7
Chapter 1 Introduction Amanda Spink and Jannica Heinstro ¨m 1.1. Introduction Library and information science (LIS) is an academic, intellectual and industrial field with a large international reach. LIS educates library and information professionals, and is an active field in research and practice with a tradition of research development, standards, networks and distribution worldwide. The field has in recent years experienced a significant growth and development in all parts of the world, however, the field’s long-term future is at the same time being challenged by new technologies, education changes and the development of new industries. A refocusing from a library to an information focus is in development within the LIS field. However, the field of information is also being grasped by the technology fields on the one hand and the psychological/behavioural fields on the other. Unfortunately for the field of LIS, information is now everyone’s problem and of greater interest to more scientific fields and in addition, industry and government are looking for information management solutions that require technolo- gical development based on the psychological quality research. How the LIS field survives over the next 20 years will be played out in educational and industry environments globally. To further understand the state of the LIS field, this book focuses on current LIS trends in Europe, one of the strongest areas in the LIS field. Few previous publications have focused on the field of LIS in Europe as a whole, although many papers and books have addressed education or research trends or projects in particular countries. Certainly, this book does not attempt to provide a complete bibliography of the previous literature in the field. This would be a good topic for a separate bibliographic or bibliometric study. Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Library and Information Science, Volume 6, 3–9 Copyright r 2012 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited All rights of reproduction in any form reserved ISSN: 1876-0562/doi:10.1108/S1876-0562(2012)0000006004

[Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

  • Upload
    jannica

  • View
    215

  • Download
    0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

Chapter 1

Introduction

Amanda Spink and Jannica Heinstrom

1.1. Introduction

Library and information science (LIS) is an academic, intellectual andindustrial field with a large international reach. LIS educates library andinformation professionals, and is an active field in research and practice witha tradition of research development, standards, networks and distributionworldwide. The field has in recent years experienced a significant growth anddevelopment in all parts of the world, however, the field’s long-term future isat the same time being challenged by new technologies, education changesand the development of new industries. A refocusing from a library to aninformation focus is in development within the LIS field. However, the fieldof information is also being grasped by the technology fields on the onehand and the psychological/behavioural fields on the other. Unfortunatelyfor the field of LIS, information is now everyone’s problem and of greaterinterest to more scientific fields and in addition, industry and governmentare looking for information management solutions that require technolo-gical development based on the psychological quality research. How the LISfield survives over the next 20 years will be played out in educational andindustry environments globally.

To further understand the state of the LIS field, this book focuses oncurrent LIS trends in Europe, one of the strongest areas in the LIS field. Fewprevious publications have focused on the field of LIS in Europe as a whole,althoughmany papers and books have addressed education or research trendsor projects in particular countries. Certainly, this book does not attempt toprovide a complete bibliography of the previous literature in the field. Thiswould be a good topic for a separate bibliographic or bibliometric study.

Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe

Library and Information Science, Volume 6, 3–9

Copyright r 2012 by Emerald Group Publishing Limited

All rights of reproduction in any form reserved

ISSN: 1876-0562/doi:10.1108/S1876-0562(2012)0000006004

Page 2: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

4 Amanda Spink and Jannica Heinstrom

1.2. Major Trends

Europe is presently living a dynamic time of change, politically, economic-ally and socially. These changes reflect in the area of LIS in several ways.Ideological changes influence the practice of the field, such as the publiclibrary sector. Political decisions, such as the Bologna process towards aunified University education, push education in the field towards trans-parency and unity. Economic constraints related to research funding requirea more explicit and competitive research focus. The multicultural andmultilingual landscape of Europe present challenges for research andpractical application.

LIS education and research in Europe is at present scattered with a greatvariety in focus and academic identity in LIS departments across Europe.For instance in France, the information science field remains merged withcommunication, struggling for its own identity. The Bologna process whichaims for a transparent educational system which promotes mobility withinEurope, aims for a unification of education in various European institutions.LIS educational institutions are at the same time in the process of re-evaluating education to match the current information environment. Thiscalls for rethinking and at times new educational wholes. Similarly we seetrends towards re-creation and evolvement of the professional role inpractice. The practice within public librarianship is also influenced bymodels from the private sector. The increasing evaluation of research inorder to allocate funding has had a significant impact on the researchdevelopment in, for instance, the United Kingdom, where it has pushed LISdepartments towards a stronger identification of strengths and profiles.

Despite challenges, a significant major trend is the growth of the LIS fieldin Europe, and particularly in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. This growthis evident in an increase in the number of educational programmes, studentsand academics in the LIS field in Europe, expansion of LIS programmes, agrowing focus on information and away from libraries, and growth inresearch outputs. Many western European countries, such as Germany,have been fairly stable in LIS education growth with a decline in traditionallibrary education in the United Kingdom. Europe has also providededucation and training for non-European LIS professional and academicsover the years, and continues to do so particularly at the PhD level. Anumber of regional conferences, such as the LIDA (Libraries in the DigitalAge), provide opportunities for networking and dissemination of researchoutputs. Many LIS journals are also based in Europe with publishers suchas Emerald Group Publishing, Elsevier and Springer. In addition, apartfrom English language publications, many local language publications arepublished. Overall, the LIS field in Europe has experienced expansion, andan examination of the trends is worth exploring.

Page 3: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

Introduction 5

We focus first on trends related to library policy and practice. Secondlywe focus on trends in LIS research within Europe, and thirdly trends inteaching and education. Finally we address cultural aspects of the LIS fieldin Europe.

1.3. Book Outline

Section I: Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 1 provides an introduction to the bookand discusses the overall trends that emerge from the book chapters.

Section II: Library Policy and Practice

Chapter 2: The Emergence and Impact of Neoliberal Ideology on UK

Public Library Policy, 1997–2010 — Margaret Greene and David

McMenemy Chapter 2 by Margaret Greene and David McMenemydiscusses how neoliberal ideology has influenced public librarianship inthe United Kingdom. Greene and McMenemy outline how the transitionfrom a collectivist service provision to an emphasis on an individualisedservice can be linked to a larger societal and political move towards aconsumerist society. A discourse analysis of policy documents related topublic librarianship provides key terms in narratives of managerialism andconsumerism, and underlines that language is never neutral. The chapterinvites us to critically reflect upon the wider context and implications of theongoing development of public librarianship in the United Kingdom.

Chapter 3: EBLIP and Organisational Recipes: An Analysis of the Adoption

and Interpretation of EBLIP in the Library and Information Sector — Carl

Gustav Johannsen and Niels Ole Pors Chapter 3 by Carl Gustav Johannsenand Niels Ole Pors discusses the adoption of Evidence-based library andinformation practice (EBLIP) in Europe with a focus on its development inthe Nordic countries. EBLIP can be understood as an organisational recipewhich needs to fit the organisational culture in order to be adopted.Information culture, leadership, national culture, and the accreditation andsuccess of the EBLIP recipe all influence how EBLIP is received. The cultureof the practice is identified as another key to the success of EBLIP.Johannsen and Pors discuss how, in the public library sector, the concept ofevidence is largely understood as part of daily practice, rather than a resultof systematic review, and the research orientation is not as strong as, for

Page 4: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

6 Amanda Spink and Jannica Heinstrom

example, in academic libraries. By bringing all the elements together thechapter provides a thorough understanding of why EBLIP has not yet beenwidely adapted in the public library sector in the Nordic countries.

Chapter 4: The ‘Europeanisation’ of Cataloguing Codes: An Analysis of the

Evolution of RDA — Alan Poulter Chapter 4 by Alan Poulter addressesattempts to develop a common set of cataloguing rules throughout Europe.Poulter provides an overview of the development of cataloguing rules inEurope over time and introduces the latest code, namely ResourceDescription and Access (RDA) 2011. The benefits and challenges linkedto the introduction of a uniform set of rules in a culturally and linguisticallydiverse setting such as Europe are presented. An email survey of keystakeholders in European cataloguing reveals that they share a positiveoutlook towards the potential of a shared code, such as the RDA. However,they also acknowledge that this development is not without challenges andconcerns. The chapter concludes by identifying the current state ofdevelopment and gives suggestions for the way forward.

Chapter 5: Virtual Path and Hame-Wiki as Examples of Library 2.0 Services

in Finland — Terttu Kortelainen, Samppa Rohkimainen, Marja Haapaniemi,

Maria Kronqvist-Berg and Maija Saraaste In Chapter 5, Terttu Kortelainen,Samppa Rohkimainen, Marja Haapaniemi, Maria Kronqvist-Berg andMaija Saraaste, provide two examples of Library 2.0 services in Finland.Firstly, Hame-Wiki is a user-generated regional database based on wikitechnology. Secondly, Virtual Path offers maps to culture, nature, sport andlocal services. The content of each Website is produced by or based oninformation provided by local citizens, private companies and publicadministration. The growing number of downloads of articles and maps,and the increasing number of in-links show that both Websites are highlysuccessful. The development of the content of the Websites, for examplefrom the intended cultural focus to the user chosen focus on sports, alsounderlines a new reciprocity where users adapt information services to meettheir needs. The chapter shows how reaching out and involving the localcommunity may offer new forms of library services which integrate withusers in their everyday life.

Section III: Research Perspectives

Chapter 6: The Assessment of Research Quality in UK Departments of

Library and Information Management — Peter Willett Chapter 6 by PeterWillett provides an extensive discussion of the UK Research Assessment

Exercise

Page 5: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

Introduction 7

(RAE) to assess UK University research quality conducted by the UKfunding councils from 1986 to 2008. Willett outlines how RAE proceduresand criteria for research assessment have developed through the years andlooks into the future to the upcoming Research Excellence Framework(REF) of 2014. Willett demonstrates that the assessments havesignificantly increased the quality of UK research in the field of libraryand information management (LIM). However, the number of traditionalLIM departments submitted for RAE assessment has decreased duringthis time period. A small number of departments characterised by long-established research traditions have dominated the UK LIM rankings.

Chapter 7: Research Assessment and the Shaping of Library and Information

Research in the United Kingdom — David Ellis In Chapter 7 David Elliscontinues the discussion of the UK RAE with an emphasis on how theseexercises have influenced the direction of UK library and informationstudies. Ellis highlights how the RAE pushed departments to develop astronger and more focused research agenda by formalising research groups,identifying strengths and developing stronger research themes and strategies.The chapter provides a comprehensive review of research foci in UKinformation studies and information science, information management,social informatics, information systems, information interaction, socialcomputing and computational informatics. Ellis’s chapter is a rich overviewof the diverse landscape of library and information studies in the UnitedKingdom.

Chapter 8: Challenges for Globalised Information Systems in a Multilingual

and Multicultural Context — Matthias Gortz, Thomas Mandl, Katrin

Werner, Christa Womser-Hacker Chapter 8 by Matthias Gortz, ThomasMandl, Katrin Werner and Christa Womser-Hacker discusses globalisationas a key success factor for any organisation of today. In a multilingual andmulticultural context, such as Europe, this poses new challenges for efficientinformation management. Information systems and technologies needsto support multiple languages, and information processes need to accountfor cultural differences. This chapter addresses these issues and discusseshow information science research may contribute with solutions tolinguistic and cultural obstacles to an optimal information flow. Toillustrate this process, user-oriented research in the areas informationretrieval, information behaviour and human–computer interaction at theUniversity of Hildesheim, Germany, is presented.

Page 6: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

8 Amanda Spink and Jannica Heinstrom

Section IV: Educational Perspectives

Chapter 9: The Bologna Process Impact on Library and Information Science

Education: Towards Europeisation of the Curriculum — Anna Maria

Tammaro Chapter 9 by Anna Maria Tammaro discusses how theBologna process of Europeisation of University education in Europe hasinfluenced LIS education. The Bologna process aims to facilitate mobilityand transferability between educational institutions in Europe byharmonising the structure, quality and learning outcomes of variousinstitutions. Student-centered education, research orientation andconstructivist learning are core components in this process. One of thechallenges within LIS, however, is the lack of agreement on the professionalrole, and consequently, curriculum emphasis in LIS education in variousEuropean countries. The chapter addresses these challenges and discussespossible solutions.

Chapter 10: Education for Digital Librarians: Some European Observations —

Sue Myburgh and Anna Maria Tammaro Chapter 10 by Sue Myburghand Anna Maria Tammaro discusses how several recent European initiativeshave underlined the importance of digitisation. Digital libraries call forrethinking of the core of the LIS profession, and the expertise that is requiredin the virtual information environment. Reconsideration is needed in relationto the nature and social purpose of the profession, as well as to the coreknowledge and concepts of the domain. This chapter outlines how the core ofthe profession may be redefined to adequately respond to these demands. Inorder for the digital initiatives to be successful adequate education ofinformation professionals is needed so that the future generation obtainrelevant skills and competencies for the virtual information world.

Chapter 11: New Directions in Information Management Education in

Denmark: On the Importance of Partnerships with the Business Community

and the Role of Interdisciplinary Theory to Create a Coherent Framework for

Information Management — Dorte Madsen Chapter 11 by Dorte Madsenpresents the foundation and development of a bachelor programme ininformation management in Denmark. Design of the programme sprungfrom an analysis of the need of the business community which called forgraduates with a holistic view of information processes and practices inorganisations. The programme was designed as problem-oriented, workingin close interaction with the business community, integrating theory andpractice. Leaning on interdisciplinary theory the programme elements weredesigned to facilitate a stepwise progress from multidisciplinarity throughinterdisciplinarity to transdisciplinarity gradually building the professionalidentity of the student. The detailed description of the programme

Page 7: [Library and Information Science] Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe Volume 6 || Introduction

Introduction 9

development where the whole and overall outcome is the point of departure,rather than specific elements such as courses, provides a useful model fordevelopment of educational programmes that may be applied in severalcontexts.

Section V: Cultural Perspectives

Chapter 12: Information Science in France. Emergence, Evolution and

Perspectives — Fidelia Ibekwe-SanJuan Chapter 12 by Fidelia Ibekwe-SanJuan illustrates how governmental policies and priorities may shape thedevelopment of a scientific field, in this case information science in France.In France, the field of information science grew from a need to developinformation infrastructures. From this followed that the focus of the fieldwas technology-oriented, leaving theoretical and conceptual developmentbehind. The institutional context where information science merged withthe bigger field of communication posed additional challenges for the fieldto grow. This historical development has left France with a scatteredinformation science landscape that is still struggling to find its identity. Thecurrent trend has seen the field turn towards its humanistic roots, but thelack of coherence is still apparent. The chapter ends with recommendationsfor the way forward.