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This paper focuses on the links between information culture and the perception of the information overload on the example of higher education institutions in Estonia. The aim of this study is to understand how different types of information culture affect coping with information overload.

Two focus-group interviews with 14 participants and 17 semi-structured interviews with representatives of four HEIs were conducted. First, the questions on the values, norms and assumptions as well as information related practices were discussed to assess the dominant components of the information culture. Second, the perception of information overload was explored. Further, the strategies for coping with information overload were examined. Constant comparative analysis was used to analyse the interview data.

The results of the study suggest that the construct of information culture is valuable in understanding information environments and their relation to the perception of information overload. The participants representing the open information culture prefer informal information sharing and are more vulnerable to perceive information overload than the participants representing the integrated information culture. Organisational information management is the key to effective coping with information overload.

The current study sheds light on the perception of information overload in connection with information culture.

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study exploring the emerging field of data science from the library and information science (LIS) perspective.

Content analysis of research publications on data science was made of papers published in the Web of Science database to identify the main themes discussed in the publications from the LIS perspective.

A content analysis of 80 publications is presented. The articles belonged to the six broad categories: data science education and training; knowledge and skills of the data professional; the role of libraries and librarians in the data science movement; tools, techniques and applications of data science; data science from the knowledge management perspective; and data science from the perspective of health sciences. The category of tools, techniques and applications of data science was most addressed by the authors, followed by data science from the perspective of health sciences, data science education and training and knowledge and skills of the data professional. However, several publications fell into several categories because these topics were closely related.

Only publication recorded in the Web of Science database and with the term “data science” in the topic area were analyzed. Therefore, several relevant studies are not discussed in this paper that either were related to other keywords such as “e-science”, “e-research”, “data service”, “data curation”, “research data management” or “scientific data management” or were not present in the Web of Science database.

The paper provides the first exploration by content analysis of the field of data science from the perspective of the LIS.

This study aims to increase the understanding of the connection between effective leadership behaviours and information culture in the higher education institution (HEI).

A qualitative case study was conducted at one department of an HEI in Estonia. This study used semi-structured interviews and document analysis for data collection. The hypothesis-generating technique applying grounded theory analysis was used for data analysis.

The information culture of the department was a multiple culture with mixed attributes from the relationship-based culture and the risk-taking culture. Six main effective leadership behaviours within the department were identified, namely, communicating well about the direction the department is going, having a clear sense of direction and strategic vision, providing resources for and adjusting workloads to stimulate scholarship and research, making academic appointments that enhance department’s reputation, allowing the opportunity to participate in key decisions and encouraging open communication and creating a positive and collegial work atmosphere. The main hypotheses that illustrate the influence of effective leadership behaviours on information culture were generated.

The findings of this study can inform the training of future leaders in HEIs.

There is a lack of research in higher education that focuses on the relationship between leadership and information culture, and this research fills this gap.

Data science is a relatively new field which has gained considerable attention in recent years. This new field requires a wide range of knowledge and skills from different disciplines including mathematics and statistics, computer science and information science. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the study that explored the field of data science from the library and information science (LIS) perspective.

Analysis of research publications on data science was made on the basis of papers published in the Web of Science database. The following research questions were proposed: What are the main tendencies in publication years, document types, countries of origin, source titles, authors of publications, affiliations of the article authors and the most cited articles related to data science in the field of LIS? What are the main themes discussed in the publications from the LIS perspective?

The highest contribution to data science comes from the computer science research community. The contribution of information science and library science community is quite small. However, there has been continuous increase in articles from the year 2015. The main document types are journal articles, followed by conference proceedings and editorial material. The top three journals that publish data science papers from the LIS perspective are the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, the International Journal of Information Management and the Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. The top five countries publishing are USA, China, England, Australia and India. The most cited article has got 112 citations. The analysis revealed that the data science field is quite interdisciplinary by nature. In addition to the field of LIS the papers belonged to several other research areas. The reviewed articles belonged to the six broad categories: data science education and training; knowledge and skills of the data professional; the role of libraries and librarians in the data science movement; tools, techniques and applications of data science; data science from the knowledge management perspective; and data science from the perspective of health sciences.

The limitations of this research are that this study only analyzed research papers in the Web of Science database and therefore only covers a certain amount of scientific papers published in the field of LIS. In addition, only publications with the term “data science” in the topic area of the Web of Science database were analyzed. Therefore, several relevant studies are not discussed in this paper that are not reflected in the Web of Science database or were related to other keywords such as “e-science,” “e-research,” “data service,” “data curation” or “research data management.”

The field of data science has not been explored using bibliographic analysis of publications from the perspective of the LIS. This paper helps to better understand the field of data science and the perspectives for information professionals.

To investigate senior university managers' views of the development of information‐related competencies (IRC) within European open and distance learning (ODL) universities.

A multiple case study in six ODL universities, identified as examples of “good practice” of IRC, in five European countries.

The findings of the research indicated that the importance of IRC and the lack of these competencies among students and staff were acknowledged by the university senior managers. National policy supported IRC development via different initiatives, but the integration of IRC into learning was in the beginning stage in all institutions studied. The role of the university library and collaboration with librarians were regarded as important. However, a general attitude towards librarians was not so positive.

This study was limited to six ODL universities in Europe; the university managers' views and attitudes elsewhere will need further research.

The long‐term sustainable IRC development requires support of senior managers. It is important that university senior managers recognise the importance of IRC and encourage their staff to develop these competencies. Therefore, librarians working in universities need to communicate the benefits of IRC development to university senior managers.

This paper supports the idea that collaboration between librarians and administrative as well as academic staff within the university is important in enhancing IRC.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of the Institute of Information Studies of Tallinn University in introducing ICT, including Web 2.0 technologies, in library and information science education, and to explore the role that these can play in new models of learning and teaching.

Web 2.0 applications are reviewed in this paper and the role that these can play in new models of learning and teaching. The introduction of new technologies into library and information science (LIS) education is examined through a case study at the Tallinn University.

Web 2.0 is influencing the way in which people learn, access information and communicate with one another. The Institute of Information Studies of Tallinn University has a long history in using ICT in its teaching and learning. Experiences with open and distance learning and e‐learning have transformed teaching and learning, provided new alternative delivery modes, and helped to reach new target groups. Recently the staff have been experimenting with Web 2.0 technologies and a few have successfully adopted them in teaching and learning.

The paper suggests that in order to be successful in our modern society LIS educators should take advantage of new ICT and consider the learning preferences of digital natives as well as digital immigrants. Web 2.0 supports constructivist approaches to learning and has great potential to socialise online learning to a greater extent than we have previously seen. Web 2.0 technologies should be implemented taking into account pedagogical perspectives.

This paper supports the idea that integration of information and communication technologies, including Web 2.0 technologies, into LIS education is an important challenge for LIS educators.

This paper aims to present the results of a study that investigated the Erasmus Mundus Digital Library Learning (DILL) Master programme students' conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools.

The study adopted phenomenography as a research approach to identify DILL students' conceptions and experiences of Web 2.0 tools. Semi‐structured interviews with open‐ended questions were conducted with 12 students from Africa and Asia within the DILL Master programme.

The data analysis revealed four categories of descriptions of Web 2.0 tools: communication, educational, professional and multi‐purpose. For each category of descriptions preferred Web 2.0 tools were identified.

The study analyses only conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools of 12 DILL students. This small group of students was from Africa and Asia and, therefore, the results should not be generalized to describe all DILL students' conceptions and experiences of the use of Web 2.0 tools.

The results of this study can be taken into consideration when designing and delivering a DILL programme. In order to use technologies to support learning there is a need to understand and know what students do with these new technological tools.

This paper supports the idea of integration of information and communication technologies into education and highlights the potential of Web 2.0 tools to support teaching and learning in the higher education setting.

This paper aims to stress the importance of international and intercultural opportunities in serving as essential components in educating and training library and information professionals. More specifically, it provides an overview of issues and trends in internationalization of higher education (HE) in general and illustrates how the concept of and approaches to internationalization have affected library and information science (LIS) educational settings and programs primarily in Europe and the USA.

Based on a literature review, the paper discusses the meaning and definition of the concept of internationalization. Using a framework that draws on theoretical work on internationalisation of HE programs/contexts an analysis is then presented of the changing nature of internationalization in HE environments. The theoretical analysis is coupled with illustrations of current internationalisation practices, projects, strategies and players within LIS education communities in Europe and the USA. Finally, a discussion of the principal issues of internationalization of the LIS curriculum is presented

A synthesis is provided of the body of knowledge on the topics of internationalisation in general and within the HE sector in particular. Also presented is an overview of the multifaceted internationalisation activities taking place within LIS education. A range of thoughts and suggestions are given on how LIS schools can respond to the challenges of an increasing global world and, more specifically, how they can develop LIS programs and create classroom settings that are truly international in orientation and scope.

The geographical scope is limited to Europe and North America and the focus of the study is particularly on issues and challenges within the LIS education community.

Exposure to international educational environments and acquisition and absorption of intercultural values and skills serves to enhance and enrich the academic background of LIS students/graduates and add to the employability and career development of the coming LIS professionals. International outlook, networking and intercultural communication skills are essential for practitioners, policy makers, leaders, decision makers, researchers and educators in the LIS field.

No comprehensive study of the internationalization of LIS programs in the context of HE sector‐specific internationalization theory has previously been published. The paper makes a difference in the way it reflects on LIS internationalization issues and tasks from the perspective of the published literature on internationalization of HE.