The classical paradigm of knowledge organization, epitomized by hierarchical systems like Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC), is predicated on a nineteenth-century model of certainty and order. Contemporary scholarship has revealed its inherent limitations, including structural biases, epistemic injustice, and an inability to accommodate the fluid, interdisciplinary nature of modern knowledge. While computational models have increased efficiency, they largely inherit the classical goal of reducing ambiguity to a single, authoritative outcome. This paper argues for a paradigm shift, proposing a novel theoretical framework for classification inspired by the field of quantum cognition. The framework reconceptualizes the information object not as a static entity with intrinsic properties, but as a dynamic system of potential meanings. We adapt three core concepts from quantum theory for library science: Knowledge Superposition to model interdisciplinarity, Semantic Entanglement to provide a formal basis for serendipity, and Observer-Dependent Measurement to address issues of subjectivity and classificatory authority. The viability of this framework is demonstrated through a computational proof-of-concept that simulates how a single, multifaceted document can yield different, probabilistic classifications based on the user's contextual perspective. This approach offers a robust solution to long-standing challenges, shifting classificatory authority from the institution to the user and providing a path toward transforming the library from a static repository into a dynamic, participatory knowledge system.
Collaboration between librarians and teachers within formal education, in teaching various literacies has long been recognized as one of the most effective ways of teaching. The paper analyses, using data from three studies, aspects of collaboration between librarians and teachers at primary, secondary and tertiary level. Three research questions focus on forms and extent of collaboration, its elements and approaches, and challenges and obstacles. Results point to still existing differences between higher education and lower levels of education, and to large differences between librarians and teachers in their behaviours, values, attitudes and practices. This opens an important debate around how to effectively approach these issues to improve collaboration, and which of the issues belong to the personal, institutional, and national level. The paper provides some suggestions on how to address these issues at all three levels.
This study employed narrative inquiry and critical race approaches to explore Black youth's perceptions and experiences of Canadian public library programs and materials. In response to calls in Canada's Anti-Racism Strategy (2024) and Ontario's Anti-Black Racism Strategy (2025) for social service institutions to address anti-Black racism, the research examined Black youth experiences in public libraries and how these experiences relate to anti-Black racism in education and social service settings. The study was conducted in London, Ontario, with Black youth aged 13 to 24 and parents of youth using a community-based participatory research approach in partnership with the Where We Are Now (WEAN) Black Community Centre & London Black Community Public Library. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and an arts-based qualitative tool (personal meaning mapping) with 21 participants: 14 youth and seven parents. Findings reveal that, while many youth reported positive early memories of public libraries often associated with family members, they also identified significant challenges in belonging and feeling welcome. These challenges stem from under representation in library materials and staff, from institutional approaches to inclusion that participants experienced as performative rather than transformative, and from experiences of microaggressions and bias. The study proposes a collaborative, community-based research framework applicable across library and information science contexts to examine broader challenges related to representation, belonging, and performative inclusion.
A "floating collection" is a popular approach to public library collection management where materials are shelved where they are returned rather than sent back to a "home" location. While it has been suggested that this approach refreshes local branch collections and reduces transit costs, it is unclear whether these benefits are realized. Concerns about this approach have also emerged as it relies on customer-initiated item movement such as holds, yet item movement resulting from holds fulfilment may exacerbate inequitable access to popular materials. In this analysis of a large and diverse urban library system, we show that floating does not appear to refresh local branch collections nor significantly impact transited materials. Our analysis also suggests that items seem to stay within a geographic area and gravitate towards branches with a higher volume of holds, meaning that items are unlikely to naturally return to branches with a lower volume of holds. Additionally, for items returned from elsewhere, a subsequent checkout at the return branch was more likely at branches with a high volume of holds
This commentary reflects on the potential impacts of the technology, Unpaywall, on the systems of scholarly research dissemination. Unpaywall is a technological tool used to increase access and discoverability of Open Access versions of paywalled articles, making materials visible, disrupting current infrastructures, and highlighting existing alternatives. Because of its reliance on the external standard of the Digital Object Identifier, however, it also risks perpetuating the inequalities that already exist in this space. I explore how technologies affect surrounding infrastructures, how these effects are reflected in higher-level systems, and how they can be evaluated for alignment with professional standards and established goals.
This article reports on revisions to a course in Library and Information Science (LIS) made by the instructor, to apply, test, and evolve a transdisciplinary approach to class inquiry. This study was part of a larger research project grounded in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, entiwas to support transdisciplinary educators in justifying, evaluating, and legitimizing knowledge claims about their work through the application of a novel Transdisciplinary Epistemic Practices (TEP) model integrating elements from STEM, Arts, and Design (often referred to as STEAM). The TEP model is a conceptual tool that promises to be useful for the Critical Making stances that are common in technology courses for librarians. It was operationalized and tested in eleven courses across Pratt Institute, including a Library and Information Science course called Growing Up Digital (INFO 678), which is the focus of this paper. The first author, Leanne Bowler, was a participant in the study, applying action research methods to her own teaching practices in this class, and reporting results back to the larger project led by Mark Rosin.
This paper explores information hygiene as a crucial framework for fostering a healthy digital lifestyle and promoting overall resilience. It traces the concept's evolution, noting its increasing relevance amid rising challenges like artificial intelligence, misinformation, disinformation, and digital addiction, exacerbated by recent global events. The study integrates findings from two comparative research projects on student information behavior in Czechia and Slovakia, alongside an analysis of Czech national reports on digital addictions. These investigations consistently reveal student concerns regarding digital distress and the negative impact of technology on personal interactions. The paper proposes information hygiene as a comprehensive approach, resting on information literacy, cybersecurity, and digital resilience. It emphasizes that effective information hygiene involves both sound information habits and healthy lifestyle habits that bolster overall well-being. A case study of a new university course on information hygiene demonstrates its practical application. Ultimately, public libraries are identified as key institutions uniquely positioned to champion information hygiene, empowering individuals to navigate the complex digital world with greater resilience.
The authors share the sentiments of other researchers that conducting a literature review and creating a matrix is a cumbersome task. The development of research tools that benefit researchers in their study conduct is always interesting and welcome. Thus, the objectives of this study are: (1) To evaluate the features and functionalities of Elicit, SciSpace, and Consensus in facilitating literature review and research and recommend the applicability of each tool for a type of research; (2) Assess and identify the strengths of these tools and align the impact with research workflows and efficiency; and (3) Utilize documented user feedback and opinions to ensure the appropriate AI tool is available for the researchers. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach. Firstly, a systematic literature review is conducted to gather relevant studies, user feedback, and expert opinions on the AI tools. These same studies will be used as the sample variables for this study. Secondly, a comparative evaluation of each AI tool against the original document and each other is conducted to assess each tool against the established evaluation criteria, which include search capabilities, document retrieval, summarization accuracy, citation analysis, and integration with existing research workflows. Lastly, the strengths and weaknesses of each tool are identified in relation to the criteria, and the effectiveness of the AI tool is determined based on the original content of the sample material. The findings of this study include (a) identified AI tools, such as Elicit, SciSpace, and Consensus, which offer valuable contributions to the research community through productivity-boosting features. (b) Each tool has strengths and weaknesses in search capabilities, document retrieval, summarization accuracy, citation analysis, and integration with existing research workflows; and (c) Documented user feedback indicates positive experiences with the usability and effectiveness of the tools, highlighting their potential to enhance research workflows. This study acknowledges potential limitations, including the reliance on user feedback and the subjective nature of user experiences. The evaluation is based on a specific set of criteria, and the results may vary depending on individual research needs and preferences. This study offers practical implications for researchers, students, and professionals seeking efficient and effective tools for conducting literature reviews. Elicit, SciSpace, and Consensus offer insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and potential applications. The findings contribute to informed decision-making regarding the adoption and utilization of these AI tools in research. This study examines AI tools designed explicitly for conducting literature reviews, distinguishing itself from existing research that predominantly emphasizes the application of AI in academic research settings. It offers an analysis of how various AI features can enhance the literature review process, thereby contributing a unique perspective to the ongoing discourse on the integration of AI in research methodologies.
Citizen science, a core component of the open science movement, emphasizes public participation in scientific research and fosters inclusive, community-driven knowledge production. Libraries are increasingly recognized as critical facilitators of citizen science, offering infrastructure, support, and access to resources. This study investigates the intellectual structure of citizen science within the field of library and information science (LIS) through a co-citation analysis using data retrieved from Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus. The analysis identifies the most frequently co-cited authors and sources, revealing emerging research clusters and thematic trends. Findings show that while citizen science in LIS is a growing area of interest, the field remains relatively fragmented, with limited author interconnectivity and modest citation frequencies. The most frequently co-cited sources include journals focusing on academic and medical librarianship, highlighting the multidimensional relevance of citizen science across subfields. Keyword analysis reveals dominant themes such as open science, crowdsourcing, and digital humanities, which align with libraries' evolving roles in participatory research. The study provides a comprehensive overview of current research dynamics and collaboration patterns, offering insights into the evolving role of libraries as active participants in citizen science initiatives.
This article explores open-ended qualitative feedback collected through an online survey of public library staff (e.g., managers/directors, librarians, volunteers, etc.) in the American South about the racial climate in their internal workplace. Theory of change is the conceptual principle driving this research study that calls for developing relevant solutions stemming from identifying a needed social change based on points of view of stakeholders embedded in the phenomena under study. The contextual background is the reality of racism that is THE PROBLEM in the United States and the world over. The survey questions were focused on four response categories: workplace inclusion and culture, staffing and professional development, workplace policies and procedures, and personal experiences. This research study briefly provides a listing of thematic results for each response category analyzed via application of grounded theory and open, selective, and axial coding. Implications to operationalize civic engagement for racial justice are briefly identified based on the data collected.
This study investigates how digital storytelling (DS) functions as a communicative strategy for the online presentation of local heritage. It aims to understand the extent to which DS mitigates digital disruption and supports inclusive, participatory, and identity-based narratives. The research applies a qualitative discourse analysis, complemented by a quantitative scope analysis, to a selected sample of 57 websites containing local heritage content. The analytical framework is organized into four levels of discourse analysis: textual, contextual, interactional/action-based, and ideological. The websites were evaluated according to narrative structure, emotional tone, multimodality, user interaction and curatorial authority. DS was identified in 60% of the websites in implicit, explicit or combined form. These DS strategies frequently include multimodal formats (text, audio, video, and image), personalized expression and emotionally resonant language. A recurring paradox was observed: while visual design is becoming more minimalistic, narrative richness is increasing. Most websites exhibited integrative and microhistorical approaches; however, a subset retained institutional or canon-based frameworks that limit narrative diversity. Methodologically, the study underscores the need to adapt discourse analysis to multimodal and non-linear environments. It also highlights the significance of curatorial power in shaping digital heritage narratives. The findings are relevant to libraries, cultural institutions and digital curators seeking to enhance user engagement and inclusivity through narrative strategies. This research contributes to digital heritage, information science and internet studies by considering DS as a form of socio-technical resilience that supports meaning-making, identity and cultural memory in digitally mediated environments.
The paper presents findings of a study that evaluated the inclusion of easy-to-read materials in Croatian public libraries. Using a checklist method, catalogues of the 41 largest and smallest public libraries in each Croatian county were compared with the Bibliography of Printed Easy-to-Read Materials Published in Croatia, comprising 29 titles. The collected data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS. Findings show that only one studied library holds all titles, and nearly half of them have more than half of the titles listed in the Bibliography. Although there are some deviations, the study identified the following pattern: an increasing number of titles and copies was observed relative to county population size and library type by service area. In most cases, the largest number of copies and titles is found in the largest libraries. As the study focused only on the largest and smallest county libraries, the results are not generalizable to all Croatian public libraries. The results highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the surveyed collections regarding their coverage of easy-to-read materials and offer guidance for librarians in future collection development of this material. Given that reading difficulties, especially dyslexia, are issues that can significantly impair one's quality of life, public libraries have the opportunity, through the acquisition and promotion of easy-to-read materials, to substantially contribute to improving the quality of life for such individuals and to raise public awareness of these issues. This is the first research that investigated the inclusion of easy-to-read materials in the collections of public libraries in Croatia.
American Corners in the Philippines are strategically located within select academic libraries, where they design and implement programs based on the six core pillars of American Spaces. Managing these programs requires extensive collaboration with diverse stakeholders to ensure effectiveness and reach target audiences. As American Spaces cycle through program creation, planning, implementation, and evaluation, a critical question arises: how do they sustain partnerships and expand opportunities? This research focuses on understanding how these partnerships are formed, managed, and sustained, and explores both American Spaces staff and partner perspectives on their involvement in collaborative programs and projects. This study employs a descriptive exploratory mixed-methods approach using document analysis of publicly available reports and two sets of semi-structured surveys based on the Framework for Collaboration by Saunders and Corning which are completed by American Spaces staff and their referred partners. The findings revealed that the American Spaces Philippines network usually partners with educational institutions such as public/private universities and schools, USGAA, youth organizations and local community groups. These partnerships are identified based on previous engagement or word of mouth and formalized through informal methods such as verbal and email agreements though some partners may require structured agreements. Findings also showed how the American Spaces Philippines network nurtures and supports partnerships through different strategies on relationship building, communication, and the use of various tools and resources. In terms of partnership barriers, funding emerged as a moderate barrier, mainly affecting partners than American Spaces. Whereas human resources and timerelated barriers are more pronounced with American Spaces than with partners. The insights gained from this research support more effective and sustainable collaborations beyond the American Spaces network. Given that all American Corners in the Philippines are supervised by libraries, this research is also valuable for library managers, as well as other project managers and leaders within the global American Spaces network and similar organizations, as it explores the often-overlooked realities of partnerships. By shedding light on these dynamics, the study assists them in enhancing their decision-making skills and helps them develop strong and
This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of racialized and immigrant youth in public libraries, focusing on their sense of belonging. The research team conducted 18 observations, two focus groups, surveys (n=79), and interviews (n=17). Findings were then explored with a co-design team of seven racialized youths. Data analysis identified four key themes and acceptance), and agency. Findings reveal that youth value safe, familiar, and inclusive environments where they feel represented and accepted. They also highlight challenges such as limited agency and racial discrimination. Ultimately, the findings emphasize the importance of fostering environments where youth are engaged, empowered, and heard so they can help shape public spaces where they feel truly valued. This paper also offers recommendations for ways public libraries can encourage a sense of belonging for immigrant and racialized youth and directions for future research.
Although inclusion and welcoming have been at the heart of French librarians' concerns for many years, the actions undertaken seem to have reached their limits. The participation of participants remains the business of informed people, the inclusion of minorities does not go as far as rethinking the modes of cultural transmission, and the ways to listen to the inhabitants are often restricted to design thinking. And if the current approach to welcoming ideas, stories and people was not sufficient to meet our expectations for inclusion and diversity? Through a theoretical study of concepts and notions, we study the relevance of the idea of hospitality, and its duality (hospitality to those who are in need and to foreigners) to renew the approach of welcoming in libraries. Our paper tends to show the paths that this notion opens up in terms of knowledge legitimization, community literacy and documentary hospitality. Thus, we hope to better identify the critical factors of inclusive library policies and subsequently propose directions for the renewal of welcoming practices in libraries.
Although research shows that information sources play an important role in career choice, few studies investigate the career information seeking behaviour of young adults with a multivariate approach of factors associated with the choice of information sources. This study is aimed at identifying the factors associated with young adults' career information seeking behaviour in a sample of 1,400 young adults in the province of Quebec, and the information sources they used when collecting information on jobs, career possibilities, further education or training. Results show that more than half of respondents consulted two sources or more and that the most used information sources are personal relationships and educational institutions. The discussion highlights that young adults actively seek information regardless of their school attendance status. It underscores the importance of close relationships-such as family and friends-as key sources of information, and calls for tailored strategies to disseminate information that reflect the diverse needs and characteristics of different groups of young adults.
The demands of public library work have intensified, placing strain on both frontline staff and the leaders responsible for supporting them. Emotional labour-the regulation of emotions required in daily work-remains underexplored in library and information sciences research, particularly regarding how leaders manage their own emotional labour while supporting frontline staff. This study examines what library leaders know about emotional labour and how that knowledge influences their leadership and support for staff. Interviews with 27 leaders from three large Canadian public libraries reveal that leaders play a crucial role as middle managers, balancing staff well-being with organizational expectations. As authentic leaders, they strive to build meaningful emotional connections with their teams-often successfully-but at a personal cost. Despite their dedication, they have limited power to address systemic challenges such as precarious work, chronic understaffing, and the increasing pressure of societal issues, all of which intensify emotional labour demands. Addressing these challenges requires a collective effort. Libraries must adopt a proactive approach to emotional labour, emphasizing leadership development, shared responsibility, and comprehensive organizational support.
In an era of ubiquitous computing and generative AI, our experience of place is increasingly mediated by digital technologies, creating hybrid environments where physical and virtual interactions converge. While fields like media and urban studies have explored this through the concept of 'digital placemaking'-the use of digital media to create a sense of place-this phenomenon has received limited attention within information studies. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a new conceptual framework, termed the 'placial-technical,' which refines the traditional socio-technical perspective to specifically analyze the mutual shaping of place, information, and technology. Using this lens, we argue that digital placemaking should be understood as a form of information practice, encompassing the socially situated ways individuals seek, use, and share information to construct meaning about their surroundings. Drawing on literature from human geography, media studies, and Human Computer Interaction, we trace the evolution of placemaking concepts and technologies. We then analyze digital placemaking through the dual processes of perception (how information inputs shape our understanding of place) and representation (how we create informational outputs to depict place), focusing on the growing influence of algorithms and generative AI. This synthesis reveals research gaps and offers implications for information studies. By conceptualizing digital placemaking as an information practice, the field can extend its theoretical and methodological tools while informing the ethical design of technologies that foster authentic community engagement and place attachment in a digitally mediated world.
