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Home > Books > Qualitative versus Quantitative Research

Research Methods in Library and Information Science

Submitted: 28 October 2016 Reviewed: 23 March 2017 Published: 28 June 2017

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.68749

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Library and information science (LIS) is a very broad discipline, which uses a wide rangeof constantly evolving research strategies and techniques. The aim of this chapter is to provide an updated view of research issues in library and information science. A stratified random sample of 440 articles published in five prominent journals was analyzed and classified to identify (i) research approach, (ii) research methodology, and (iii) method of data analysis. For each variable, a coding scheme was developed, and the articles were coded accordingly. A total of 78% of the articles reported empirical research. The rest 22% were classified as non‐empirical research papers. The five most popular topics were “information retrieval,” “information behaviour,” “information literacy,” “library services,” and “organization and management.” An overwhelming majority of the empirical research articles employed a quantitative approach. Although the survey emerged as the most frequently used research strategy, there is evidence that the number and variety of research methodologies have been increased. There is also evidence that qualitative approaches are gaining increasing importance and have a role to play in LIS, while mixed methods have not yet gained enough recognition in LIS research.

• library and information science
• research methods
• research strategies
• data analysis techniques
• research articles

Author Information

Aspasia togia *.

• Department of Library Science & Information Systems, Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki, Greece

Afrodite Malliari

• DataScouting, Thessaloniki, Greece

*Address all correspondence to: [email protected]

1. Introduction

Library and information science (LIS), as its name indicates, is a merging of librarianship and information science that took place in the 1960s [ 1 , 2 ]. LIS is a field of both professional practice and scientific inquiry. As a field of practice, it includes the profession of librarianship as well as a number of other information professions, all of which assume the interplay of the following:

information content,

the people who interact with the content, and

the technology used to facilitate the creation, communication, storage, or transformation of the content [ 3 ].

The disciplinary foundation of LIS, which began in the 1920s, aimed at providing a theoretical foundation for the library profession. LIS has evolved in close relationship with other fields of research, especially computer science, communication studies, and cognitive sciences [ 4 ].

The connection of LIS with professional practice, on one hand, and other research fields on the other has influenced its research orientation and the development of methodological tools and theoretical perspectives [ 5 ]. Research problems are diverse, depending on the research direction, local trends, etc. Most of them relate to the professional practice although there are theoretical research statements as well. LIS research strives to address important information issues, such as these of “ information retrieval, information quality and authenticity, policy for access and preservation, the health and security applications of data mining ”(p. 3) [ 6 ]. The research is multidisciplinary in nature, and it has been heavily influenced by research designs developed in the social, behavioral, and management sciences and to a lesser extent by the theoretical inquiry adopted in the humanities [ 7 ]. Methods used in information retrieval research have been adapted from computer science. The emergence of evidence‐based librarianship in the late 1990s brought a positivist approach to LIS research, since it incorporated many of the research designs and methods used in clinical medicine [ 7 , 8 ]. In addition, LIS has developed its own methodological approaches, a prominent example of which is bibliometrics. Bibliometrics, which can be defined as “ the use of mathematical and statistical methods to study documents and patterns of publication ” (p. 38) [ 9 ], is a native research methodology, which has been extensively used outside the field, especially in science studies [ 10 ].

Library and information science research has been often criticized as being fragmentary, narrowly focused, and oriented to practical problems [ 11 ]. Many authors have noticed limited use of theory in published research and have advocated greater use of theory as a conceptual basis in LIS research [ 4 , 11 – 14 ]. Feehan et al. [ 13 ] claimed that LIS literature has not evolved enough to support a rigid body of its own theoretical basis. Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 15 ] argued that LIS theories are usually vague and conceptually unclear, and that research in LIS has been dominated by a paradigm which “ has made little use of such traditional scientific approaches as foundations and conceptual analysis, or of scientific explanation and theory formulation ” (p. 415). This lack of theoretical contributions may be associated with the fact that LIS emanated from professional practice and is therefore closely linked to practical problems such as the processing and organization of library materials, documentation, and information retrieval [ 15 , 16 ].

In this chapter, after briefly discussing the role of theory in LIS research, we provide an updated view of research issues in the field that will help scholars and students stay informed about topics related to research strategies and methods. To accomplish this, we describe and analyze patterns of LIS research activity as reflected in prominent library journals. The analysis of the articles highlights trends and recurring themes in LIS research regarding the use of multiple methods, the adoption of qualitative approaches, and the employment of advanced techniques for data analysis and interpretation [ 17 ].

2. The role of theory in LIS research

The presence of theory is an indication of research eminence and respectability [ 18 ], as well as a feature of discipline’s maturity [ 19 , 20 ]. Theory has been defined in many ways. “ Any of the following have been used as the meaning of theory: a law, a hypothesis, group of hypotheses, proposition, supposition, explanation, model, assumption, conjecture, construct, edifice, structure, opinion, speculation, belief, principle, rule, point of view, generalization, scheme, or idea ” (p. 309) [ 21 ]. A theory can be described as “ a set of interrelated concepts, definitions, and propositions that explains or predicts events or situations by specifying relations among variables ” [ 22 ]. According to Babbie [ 23 ], research is “ a systematic explanation for the observed facts and laws that related to a particular aspect of life ” (p. 49). It is “ a multiple‐level component of the research process, comprising a range of generalizations that move beyond a descriptive level to a more explanatory level ” [ 24 ] (p. 319). The role of theory in social sciences is, among other things, to explain and predict behavior, be usable in practical applications, and guide research [ 25 ]. According to Smiraglia [ 26 ], theory does not exist in a vacuum but in a system that explains the domains of human actions, the phenomena found in these domains, and the ways in which they are affected. He maintains that theory is developed by systematically observing phenomena, either in the positivist empirical research paradigm or in the qualitative hermeneutic paradigm. Theory is used to formulate hypotheses in quantitative research and confirms observations in qualitative research.

Glazier and Grover [ 24 ] proposed a model for theory‐building in LIS called “circuits of theory.” The model includes taxonomy of theory, developed earlier by the authors [ 11 ], and the critical social and psychological factors that influence research. The purpose of the taxonomy was to demonstrate the relationships among the concepts of research, theory, paradigms, and phenomena. Phenomena are described as “ events experienced in the empirical world ” (p. 230) [ 11 ]. Researchers assign symbols (digital or iconic representations, usually words or pictures) to phenomena, and meaning to symbols, and then they conceptualize the relationships among phenomena and formulate hypotheses and research questions. “ In the taxonomy, empirical research begins with the formation of research questions to be answered about the concepts or hypotheses for testing the concepts within a narrow set of predetermined parameters ” (p. 323) [ 24 ]. Various levels of theories, with implications for research in library and information Science, are described. The first theory level, called substantive theory , is defined as “ a set of propositions which furnish an explanation for an applied area of inquiry ” (p. 233) [ 11 ]. In fact, it may not be viewed as a theory but rather be considered as a research hypothesis that has been tested or even a research finding [ 16 ]. The next level of theory, called formal theory , is defined as “ a set of propositions which furnish an explanation for a formal or conceptual area of inquiry, that is, a discipline ” (p. 234) [ 11 ]. Substantive and formal theories together are usually considered as “middle range” theory in the social sciences. Their difference lies in the ability to structure generalizations and the potential for explanation and prediction. The final level, grand theory , is “ a set of theories or generalizations that transcend the borders of disciplines to explain relationships among phenomena ” (p. 321) [ 24 ]. According to the authors, most research generates substantive level theory, or, alternatively, researchers borrow theory from the appropriate discipline, apply it to the problem under investigation, and reconstruct the theory at the substantive level. Next in the hierarchy of theoretical categories is the paradigm , which is described as “ a framework of basic assumptions with which perceptions are evaluated and relationships are delineated and applied to a discipline or profession ” (p. 234) [ 11 ]. Finally, the most significant theoretical category is the world view , which is defined as “ an individual’s accepted knowledge, including values and assumptions, which provide a ‘filter’ for perception of all phenomena ” (p. 235) [ 11 ]. All the previous categories contribute to shaping the individual’s worldview. In the revised model, which places more emphasis on the impact of social environment on the research process, research and theory building is surrounded by a system of three basic contextual modules: the self, society, and knowledge, both discovered and undiscovered. The interactions and dialectical relationships of these three modules affect the research process and create a dynamic environment that fosters theory creation and development. The authors argue that their model will help researchers build theories that enable generalizations beyond the conclusions drawn from empirical data [ 24 ].

In an effort to propose a framework for a unified theory of librarianship, McGrath [ 27 ] reviewed research articles in the areas of publishing, acquisitions, classification and knowledge organization, storage, preservation and collection management, library collections, and circulations. In his study, he included articles that employed explanatory and predictive statistical methods to explore relationships between variables within and between the above subfields of LIS. For each paper reviewed, he identified the dependent variable, significant independent variables, and the units of analysis. The review displayed explanatory studies “ in nearly every level, with the possible exception of classification, while studies in circulation and use of the library were clearly dominant. A recapitulation showed that a variable at one level may be a unit of analysis at another, a property of explanatory research crucial to the development of theory, which has been either ignored or unrecognized in LIS literature ” (p. 368) [ 27 ]. The author concluded that “explanatory and predictive relationships do exist and that they can be useful in constructing a comprehensive unified theory of librarianship” (p. 368) [ 27 ].

Recent LIS literature provides several analyses of theory development and use in the field. In a longitudinal analysis of information needs and uses of literature, Julien and Duggan [ 28 ] investigated, among other things, to what extent LIS literature was grounded in theory. Articles “ based on a coherent and explicit framework of assumptions, definitions, and propositions that, taken together, have some explanatory power ” (p. 294) were classified as theoretical articles. Results showed that only 18.3% of the research studies identified in the sample of articles examined were theoretically grounded.

Pettigrew and McKechnie [ 29 ] analyzed 1160 journal articles published between 1993 and 1998 to determine the level of theory use in information science research. In the absence of a singular definition of theory that would cover all the different uses of the term in the sample of articles, they operationalized “theory” according to authors’ use of the term. They found that 34.1% of the articles incorporated theory, with the largest percentage of theories drawn from the social sciences. Information science itself was the second most important source of theories. The authors argued that this significant increase in theory use in comparison to earlier studies could be explained by the research‐oriented journals they selected for examination, the sample time, and the broad way in which they defined “theory.” With regard to this last point, that is, their approach of identifying theories only if the author(s) describe them as such in the article, Pettigrew and McKechnie [ 29 ] observed significant differences in how information science researchers perceive theory:

Although it is possible that conceptual differences regarding the nature of theory may be due to the different disciplinary backgrounds of researchers in IS, other themes emerged from our data that suggest a general confusion exists about theory even within subfields. Numerous examples came to light during our analysis in which an author would simultaneously refer to something as a theory and a method, or as a theory and a model, or as a theory and a reported finding. In other words, it seems as though authors, themselves, are sometimes unsure about what constitutes theory. Questions even arose regarding whether the author to whom a theory was credited would him or herself consider his or her work as theory (p. 68).

Kim and Jeong [ 16 ] examined the state and characteristics of theoretical research in LIS journals between 1984 and 2003. They focused on the “theory incident,” which is described as “an event in which the author contributes to the development or the use of theory in his/her paper.” Their study adopted Glazier and Grover’s [ 24 ] model of “circuits of theory.” Substantive level theory was operationalized to a tested hypothesis or an observed relationship, while both formal and grand level theories were identified when they were named as “theory,” “model,” or “law” by authors other than those who had developed them. Results demonstrated that the application of theory was present in 41.4% of the articles examined, signifying a significant increase in the proportion of theoretical articles as compared to previous studies. Moreover, it was evident that both theory development and theory use had increased by the year. Information seeking and use, and information retrieval, were identified as the subfields with the most significant contribution to the development of the theoretical framework.

In a more in‐depth analysis of theory use in Kumasi et al. [ 30 ] qualitatively analyzed the extent to which theory is meaningfully used in scholarly literature. For this purpose, they developed a theory talk coding scheme, which included six analytical categories, describing how theory is discussed in a study. The intensity of theory talk in the articles was described across a continuum from minimal (e.g., theory is discussed in literature review and not mentioned later) through moderate (e.g., multiple theories are introduced but without discussing their relevance to the study) to major (e.g., theory is employed throughout the study). Their findings seem to support the opinion that “ LIS discipline has been focused on the application of specific theoretical frameworks rather than the generation of new theories ” (p. 179) [ 30 ]. Another point the authors made was about the multiple terms used in the articles to describe theory. Words such as “framework,” “model,” or “theory” were used interchangeably by scholars.

It is evident from the above discussion that the treatment of theory in LIS research covers a spectrum of intensity, from marginal mentions to theory revising, expanding, or building. Recent analyses of the published scholarship indicate that the field has not been very successful in contributing to existing theory or producing new theory. In spite of this, one may still assert that LIS research employs theory, and, in fact, there are many theories that have been used or generated by LIS scholars. However, “ calls for additional and novel theory development work in LIS continue, particularly for theories that might help to address the research practice gap ” (p. 12) [ 31 ].

3. Research strategies in LIS

3.1. surveys of research methods.

LIS is a very broad discipline, which uses a wide range of constantly evolving research strategies and techniques [ 32 ]. Various classification schemes have been developed to analyze methods employed in LIS research (e.g., [ 13 , 15 , 17 , 33 – 35 , 38 ]). Back in 1996, in the “research record” column of the Journal of Education for Library and Information Science, Kim [ 36 ] synthesized previous categories and definitions and introduced a list of research strategies, including data collection and analysis methods. The listing included four general research strategies: (i) theoretical/philosophical inquiry (development of conceptual models or frameworks), (ii) bibliographic research (descriptive studies of books and their properties as well as bibliographies of various kinds), (iii) R&D (development of storage and retrieval systems, software, interface, etc.), and (iv) action research, it aims at solving problems and bringing about change in organizations. Strategies are then divided into quantitative and qualitative driven. In the first category are included descriptive studies, predictive/explanatory studies, bibliometric studies, content analysis, and operation research studies. Qualitative‐driven strategies are considered the following: case study, biographical method, historical method, grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, symbolic interactionism/semiotics, sociolinguistics/discourse analysis/ethnographic semantics/ethnography of communication, and hermeneutics/interpretive interactionism (p. 378–380) [ 36 ].

Systematic studies of research methods in LIS started in the 1980s and several reviews of the literature have been conducted over the past years to analyze the topics, methodologies, and quality of research. One of the earliest studies was done by Peritz [ 37 ] who carried out a bibliometric analysis of the articles published in 39 core LIS journals between 1950 and 1975. She examined the methodologies used, the type of library or organization investigated, the type of activity investigated, and the institutional affiliation of the authors. The most important findings were a clear orientation toward library and information service activities, a widespread use of the survey methodology, a considerable increase of research articles after 1960, and a significant increase in theoretical studies after 1965.

Nour [ 38 ] followed up on Peritz’s [ 37 ] work and studied research articles published in 41 selected journals during the year 1980. She found that survey and theoretical/analytic methodologies were the most popular, followed by bibliometrics. Comparing these findings to those made by Peritz [ 37 ], Nour [ 38 ] found that the amount of research continued to increase, but the proportion of research articles to all articles had been decreasing since 1975.

Feehan et al. [ 13 ] described how LIS research published during 1984 was distributed over various topics and what methods had been used to study these topics. Their analysis revealed a predominance of survey and historical methods and a notable percentage of articles using more than one research method. Following a different approach, Enger et al. (1989) focused on the statistical methods used by LIS researchers in articles published during 1985 [ 39 ]. They found that only one out of three of the articles reported any use of statistics. Of those, 21% used descriptive statistics and 11% inferential statistics. In addition, the authors found that researchers from disciplines other than LIS made the highest use of statistics and LIS faculty showed the highest use of inferential statistics.

An influential work, against which later studies have been compared, is that of Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 15 ] who studied LIS articles published in 1985 in order to determine how research was distributed over various subjects, what approaches had been taken by the authors, and what research strategies had been used. The authors replicated their study later to include older research published between 1965 and 1985 [ 40 ]. The main finding of these studies was that the trends and characteristics of LIS research remained more or less the same over the aforementioned period of 20 years. The most common topics were information service activities and information storage and retrieval. Empirical research strategies were predominant, and of them, the most frequent was the survey. Kumpulainen [ 41 ], in an effort to provide a continuum with Jarvelin and Vakkeri’s [ 15 ] study, analyzed 632 articles sampled from 30 core LIS journals with respect to various characteristics, including topics, aspect of activity, research method, data selection method, and data analysis techniques. She used the same classification scheme, and she selected the journals based on a slightly modified version of Jarvelin and Vakkari’s [ 15 ] list. Library services and information storage and retrieval emerged again as the most common subjects approached by the authors and survey was the most frequently used method.

More recent studies of this nature include those conducted by Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ], Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ], Hider and Pymm [ 32 ], and Chu [ 17 ]. Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ] examined research articles published in 2001 and they found that the majority of them were questionnaire‐based descriptive studies. Comparative, bibliometrics, content analysis, and program evaluation studies were also popular. Information storage and retrieval emerged as the predominant subject area, followed by library collections and management. Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ] presented a review of the 2003–2005 published library research with special focus on methodology issues and the quality of published articles of both practitioners and academic scholars. They found that most research was descriptive and the most frequent method for data collection was the questionnaire, followed by content analysis and interviews. With regard to data analysis, more researchers used quantitative methods, considerably less used qualitative‐only methods, whereas 61 out of 206 studies included some kind of qualitative analysis, raising the total percentage of qualitative methods to nearly 50%. With regard to the quality of published research, the authors argued that “ the majority of the reports are detailed, comprehensive, and well‐organized ” (p. 254) [ 43 ]. Still, they noticed that the majority of reports did not mention the critical issues of research validity and reliability and neither did they indicate study limitations or future research recommendations. Hider and Pymm [ 32 ] described content analysis of LIS literature “ which aimed to identify the most common strategies and techniques employed by LIS researchers carrying out high‐profile empirical research ” (p. 109). Their results suggested that while researchers employed a wide variety of strategies, they mostly used surveys and experiments. They also observed that although quantitative research accounted for more than 50% of the articles, there was an increase in the use of most sophisticated qualitative methods. Chu [ 17 ] analyzed the research articles published between 2001 and 2010 in three major journals and reported the following most frequent research methods: theoretical approach (e.g., conceptual analysis), content analysis, questionnaire, interview, experiment, and bibliometrics. Her study showed an increase in both the number and variety of research methods but lack of growth in the use of qualitative research or in the adoption of multiple research methods.

In summary, the literature shows a continued interest in the analysis of published LIS research. Approaches include focusing on particular publication years, geographic areas, journal titles, aspects of LIS, and specific characteristics, such as subjects, authorship, and research methods. Despite the abundance of content analyses of LIS literature, the findings are not easily comparable due to differences in the number and titles of journals examined, in the types of the papers selected for analysis, in the periods covered, and in classification schemes developed by the authors to categorize article topics and research strategies. Despite the differences, some findings are consistent among all studies:

Information seeking, information retrieval, and library and information service activities are among the most common subjects studied,

Descriptive research methodologies based on surveys and questionnaires predominate,

Over the years, there has been a considerable increase in the array of research approaches used to explore library issues, and

Data analysis is usually limited to descriptive statistics, including frequencies, means, and standard deviations.

3.2. Data collection and analysis

Articles published between 2011 and 2016 were obtained from the following journals: Library and Information Science Research, College & Research Libraries, Journal of Documentation, Information Processing & Management, and Journal of Academic Librarianship ( Table 1 ). These five titles were selected as data sources because they have the highest 5‐year impact factor of the journals classified in Ulrich’s Serials Directory under the “Library and Information Sciences” subject heading. From the journals selected, only full‐length articles were collected. Editorials, book reviews, letters, interviews, commentaries, and news items were excluded from the analysis. This selection process yielded 1643 articles. A stratified random sample of 440 articles was chosen for in‐depth analysis ( Table 2 ). For the purpose of this study, five strata, corresponding to the five journals, were used. The sample size was determined using a margin of error, 4%, and confidence interval, 95%.

Table 1.

Profile of the journals.

Table 2.

Journal titles.

Each article was classified as either research or theoretical. Articles that employed specific research methodology and presented specific findings of original studies performed by the author(s) were considered research articles. The kind of study may vary (e.g., it could be an experiment, a survey, etc.), but in all cases, raw data had been collected and analyzed, and conclusions were drawn from the results of that analysis. Articles reporting research in system design or evaluation in the information systems field were also regarded as research articles . On the other hand, works that reviewed theories, theoretical concepts, or principles discussed topics of interest to researchers and professionals, or described research methodologies were regarded as theoretical articles [ 44 ] and were classified in the no‐empirical‐research category. In this category, were also included literature reviews and articles describing a project, a situation, a process, etc.

Each article was classified into a topical category according to its main subject. The articles classified as research were then further explored and analyzed to identify (i) research approach, (ii) research methodology, and (iii) method of data analysis. For each variable, a coding scheme was developed, and the articles were coded accordingly. The final list of the analysis codes was extracted inductively from the data itself, using as reference the taxonomies utilized in previous studies [ 15 , 32 , 43 , 45 ]. Research approaches “ are plans and procedures for research ” (p. 3) [ 46 ]. Research approaches can generally be grouped as qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies. Quantitative studies aim at the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties or phenomena and their relationships. Qualitative research can be broadly defined as “ any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of quantification ” (p. 17) [ 47 ]. It is a way to gain insights through discovering meanings and explaining phenomena based on the attributes of the data. In mixed model research, quantitative and qualitative approaches are combined within or across the stages of the research process. It was beyond the scope of this study to identify in which stages of a study—data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation—the mixing was applied or to reveal the types of mixing. Therefore, studies using both quantitative and qualitative methods, irrespective of whether they describe if and how the methods were integrated, were coded as mixed methods studies.

Research methodologies , or strategies of inquiry, are types of research models “ that provide specific direction for procedures in a research design ” (p. 11) [ 46 ] and inform the decisions concerning data collection and analysis. A coding schema of research methodologies was developed by the authors based on the analysis of all research articles included in the sample. The methodology classification included 12 categories ( Table 3 ). Each article was classified into one category for the variable research methodology . If more than one research strategy was mentioned (e.g., experiment and survey), the article was classified according to the main strategy.

Table 3.

Coding schema for research methodologies.

Methods of data analysis refer to the techniques used by the researchers to explore the original data and answer their research problems or questions. Data analysis for quantitative researches involves statistical analysis and interpretation of figures and numbers. In qualitative studies, on the other hand, data analysis involves identifying common patterns within the data and making interpretations of the meanings of the data. The array of data analysis methods included the following categories:

Descriptive statistics,

Inferential statistics,

Qualitative data analysis,

Experimental evaluation, and

Other methods,

Descriptive statistics are used to describe the basic features of the data in a study. Inferential statistics investigate questions, models, and hypotheses. Mathematical analysis refers to mathematic functions, etc. used mainly in bibliometric studies to answer research questions associated with citation data. Qualitative data analysis is the range of processes and procedures used for the exploration of qualitative data, from coding and descriptive analysis to identification of patterns and themes and the testing of emergent findings and hypotheses. It was used in this study as an overarching term encompassing various types of analysis, such as thematic analysis, discourse analysis, or grounded theory analysis. The class experimental evaluation was used for system and software analysis and design studies which assesses the newly developed algorithm, tool, method, etc. by performing experiments on selected datasets. In these cases, “experiments” differ from the experimental designs in social sciences. Methods that did not fall into one of these categories (e.g., mathematical analysis, visualization, or benchmarking) were classified as other methods . If both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in an article, only the inferential were recorded. In mixed methods studies, each method was recorded in the order in which it was reported in the article.

Ten percent of the articles were randomly selected and used to establish inter‐rater reliability and provide basic validation of the coding schema. Cohen’s kappa was calculated for each coded variable. The average Cohen’s kappa value was κ = 0.60, p < 0.000 (the highest was 0.63 and lowest was 0.59). This indicates a substantial agreement [ 48 ]. The coding disparities across raters were discussed, and the final codes were determined via consensus.

3.3. Results

3.3.1. topic.

Table 4 presents the distribution of articles over the various topics, for each of which a detailed description is provided. The five most popular topics of the papers in the total sample of 440 articles were “information retrieval,” “information behavior,” “information literacy,” “library services,” and “organization and management.” These areas cover over 60% of all topics studied in the papers. The least‐studied topics (covered in less than eight papers) fall into the categories of “information and knowledge management,” “library information systems,” “LIS theory,” and “infometrics.”

Table 4.

Article topics.

Figure 1 shows how the top five topics are distributed across journals. As expected, the topic “information retrieval” has higher publication frequencies in Information Processing & Management, a journal focusing on system design and issues related to the tools and techniques used in storage and retrieval of information. “Information literacy,” “information behavior,” “library services,” and “organization and management” appear to be distributed almost proportionately in College & Research Libraries. “Information literacy” seems to be a more preferred topic in the Journal of Academic Librarianship, while “information behavior” is more popular in the Journal of Documentation and Library & Information Science Research.

Figure 1.

Distribution of topics across journals.

3.3.2. Research approach and methodology

Of all articles examined, 343 articles, which represent the 78% of the sample, reported empirical research. The rest 22% (N = 97) were classified as non‐empirical research papers. Research articles were coded as quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods studies. An overwhelming majority (70%) of the empirical research articles employed a quantitative research approach. Qualitative and mixed methods research was reported in 21.6 and 8.5% of the articles, respectively ( Figure 2 ).

Figure 2.

Research approach.

Table 5 presents the distribution of research approaches over the five most famous topics. The quantitative approach clearly prevails in all topics, especially in information retrieval research. However, qualitative designs seem to gain acceptance in all topics (except information retrieval), while in information behavior research, quantitative and qualitative approaches are almost evenly distributed. Mixed methods were quite frequent in information literacy and information behavior studies and less popular in the other topics.

Table 5.

Topics across research approach.

The most frequently used research strategy was survey, accounting for almost 37% of all research articles, followed by system and software analysis and design, a strategy used in this study specifically for research in information systems (Jarvelin & Vakkari, 1990). This result is influenced by the fact that Information Processing & Management addresses issues at the intersection between LIS and computer science, and the majority of its articles present the development of new tools, algorithms, methods and systems, and their experimental evaluation. The third‐ and fourth‐ranking strategies were content analysis and bibliometrics. Case study, experiment, and secondary data analysis were represented by 15 articles each, while the rest of the techniques were underrepresented with considerably fewer articles ( Table 6 ).

Table 6.

Research methodologies.

3.3.3. Methods of data analysis

Table 7 displays the frequencies for each type of data analysis.

Table 7.

Method of data analysis.

Almost half of the empirical research papers examined reported any use of statistics. Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, means, or standard deviations, were more frequently used compared to inferential statistics, such as ANOVA, regression, or factor analysis. Nearly one‐third of the articles employed some type of qualitative data analysis either as the only method or—in mixed methods studies—in combination with quantitative techniques.

3.4. Discussions and conclusions

The patterns of LIS research activity as reflected in the articles published between 2011 and 2016 in five well‐established, peer‐reviewed journals were described and analyzed. LIS literature addresses many and diverse topics. Information retrieval, information behavior, and library services continue to attract the interest of researchers as they are core areas in library science. Information retrieval has been rated as one of the most famous areas of interest in research articles published between 1965 and 1985 [ 40 ]. According to Dimitroff [ 49 ], information retrieval was the second most popular topic in the articles published in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, while Cano [ 50 ] argued that LIS research produced in Spain from 1977 to 1994 was mostly centered on information retrieval and library and information services. In addition, Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ] found that information access and retrieval were the domain with the most research, and in Hildreth and Aytac’s [ 43 ] study, most articles were dealing with issues related to users (needs, behavior, information seeking, etc.), services, and collections. The present study provides evidence that the amount of research in information literacy is increasing, presumably due to the growing importance of information literacy instruction in libraries. In recent years, there is an ongoing educational role for librarians, who are more and more actively engaging in the teaching and learning processes, a trend that is reflected in the research output.

With regard to research methodologies, the present study seems to confirm the well‐documented predominance of survey in LIS research. According to Dimitroff [ 49 ], the percentage related to use of survey research methods reported in various studies varied between 20.3 and 41.5%. Powell [ 51 ], in a review of the research methods appearing in LIS literature, pointed out that survey had consistently been the most common type of study in both dissertations and journal articles. Survey reported the most widely used research design by Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 40 ], Crawford [ 52 ], Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ], and Hider and Pymm [ 32 ]. The majority of articles examined by Koufogiannakis et al. [ 42 ] were descriptive studies using questionnaires/surveys. In addition, survey methods represented the largest proportion of methods used in information behavior articles analyzed by Julien et al. [ 53 ]. There is no doubt that survey has been used more than any other method in LIS research. As Jarvelin and Vakkari [ 15 ] put it, “it appears that the field is so survey‐oriented that almost all problems are seen through a survey viewpoint” (p. 416). Much of survey’s popularity can be ascribed to its being a well‐known, understood, easily conducted, and inexpensive method, which is easy to analyze results [ 41 , 42 ]. However, our findings suggest that while the survey ranks high, a variety of other methods have been also used in the research articles. Content analysis emerged as the third‐most frequent strategy, a finding similar to those of previous studies [ 17 , 32 ]. Although content analysis was not regarded by LIS researchers as a favored research method until recently, its popularity seems to be growing [ 17 ].

Quantitative approaches, which dominate, tend to rely on frequency counts, percentages, and descriptive statistics used to describe the basic features of the data in a study. Fewer studies used advanced statistical analysis techniques, such as t‐tests, correlation, and regressions, while there were some examples of more sophisticated methods, such as factor analysis, ANOVA, MANOVA, and structural equation modeling. Researchers engaging in quantitative research designs should take into consideration the use of inferential statistics, which enables the generalization from the sample being studied to the population of interest and, if used appropriately, are very useful for hypothesis testing. In addition, multivariate statistics are suitable for examining the relationships among variables, revealing patterns and understanding complex phenomena.

The findings also suggest that qualitative approaches are gaining increasing importance and have a role to play in LIS studies. These results are comparable to the findings of Hider and Pymm [ 32 ], who observed significant increases for qualitative research strategies in contemporary LIS literature. Qualitative analysis description varied widely, reflecting the diverse perspectives, analysis methods, and levels of depth of analysis. Commonly used terms in the articles included coding, content analysis, thematic analysis, thematic analytical approach, theme, or pattern identification. One could argue that the efforts made to encourage and promote qualitative methods in LIS research [ 54 , 55 ] have made some impact. However, qualitative research methods do not seem to be adequately utilized by library researchers and practitioners, despite their potential to offer far more illuminating ways to study library‐related issues [ 56 ]. LIS research has much to gain from the interpretive paradigm underpinning qualitative methods. This paradigm assumes that social reality is

the product of processes by which social actors together negotiate the meanings for actions and situations; it is a complex of socially constructed meanings. Human experience involves a process of interpretation rather than sensory, material apprehension of the external physical world and human behavior depends on how individuals interpret the conditions in which they find themselves. Social reality is not some ‘thing’ that may be interpreted in different ways, it is those interpretations (p. 96) [ 57 ].

As stated in the introduction of this chapter, library and information science focuses on the interaction between individuals and information. In every area of LIS research, the connection of factors that lead to and influence this interaction is increasingly complex. Qualitative research searches for “ all aspects of that complexity on the grounds that they are essential to understanding the behavior of which they are a part ” (p. 241) [ 59 ]. Qualitative research designs can offer a more in‐depth analysis of library users, their needs, attitudes, and behaviors.

The use of mixed methods designs was found to be rather rare. While Hildreth and Aytac [ 43 ] found higher percentages of studies using combined methods in data analysis, our results are analogous to those shown by Fidel [ 60 ]. In fact, as in her study, only few of the articles analyzed referred to mixed methods research by name, a finding indicating that “ the concept has not yet gained recognition in LIS research ” (p. 268). Mixed methods research has become an established research approach in the social sciences as it minimizes the weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research alone and allows researchers to investigate the phenomena more completely [ 58 ].

In conclusion, there is evidence that LIS researchers employ a large number and wide variety of research methodologies. Each research approach, strategy, and method has its advantages and limitations. If the aim of the study is to confirm hypotheses about phenomena or measure and analyze the causal relationships between variables, then quantitative methods might be used. If the research seeks to explore, understand, and explain phenomena then qualitative methods might be used. Researchers can consider the full range of possibilities and make their selection based on the philosophical assumptions they bring to the study, the research problem being addressed, their personal experiences, and the intended audience for the study [ 46 ].

Taking into consideration the increasing use of qualitative methods in LIS studies, an in‐depth analysis of papers using qualitative methods would be interesting. A future study in which the different research strategies and types of analysis used in qualitative methods will be presented and analyzed could help LIS practitioners understand the benefits of qualitative analysis.

Mixed methods used in LIS research papers could be analyzed in future studies in order to identify in which stages of a study, data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation, the mixing was applied and to reveal the types of mixing.

As far as it concerns the quantitative research methods, which predominate in LIS research, it would be interesting to identify systematic relations between more than two variables such as authors’ affiliation, topic, research strategies, etc. and to create homogeneous groups using multivariate data analysis techniques.

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Introduction to Library and Information Science

(2 reviews)

Reed Hepler, College of Southern Idaho

David Horalek, College of Southern Idaho

Copyright Year: 2023

Publisher: College of Southern Idaho Pressbooks Network (CSI)

Language: English

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Reviewed by Kathy Evans, Reference & Archive Librarian, Shenandoah University on 11/10/23

This textbook is logically organized, with distinctive chapters covering essential practices of librarianship. Hepler and Horalek do not offer an index in this introductory text. The authors define key concepts within the text, and those words are... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook is logically organized, with distinctive chapters covering essential practices of librarianship. Hepler and Horalek do not offer an index in this introductory text. The authors define key concepts within the text, and those words are conveniently bolded and offer a "pop-out" definition. Unfortunately, these concepts are not in a glossary of terms or a helpful index. However, the text is searchable as an eBook.

Content Accuracy rating: 3

The text reads accurately in regards to librarianship. Some wording in the texts indicates bias. For example, the authors describe OCLC as a monopoly. Which is arguably true, but is it necessary to state that? The authors mention "publisher's whims." Whims? Another word may be more appropriate. Curiously, there is no mention of the ancient Library of Alexandria in Chapter 2 – History of Libraries.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Overall, the text is straightforward and relevant to the subject. Updates should be relatively easy, given the organization and format of the information.

Clarity rating: 4

Current terms may help clarify the different aspects of librarianship and library services. Some sections are wordy and lack confidence in the subject discussed, while others seem almost rushed.

Consistency rating: 4

The text is consistent in terms of terminology and framework. As mentioned under clarity, more current descriptions of library services could be added to the text to clarify the terminology used.

Modularity rating: 5

The authors do a good job organizing the sections into readable chunks of information.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The authors organized the textbook logically.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is easy to navigate. The self-check modules at the end of each section are helpful, albeit clunky, to use.

Grammatical Errors rating: 3

The text is wordy in the delivery of the material covered. Some language seems too familiar when presenting the information. Several punctuation errors are apparent.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The authors address the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equity in library collections.

Introduction to Library and Information Science could be a helpful textbook with some added proofreading and revisions.

Reviewed by Taylor Tharpe, Research & Digital Services Librarian, Longwood University on 7/18/23

In Part I of the textbook, the author offers consistent definitions of certain terms, such as data, knowledge, and information. The author does a great job of providing helpful resources and information to go hand-in-hand with each... read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

In Part I of the textbook, the author offers consistent definitions of certain terms, such as data, knowledge, and information. The author does a great job of providing helpful resources and information to go hand-in-hand with each chapter/section. However, some of the material that is questioned in the interactive quizzes are not mentioned in that particular section.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

I noticed no bias while reading this textbook. All information is presented in an accurate and unbiased manner.

The majority of the content was relevant and up to date.

Clarity rating: 5

This textbook is written in accessible prose and provides a disclaimer and instructions for the interactive features that accompany each section/chapter.

Consistency rating: 5

The textbook is consistent in terms of terminology and framework.

Textbook is broken into three different parts, that can be separated to support different units of a course or class.

The topics presented are organized in an understandable manner. They flow together nicely.

Interface rating: 4

Pictures and graphs could use some formatting work as the some of the captions aren't directly under the image, but I think this just depends on how you are viewing the textbook. The online version of the textbook is much more user-friendly than the PDF version.

Grammatical Errors rating: 2

This textbook makes many grammatical errors. This includes capitalization, sentence structure, spelling, misusing, etc. I counted numerous errors throughout the entire text.

The author touches on the subject of demographics and knowing how to serve patrons regardless of ethnic group, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc. The textbook also has a section on DEI and how important it is for libraries to acquire materials and hold events that meet the DEI initiative.

The author focuses more on the application of skills associated with working within the library field, rather than just lecturing about library theory. However, the author also mentions using ChatGPT, which doesn't seem very reliable to me.

Table of Contents

• Data, Information, and Knowledge
• History of Libraries
• Library Services
• Acquisitions
• Collection Development 
• Classficiation and Cataloging 
• Facilities and Funding
• Circulation
• Reference Librarianship 
• Preservation
• Intellectual Freedom
• Digitial Initiatives and Library 2.0
• Representation in the Library
• Patron Services
• Reader's Advisory
• The Modern Library Experience

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This book explores the history, present, and future of library science, both in theory and in practice. It examines the place of the librarian as arbiter of information access in a constantly-changing and modernizing global community.

About the Contributors

Reed Hepler , College of Southern Idaho

David Horalek , College of Southern Idaho

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Home > FACULTIES > Information & Media Studies (FIMS) > LIS-ETD

Library and Information Science Theses and Dissertations

This collection contains theses and dissertations from the Department of Library and Information Science, collected from the Scholarship@Western Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Theses/Dissertations from 2024 2024

Advancing Anti-Racism in Public Libraries for Black Youth in Canada , Amber Matthews

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Recreational nastiness or playful mischief? Contrasting perspectives on internet trolling between news media and avid internet users , Yimin Chen

Discourse, Power Dynamics, and Risk Amplification in Disaster Risk Management in Canada , Martins Oluwole Olu-Omotayo

Folk Theories, Recommender Systems, and Human-Centered Explainable Artificial Intelligence (HCXAI) , Michael Ridley

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Exploiting Semantic Similarity Between Citation Contexts For Direct Citation Weighting And Residual Citation , Toluwase Victor Asubiaro

The Use of Intimate Partner Violence Websites: Website Awareness, Visibility, Information Quality, Perceived Usefulness, and Frequency of Use , Sze Hang Lee

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

The General Artificial Intellect , Ramon S. Diab

The Public Library as Past Become Space , Greg Nightingale

Making Sense of Online Public Health Debates with Visual Analytics Systems , Anton Ninkov

Information, Employment, and Settlement of Immigrants: Exploring the Role of Information Behaviour in the Settlement of Bangladesh Immigrants in Canada , Nafiz Zaman Shuva

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Accessibility And Academic Libraries: A Comparative Case Study , Claire Burrows

The Information Practices of New Kadampa Buddhists: From "Dharma of Scripture" to "Dharma of Insight" , Roger Chabot

Narratives of Sexuality in the Lives of Young Women Readers , Davin L. Helkenberg

Strategic and Subversive: The Case of the Disappearing Diaphragm and Women’s Information Practices , Sherilyn M. Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Informing care: Mapping the social organization of families’ information work in an aging in place climate , Nicole K. Dalmer

A Study of Six Nations Public Library: Rights and Access to Information , Alison Frayne

Information Freedoms and the Case for Anonymous Community , Rachel Melis

Academic Librarians and the Space/Time of Information Literacy, the Neoliberal University, and the Global Knowledge Economy , Karen P. Nicholson

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Expertise, Mediation, and Technological Surrogacy: A Mixed Method Critical Analysis of a Point of Care Evidence Resource , Selinda Adelle Berg

The E-Writing Experiences of Literary Authors , Kathleen Schreurs

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

Understanding Collaborative Sensemaking for System Design — An Investigation of Musicians' Practice , Nadia Conroy

Laying the Foundation for Copyright Policy and Practice in Canadian Universities , Lisa Di Valentino

Towards Evidence-Informed Agriculture Policy Making: Investigating the Knowledge Translation Practices of Researchers in the National Agriculture Research Institutes in Nigeria , Isioma N. Elueze

Different Approaches for Different Folks , Alexandre Fortier

Creating Context from Curiosity: The Role of Serendipity in the Research Process of Historians in Physical and Digital Environments , Kim Martin

Alternate Academy: Investigating the Use of Open Educational Resources by Students at the University of Lagos in Nigeria , Daniel Onaifo

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Contentious information: Accounts of knowledge production, circulation and consumption in transitional Egypt , Ahmad Kamal

Multilingual Information Access: Practices and Perceptions of Bi/multilingual Academic Users , Peggy I. Nzomo

Words to Live By: How Experience Shapes our Information World at Work, Play and in Everyday Life , Angela Pollak

Watching Storytelling: Visual Information in Oral Narratives , James Ripley

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs in Africa: Investigating Information Access and Use of Information and Communication Technologies by Women-Owned Enterprises in Zambia , Daniel Mumba

Young adults reflect on the experience of reading comics in contemporary society: Overcoming the commonplace and recognizing complexity , Lucia Cederia Serantes

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Space, Power and the Public Library: A Multicase Examination of the Public Library as Organization Space , Matthew R. Griffis

Knowledge Organization Practices in Everyday Life: Divergent Constructions of Healthy Eating , Jill R. McTavish

Semantics-based Automated Quality Assessment of Depression Treatment Web Documents , Yanjun Zhang

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Making Sense of Document Collections with Map-Based Visualizations , Olga Buchel

A Critical Historical Analysis of the Public Performance Right , Louis J. D'Alton

Intellectual Property and Its Alternatives: Incentives, Innovation and Ideology , Michael B. McNally

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

The Information Practices of People Living with Depression: Constructing Credibility and Authority , Tami Oliphant

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Library and Information Science Project Topics PDF Materials for Students

Access 343 Library and Information Science Project Topics PDF Research Materials for Library and Information Science Students

Best Project Topics in Library and Information Science

Here is the List of 343 Best Library and Information Science Research Project Topics and Materials for (Final Year and Undergraduate) Library and Information Science Students in Nigeria & other English Speaking Countries:

Availability And Use Of Library Resources In Training Libraries By Students. A Case Study Of Dept Of Library And Information Science Training Library

Influence of school environment on academic achievement of students of public secondary school. a case study of enugu state, auditing efficiency as a tool for improving companys performance. a case study of nigerian breweries plc 9th mile enugu, use of audio-visual technology in school libraries and students’ academic performance. a case study of international early learning center/dorothy international secondary school, aba, attitude of television audience towards commercial interruption of television programmes., design and implementation of a virtual library system., solid waste management. a case study of ogbete main market, enugu, institutional variables and pupils’ academic performance. a case study of yewa south local government area of ogun state, design and implementation of an online library system., relationship between information accessibility, knowledge acquisition and management and transfer system among traditional herbal medical practitioners. a case study of south west, nigeria, factors militating against the implementations of virtual library project in public colleges of education. a case study of enugu state college of education (technical), enugu, information needs and information seeking behaviour of children in public libraries. a case study of imo state library board, owerri, marketing technical sales people, for higher productivity. a case study of emenit nigeria plc, funding of public library services. a case study of anambra state library board, information needs and seeking behaviour of lawmakers. case study of imo state house of assembly, study of human resources development in academic libraries. a case study of abia state polytechnic in abia state, effects of poor implementation of collection development policy in academic libraries. a case study of federal polytechnic nekede owerri, effects of privatization of the electronic media., problems of selection and acquisition of legal materials. a case study imo state judiciary library owerri, security problems in academic libraries of higher institution of learning. a case study of imo state university (imsu) library owerri, challenges in the education and training of library and information science students. a case study library and information science department federal polytechnic nekede owerri, effects of poor funding of public libraries. a case study of imo state public library owerri, book acquisition in academic libraries sources and methods. a case study of imo state polytechnic library umagwo, availability and accessibility of information resources by students in tertiary institution. a case study of fed poly nekede owerri.

Home » Blog » List of Interesting Library and Information Science Project Topics & Ideas for Beginners

List of Interesting Library and Information Science Project Topics & Ideas for Beginners

Library and information science project topics & ideas.

Library and Information Science — We have developed a compelling list of interesting Library and Information Science research project topics. These topics, when adequately executed, are guaranteed to get you a good grade in your final year project.

1. Strategies for Enhancing Information Services Delivery Using Digital Library System in Federal Universities in South-East Nigeria.

2. Utilization of Reference Resources among Postgraduate Students of Federal University Libraries in South East Nigeria.

3. Accessibility and Utilization of Legal Deposit Materials in National Library of Nigeria.

4. Internet Adoption in Federal University Libraries in South – East Nigeria.

5. Personnel Motivation and Job Performance in Public Libraries in South-South, Nigeria.

6. Consultancy Services among Academic Librarians in Three Nigerian Universities.

7. Comparative Study of Reference and Information Services in Academic Libraries in Ebonyi State of Nigeria.

8. Information Dissemination Strategies for Rural Development in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

9. Classroom Environment and Resources Required for Meeting the Information Needs of Students with Hearing Impairment in Nigerian Federal Universities.

10. Use of Library Outreach Services for Effective Service Delivery to Communities in Selected Public Libraries in South East Nigeria.

11. Utilization of Information Resources and Services in Medical Libraries in Enugu State.

12. Electronic Records Management (ERM) in Three Oil and Gas Companies in Niger Delta Region of Nigeria.

13. Information and Conflict Management in Selected Oil-Producing Communities of the Niger Delta from 1992-2021.

14. Preservation and Conservation of Library Resources in Federal Universities in South-East Zone, Nigeria.

15. Time Management and Academic Performance of Library and Information Science Undergraduate Students in Two Federal Universities in the South-East, Nigeria.

16. Utilization of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTS) in Public Library Services in Nigeria.

17. Public Library Extension Services in Kogi and Benue States, Nigeria.

18. Application of Information and Communication Technology Resources in University-Based Law Library Services in South-East, Nigeria.

19. Availability and Management of Reference and Information Services in Selected University Libraries in Enugu State, Nigeria.

20. Socio-Economic Factors Affecting Reading Habits of Junior Secondary School Students in Nsukka Local Government.

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Library and information science: practice, theory, and philosophical basis

2000, Information processing & management

Related Papers

WA A Weerasooriya

Bijan Kumar Roy

Luciano Floridi

This paper analyses the relations between philosophy of information (PI), library and information science (LIS) and social epistemology (SE). In the 􏰜rst section, it is argued that there is a natural relation between philosophy and LIS but that SE cannot provide a satisfactory foundation for LIS. SE should rather be seen as sharing with LIS a common ground, represented by the study of information, to be investigated by a new discipline, PI. In the second section, the nature of PI is outlined as the philosophical area that studies the conceptual nature of information, its dynamics and problems. In the third section, LIS is de􏰜ned as a form of applied PI. The hypothesis supported is that PI should replace SE as the philosophical discipline that can best provide the conceptual foundation for LIS. In the conclusion, it is suggested that the ‘identity’ crisis undergone by LIS has been the natural outcome of a justi􏰜ed but precocious search for a philosophical counterpart that has emerged only recently: namely, PI. The development of LIS should not rely on some borrowed, pre-packaged theory. As applied PI, LIS can fruitfully contribute to the growth of basic theoretical research in PI itself and thus provide its own foundation.

InSITE Conference

gholamreza fadaie

Prakash Jadhav

One can define research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. Research leads to progress in a profession. This paper is based on a survey of Ph.D. research in Library and Information Science in India. The study also deals with historical and developmental changes in the field of library and information science. It also focuses on the recent research trends due to emergence and use of Information and Communication Technology in the library as well as allied fields. The present study shows the scope for new research in various fields in LIS.

International Review of Humanities Studies

Taufik Asmiyanto

This article reviews the shift in the theoretical foundations of library and information science (LIS) on social epistemology to the philosophy of information. This shift bids have been submitted more than a decade ago where Luciano Floridi sees that the LIS has close relations with the philosophy of information. Paul Ricoeur's Hermeneutics Phenomenology used to understand and interpret Jesse Shera and Luciano Floridi's texts and to reveal the implicit and hidden meanings in the text. This reading indicates that the LIS is a discipline that not only deals with knowledge alone but rather takes care of the content that we understand as meaningful data. With that also, we understand the information not only as a matter of semantic and regarded as an epistemic prerequisite for the establishment of knowledge. However, beyond that, the information is placed as the ontological. Meaning of information, then, becomes important for LIS to place in the appropriate position. The foundation on the philosophy of information can break the chain of LIS dependence on another field theory and develop his theory. Therefore, this foundation does not only contribute praxis to produce solutions to technical problems that are commonly done regarding the improvement and development of library services. Although, this foundation can provide a 'new' space for scientists in this field to expand its epistemic motion.

Michael Bemis

This unique annotated bibliography is a complete, up-to-date guide to sources of information on library science, covering recent books, monographs, periodicals and websites, and selected works of historical importance. Far from just compiling a simple list of sources, Bemis digs deeper, examining the strengths and weaknesses of key works. A boon to researchers and practitioners alike, this bibliography *as a profession, the ethics of information science, cataloging, reference work, and library architecture *Encompasses encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, photographic surveys, statistical publications, and numerous electronic sources, all categorized by subject *Offers appendixes detailing leading professional organizations and publishers of library and information science literature This coimprehensive bibliography of English-language resources on librarianship, the only one of its kind, will prove invaluable to scholars, students, and anyone working in the field.

Australian Academic and Research Libraries

Concepcion Wilson

Australian Academic & Research Libraries

Susan Myburgh

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, tracking the research trends in the library and information science: a case study of india.

Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication

ISSN : 2514-9342

Article publication date: 14 June 2022

Issue publication date: 9 January 2024

The study aims to present an insight into the research landscape of Library and Information Science (LIS) by India using a bibliometric visualization tool. The study analyses the research growth and trends, highly cited articles, productive publication titles, institutional and country collaboration.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were downloaded from the Web of Science Core Collection for a period of 20 years and analysed through VOSviewer, a data visualization software.

The results indicate that the overall annual contributions are increasing, although with uneven and slow growth from 2001 to 2014. However, the highest contributions and impact is witnessed over the past few years. All the top 10 cited papers are related to the area of information processing and management. The visualization technique made it clear that the area of research has made a transition from traditional concepts of library and information to novel ones involving big data, machine learning, altmetrics, etc. Also, the Indian Institute of Technology System, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Indian Institute of Management System have made the highest contributions. Furthermore, India shares maximum collaborations with the USA, followed by England and China.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study would help readers to gain understanding about the contribution of India for the development of the LIS. It would also help researchers to identify the hotspots and left out areas of research in the Indian context that require further investigation, thus would help in policy decisions and future research. Furthermore, researchers will be sensitized about the network visualizations that can also help them to get connected with the peers. The study can also help the journals to recognize the trending topics, which will provide the researchers with the opportunities to work on the same. Funding agencies can also be benefitted by the findings of the current study as they will be informed about the research areas which need to be funded.

Originality/value

There are not many research studies that highlight the research trends in the area of LIS from India and visualize the collaboration among institutions and countries. The study tries to showcase the research trends and collaborative frameworks in the field of LIS in terms of network visualization.

• Bibliometrics
• Data visualization
• Research output-India
• Library and Information Science research
• Network visualization
• Scientometrics
• Research trends

Acknowledgements

Conflict of interest: There is no potential conflict of interest in the research.

Gupta, S. and Gul, S. (2024), "Tracking the research trends in the library and information science: a case study of India", Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication , Vol. 73 No. 1/2, pp. 202-218. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-11-2021-0184

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LIBRARIANSHIP STUDIES & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Librarianship studies & information technology.

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• Other Important LIS Research Resources

• Browse by Year where Division is "School of Computing and Information > Library and Information Science"
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• Published in print (if yes provide details of publisher, place, etc.)
• Your comments/experiences about your research work
• Knowledge Organization Literature - International Society for Knowledge Organization - Despite their extensive classification and coding (see https://www.isko.org/scheme.php ) you can't search for theses or dissertations specifically, and likely most of what is included here could be relevant for our purposes - but you can browse the lists built for each time period. So, once we nail down our first and then subsequent time periods, that might be the way to go.
• So You Wanna Do A Thesis? Part 1: Preparation
• Suggested Topics for Library Science Research and Publication
• Librarianship Studies & Information Technology blog thanks, Sandra K. Roe (Sandy Roe) , chief editor, Cataloging & Classification Quarterly  journal for suggesting some useful resources included in this list. This article is inspired by her vision of a compilation of a bibliography of research works (dissertations and theses) in the field of library cataloging, classification, and metadata.
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• Sandra K. Roe (Sandy Roe), Librarian, Illinois State University, Editor, Cataloging & Classification Quarterly   [July 17, 2016, e-mail] -- Wow.  This is an amazing compilation, complete with search instructions   - and such a great idea to solicit other sources from the community.  Brilliant!
• Stephen Abram, Librarian and principal with Lighthouse Consulting Inc., and executive director of the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries   [August 1, 2016, in his blog Stephen's Lighthouse] - Great list of sources – fee and free.

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Library and Information Science Project Topics & Materials PDF Download

Library and information science project topics and materials PDF download with seminar work for final year undergraduates and master’s students in 2020 and 2021.

Are you a final year student in need of library and information science project topics and materials? you are on the right page. We have a complete list of library and information science project topics with good research and complete materials ready for download in PDF or DOC format.

Welcome to Edustore.NG, your number online academic  research library in Nigeria . This article will do justice by listing out free project topics on library and information science and affordable research materials for final year students in NCE, OND, HND, BSC, PGDE, MSC, Ph.D.

ATTENTION⇔ CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL TOPICS & MATERIALS»

Free Library and Information Science Project Topics & Materials For Final Year Students

In our research archive, we have lots of free library and information science project topics, and premium research papers in bibliography, Academic library, library resources utilization e.t.c. And also, related research seminar titles and journals for final year students in the library and information science department.

Below is a list of best library and information science project topics and materials PDF documents for students acquiring a degree in the college of education (NCE), National Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma (HND), and Bachelor of Science (BSC).

Masters and Ph.D. students can also get their thesis and dissertation topics on this page. All you need to do is to select your topics below and submit to your supervisor for approval. Then after approval come back for your complete material.

Contents of Library and Information Science Project Material PDF Document

Our library and information science project topics on this website have their complete works and materials and ready for instant download in PDF or MS-Word format. All library and information science project topics on this website are free and the complete material comes with Chapters 1-5 including the Proposal, Abstract , Introduction, Literature Review, Data Analysis and Presentation, Conclusion, Recommendation,  References /Bibliography, Questionnaires.

Do you need a copy of any complete project material? you can contact us: (+234) 08060082010, 08107932631 or via email address: [email protected]

List of Free Library and Information Science Project Topics & Research Materials

• Change Management In The Library Environment For Organizational Renewal
• Impact Of Poor Funding Of Nigeria Library On The Literacy Level Of Nigerians
• The Uneme Noun Phrase
• Value Or Significance Of Remote Access To The Library’S Electronic Resources (Academic, Municipal, Public Libraries)
• Discussion Of Information Literacy As An Educational Reform For Utilizing Technology In The Curriculum
• Art Work Display In The Academic Library To Promote Spirituality Or To Support Liberal Arts And The Humanities Mong Students/Faculty
• Articulation Of An Information Policy For A Campus
• Adaptive Equipment Technology For Supporting Handicapped Persons In The Library Environment
• Challenges And Opportunities In Migrating To Web-Based Information Services
• Students In The Academic Library: Client, Customer Or Patron And The Difference It Makes In How We Refer To Our Users And Community Of Student/Faculty Scholars
• Value Proposition Statement For Libraries: What It Is And How It Is Best Determined And Articulated
• Virtual Reference: What It Is, How To Do It, Examples, Types Of Questions
• Web-Based Bibliographic Instruction
• Analysis And Customer Service Quality Plan, Marketing Plan, Strategic Plan, Technology Plan) For An Academic Library
• Wireless Connectivity: Its Transformative Impact On The Academic Library Writing A Plan (Action Plan For Some Activity, Advertising Plan, Communications Plan
• Collection Development Strategies For Academic Programs
• Administration And Leadership Of Inter Library Loan Departments, Consortia, Cooperatives, Networks
• Advances In Search Engine Technology And Their Impacts On Libraries
• Common Culture Created/Supported/Enhanced By The Academic Library On Campus
• Acquisition And Deployment Of Technology In The Library Environment
• Accreditation And The Role Of The Academic Library In Undergraduate, Graduate, And Other Teaching Programs (Adult, Community, Distance Education)
• Assessing The Impact Of Public Library Services On The Literacy Level Of Nigerians
• The Impact Of Information Communication Technology On Nigerian Public Academic Libraries
• The Challenges Of Acquisition Of Library Material And Services To Users In Special Libraries In Nigeria
• Impact Of Automation Of Academic Libraries
• A Comparative Study On Strategies For Combating Book Theft In Public Academic Libraries
• Digitization Of Local Collections And Its Impact On Scholarship In The Library
• Developing An Annual Academic Agenda For The Library Including Benchmarks And Performance Measures
• Dealing Strategies And Outcomes For Difficult Patron In The Library Environment
• Cost-Drivers And The Criteria For Selecting Cost Drivers For Various Library Activities, E.G., Automation, Communications, Facilities And Physical Plant, Human Resources, Public Services, Public And Community Relations, Technical Services, Technology
• Cost Or Time Study Of Library Programs, Services And Collections, Including Description Of The Methodology And Outcomes At Your Library
• Effective Allocations Strategies For Collection Development Among Academic And Non-Academic Units In An Academic, Public, Or Special Library
• Effective Budgeting Strategies Linked To Outcome
• Effective Library Support For Distance Education Programs; Strategies For Equalizing Access To Library Resources For On-Campus Students And Distance Education Learners
• Effectiveness Of State And Federal Library Grant Programs (Or Any Single Program)
• Core Technology And/Or Emerging Technology Trends In The Library Environment
• Core Digital Resources For Small And/Or Medium Size Libraries (Academic, Public, Special)
• Impact Of Full-Text Databases On Inter-Library Loan Services
• Library Implications Of The Growing Power Of Information Technology To Transform The Means Of Research, Teaching, And Scholarly Communication
• Implications For The Library As Accreditation Shifts From An Emphasis On Library Resources To Information Literacy
• Identifying The “Sizzle” In The Library’S Programs, Services And Collections
• Hub Library Networks
• Good Communication As An Essential Component For Strong Employee Relations
• Library In Higher Education As An Economic Engine
• Library Search Tools In Environments Such As Learning Management Systems (Eg. Blackboard) Or Social Network Infrastructure
• Electronic Resources And Their Impact On The Academic Library: Library Visits, Reference Service And Circulation
• Library Services For Virtual High Schools, Virtual Colleges And Universities, Home Schooled Student
• Library Services In A Linguistically Diverse Community
• Library Staff As Emergency Responders, E.G., Organizing And Running Resident Information Centers During Storms And Emergencies
• Models Of Library Service Through The Use Of Computers, Networks, And The Internet Open-Access Data/Collections And Its Value For Providing Context To Local Collections Outsourcing Of Services
• Programming To Attract Students To The Academic Library (Art Exhibitions, Book Swaps, Comfortable Furniture, Expresso Bars, Hosting Campus Meetings And Conferences, Lectures, Poetry Readings)
• Providing Academic Library Services In An Environment Where Faculty Are Increasingly Teaching A Curriculum That Draws Less And Less On Library Resources
• Quality Assurance, Efficiency Studies, And Best Practices – How They Impact The Library
• Restructuring Access On Web Pages To The Library’S Programs, Services, And Collections On The Basis Of Frequency Of-Use Rather Than Library Organizational Structure Or Alphabetical Arrangement
• Revenue Opportunities For Libraries, E.G., Advertisements On Computer Screens
• Role Of Consortium Membership For Expanding Access And Resources
• Role Of Electronic Text-Based Collections With Multimedia Content
• Role Of The Homepage As “The” Platform For Delivering Library Programs, Services, And Collections
• Role Of The Library As An Information Resource In Promoting Human Rights
• Role Of The Library In The Ubiquitous Computer (Information Technology) Environment
• Role Of The Library As An Information Resource In Globalization
• Media Center And Computer Labs For Access To Digital Environment
• Mobile Library Services (Problems, Challenges, Opportunities, Technology) Through Using Smart Devices With Small Screens Such As Laptops, Pocket Pcs, Blackberrys, Palms, And Data-Enabled Cell Phones
• Metrics For Evaluating Library Performance And Services
• Maximizing The Value Of Information Technology In The Library Environment
• Measuring The Quality Of Library Services
• Changing Nature Of Reference Questions In Type And Number
• A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE WAYS OF GENERATING INCOME IN NIGERIAN LIBRARIES
• A BIBLIOGRAPHIC SURVEY ON THE TYPES OF LIBRARIES IN NIGERIA (2004 – 2010)
• Application Of Information And Communication Technology In The Management Of Nigerian Academic Libraries
• Uses Of The Internet Facilities By Librarians
• Strategies For Improving Records Management Skills Of Librarian In Archives
• Challenges And Prospects Of The Availability And Utilization Of Ict In Processing Information Resources By Tsd
• University Library And The Challenges Of Globalization
• The Problems Of Indigenous Book Publishing In Nigeria
• The Information Needs Of Staff Involved In Poverty Alleviation
• A BIBLIOGRAPHY ON MARITIME COLUMN IN VANGUARD NEWSPAPER 2006-2008
• Challenges Of Collection Development In Nigeria Public Libraries
• Book Designing And Illustration In Nigerian Publishing Houses
• Job Prospects For Library And Information Science Graduates In Nigeria
• Utilization Of School Library Resources
• Challenges In The Provision Of Rerographic Services
• Storage And Preservation Of Library And Information Materials
• Examination Malpractices And Its Adverse Effects On Teaching And Learning
• Marketing Of Library Services In Academic Libraries
• An Evaluation Of Textbooks And Reference Book Selection Tools Available In The Library
• Availability And Utilization Of Ict Facilities
• Comparative Study On Leadership Style And Staff Productivity
• Challenges And Prospect Of The Acquisition And Application Of Ict To Library Services
• Sources Of Information Materials In Nigerian Academic Libraries
• The Study Of Strategies And Challenges Of Public Relation Practice In University Library
• Use Of The Internet Facilities By Bankers
• The Study Of Reference Tools In The Library
• Evaluation Of Reference Services In Nigeria Academic Libraries
• Study Of The Impact And Challenges Of Industrial Conflict On Staff Production In The Public Libraries
• Challenges Of School Library Development
• Relevance Of Cataloging And Classification In Library And Information Science Curriculum
• The Challenges Of Indigenous Publishing
• Information Needs Of Petty Traders
• Budgeting In Nigerian University Libraries
• Financial Management In Nigerian Public Libraries
• Prudent Financial Management In Nigerian Public Libraries
• The Impact Of Hospital Library On Clinical Decision Making In Nigeria
• Public Relations Practices In Nigerian Public Libraries
• Stock Acquisition In Alex Ekwueme Library Federal Polytechnic
• Bibliographic Information On Taxation In Nigeria (2008-2014)
• Index Survey On The 2011-2013 Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnic (Asup) Strike In Nigeria
• Compilation Of Bibliography On Poultry
• A BIBLIOGRAPHIC SURVEY ON TYPES OF LIBRARIES IN NIGERIA (2004-2010)
• Users Patronage In The Institute Of Management And Technology
• The Problems And Prospects Of Reference Services In Academic Libraries
• The Classification And Knowledge Development By Technical Librarians In Academic Libraries
• Stock Acquisition In Alex Ekwueme Library
• School Libraries As An Effective Instrument For Achieving Academic Excellence
• Information Retrieval Systems In Academic Libraries
• Information Retrieval Methods
• Evaluation Of Technical Services In Central Library Board
• Compilation On Bibliographic Abstract And Index Bibliographic Information On Taxation In Nigeria
• Compilation Of Bibliography On Abortion In Nigeria (2009-2012)
• Bibliographic Survey On Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnic (Asup) Strike In Nigeria
• Bibliographic Information On Mass Media (2010-2013)
• Bibliographic Information On Corruption In Nigeria Political System (2009-2013)
• Development Of Public Library In Nigeria With Reference
• A BIBLIOGRAPHIC SURVEY ON TYPES OF LIBRARIES IN NIGERIA
• The Impact Of Public Library Services
• Users Patronage
• Stock Acquisition In Library
• Evaluation Of Technical Services In Abia State Central Library Board
• University Transcript Generation System
• The Level Of Information Overload And Anxiety Among Undergraduates
• The Extent Of Information And Communication Technologies (Ict) Integration In The Public Libraries
• Management Functions And Students’ Satisfaction With Library Services In Public Secondary Schools
• Influence Of Social Networking Sites And Library 2.0 As A Gateway To Information Access And Knowledge Sharing In Prof. Festus Aghagbonwako Library
• Influence Of Social Networking Sites And Library 2.0 As A Gateway To Information Access And Knowledge Sharing
• Identifying Approach And Methodology For The Continued Progress Of Library Studies And Information Management
• Extent Of Integration Of Ict In Public Library Services
• Examining The Influence Of Use Of School Libraries In Promoting Reading Culture Among Secondary School Students
• Evaluation Of The Quality Assurance Practices Of Nigerian University Libraries
• Availability And Utilization Of Information Resources And Services In The Special Education Centre Libraries
• Assessment Of Undergraduate Programme Of Library And Information Science In Selected Library Schools
• An Assessment Of Information Resources And Service Provision Of Staff School Libraries
• An Analysis On The Performance Of Management Functions And Students’ Satisfaction With Library Services In State Public Secondary Schools
• Adoption Of Cloud Computing Technology For Library Services In The National Open University Of Nigeria Library
• The Problems And Prospect Of Reference Services In Academic Libraries
• Information And Communication Technology As A Tool For Organizational Growth
• Development Of Public Library In Nigeria
• Impact Of Information Communication Technology (Ict) On Staff Training And Development In John Harris Library In University Of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria
• Design Of Library Automation And Management Software.
• Strategies For Combating Book Theft And Vandalism In Academic Libraries
• Effects Of Poor Funding Of Public Libraries In Nigeria
• Security Problems In Academic Libraries Of Higher Institution Of Learning
• Preservation And Conservation Of Library Materials
• Book Acquisition In Academic Libraries Sources And Methods
• Problems Of Book Acquisition In Academic Libraries
• Problems Of Selection And Acquisition Of Legal Materials
• Role Of Ict In The Effective Management Of Students Academic Record
• Strategies For Effective Management Of College Library Resources
• Ways Of Improving The Use Of School Library By Secondary School Students
• Staff Development Programme In The Academic Library In Nigeria
• Role Of Ict In The Of Reference Services To Library Users In Nigeria
• Study Of The Problems Of Private Libraries In Nigerian
• Problems Of Acquisition Of Material And Services To Users In Special Libraries In Nigeria
• Use Of Information And Communication Technology In Academic Libraries In Nigeria
• Acquisition And Management Of Serial In Academic Libraries
• Importance Of Internet To Students Of Academic Institutions In Nigeria
• Ways For Generating Additional Income In Academic Libraries
• Automation Of Academic Libraries, Challenges And Gains
• Availability And Accessibility Of Information Resources By Students In Tertiary Institution
• Use Of Mobile Phones By Pharmacy Students In Nigeria Universities
• Utilization Of Internet Facilities By Law Students
• Survey Of Motivation In Government Libraries
• Survey Of The Use Of Books For Bibliotherapy By Library And Information Science Students
• Survey Of Preservation And Conservation Of Local History Collections In Nigeria
• Shelving Of Library Material In College Libraries
• Selection And Acuisition Of Legal Materials
• Publishing Processes And Technologies
• Role Of Museum In The Preservation Of Knowledge
• Role Of Library Committee In The Development Of An Academic Library
• Information Needs And Information Seeking Behaviour Of Children In Public Libraries.
• Library Resources And Security Challenges
• Record Management Of Archival Material
• Availability And Use Of Library Resources In Training Libraries By Students
• Impact Of Internet On Postgraduate Research
• Disaster Preparedness And Security Management In Archives
• Funding Of Medical Libraries
• Challenges Of Selection And Acquisition Of Grey Literature In Libraries
• Utilization Of School Library Resources By Secondary School Students
• Preservation Of Library Materials In Public Libraries
• Preservation Of Archival Materials In National Archives
• Compilation Of Bibiliography On Poultry In Nigeria 2010 – 2015
• Bibliographic Compilation On Corruption In Nigeria 2010 – 2013
• The Use Of Information And Communication Technologies By Library Professionals
• The Use Of Information And Communication Technologies By Library Professionals In Delta State
• Impact Of Information Communication Technology In The Dissemination Of Information In Special Libraries
• Funding Of Nigerian Medical Libraries
• Bibliographic Information On Mass Media In (2010-2013)
• Bibliographic Information On Corruption In Nigeria Political System
• Challenges Of Selection And Acquisition Of Grey Literature
• Challenges Of Selection And Acquisition Of Grey Literature In Nigerian Libraries
• Utilization Of School Library Resources By Secondary School Students In Nigeria
• The Impact Of Information Communication Technology On Nigeria’S Public Academic Libraries
• Impact Of Staff Training On Library Development
• Strategies For Generating Revenue For Public Libraries In Nigeria
• The Impact Of Public Library Services To The People
• Training Needs Of Librarians For Digital Library Projects In Federal University Libraries
• Bibliographic Information On Taxation In Nigeria
• Problems And Prospect Of Reference Services In Academic Libraries
• Evaluation Of Technical Services
• Information Dissemination On Agriculture In Nigeria
• Information Needs And Resource Utilization By People Living With Hiv/Aids
• Library User Education In Tertiary Institutions In Nigeria
• The Problems And Prospect Of Reference Services In Academic Libraries In Anambra State
• Users Patronage In The Institute Of Management And Technology, Enugu Library
• Evaluation Of Technical Services In Abia State Central Library Board, Umuahia.
• Information Dissemination On Agriculture In Nigeria: A Case Of Study Anambra State Agricultural Development Programme (Adp) Awka
• Information Needs And Resource Utilization By People Living With Hiv/Aids: A Case Study Of Esut Teaching Hospital Parklane Enugu
• Information Retrieval Methods (A Case Study Of Onitsha Divisional Library)
• Information Retrieval Systems In Academic Libraries (A Case Study Of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede Owerri)
• Library User Education In Tertiary Institutions In Nigeria: A Case Study Of The Federal College Of Education (Technical) Umunze
• School Libraries As An Effective Instrument For Achieving Academic Excellence A Case Study Of Schools In Owerri Town
• Stock Acquisition In Alex Ekwueme Library Federal Polytechnic, Oko Anambra State.
• The Classification And Knowledge Development By Technical Librarians In Academic Libraries In Anambra State.
• The Problems And Prospect Of Reference Services In Academic Libraries In Anambra State. A Case Study Of Anambra State University, Uli.

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