This article argues for the usefulness of experiential learning as a vehicle for democratic civic engagement in North American library and information science programs. First, we explore the literature on service learning, traditionally the primary type of experiential learning in LIS. We define and provide historical context and scrutinize…

According to the American Library Association (ALA), organizational sustainability requires social equity, and serving diverse populations is mandated in the ALA Library Bill of Rights and its Policy Manual on Diversity. Preparation to serve diverse and marginalized populations is a key ingredient in creating the type of resilient leaders needed…

Technological innovations have led to an increase in demand for information technology (IT) skills in contemporary library and information agencies. This in turn has created an increased need for pedagogical skills on the part of library and information science (LIS) professionals for them to empower users with knowledge and skills to navigate a…

As data has become critical to our everyday lives, a growing concern with the skills gap required to exploit the data surfeit has arisen; library and information science practitioners and educators have recognized this concern. This paper is intended to identify current trends in library and information science education in response to the rising…

Because information and documentation units in libraries have responsibility for an ever-increasing number of projects, this paper aims at analyzing the discipline of project management in library and information science (LIS) from a professional perspective. To that end, the researchers employed quantitative and qualitative methodology based on a…

This article is an exploration of ways in which LIS educators can consider culture, heritage, and identity as a framework for becoming participatory agents of their teaching practices in the LIS classroom. To support this framework, this discussion introduces the research methodology, practitioner inquiry, as a meaningful approach to studying…

In this study we investigated the research designs employed to study the interdisciplinary profession of school librarianship during a time period of notable changes across both the Pre-K-12 and school library domains. To conduct this work, we analyzed all 217 articles published in "School Library Research" (SLR) and "School…

Since the 1960s, many scholars have questioned the relationship between library science and information science. This paper investigates LIS doctoral dissertations in terms of their topics and interdisciplinarity in the period 1960-2013. Results show that LIS is an interdisciplinary field in which library science and information science are…

This article examines the topicality of Library and Information Science (LIS) dissertations written between 1930 and 2009 at schools with American Library Association (ALA)--accredited university programs in North America. Dissertation titles and abstracts were examined for the presence of library-related keywords drawn from the core curricula of…

The growth of online learning has exposed fundamental gaps in our knowledge, both theoretical and pragmatic. This research investigated some questions of the role of emergent leaders in online leaning and the influence of different behaviors. Firstly are there any common factors that identify thought-leaders? Secondly does the presence of…

Discusses what makes occupations develop into professions, what prevents this development, and the functions that differentiate professional and paraprofessional library work. The factors that have influenced the development of paraprofessionalism in library and information work are examined, and paraprofessionalism in North American and…

Includes annotated entries for several hundred associations and organizations headquartered in North America whose interests are in some manner significant to the fields of instructional technology/educational media, library and information science, communication, computer technology, and others. They are organized into two geographic areas, the…

Includes annotated entries for several hundred associations and organizations headquartered in North America whose interests are in some manner significant to the fields of instructional technology/educational media, library and information science, communication, computer technology, and others. They are organized into two geographic areas, the…

These four reports discuss the electronic publishing industry, including dedicated reading devices for electronic books, reader software, Web-based commercial e-book libraries, intellectual property issues, and standards; outsourcing practices in libraries; the use of Internet filters in North American schools; and recent developments and future…

Discusses the graduate route to professional qualification in library and information science in North America. Examines the 70-year shift from bachelor's to master's programs; existing undergraduate library science programs, the debate over undergraduate programs, and the establishment of new undergraduate programs in specialized areas like…