different publication types and identified the main topics and themes within the field.

The study found that the field of big data in librarianship is growing rapidly, with a significant increase in publications and citations over the past few years. China is the leading country in terms of publication output, followed by the United States of America. The most influential journals in the field are Library Hi Tech and the ACM International Conference Proceeding Series. The top authors in the field are Minami T, Wu J, Fox EA and Giles CL. The most common keywords in the literature are big data, librarianship, data mining, information retrieval, machine learning and webometrics.

This bibliometric study contributes to the existing body of literature by comprehensively analyzing the latest trends and patterns in big data applications within librarianship. It offers a systematic approach to understanding the state of the field and highlights the unique contributions made by various types of publications. The study’s findings and insights contribute to the originality of this research, providing a foundation for further exploration and advancement in the field of big data in librarianship.

The field of library and information sciences (LIS) is crucial to our educational system. Across the globe, the LIS systems operate at varying levels and rates of efficiency. One of the developing nations is Pakistan, which has LIS systems in all of its colleges, universities and schools. This multimethod study aims to identify and quantify elements that are detrimental to LIS progress as well as evaluate the faculty and infrastructure profiles of universities that offer LIS undergraduate and graduate level programmes.

Data was collected from the study's participants, who were mainly LIS professionals and faculty at 17 different universities, using survey questionnaires and in-person interviews. This study used a descriptive survey methodology, gathering information through a Google Survey and filling it out with a premade survey proforma. The survey responses were examined using content analysis. The development of LIS instructional and scholarly output is influenced by a variety of factors, which were investigated using a generalized linear model (GLM). To determine whether there was a statistically significant difference in opinion between faculty members and working professionals, as well as between men and women, the outcomes of an independent sample t-test were examined.

According to our data, the factors that have the biggest impact on the caliber and output of LIS research are “poor writing skills” (3.43), “lack of journal publication fees” (3.51) and “lack of research skills” (3.78). The top GLM model identified poor writing skills, a lack of publication fees and a lack of research expertise as bottleneck characteristics for producing high-quality LIS research. The aforementioned factors were 3.62, 2.41 and 2.19 times more significant than the average factor, respectively, to put it another way.

This study’s analysis revealed that there is no real distinction between the two groups' viewpoints. The results of this study can be applied to problems and challenges associated with LIS education in Pakistani educational institutions.

The study aims to identify the prospects and challenges associated with current practices regarding digital data sets management in university libraries in Pakistan.

A cross-sectional survey approach was used to collect the data from library and information science (LIS) professionals working in public sector university libraries in Pakistan. A four-part questionnaire was used to collect the data from the respondents. The collected data from 371 participants were analyzed using a statistical package for social sciences (SPSS-24 version) and analysis of moment structure (AMOS-24).

LIS professionals are better placed to support digital data management practices, such as finding, collecting, assessing and analyzing digital data sets and making digital data publicly discoverable and accessible via open access. In spite of this, a lack of leadership support, interest and cooperation among university departments and the absence of a data management plan, policies and procedures were reported as significant challenges.

To meet the needs of data users, LIS professionals must become knowledgeable about managing and reusing digital data sets. Due to the demands of the information society, university librarians need to learn about data-centric practices that can enhance research outputs and provide new insights.

This research paper is extracted from a PhD dissertation to present a contemporary picture of library data management services and the challenges LIS professionals face to provide possible solutions.

The research in this paper aims to investigate the development of Library and Information Science in Chinese universities. Specifically, it focuses on understanding the spatial and temporal aspects of subject knowledge output and providing a more comprehensive explanation of the imbalance in subject research.

This study applies the bibliometric method to analyze 131,112 papers published by 51 universities in mainland China from 1977 to 2021, as recorded in the Chinese Social Sciences Citation Index (CSSCI). The study classifies the evolution trends of the discipline and quantifies the published article data of the universities using the index of published articles. Additionally, it examines the development status, structural situation, influencing factors and prospects of universities in different categories and regions.

The field of Library and Information Science is gaining momentum in Chinese universities, but there are significant differences in its development. While the relative gap among universities in a regional context is diminishing, the absolute gap in the category perspective is increasing. The development of Library and Information Science is influenced by various factors, including the academic environment, geographical position, scientific research projects and academic traditions. The uneven development of the discipline is maintained in the short term.

This paper proposes a new quantitative index of discipline development, the university publication index. This index allows for an examination of the temporal and spatial trends of discipline development using domestic universities as the subject of research. The paper presents an overview of discipline development through four aspects: academic participation practice, discipline governance mechanisms, education and teaching systems and discourse construction within the discipline. The theoretical support provided by this study can help facilitate innovative development in the discipline.

The purpose of this paper is to examine competence management practices in Brazilian industries using ISO 10015 as a framework of analysis, which establishes guidelines for competence management and people development.

A survey was conducted with 22 high-qualified human resources management (HRM) professionals (81.8% of participants hold a PhD) with extensive experience in the Brazilian industrial sector (an average of 20.4 years). The experts assessed 13 practices (P) elaborated based on the ISO 10015:2020, considering two categories: large industries (LI) and small and medium-sized industries (SMI). Data analysis was performed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, frequency analysis, Fuzzy TOPSIS and sensitivity analysis.

The practice “individual competences are correctly defined by organizations at all hierarchical levels” was deemed the best practice for LIs, while the practice “clear definition of activities and their specificities when structuring competence management and people development programs” was considered the best practice for SMIs. The practice “organizations map employees' future competence and development needs on a regular basis” received the lowest rating for both LIs and SMIs. When compared to LIs, SMIs have more severe deficiencies in applying competence management practices. The study's findings can be of great value in assisting managers in implementing structured competence management systems and people development initiatives.

The findings of this study can be used by managers of businesses of all sizes and economic sectors to analyze their critical points in order to identify opportunities to improve their competence management systems and people development programs.

This study fills a knowledge gap by analyzing the adoption of competence management practices in Brazil, answering the call for HRM research in developing countries. By using ISO 10015 as a framework of analysis, this study also addresses the literature gap regarding this important and relatively new management tool.

The purpose of the present study was to identify the conditions that affect the absorptive capacity (AC) of knowledge, discover its consequences and design an AC paradigm pattern in public academic libraries. To do so, AC was investigated at the levels of individual and organizational learning.

In this paper, to answer the three major questions of this qualitative-survey study, the views of 24 experts were examined using an in-depth semi-structured interview and grounded theory strategy. The data were collected using a nonrandom combined targeted sampling procedure (targeted and snowball) and analyzed based on Strauss and Corbin’s (1998) approach and utilizing MAX Qualitative Data Analysis (MAXQDA) software.

Throughout the grounded analytic stages, 121 open codes were identified. These were distributed around the AC axial category in academic libraries in terms of individual and organizational learning. The 33 axial concepts were then categorized into 16 selective general categories. The paradigm pattern was initially designed to explore the relationships between causal, intervening, strategies, context and consequences conditions. The transition from academic libraries to learning organizations, their increased functional value and the development of their innovation were identified as the consequences of AC development.

This qualitative research is the first in the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) to support AC both theoretically and empirically in terms of learning in academic libraries. This study thus not only addresses a key research gap in LIS but also provides significant insights and direction to interested librarians and researchers.

An attribute common throughout Lor’s distinguished career has been a passion for learning and continuous improvement in an approach that sets high standards, both for himself and others. Taking on the informal mantle of both mentor and mentee, these contributions have blended with no clear boundaries or timelines.

Lor has been active in the library and information sector (LIS) landscape since the 1960s. A stalwart of the library and information profession, the author is being honoured by International Federation of Library Associations and Institution (IFLA) with a prestigious festschrift in recognition of a librarian who has made a sustained contribution to the library and information profession over decades with significant impact on academia, scholarship, praxis, communities and individual librarians.

Lor is recognized as a lifelong mentee as evidenced by his unbounded forays into discovery driven by a natural curiosity that, in turn, shaped his approach to mentoring through teaching, instilling best practices in research methodology and significant contributions to international librarianship. Today this continues in a regular column for South African librarians, drawing from the international literature of books, libraries and information, his role as a key figure in the establishment of Library and Information Association of South Africa (LIASA) in the 1990s, as well as experience from close involvement in developing LIS policies for post-apartheid South Africa, drafting guidelines for national library legislation and serving as IFLA Secretary-General in The Hague.

This viewpoint has been an attempt to share reflections on one individual’s lifetime of influence without borders or timelines. Without doubt, Lor’s global mentorship reach remains unbounded in his approach to critical thinking and desire for continuous improvement for himself and others.

The library and information science profession finds itself grappling with substantial difficulties and hurdles when addressing the trustworthiness and accuracy of information disseminated through social media platforms. This study aims to highlight the educational authority of librarians and propose a framework for librarians to establish their identity, understand the meaning behind their practice and integrate their expertise through knowledge practices, ensuring their relevance and effectiveness in the social media environment.

This study delves into a conceptual framework rooted in philosophical inquiry, seeking to establish a harmonious connection between interrelated concepts of civic roles, professional identity and knowledge practices. It draws upon both original research findings and a review of existing literature in the field.

Civic responsibilities reflect the professional identities of librarians. Evidence of knowledge practices collected from scientific literature emerged to be the important characterization of how librarians uphold their image as educational authorities. It describes the meaning of civic roles and professional practice.

The study sheds light on how librarians maintain their reputation as educators and the knowledge practices that underpin their civic responsibilities amidst the pervasiveness of information disorders.

The framework presented in the study offers a timely and relevant contribution to the complex realm of social media information disorders, a challenge that librarians grapple with regularly. It highlights the emerging role of librarians in society to assert their identity and recognize their civic responsibility in addressing this pressing issue that society faces.

Continuous professional development (CPD) plays a crucial role in the library workplace by equipping library and information science (LIS) professionals with the skills and technical knowledge to bridge the theory-praxis gap, assuring that library practitioners and their organisations continue to innovate and stay successful and tailored to the requirement of their users. The aim of the study was to investigate the channels of CPD for LIS professionals working in the university libraries of Northern India. Also, it explored the motivations and barriers related to the LIS professionals’ CPD.

The study adopted a quantitative research design followed by the survey research method. The study population included LIS professionals working in the university libraries of Northern India. Data was gathered from 177 respondents via the census sampling method.

LIS professionals engaged in CPD activities through multiple channels. Intrinsic factors primarily governed the motivation for CPD. Similarly, time and finance were significant challenges for LIS CPD. Lastly, most libraries were headed by in-charge librarians (non-professionals). De-professionalisation, or the deliberate de-skilling of professional roles, threatens the basis upon which librarians establish their credibility as professionals.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study is the first of its kind from the perspective of a developing country, adding to the CPD literature in academic libraries.