1 Bibliometrics and the Changing Role of the University Libraries (original) (raw)
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Bibliometrics and the Changing Role of the University Libraries
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the background and potential consequences of bibliometrics being incorporated as a part of librarianship tasks and competencies. Approach: The discussion is based on previous literature as well as a questionnaire sent out to Swedish libraries with organized bibliometric activities. Findings: Incorporating bibliometrics into academic librarianship is part of a redefinition and widening of the professional role. This is motivated by ambitions to provide more complete services in the scholarly communication process, as well as to increase the visibility and status of libraries, not the least in relation to central university management. Underlying reasons are professional competencies such as metadata and bibliographic database management; and bibliometrics being strong within library and information science. Implications: Incorporating bibliometrics is a widening of the professional profile of librarianship, and may well increase the visibility of the libraries in relation to their wider academic environment, not the least in times when bibliometrics is getting increasingly important in terms of research evaluation. The new role should, however, also be considered from the viewpoint of potential changes in how libraries are perceived when incorporating a monitoring function through bibliometric analyses of research performance to the previous service oriented functions. Originality/value of the paper: Bibliometrics as a complementary path for librarianship has been discussed previously; however, not in terms how the role may be changed and how libraries are perceived. There are limitations to be considered: the questionnaire is limited to Swedish libraries; and no efforts are made into investigating how this change is viewed upon by scholars and university management.
How implementation of bibliometric practice affects the role of academic libraries
2012
Abstract This article discusses the potential consequences of implementing bibliometrics as an institutionalized practice in academic libraries. Results are reported from a survey distributed among academic libraries in Sweden with organized bibliometric activities. Incorporating bibliometric activities is seen as a way of redefining and widening of the role of the library.
Quantitative metrics in research assessment are proliferating all over the world. The demand has led to an increase in bibliometric practitioners and service providers. Their professional roles and competencies have not yet been subject to systematic study. This paper focuses on one important service provider in evaluative bibliometrics – academic librarians – and analyzes their professional competencies from a sociology of professions perspective. To this end, expert interviews with 25 British and German information professionals and several documents have been analyzed qualitatively. Academic librarians compete with other occupations for professional jurisdiction in quantitative research assessment. The main currency in this competition is their expert knowledge. Our results show that academic librarians rely strongly on the know-how gained in their academic Library and Information Science (LIS) training and develop a specific jurisdictional claim towards research assessment, consisting primarily in training, informing and empowering users to proficiently manage the task of evaluating scientific quality themselves. Based on these findings, and informed by the theoretical framework of Andrew Abbott, our conceptual proposal is to adapt formal training in bibliometrics to the various specific professional approaches prevalent in the jurisdictional competition surrounding quantitative research assessment.
Science policy framed by audit culture relies heavily on performance measurement. This changing research environment affects higher education institutions and their scientific libraries. As service providers for research and teaching libraries need to demonstrate their added-value in front of various stakeholders. Some Library and Information Science (LIS) scholars and practitioners thus promote evaluative bibliometric services as a new service area. The question rises whether this trend to engage in evaluative bibliometrics will consolidate into a recognized professional task area in academic librarianship. Using Abbott’s theoretical framework the paper asks whether academic librarians claim a professional jurisdiction on bibliometric expertise in research support services and assessment. The bibliometric practices of academic librarians in the UK and Germany are studied in a comparative perspective. The collected empirical data consists of 28 expert interviews and different types of documents. This research in progress paper reports on the theoretical framework and demonstrates how it helps to interpret and understand current developments
Journal of Academic Librarianship: A Bibliometric Analysis
2018
This bibliometric study is focused on the findings of 'Journal of Academic Librarianship' (JAL) during the period 2007-2016. Web of Science Citation database is used and 656 articles retrieved are analyzed on diverse parameters i.e. chronological distribution of articles, length of articles, authorship and citation pattern etc. More than half of the articles are published under joint authorship and average degree of collaboration is 0.56. A very large majority of articles (89.85 percent) is published by USA and top 14 countries published 94.36 percent articles in JAL from 2007-16. The most prolific authors are K. Coyle and G. Little with 9 articles each and highest contributed institutions are California State University System and University of Illinois System with 21 and 16 articles respectively. The average citation per paper is 4.35 and 8 papers received 31 and above citations.
Analysis of Bibliometrics Research in Library Philosophy and Practice from 1998-2021
2021
This study aimed to analyse the trend of bibliometrics research articles on Library Philosophy and Practice (LPP) journal from the year 1998 to 2021. There are 651 bibliometrics articles in the LPP journal. Bibliometrics articles were first published in the LPP in 2000 and the number of bibliometrics research\ has been increasing over the last 10 years, particularly in 2019-2020, and this year is expected to increase further. The bibliometric article received the most contributions from India, followed by Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Iran. The topics covered in bibliometric studies include library and information science, coronavirus, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, social sciences and physics. The dataset used were mostly were from Scopus and Web of Science, with a few from DOAJ and Google Scholar. Citation analysis, productivity analysis, and collaborative analysis are three types of analysis that are commonly used in bibliometric articles in the ...
Bibliometrics and Research Data Management Services: Emerging Trends in Library Support for Research
Library Trends, 2013
Developments in network technologies, scholarly communication, and national policy are challenging academic libraries to find new ways to engage with research communities in the economic downturn. Librarians are responding with service innovations in areas such as bibliometrics and research data management. Previous surveys have investigated research data support within North America and other research services globally with small samples. An online multiple-choice questionnaire was used to survey bibliometric and data support activities of 140 libraries in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, including current and planned services, target audiences, service constraints, and staff training needs. A majority of respondents offered or planned bibliometrics training, citation reports, and impact calculations but with significant differences between countries. Current levels of engagement in data management were lower than for bibliometrics, but a majority anticipated future involvement, especially in technology assistance, data deposit, and policy development. Initiatives were aimed at multiple constituencies, with university administrators being important clients and partners for bibliometric services. Gaps in knowledge, skills, and confidence were significant constraints, with near-universal support for including bibliometrics and particularly data management in professional education and continuing development programs. The study also found that librarians need a multilayered understanding of the research environment.
The “Sound of Bibliometrics”: an analysis of its level of awareness and acceptance in Austria
2011
This paper gives an overview of the history of bibliometrics in Austria and reports on its level of awareness and its acceptance. For this purpose an online survey addressed to Austrian scientists was conducted and its results analyzed. In spite of emergent and increasing activities in this field, the uptake of bibliometric knowledge is slow and has much room for improvement in the Austrian scientific community. The majority of responders agree on the need for a more sophisticated bibliometric education and also indicate a willingness to use existent bibliometric services. Background and Purpose of the study This study was done within the scope of a master thesis for the university course “Library and Information Studies”, which is still work in progress and is supervised by the Bibliometrics Department of the Vienna University Library. In 2013 Vienna will host the ISSI conference. In light of this occasion the authors give a short overview of the history of bibliometrics in Austria...
The 2 nd International Conference on Integrated Information New application of bibliometrics
2013
This article presents the potential of bibliometrics as a more functional practice in public libraries. Bibliometrics laws and models are seen as a way of redefining and widening of the role of the library. The news applications of bibliometrics in library practice is motivated by ambitions to provide more complete services in public libraries, as well as to increase the visibility and status of libraries, not the least in relation to good management. The usage of Bibliometrics in public libraries is also seen as a way of widening of the professional profile of librarianship. The new applications should, however, also be considered from the viewpoint of potential changes in how libraries are perceived when using a monitoring function through bibliometric analyses of research performance in addition to traditional service oriented functions. © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of The 2nd International Conference on Integrat...