Structure of Library and Information Science North American School Mission Statements: Stakeholders and Actions

This work analyses the structure of LIS program mission statements. The programs considered here are all ALA (American Library Association) accredited programs in the United States and Canada. The study employed content analysis through constant comparative analysis to determine the structure of the mission statements, the stakeholders represented in these as well as and the needs the programs satisfy for the different stakeholders. The results point to LIS programs employing symbolic mission statements that do not help to differentiate one program from another. The stakeholders represented were mainly students and external groups, both in interactions with one another.