The purpose of this study is to explore, by a quantitative analysis, growth rates of, and trends in, global publications in the field of library and information science (LIS) produced by library science professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey approach was used. JCR (Journal Citation Reports) 2010 was the major source for selecting 40 LIS core journals. A bibliometric analysis was conducted. Visualization and mapping software was utilized to present a picture of the growth in, and trends relating to LIS publications.
Findings
18,371 research articles were published from 2003 to 2012. A significant growth rate (11.37%) was found in 2009. Self-citation tendencies have been increasing, with an average rate of 38.56%. Of all publication types, “article” was the most popular among LIS researchers. China has contributed remarkably in terms of collaborative publications.
Practical implications
The present study could be helpful for library professionals, subject specialists and policy makers. These findings may encourage library professionals to integrate and monitor library functions through bibliometric analysis.
Originality/value
This paper identifies growth, trends in publications by LIS researchers through use of bibliometrics.
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/NLW-11-2014-0132
Author(s): Munazza Jabeen, Liu Yun, Muhammad Rafiq, and Misbah Jabeen
Organization(s): Beijing Institute of Technology, University of The Punjab, and Nanjing University
Source: New Library World
Year: 2015