Library and information science (LIS) is highly interdisciplinary by nature and is affected by the incessant evolution of technologies. A recent study surveying research trends in the years 2002-6 at various information science departments worldwide has found that a clear trend was identified in Masters theses and doctoral dissertations of social…

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)

This study examines and compares the purpose, content, and form of the problem statement by researchers in disciplines other than library and information science (LIS). Their assessments of the attributes of a problem statement were compared to the literature and an evaluation of problem statements evidenced by researchers within LIS. (Contains 16…

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…

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)