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Introduction
See also Research for librarians - portal | Scholarly publishing and communication | Scholarship 2.0
"...[scholarship for academic librarians] is about integrating the experience of teaching with the scholarship of research.
It is the ongoing and cumulative intellectual inquiry, through systematic observations and ongoing investigations,
by faculty into the nature of learning and the impact of teaching upon it." Hutchings & Schulman, 1999
The pursuit of scholarly research by academic librarians is a topic of some debate and perhaps confusion in academic library circles. While most academic librarians are busy with daily reference, instruction and collection activities and spend fewer than five hours per week on research or publishing activities, some academic librarians still find time to speak at conferences and publish the occasional article. Some academic librarians are adept at finding the balance between doing their daily work while making contributions to the profession. According to the research, academic librarians who publish are more likely to derive satisfaction from their work, meet their career goals and have a significant creative output.
To create and advance knowledge in library and information science (LIS), some academic librarians select quantitative or qualitative research methods. By applying research methods to the practical challenges of library and information provision, academic librarians can begin to make scholarly inquiries in several areas. Publishing and doing research are two related ways of promoting libraries and the work of professional librarians. Research creates new opportunities for disseminating ideas and to share experiences. Some academic librarians have a specific way of discussing library services, dealing with copyright, discussing resources and information literacy. The sharing and dissemination of experiences helps to bring about change within the academy. Librarians can share their concerns about students, and position LIS scholarship, when they are more actively involved. Publishing provides a way for academic librarians and faculty to collaborate and work to achieve strategic goals and objectives. Some helpful resources to explore research and teaching excellence are listed below.
Examples of scholarship for academic librarians
- conducting bibliometric and citation studies
- investigating how faculty and students seek and use information
- creating new ways to organize information
- developing new methods and strategies for information retrieval
- establishing new mechanisms to evaluate library services and processes
- researching the impact of the library on knowledge creation
- examining effective approaches to doing reference and delivering instructional activities
- publishing bibliographies; authoring blogs; creating wikis, etc.
Types of scholarly contributions
- publishing research in journals, books, and conference proceedings
- peer-reviewing an article
- editorial position at a journal
- poster session at a conference
- conference presentations
- book chapter
- non-refereed article
- writing conference paper
- authoring a blog
- maintaining a wiki
- writing a grant
- book review
Scholarship in teaching
See also
References
- Borgman CL. Scholarship in the digital age: information, infrastructure, and the Internet. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA; 2008.
- Budd JM. Academic library data from the United States: an examination of trends. LIBRES Library and Information Science Research. 2009;(19):2.
- Canter D, Fairbarn G. Becoming an author: advice for academics and other professionals. Maidenhead: Open University Press; 2009.
- Crowley WA. Spanning the theory-practice divide in library and information science. Scarecrow Press; 2005.
- Crowley WA. Renewing professional librarianship: a fundamental rethinking. Libraries Unlimited; 2008.
- Crumley E, Koufogiannakis D. Developing evidence-based librarianship: practical steps for implementation. Health Info Libraries J. 2008;(19)2:61-70.
- Fennewald J. Research productivity among librarians: factors leading to publications at Penn State. Coll Res Libr. 2008;69(2):104.
- Fox D. The scholarship of Canadian research university librarians: results of a National Survey. University of Saskatchewan Library.
- Gayton JT. Academic libraries: ‘social’ or communal? The nature and future of academic libraries. J Academic Librarianship. 2008;34(1).
- Genoni P, Haddow G, Ritchie A. Why don’t librarians use research? In: Evidence-based practice for information professionals: a handbook. London: Facet, 2004.
- Hutchings P, Schulman L. The scholarship of teaching and learning: new elaborations, new developments. Change. 1999;31(5):10-15.
- Miller JP, Benefiel CR. Academic librarians and the pursuit of tenure. Coll Res Libr. 1998:1-6.
- Mitchell WB, Reichel M. Publish or perish: a dilemma for academic librarians. Coll Res Libr. 1999;60(3):232-243.
- Sapon-White R, King V, Christie A. Supporting a culture of scholarship for academic librarians. portal: Libraries and the Academy. 2004;4(3):407-421.
- Tysick C, Babb N. Perspectives on writing support for junior faculty librarians: a case study. J Academic Librarianship. 2006;32(1):94-100.
- Walker S. Writing from presentations, how to get published in LIS journals: a practical guide. Library Connect; 2003.
- Walter S. Librarians as teachers: a qualitative inquiry into professional identity. Coll Res Libr. 2008:51-71.
- Watson P. Production of scholarly articles by academic librarians and library school faculty. Coll Res Libr. 1985;46:334-42
- Weller AC, Hurd JM, Wiberley SE. Publication patterns of US academic librarians from 1993 to 1997. Coll Res Libr. 1999;60(4):352-362
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