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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 pedagogical practice and identity in the LIS classroom as a means to LIS educators becoming more self-reflective and aware of the impacts of their own identity construction in their teaching. In this article I am affirming the case for a diversity stance within the North American LIS curriculum. I am also posing additional questions and challenges about LIS identity construction and professional practice as we teach and learn in the classroom.

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 intimately related. The study shows that Information Science has surpassed Library Science to become the dominant research topic in LIS. It also shows that the academic background of doctoral advisors affects the interdisciplinarity of their student's doctoral dissertations.

For school librarians, being part of a "connected" community provides support for getting specific needs met, solving personally relevant and meaningful problems, and developing professional expertise. AASL provides many avenues for members of the profession to learn with and from one another. These include AASL and subgroup electronic discussion lists, eCOLLAB for webinars , the recently launched blog on the "Knowledge Quest" website , and the Twitter hashtag #aasl. State-level, university-based, and independent groups of school librarians have also formed communities of practice (CoP) in the online environment (Wenger 1998). Through regular contact with one another, participants in these CoPs learn from one another, develop shared meanings through exchanging ideas and information, and enculturate one another into the ever-evolving profession of school librarianship. This article describes how school librarians can use electronic discussion lists, webinars, blogs, and social media networks such as Twitter to share ideas and information and connect with colleagues. Further, the author briefly discusses findings from a study that aimed to determine whether venues such as Twitter groups offer information that can help professors keep their fingers on the pulse of the profession and practice lifelong learning.

Introduction: This study examines the structure of Web space in the field of library and information science using multivariate analysis of social tags from the Website, Delicious.com. A few studies have examined mathematical modelling of tags, mainly examining tagging in terms of tripartite graphs, pattern tracing and descriptive statistics. This study is one of the few studies to employ multivariate analysis in investigating dimensions of Web spaces based on social tagging data. Method: This study examines the post data collected from a set of library and information science related Websites bookmarked on Delicious.com using a Web crawler. Post data consist of the URL, usernames, tags and comments assigned by users of Delicious.com. The collected tag data were analysed based on multivariate methods, such as multidimensional scaling and structural equation modelling. Analysis: Collected data were first analysed using multidimensional scaling to explore initial relationships amongst the selected Websites. Then, confirmatory factor analysis based on structural equation modelling was employed to examine the hierarchical structure of the library and information science Web space. Results: Social tag data exhibit different dimensions in the Web space of the library and information science field. In addition, social tags confirmed the hierarchical structure of the field by showing significantly stronger relationships between the sites with similar characteristics. That is, the structure of the tagging data shows similar connections to those present in the real world. Conclusions: This study suggests a new statistical approach in social tagging and Web space analysis studies. Tag information can be used to explain the hierarchical structure of a certain domain. Methodologically, this study suggests that structural equation modelling can be a compelling method to explore hierarchical structures of nodes on the Web space.

Narrative inquiry, a phenomenological qualitative research methodology, examines individual human experiences--stories. Yet, researchers in Library and Information Science (LIS)--a human-focused profession--have infrequently used it. This article introduces narrative inquiry and provides a literature review of the few LIS studies using it. Next, it extrapolates on Coralie McCormack's "storying stories," a multifaceted approach used to analyze narrative inquiry research data. Finally, the article outlines potential uses for narrative inquiry in LIS research.

Purpose: After the closing of four of the five historically Black college and university (HBCU)-based library and information science (LIS) graduate programs (leaving only that of North Carolina Central University), there is a need to revitalize HBCU-LIS degree program pathways to increase racial diversity in LIS education. Design/methodology/approach: This mixed-methods study entails survey and interview research with HBCU librarians. The researchers explored participants' professional experiences and perspectives on creating partnerships between HBCU institutions and LIS graduate programs. Findings: Participants demonstrated substantial experience, expressed high levels of job satisfaction, viewed pipeline programs favorably and believed that LIS can be strengthened through the inclusion of HBCU educational practices and students. Practical implications: This study provides recommendations and a model for forging culturally competent and reciprocal HBCU-LIS degree program partnerships. Social implications: Community-led knowledge of HBCUs can disrupt rescue and deficiency narratives of these institutions. Such prejudices are detrimental to HBCU-LIS degree program partnerships. Originality/value: Past HBCU-LIS degree program pipeline partnerships did not culminate in research or published best practices. This paper presents literature-derived and community-sourced guidelines along with a model for future initiatives.

In this article, the authors, based on a process developed in the context of US higher education, demonstrate a model for undergraduate student research skill development that involves academic staff writing collaborative book reviews with undergraduate students and librarians, especially librarians that are also academic staff with relevant content expertise. This model can and should be modified to fit various disciplinary contexts and academic circumstances, potentially around the world. The authors acknowledge that this model will be more useful for academic staff in the social sciences and humanities as compared to the so-called hard or natural sciences. The authors reimagine book reviews based on the notion of 'scholarship as conversation' in library science. As evidence, the authors describe the origins of this unique collaborative process and document the impact of academic staff, librarians, and undergraduate students partnering to increase the academic rigor of book reviews. Contributing to scholarship at the intersection of research skill development, information literacy, and embedded librarianship, this article identifies a strategic opportunity for collaboration that makes writing reviews more engaging and educationally productive for students, academic staff, and librarians.

The last decade has seen decline in the fortunes of the Library and Information Science (LIS) sector in the United Kingdom (UK), both in professional practice and in higher education. This paper sets out to assess the health and wellbeing of LIS teaching and research and to identify key strategies for its future survival. Over the past decade many schools of LIS have ceased to exist, among them for example, in the University of Central England, Brighton University and Loughborough. Many have become subdivisions of other schools, as in Northumbria University, Strathclyde and the Robert Gordon University, spread indiscriminately around a variety of disciplines like business management, computing and communications. There are three autonomous departments/schools of LIS in the UK, in Sheffield University, City University and UCL, a very significant decline from what would have been 15 in the 1980s (Elkin & Wilson, 1997). In 2018-19, the authors undertook a series of interviews with colleagues in information and library science education across the UK, both current academics with responsibility for the subject and retired former heads of school, department or subject. The aim of the interviews was to gather the views of these experienced and knowledgeable individuals about how the discipline has fared in the last 30 years, its current status and where it might go in the future. What emerged from these interviews was a sense of isolation, threat and uncertainty amongst participants about their future and that of the discipline. The authors were of the view that the UK is currently at something of a crossroads for the subject as taught in universities and that a study such as the present one would help to focus minds on the areas where most impact might be made in creating a legacy for the subject into the future.

The importance of open access (OA) advocacy is well-documented in the literature of academic librarianship, but previous research shows that librarians' OA behaviors are less conclusive. This article compares the self-archiving practices of music librarians and musicologists to see how librarians rank in OA adoption. Availability of articles published from 2013 to 2017 in six green OA journals in music librarianship and musicology indicates a need for continued advocacy and enhanced understanding of OA policies and opportunities.

While much of the literature on gender in librarianship approaches this issue at an organizational level, this qualitative study investigates how individuals working in libraries perceive their gender identities as a resource for their professional goals and how this intersects with other social identities including race and sexuality. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach to analyze in-depth interviews with 29 librarians from a variety of backgrounds, we develop four overarching themes: "Visibility and Connection to Library Users," "Credibility and Presumed Competence," "Lack of Awareness and Hyperawareness," and "Being Your Authentic Self and Concealing Yourself."

Several career paths are open to law graduates. Many of them pursue careers in other fields without giving a thought to law librarianship. The fact that majority of law students do not consider law librarianship as a career option is undesirable for the future of law librarianship. The future of law librarianship profession may depend on awareness. The study therefore examined the influence of awareness on the career choice of law librarianship among law students in South-West, Nigeria. The study employed the survey research design. The population for the study was 2,945 undergraduate law students in the in the 12 purposively selected universities that run the approved undergraduate law program up to 500 level in South-West, Nigeria. Krejcie and Morgan's formula was used to select the sample size of 597. The instrument for data collection was a validated questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the constructs ranged from 0.80 to 0.89. The return rate was 94%. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The result showed that awareness of law librarianship significantly influenced law students' choice of law librarianship as a career. The study also revealed that law students were slightly aware of law librarianship as a choice of career. Results indicated that the inclination to pursue a career in law librarianship was based on altruistic consideration.

This article discusses the work of the American Library Association (ALA) Special Task Force on Sustainability, which identified 52 recommendations, including the adoption of sustainability as a core value of librarianship. The group aims to promote libraries as catalysts, connectors, and conveners to promote sustainability, resilience, and regeneration. The Task Force is guided by the concept of the triple bottom line, which states that an organization's practices must be not only economically feasible but also socially equitable and environmentally sound. The article also provides examples of how libraries engage in sustainable practices to support the cities and towns they serve.

To realize competence-based education in the university, the goals of the curriculum should be described according to competence, while measurement and performance should be managed using appropriate core competence diagnostic tools. The purpose of this study is therefore to identify and explore the improvement directions of curriculum through core competence diagnosis. To achieve this, preliminary and follow-up surveys were conducted using offline questionnaires with students in the Department of Library and Information Science. According to the results of the analysis of this core competence diagnosis, the weakest competence was glocal competence, which was found to be statistically significant (t = 9.095, p < 0.000). Among the four sub-factors of glocal competence, the ability to use foreign languages was the least developed (t = - 25.286, p < 0.0001). There is a need to promote a variety of experiences and organize a program that develops confidence in students to converse with foreigners or to write what they wish in a foreign language. The result of the analysis of differences in the individual core competencies of Library and Information Science students showed that 33 (82.5%) of 40 students had a statistically significant difference in student competence, indicating that student learning core competence had somewhat improved. This study analyzed the difference in awareness of core competence through pre- and post-diagnosis using the self-core-competence measurement tool. By exploring, developing, and providing customized curriculum according to student needs based on this tool, it is expected that self-directed student participation and core competence can be increased.

According to Stearns (2009), culture shapes childhood. The way a society defines culture shapes: (a) how childhood is constructed; (b) the production of literary products and services for young people; and (c) training for library professionals. In 21st century America, children are viewed as a vulnerable population in need of protection, as evidenced by the books that are challenged in schools and libraries every year. In Denmark, however, childhood is constructed differently. While the American-style of helicopter parenting described in Finkel and Fitzsimmons (2013) exists, since the 1980s a cultural shift has occurred, as Danes move from what Juncker (2007) calls a silent, attendant culture to a vocal, participatory culture. Today, young Danes' right to access culture is mandated through the Ministry of Culture, and libraries and cultural institutions, working in partnership with schools, are largely responsible for providing such access. According to the Royal School of Library and Information Science's website, Bachelors and Masters degrees in Information Science and Cultural Dissemination emphasize connections between information and knowledge, but also focus on the interplay between knowledge and culture. As library education changes, children's library centers in turn are transformed into cultural institutions that incorporate media in all forms, focusing on culture, creativity, and play. This qualitative study uses participant observation gathered in Denmark during summer 2014 at the Royal School of Library and Information Science, libraries and cultural centers, and online analysis. Findings demonstrate how the Danish LIS program addresses changing constructions of childhood and the roles of information and culture, encompassing both aesthetics and play.

This paper is an attempt to support and promote education programs that cover the entire cultural heritage landscape (libraries, archives, museums) as an integrated, larger meta-discipline. By taking a larger picture approach, professionals who do the work of memory institutions can be more effective in their work, in the promotion of that profession, and increase public value of all related institutions and their purposes. Through the description of the integrated museum studies specialization at Kent State University School of Library and Information Science, this paper aims to provide one example of how this can work, first by describing the role of Library and Information Science (LIS) as a meta-discipline, next by discussing the changing landscape of cultural heritage professional education, and finally by describing in detail the new Kent State integrated museum studies specialization. The infusion of museum studies with LIS is discussed as a part of a larger movement toward integration of training information professionals in the entire cultural heritage sector.

This paper presents some of the challenges and concerns for library and information science (LIS) education in India. In order to provide context for these challenges, the paper begins with a brief overview of higher education in India in general and then discusses the beginning of LIS education. It briefly summarizes LIS education in South Asia to provide additional context. The paper discusses concerning issues, including curriculum, accreditation, program delivery through distance education, and research in LIS. The paper goes on to highlight some of the challenges that LIS educators face in India. It concludes with suggestions about how some of these challenges might be addressed including implementation of the Recommendations of National Knowledge Commission. The need for a Model Curriculum in order for LIS to fill the gap between needs of the users and skills of library professionals is also discussed.

In 1897, the University of Chicago Extension Division began offering what we today would call "bibliographic instruction" under the aegis of the Bureau of Information of the Illinois State Library Association. The program was expanded under university librarian Zella Allen Dixson, and by 1900 was designed to train librarians and library assistants. The program was severely criticized by Melvil Dewey in 1902 and by the American Library Association's Committee on Library Training in 1903. In several letters of rebuttal, Dixson accused him and Katharine Sharp of conspiring to close the program for their own personal and professional reasons. This study examines the interactions among the three principals, and of gender, ego, and power in the demise of the program, as well as the ALA's attempts to construct librarianship as a masculine profession.

In this article the author discusses the evolution of the profession of librarianship and the compromise of educating librarians in schools instead of by apprenticeship. He poses a series of questions, some more rhetorical than others: (1) Is Technical Services an intellectual concept or an administrative device?; (2) Can the routines and rules of Technical Services be taught in school? Should they be?; and (3) What is the relative place of theory and practice in education? Throughout the article, he states his belief that attention is focused on practice and not theory. He believes it is important to begin teaching the profession with the basic techniques until they are mastered, and then it is important to focus on theory and devastating analysis. [For the commentary on this article, "A Man Who Knew Whereof He Spoke. Commentary on Dunkin, P. (1962) The Development of Technical Services Training", see EJ1073532. This article was originally published in the "Journal of Education for Librarianship."]

The author was assigned the task to comment on the broad topic: "New sciences, technologies, and media--impact on education for librarianship (or libraries)." The author choose to emphasize "information science." Narrowing the subject down even further, in this article the author emphasizes some of the aspects of the "interface" between librarianship and information science, where he believes the action is going to develop in the coming years. [For the commentary on this article, "Broad and Visionary. Commentary on Allen Kent (1977) Information Science," see EJ1073522. This article was originally published in the "Journal of Education for Librarianship" (1977).]

The Freedom Charter of the African National Congress (ANC), the triumphant South African liberation movement, proclaims that "the doors of learning shall be open" for all. Twenty years since coming to power, the doors of the universities are struggling to stay open for adult student-workers. An action research project into implementation of "flexible provision" at one historically black university is described in response to these realities. Rich experiences from lives of working librarian student-workers illustrate the complex issues that confront individuals, workplaces and institutions in implementing innovative pedagogies within a university.

This paper presents a large scale study of online MLIS students (n = 910), who completed at least one online course and were enrolled in 36 of the 58 ALA-accredited MLIS programs in Canada and the United States. The results indicate that the typical student is female, White, lives in an urban setting, and is in her mid-30s. Online students were found to be quite diverse, with statistically significant differences in their preferences and satisfaction across five demographic variables: "age" (generational cohort)," "employment status," "urban status," "commute distance," and "program modality." Three motivations emerged: "accommodation," "predisposition," and "selectivity", which influenced the respondents to choose online learning. The prevalent issues online MLIS students experienced were a sense of isolation from peers and instructors, and a lack of professional development and networking opportunities with peers. The findings have implications for enhancing MLIS online education including marketing, course offerings, and student support services.

The majority of librarians who have taken on instruction responsibilities have had little to no formal training in educational theories or pedagogical practices. We do the best we can without a foundation for our teaching. This Perspectives column looks at how much theory we really need to know, and how can we gain this knowledge in order to become effective and engaging instructors.

The University of North Texas conducted a project involving rigorous curriculum development and instructional design to address the goal of building capacity in the Library and Information Sciences curriculum. To prepare information professionals with the competencies needed for digital curation and data management practice, the project developed curriculum using a competency-based approach. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design and implementation of the digital curation curriculum at the University of North Texas. The paper advances theoretical perspectives of competency-based curriculum as steps taken toward innovative curriculum development efforts. Additionally, it contributes to the practice of digital curation education. The set of competencies defined in the paper can serve as a common language among stakeholders to prepare future digital curation professionals. This paper concludes that a competency-based approach is effective, sustainable, and can be customized to address the skill gaps in the rapidly evolving information professions.

In higher education's environment of accountability, the development and assessment of student learning outcomes (SLOs) are driven by both external stakeholder requirements for accreditation and internal institutional pressures to demonstrate student learning as the core function of universities and colleges. This paper presents a framework to reduce faculty workload and increase standardization of SLOs for LIS electives across multiple schools. The framework includes a value-added assessment with results that show a significant increase in the overall scores and specifically in areas of focus for the elective. This approach provides a framework for other popular LIS electives to collaborate across schools and standardize SLOs to determine the overall effectiveness of courses and programs without reinventing course objectives, SLOs, and evaluation techniques at each institution.

Library and Information Science (LIS) as a discipline is guided by core values that emphasize equal access to information, freedom of expression, democracy, and education. Importantly, diversity and social responsibility are specifically called out as foundations of the profession (American Library Association, 2004). Following from this, there has been a focus in LIS on educating librarians from a social justice perspective. In this essay we will discuss some of the strategies we use for training librarians to practice librarianship using a social justice framework as a way to help social studies teachers and other educators critically think through their role in educating for social justice in their classrooms. Some areas of particular transference from LIS to K-12 educators that we focus on include locating classroom technologies as sites of power and privilege, prioritizing print and digital materials representative of culturally diverse populations and relevant contexts, and expanding the notion of literacy to include multiple literacies. These strategies lay a foundation for a critically-oriented classroom as a step towards teaching for social justice, and provide opportunities for collaboration between social studies educators and librarians.

Introduction: This study aims to gain a greater understanding of the development of open access practices amongst library and information science authors, since their role is integral to the success of the broader open access movement. Method: Data were collected from scholarly articles about open access by library and information science authors from 2003 until 2011 found in the Library and Information Science Abstracts database. Analysis: A bibliometric approach is taken for the information gathered from 203 articles. Excel and SPSS were used to derive descriptive statistics and correlations. Results: Overall an open access rate of 60% was found, which was lower than expected considering 94% of these articles appeared to endorse open access. Conclusions: Although these results show a higher open access rate than previous studies, and a linear growth of open access publications over the years, there is still a large gap between theory and practice which needs to be addressed.

Evidence-based library and information practice (EBLIP) provides school librarians a systematic means of building, assessing, and revising a library program, thus demonstrating a school library program's worth to the larger school community. Through survey research collecting both qualitative and quantitative data, 111 public school librarians in Texas shared the extent to which they applied components of EBLIP to practice, the extent to which they shared EBLIP data and with whom, and the extent to which formal LIS education has supported their applications of EBLIP. Findings indicate the large majority of respondents engaged in some form of EBLIP, typically referencing professional journals, standards, and guidelines; informally collecting evidence from stakeholders; and writing mission statements. Few respondents, however, engaged in the complete process. With the intent of gaining, increasing, or securing something, respondents were most likely to share goals and data with administrators and teachers than with other stakeholders. Despite so few respondents' engaging in the complete process, approximately half expressed the belief that their LIS programs contributed to their understanding of EBLIP.

This study set out to provide an understanding of how LIS programs ensure that students are prepared for the demands of graduate study in the twenty-first century, how these expectations may have evolved since Kules's and McDaniel's previous 2008 study, and how various types of programs compare in their approaches. Content analysis was used to examine all 58 ALA-accredited LIS program websites regarding published requirements, required skills, methods of evaluation, and the types of remedial support provided. Overall, this research revealed very little similarity between programs and little change since 2008. The majority of program websites had some type of competency in place with very few requiring formal skill assessment. Most competency requirements focused on knowledge of word processing and presentation software, with little focus on Web 2.0 technology. Programs with a requirement in place generally promoted library or IT workshops as a means of assistance. Additionally, program websites with similar profiles (e.g., i-Schools, online programs) also varied in approaches.

The article explores the information landscape (i.e., infoscape) of library and information science (LIS) courses for intersections of health-gender and health-sexual orientation topics, concerns, and issues. This research was considered important because health information support services essential in today's society must include marginalized gender and sexual orientation-related content that is deemed taboo in an all-pervasive patriarchal and heterosexist culture. Research methods involved a content analysis of bibliographic course descriptions available on the homepages of graduate programs in Canada and the United States that are accredited by the American Library Association. Syllabi for LIS courses on health information support services, gender, and sexual orientation were also studied. Findings map the existing infoscape surrounding the teaching of health information support services in LIS and identify future directions for inclusion of gender and sexual orientation topics in the LIS curriculum.

Epistemology, or the study of knowledge and knowing, is foundational for Library and Information Science (LIS) programs, as the recognition of different conceptions of how people "know" can help LIS professions handle diversity, especially gender diversity. The incorporation of epistemology can provide LIS students with more sophisticated sense of how knowledge and information are generated, but can be intimidating to students and instructors alike. Epistemology can be more smoothly incorporated into the LIS classroom using essential questions--overarching, debatable questions that provide context and consequences in learning specific concepts. Brown (2012) recommends essential questions, along with focused conversations, as components of inquiry-based learning in LIS. This article builds on Brown's approach by focusing specifically on how essential questions can be effectively used to teach relevant epistemological concepts that inform gender-related ethical dilemmas students will encounter in professional practice.

This paper reports preliminary data from research that seeks to inform the readers about the way that human information behavior and the use of scholarly resources impacts on women in the STEM fields. By focusing on the information behavior and information needs of women in STEM, this could lead to an increased use of academic library resources and services and even the development of specific services to meet the needs of women in STEM. The primary goal of this paper is to provide some preliminary findings on why there are so few women in the STEM fields. As a secondary goal this paper discusses the way that human information behavior can impact on the research behavior of male and female scientists in STEM and how this influences their use of libraries and research resources. Implications for LIS educators are suggested. LIS educators teaching future LIS practitioners are provided with some ideas to consider in terms of working with women in STEM and considering their information needs.

Introduction: The Delphi technique is widely used in library and information science research. However, many researchers in the field fail to employ standard statistical tests when using this technique. This makes the technique vulnerable to criticisms of its reliability and validity. The general goal of this article is to explore how nonparametric statistical techniques could mitigate this drawback and be incorporated into Delphi studies in library and information science. Method: To reach that goal we provide an example study which used a Delphi method for data collection and nonparametric statistics for data analysis. The example study investigated the barriers and challenges encountered by scientists when using various information and communication technologies for their distributed collaboration activities. Twenty-four participants were recruited into two domain groups (social and behavioural sciences vs. science and engineering). Results: After three rounds of data collection and analysis systematically using nonparametric statistical measurements, fourteen items were identified as the most important. Different rankings of the items were observed between the groups involved, including Kendall's Ws. Conclusions: The incorporation of the nonparametric statistics into the Delphi technique may enhance its rigour as a research method and provide evidence for its reliability and validity.

Introduction: This paper concerns the ontological position of library and informations science in the networked society. The aim of the study is to understand library use and library functions in the age of Internet and artificial intelligent programmed search engines. Theoretical approach: The approach discusses so called sociocognitive tools in knowledge sharing and creation by the way social processes are described in Luhmann's systems theory. The capacity in these tools is mainly discussed by using the extended mind theory from cognitive science and theories of distributed and situated learning, which show how tools extend human capacity. The importance of tools as part of human development is also discussed by using theories of cultural evolution. Discussion and conclusions: Artificial intelligence tools in a distributed design have a capacity to independently be a part in social knowledge processes, because these programs are good at finding patterns. In this way they extend the human mind to such an extent that library and information science needs to rework its positions on topics such as relevance and meaning seeking. Practical implications are that libraries need to go back to its roots in the way libraries worked in the era before the information explosion. It was a period when more emphasis was on making the library itself capable to expose a lot of possibilities in the literature through knowledge organisation, and not so much on the librarian as a guide to information searching. [This paper was published as part of: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, Denmark, 19-22 August, 2013.]

Introduction: Rolf Landauer declared in 1991 that "information is physical". Since then, information has come to be seen by many physicists as a fundamental component of the physical world; indeed by some as the physical component. This idea is now gaining currency in popular science communication. However, it is often far from clear what exactly this statement means; exactly how is information physical? And why this should matter for information science? The purpose of this paper is to clarify just what is meant by the physical nature of information, and the significance of these considerations for our discipline. Methods: A selective literature review and conceptual analysis, based on literature from both physical science and information science. Results: The prospect of attempting to make links between objective and subjective conceptions of information has been strongly advocated by some authors and doubted by others. The physical nature of information can be understood from three main perspectives: the relation between information and physical entropy; the strongly informational nature of the quantum view of nature; and the possibility of recasting physical laws in informational terms. Conclusions: Based on this analysis, we muse on the relevance of such issues to information science, with particular reference to emergent properties of information. Apart from the added public awareness of the i-word in a very different context from the norm, it may that that there are general laws and principles, or at least useful metaphors and analogies, linking the concept of information in the physical, biological and social domains. [This paper was published as part of: Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, Denmark, 19-22 August, 2013.]

Although studies related to diversity within librarianship as a profession are increasing, few have examined librarians with disabilities--and none so far have included their voices or perspectives. This qualitative study involved interviews with ten academic librarians with disabilities in Canada. With a grounding in the social model of disability, it examines their workplace experiences and concerns and the barriers they face within the context of cultural assumptions about disability and work, finding that the major barriers encountered are lack of awareness of disability issues and negative cultural stereotypes of disability.

Over the past decade, evidence from disciplines ranging from biology to economics has suggested that many scientific studies may not be reproducible. This has led to declarations in both the scientific and lay press that science is experiencing a "reproducibility crisis" and that this crisis has consequences for the extent to which students, faculty, and the public at large can trust research. Faculty build on these results with their own research, and students and the public use these results for everything from patient care to public policy. To build a model for how academic libraries can support reproducible research, the authors conducted a review of major guidelines from funders, publishers, and professional societies. Specific recommendations were extracted from guidelines and compared with existing academic library services and librarian expertise. The authors believe this review shows that many of the recommendations for improving reproducibility are core areas of academic librarianship, including data management, scholarly communication, and methodological support for systematic reviews and data-intensive research. By increasing our knowledge of disciplinary, journal, funder, and society perspectives on reproducibility, and reframing existing librarian expertise and services, academic librarians will be well positioned to be leaders in supporting reproducible research.

While the collaborative trend among professional social workers and librarians gains traction and attention, literature about the utilization of student social workers partnering with libraries is non-existent. Over 64,000 students are currently enrolled in master-level social work (MSW) programs throughout the United States and nearly all are required to complete at least 900 hours of fieldwork. Such students provide untapped skills, knowledge, and values that can help address the broader--and very real--needs of patrons. By reaching out to MSW programs, public librarians play a critical role in helping advance tolerance for a diversity of people and much-needed services. While the professional values and ethics of both librarianship and social work have strong overlap, librarians can invite social work students to partner with them; particularly as libraries are still considered nontraditional service points. MSW students can work with libraries to expand programing, strengthen outreach, and enhance the professional development of both social workers and librarians to the benefit of marginalized patrons.

This essay analyzes the debate about neutrality in the library literature and identifies a fundamental moral dilemma that generates debate. It then advances an argument in favor of library neutrality based on Wayne Bivens-Tatum's intellectual history of library values in "Libraries and the Enlightenment" and the ideal of liberal neutrality developed by such political philosophers as Ronald Dworkin, John Rawls, and Martha Nussbaum. In conclusion, the essay responds to potential objections to its pro-neutrality thesis by liberal and radical authors.

This review offers a critical analysis of the library and information science (LIS) literature on first-generation students (FGS) from the last 40 years. This literature demonstrates an interest in understanding the needs of FGS to serve them better, but it is often grounded in a deficit model of education that focuses on what first-generation students lack instead of what they have. This review identifies four predominant themes in the literature: FGS as outsiders, as a problem, as reluctant library users, and as capable students. Then it suggests possible avenues of future research, such as using a "funds of knowledge" approach to build on the learning and skills that students bring from their families and communities.

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of the design of a first year introduction to digital fluency course primarily for a library and information technology cohort at a Canadian university using an educational action research method and apply the findings to the second "question-plan-observe-evaluate" cycle of the action research process in order to improve the next iteration of the course. Results include 1) recommendations to adopt a more suitable textbook, 2) use strategies recommended for cohort learning and, 3) reconceptualization of 'digital fluency' from a computer science principles perspective to a plurality of digital literacies as conceptualized in contemporary literature.

Growth in online course delivery has created challenges and opportunities for academic librarians. Working with an online undergraduate course for adult students, three academic librarians revised their model for embedded practice, focusing on high touch and quality contact with the students. Using a citation analysis of final papers collected over several quarters, we compared sufficiency of sources, quality of sources, selection of sources, and diversity of perspectives in bibliographies created before and after our revised curriculum. Findings show that our added attention to this cohort resulted in improvements across all of these metrics.

This study examined determinants of library and information science undergraduate students' first impression with the university library websites. A total enumeration method was used to involve 54 year 4 undergraduate students of Library and Information Science from two selected universities. Undergraduate Students' Determinants of First Impression with University Library Websites Questionnaire was used to gather data. The results obtained demonstrate that there is significant correlation between LIS students' Perception of Website quality, Website interactivity, Website aesthetic perception, Website prototypicality, and Website satisfaction with first impression toward the university library website. The five independent variables (Website quality, Website interactivity, Website aesthetic perception, Website prototypicality, and Website satisfaction) jointly (as indicated by the R-square value) explained or predicted 66% of the variation in LIS students' first impression towards university library website. Aesthetic perception of library website contributed most to the prediction of LIS students' first impression towards library website, followed in declining order of strength by library website interactivity, library website satisfaction, and library website quality. However, prototypicality though correlated with first impression, its contribution is not significant. Notable limitation of this study is that, data was collected from undergraduate students in only two universities focusing only Library and Information Science students. The results call for formidable efforts to improve the users experience on the web, because the first impression counts. This study has implications for the users patronizing the university library websites. The results show that Aesthetic perception of library website contributed mostly to the prediction of LIS students' first impression towards university library website, followed by library website interactivity. These findings may not be applicable to other university library websites but this depend on the experience of the users.

This article investigates ways in which student voice informed design-based research into information literacy instruction. The instruction occurred across a year-long graduate science education ePortfolio culminating project. Library and science education faculty partnered in a two-year project to create communities of secondary science education students, in two cohorts, who used the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education to support their own research and reflections into information literacy. The overarching goal was to improve the course design to help science teachers develop their professional competencies in information literacy to conduct research to support their practice. Examination of students' responses to research experiences enabled faculty to improve the students' information literacy experience from one year to another. Findings show that students became more familiar with ways to use the ACRL Framework to interrogate their own and their colleagues' research processes as they shared their own reflections on research and information literacy. We also found that this was fostered by shifts in when and how the ACRL Framework was introduced. Education students can benefit from knowledge of an information literacy framework to impact the way that they conduct their own professional research, work with students on research projects, and participate in scholarly conversations.

This article presents an overview of the popular rankings (US News and World Report, QS World Rankings) of U.S.-based library and information science (LIS) education programs and the shortcomings of each ranking. It calls for a new, more objective ranking of LIS programs that will more accurately assess quality and sustainability of these programs and provide more relevant information for future students in choosing a program. The uniqueness of the library and information professions is discussed as an impetus for producing more useful rankings and providing open data on student costs and outcomes in LIS programs. Statistics comparing relationships between the major LIS school rankings and factors identified from the literature as important for LIS student college choice are presented. New criteria for the creation of more representative rankings of LIS programs is presented.