Library science

Education Template:Distinguish

Library science or library and information science (abbreviated LIS) is the study of issues related to libraries and the information fields. This includes academic studies regarding how library resources are used and how people interact with library systems. These studies tend to be specific to certain libraries at certain times. The organization of knowledge for efficient retrieval of relevant information is also a major research goal of LIS. Basic topics in LIS include the acquisition, cataloging, classification, and preservation of library materials. In a more present-day view, a fervent outgrowth of LIS is information architecture. LIS should not be confused with information theory, the mathematical study of the concept of information, or information science, a field related to computer science and cognitive science.

Educational programs in LIS are interdisciplinary, overlapping with the fields of computer science, various social sciences, statistics, and systems analysis. For details,see Education for librarianship

The term "library science" was first appeared in the early 1930's, in the title of S. R. Ranganathan's The Five Laws of Library Science, published in 1931, and in the title of Lee Pierce Butler's 1933 book, An introduction to library science (University of Chicago Press). Butler's new approach advocated research using quantitative methods and ideas in the social sciences with the aim of using librarianship to address society's information needs. This research agenda went against the more procedure-based approach of "library economy," which was mostly confined to practical problems in the administration of libraries. While Ranganathan's approach was philosophical it was tied more to the day-to-day business of running a library.

Difference between LIS and librarianship

There is no generally agreed distinction between Library science, Library and information science, and Librarianship. To a certain extent they can be considered equivalent terms, perhaps adopted to increase the "science" aspect, or improve the popular image of librarians.

One view, implied by some of the textbooks, is that Librarianship means the professional aspects of work as a Librarian, such as cetification, in-service training, and issues of gender equality.

One view is that LIS is distinct from librarianship, in a way analogous to the difference between medicine and doctoring. Librarianship, the application of library science, comprises the practical services rendered by librarians in their day-to-day attempts to meet the needs of library patrons.Template:Cite-needed

Many practicing librarians do not contribute to LIS scholarship but focus on daily operations of their own library systems. Other practicing librarians, particularly in academic libraries, do perform original scholarly LIS research and contribute to the academic end of the field.

Most professional library jobs require an academic LIS degree as certification. In the United States, the certification usually comes from a Master's degree granted by an ALA-accredited institution, so even non-scholarly librarians have an originally academic background. In the United Kingdom, however, there have been moves to broaden the entry requirements to professional library posts, such that qualifications in, or experience of, a number of other disciplines have become more acceptable.

Subdisciplines

Subdisciplines of library and information science include the study of:

• Human Information Behaviors (Information seeking, search strategies, and use)
• Knowledge Organization (which includes Bibliography, Cataloging, Classification, Indexing & Abstracting, Metadata, Semantic & Syntactic Analysis (Controlled Vocabularies, etc.))
• Digital libraries
• Collection development
• Public references and other services
• Scholarly communication (includes Bibliometrics, Informetrics, Scientometrics, Webmetrics)

Types of Library Science Professionals

• Librarian
• Curator
• Archivist
• Computer, Data, and Information Systems professionals
• Metadata Architects
• Cataloger
• Indexers
• Information broker
• Information Architect
• Metadata Managers

Librarianship

Public

The study of librarianship for public libraries covers issues such as cataloging, collection development for a diverse community, information literacy, community standards, public services-focused librarianship, serving a diverse community of adults, children, and teens, Intellectual freedom, Censorship and legal and budgeting issues.

School

The study of school librarianship covers library services for children in schools up until (but not including) university. In some regions, the local government may have stricter standards for the education and certification of school librarians (who are often considered a special case of teacher), than for other librarians, and the educational program will include those local standards. School librarianship may also include issues of intellectual freedom; pedagogy; and how to build a cooperative curriculum with the teaching staff.

Academic

The study of academic librarianship covers library services for colleges and universities. Issues of special importance to the field may include copyright; technology, digital libraries, and digital repositories; academic freedom; open access to scholarly works; as well as specialized knowledge of subject areas important to the institution and the relevant reference works.

Some academic librarians are considered faculty, and hold similar academic ranks as professors, while others are not. In either case, the minimal qualification is a Master's degree in Library Studies or Library Science, and, in some cases, a Master's degree in another field.

Archives

The study of archives covers the training of archivists, librarians specially trained to maintain and build archives of records intended for historical preservation. Special issues include physical preservation of materials and mass deacidification; specialist catalogs; solo work; access; and appraisal. Many archivists are also trained historians specializing in the period covered by the archive.

Special

Special librarians include almost any other form of librarianship, including those who serve in medical libraries (and hospitals or medical schools), corporations, news agency libraries, or other special collections. The issues at these libraries will be specific to the industries they inhabit, but may include solo work; corporate financing; specialized collection development; and extensive self-promotion to potential patrons.

Current issues in LIS

• Information policy
• Information communication technologies (ICT's)
• Information Society
• Equity of Access
• Sustainability and ICT's
• Children's Internet Protection Act
• Censorship
• Information explosion
• Information literacy
• Open access
• Patriot Act
• Peak libraries
• Government Information
• Decreased funding for established libraries
• Copyright
• Intellectual property rights
• Intellectual freedom
• Digital divide
• Public lending right
• Slow fires
• Serials crisis
• Current digital/scanning technologies
• Remote access

See also

• Informatics
• List of library associations
• List of library and information science programs
• List of basic library and information science topics
• OCLC
• American Library Association
• Library of Congress

External links

• dLIST dLIST: Digital Library of Information Science and Technology, an open access archive of Information Sciences materials
• DL-Harvest DL-Harvest, an open access aggregator for Information Sciences
• LISNews.org Librarian and Information Science News
• Open Directory Project category Library and Information Science listings
• Education Schools and Library Schools: A Comparison of Their Perceptions by Academia
• ASC Online: Mentoring weblog for LIS students
• LibLinks.org - Directory of library links organized by US states
• ERIC Digests on Libraries. Annotated list with links to public domain ERIC Digests dealing with library science and libraries
• Information Science Today - Voluntary information development organization
• Library Related wikis:
  • Library and Information Science Wiki
  • GSLIS at University of Illinois Wiki
• Library Front Desk Staff Training Wiki. 100+ pages. Heavy usage. Public Site. Private to edit. Made and used at Antioch New England Graduate School's Library in Keene, NH. USA."