It has been almost 50 years since Robert Taylor published his classic 1968 article, "Question-Negotiation and Information Seeking in Libraries," in "College & Research Libraries"; yet much of what that article discussed is as fresh today as it was back then. It has been identified as a classic because it has enduring themes…

Discussion of feminist scholarship and feminist thinking focuses on feminism in librarianship. Topics addressed include research methodologies; implications for library and information science; a feminist model, including constructed knowledge; standpoint theory; benefits of feminist scholarship; and a library model. (Contains 14 references.) (LRW)

Describes the participant-observation technique for data collection and proposes its usefulness as a research methodology in library science. Procedural steps are outlined and suggestions are offered for successful completion of participant-observation research. (10 references) (Author/MES)

This discussion of the place of research in the field of library science notes empirical and scientific research; testing, analysis, and research design; theories and methodologies from other disciplines; the dilemma of quantification; library research needs; and the search for an audience. Twenty-six references are cited. (EJS)

This critique of prevalent conceptual methodologies in research in library administration examines the current research methodologies, relates them to the positivistic orientation of some social scientists, indicates why they are inappropriate, and suggests how research in library administration can be made more meaningful and relevant.…

Describes a citation study that examines the extent to which interdisciplinary research in librarianship is restricted by paradigms. The use of library science and sociology journal articles that address the sociological aspect of libraries is explained, and implications for library science are suggested. (14 references) (LRW)

Relevance of sociological theory and methodology to research in librarianship is discussed, noting findings from citation analysis developed from bibliographic database search (type of work and number of citations; most frequently cited authors, journals, and books; and rank order of sociological journals cited). Twenty-two references and journals…

Discusses the role of history within the discipline of library and information studies. Topics addressed include steps in the historical method, i.e., research, source criticism, and synthesis; the interdisciplinary nature of the history of books; analytical bibliography; and the design and aesthetics of information, including print and electronic…

Describes discourse analysis as practiced by Michel Foucault and his followers as a research method in library and information science. The method is introduced, some examples of its use are suggested, and several research questions are posed. The method permits analysis of the ways information, its uses, and its users are discursively…

Research on public libraries is conducted in library and information science schools, commercial firms, state library agencies, research institutes, and some public libraries and library systems. While a number of library science professionals demand research, there appears to be a lack of the communication of research results so that they may be…

Reviews meaning and theory of library collections and structure and enumerates ways that data on collections can be organized to reveal underlying global structure (links and connections between collections, parts of collections, and users of collections). Definitions of terms applying to eight models described in text are appended. (53…

Discussion of history as a major research methodology in library and information science highlights the current status and nature of library history; rhetoric and history; historical significance of local history and larger perspectives; primary and secondary information sources; library biography; and publishing library history. Thirty-four…

This article presents a psychological perspective on research in librarianship and explores potential for application of psychological research principles and practices to behavioral research in libraries. Highlights include evolution of a theory of user behavior and the nature of psychological research and research designs and methodologies.…

Offers definitions for four general categories of research--practical, bibliographical, scholarly, scientific--and discusses connections of research to librarianship, the introduction of scientific research methodology in librarianship, activities related to scientific research, users of research, faculty status, professional organizations and…

Compares research productivity patterns in library science with those in other fields and explains why such factors as intellectual traits, educational experience, institutional support, and available time do not account for variations in scholarly output. Suggestions for different approaches for future research are given. (54 references) (LRW)