Journal of DocumentationTable of Contents for Journal of Documentation. List of articles from the current issue, including Just Accepted (EarlyCite)https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0022-0418/vol/80/iss/7?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestJournal of DocumentationEmerald Publishing LimitedJournal of DocumentationJournal of Documentationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/proxy/containerImg?link=/resource/publication/journal/2ecd214db016e0ad63452ae4236e065d/urn:emeraldgroup.com:asset:id:binary:jd.cover.jpghttps://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0022-0418/vol/80/iss/7?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest“They act like we are going to heaven”: pre-arrival information experiences, information crafting and settlement of immigrants in Canadahttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-05-2023-0082/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestAlthough there is a growing body of work on immigrants' information behavior, little is known about the pre-arrival information experiences of immigrants who consult formal information sources such as immigration agents. Drawn from a larger study on the information behavior of immigrants, this paper mainly reports the semi-structured interview findings on the pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants who used formal information sources with discussion on how that affected their post-arrival settlement into Canada. The study used a mixed method approach with semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and surveys (n = 205) with participants who arrived in Canada between the years of 1971 and 2017. Data were collected from May 2017 to February 2018. Although the overall scope of the original study is much larger, this paper features findings on the pre-arrival information experiences derived mainly from an analysis of interview data. This study provides insights into the pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants consulting formal information sources such as immigration firms, individual immigration consultants and more formal government agencies. The author introduces a new concept of “information crafting” by exploring the negative consequences of selective information sharing by immigration consultants/agents in newcomers' settlements in Canada, primarily positive information about life in Canada, sometimes with exaggeration and falsification. The interview participants shared story after the story of the settlement challenges they faced after arriving in Canada and how the expectations they built through the information received from immigration consultants and government agencies did not match after arrival. This study emphasizes the importance of providing comprehensive information about life in Canada to potential newcomers so that they can make informed decisions even before they apply. The findings of this study have theoretical and practical implications for policy and research. This study provides insights into the complicated culturally situated pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants. Moreover, the study findings encourage researchers in various disciplines, including psychology, migration studies and geography, to delve more deeply into newcomers' information experiences using an informational lens to examine the information newcomers receive from diverse sources and their effects on their post-arrival settlement in a new country. The study challenges the general assumptions that formal information sources are always reputable, useful, and comprehensive, and it provides some future directions for research that seeks to understand the culturally situated information behavior of diverse immigrant groups.“They act like we are going to heaven”: pre-arrival information experiences, information crafting and settlement of immigrants in Canada
Nafiz Zaman Shuva
Journal of Documentation, Vol. 80, No. 7, pp.1-24

Although there is a growing body of work on immigrants' information behavior, little is known about the pre-arrival information experiences of immigrants who consult formal information sources such as immigration agents. Drawn from a larger study on the information behavior of immigrants, this paper mainly reports the semi-structured interview findings on the pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants who used formal information sources with discussion on how that affected their post-arrival settlement into Canada.

The study used a mixed method approach with semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and surveys (n = 205) with participants who arrived in Canada between the years of 1971 and 2017. Data were collected from May 2017 to February 2018.

Although the overall scope of the original study is much larger, this paper features findings on the pre-arrival information experiences derived mainly from an analysis of interview data. This study provides insights into the pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants consulting formal information sources such as immigration firms, individual immigration consultants and more formal government agencies. The author introduces a new concept of “information crafting” by exploring the negative consequences of selective information sharing by immigration consultants/agents in newcomers' settlements in Canada, primarily positive information about life in Canada, sometimes with exaggeration and falsification. The interview participants shared story after the story of the settlement challenges they faced after arriving in Canada and how the expectations they built through the information received from immigration consultants and government agencies did not match after arrival. This study emphasizes the importance of providing comprehensive information about life in Canada to potential newcomers so that they can make informed decisions even before they apply.

The findings of this study have theoretical and practical implications for policy and research. This study provides insights into the complicated culturally situated pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants. Moreover, the study findings encourage researchers in various disciplines, including psychology, migration studies and geography, to delve more deeply into newcomers' information experiences using an informational lens to examine the information newcomers receive from diverse sources and their effects on their post-arrival settlement in a new country. The study challenges the general assumptions that formal information sources are always reputable, useful, and comprehensive, and it provides some future directions for research that seeks to understand the culturally situated information behavior of diverse immigrant groups.

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“They act like we are going to heaven”: pre-arrival information experiences, information crafting and settlement of immigrants in Canada10.1108/JD-05-2023-0082Journal of Documentation2023-12-22© 2023 Nafiz Zaman ShuvaNafiz Zaman ShuvaJournal of Documentation8072023-12-2210.1108/JD-05-2023-0082https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-05-2023-0082/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Nafiz Zaman Shuvahttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Algorithmic recommendations enabling and constraining information practices among young peoplehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-05-2023-0102/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study addresses how algorithmic recommendations and their affordances shape everyday information practices among young people. Thematic interviews were conducted with 20 Finnish young people aged 15–16 years. The material was analysed using qualitative content analysis, with a focus on everyday information practices involving online platforms. The key finding of the study is that the current affordances of algorithmic recommendations enable users to engage in more passive practices instead of active search and evaluation practices. Two major themes emerged from the analysis: enabling not searching, inviting high trust, which highlights the how the affordances of algorithmic recommendations enable the delegation of search to a recommender system and, at the same time, invite trust in the system, and constraining finding, discouraging diversity, which focuses on the constraining degree of affordances and breakdowns associated with algorithmic recommendations. This study contributes new knowledge regarding the ways in which algorithmic recommendations shape the information practices in young people's everyday lives specifically addressing the constraining nature of affordances.Algorithmic recommendations enabling and constraining information practices among young people
Ville Jylhä, Noora Hirvonen, Jutta Haider
Journal of Documentation, Vol. 80, No. 7, pp.25-42

This study addresses how algorithmic recommendations and their affordances shape everyday information practices among young people.

Thematic interviews were conducted with 20 Finnish young people aged 15–16 years. The material was analysed using qualitative content analysis, with a focus on everyday information practices involving online platforms.

The key finding of the study is that the current affordances of algorithmic recommendations enable users to engage in more passive practices instead of active search and evaluation practices. Two major themes emerged from the analysis: enabling not searching, inviting high trust, which highlights the how the affordances of algorithmic recommendations enable the delegation of search to a recommender system and, at the same time, invite trust in the system, and constraining finding, discouraging diversity, which focuses on the constraining degree of affordances and breakdowns associated with algorithmic recommendations.

This study contributes new knowledge regarding the ways in which algorithmic recommendations shape the information practices in young people's everyday lives specifically addressing the constraining nature of affordances.

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Algorithmic recommendations enabling and constraining information practices among young people10.1108/JD-05-2023-0102Journal of Documentation2024-01-16© 2023 Ville Jylhä, Noora Hirvonen and Jutta HaiderVille JylhäNoora HirvonenJutta HaiderJournal of Documentation8072024-01-1610.1108/JD-05-2023-0102https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-05-2023-0102/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Ville Jylhä, Noora Hirvonen and Jutta Haiderhttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Curiosity and information-seeking behaviour: a review of psychological research and a comparison with the information science literaturehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-09-2023-0173/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe aim of this paper is to review the psychological literature on curiosity and its relationship to information-seeking behaviour, and compare this with the information science literature on the same subject. The approach adopted is that of a comparative literature review, with an analysis of the papers retrieved in terms of their theoretical approach, context, study population and research method. Curiosity is understood as a multi-faceted cognitive trait in humans and the relationship to information-seeking behaviour is explored through an exploration of other personality characteristics. There is very little citation of the information science literature in the psychological papers, and only a little more citation of the psychological literature in the information science papers. The author is not aware of any similar exploration of the literature on curiosity.Curiosity and information-seeking behaviour: a review of psychological research and a comparison with the information science literature
Thomas D. Wilson
Journal of Documentation, Vol. 80, No. 7, pp.43-59

The aim of this paper is to review the psychological literature on curiosity and its relationship to information-seeking behaviour, and compare this with the information science literature on the same subject.

The approach adopted is that of a comparative literature review, with an analysis of the papers retrieved in terms of their theoretical approach, context, study population and research method.

Curiosity is understood as a multi-faceted cognitive trait in humans and the relationship to information-seeking behaviour is explored through an exploration of other personality characteristics. There is very little citation of the information science literature in the psychological papers, and only a little more citation of the psychological literature in the information science papers.

The author is not aware of any similar exploration of the literature on curiosity.

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Curiosity and information-seeking behaviour: a review of psychological research and a comparison with the information science literature10.1108/JD-09-2023-0173Journal of Documentation2024-02-14© 2024 Thomas D. WilsonThomas D. WilsonJournal of Documentation8072024-02-1410.1108/JD-09-2023-0173https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-09-2023-0173/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Thomas D. Wilsonhttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
What characterizes LIS as a fragmenting discipline?https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-10-2023-0207/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this paper is to characterize library and information science (LIS) as fragmenting discipline both historically and by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory about the organization of sciences and Fuchs’ (1993) theory about scientific change. The study combines historical source analysis with conceptual and theoretical analysis for characterizing LIS. An attempt is made to empirically validate the distinction between LIS context, L&I services and information seeking as fragmented adhocracies and information retrieval and scientific communication (scientometrics) as technologically integrated bureaucracies. The origin of fragmentation in LIS due the contributions of other disciplines can be traced in the 1960s and 1970s for solving the problems produced by the growth of scientific literature. Computer science and business established academic programs and started research relevant to LIS community focusing on information retrieval and bibliometrics. This has led to differing research interests between LIS and other disciplines concerning research topics and methods. LIS has been characterized as fragmented adhocracy as a whole, but we make a distinction between research topics LIS context, L&I services and information seeking as fragmented adhocracies and information retrieval and scientific communication (scientometrics) as technologically integrated bureaucracies. The paper provides an elaborated historical perspective on the fragmentation of LIS in the pressure of other disciplines. It also characterizes LIS as discipline in a fresh way by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory.What characterizes LIS as a fragmenting discipline?
Pertti Vakkari
Journal of Documentation, Vol. 80, No. 7, pp.60-77

The purpose of this paper is to characterize library and information science (LIS) as fragmenting discipline both historically and by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory about the organization of sciences and Fuchs’ (1993) theory about scientific change.

The study combines historical source analysis with conceptual and theoretical analysis for characterizing LIS. An attempt is made to empirically validate the distinction between LIS context, L&I services and information seeking as fragmented adhocracies and information retrieval and scientific communication (scientometrics) as technologically integrated bureaucracies.

The origin of fragmentation in LIS due the contributions of other disciplines can be traced in the 1960s and 1970s for solving the problems produced by the growth of scientific literature. Computer science and business established academic programs and started research relevant to LIS community focusing on information retrieval and bibliometrics. This has led to differing research interests between LIS and other disciplines concerning research topics and methods. LIS has been characterized as fragmented adhocracy as a whole, but we make a distinction between research topics LIS context, L&I services and information seeking as fragmented adhocracies and information retrieval and scientific communication (scientometrics) as technologically integrated bureaucracies.

The paper provides an elaborated historical perspective on the fragmentation of LIS in the pressure of other disciplines. It also characterizes LIS as discipline in a fresh way by applying Whitley’s (1984) theory.

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What characterizes LIS as a fragmenting discipline?10.1108/JD-10-2023-0207Journal of Documentation2024-02-15© 2024 Pertti VakkariPertti VakkariJournal of Documentation8072024-02-1510.1108/JD-10-2023-0207https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-10-2023-0207/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Pertti Vakkarihttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
Unlocking a multimodal archive of Southern Chinese martial arts through embodied cueshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-01-2022-0027/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestDespite being an authentic carrier of various cultural practices, the human body is often underutilised to access the knowledge of human body. Digital inventions today have created new avenues to open up cultural data resources, yet mainly as apparatuses for well-annotated and object-based collections. Hence, there is a pressing need for empowering the representation of intangible expressions, particularly embodied knowledge within its cultural context. To address this issue, the authors propose to inspect the potential of machine learning methods to enhance archival knowledge interaction with intangible cultural heritage (ICH) materials. This research adopts a novel approach by combining movement computing with knowledge-specific modelling to support retrieving through embodied cues, which is applied to a multimodal archive documenting the cultural heritage (CH) of Southern Chinese martial arts. Through experimenting with a retrieval engine implemented using the Hong Kong Martial Arts Living Archive (HKMALA) datasets, this work validated the effectiveness of the developed approach in multimodal content retrieval and highlighted the potential for the multimodal's application in facilitating archival exploration and knowledge discoverability. This work takes a knowledge-specific approach to invent an intelligent encoding approach through a deep-learning workflow. This article underlines that the convergence of algorithmic reckoning and content-centred design holds promise for transforming the paradigm of archival interaction, thereby augmenting knowledge transmission via more accessible CH materials.Unlocking a multimodal archive of Southern Chinese martial arts through embodied cues
Yumeng Hou, Fadel Mamar Seydou, Sarah Kenderdine
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Despite being an authentic carrier of various cultural practices, the human body is often underutilised to access the knowledge of human body. Digital inventions today have created new avenues to open up cultural data resources, yet mainly as apparatuses for well-annotated and object-based collections. Hence, there is a pressing need for empowering the representation of intangible expressions, particularly embodied knowledge within its cultural context. To address this issue, the authors propose to inspect the potential of machine learning methods to enhance archival knowledge interaction with intangible cultural heritage (ICH) materials.

This research adopts a novel approach by combining movement computing with knowledge-specific modelling to support retrieving through embodied cues, which is applied to a multimodal archive documenting the cultural heritage (CH) of Southern Chinese martial arts.

Through experimenting with a retrieval engine implemented using the Hong Kong Martial Arts Living Archive (HKMALA) datasets, this work validated the effectiveness of the developed approach in multimodal content retrieval and highlighted the potential for the multimodal's application in facilitating archival exploration and knowledge discoverability.

This work takes a knowledge-specific approach to invent an intelligent encoding approach through a deep-learning workflow. This article underlines that the convergence of algorithmic reckoning and content-centred design holds promise for transforming the paradigm of archival interaction, thereby augmenting knowledge transmission via more accessible CH materials.

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Unlocking a multimodal archive of Southern Chinese martial arts through embodied cues10.1108/JD-01-2022-0027Journal of Documentation2023-05-08© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedYumeng HouFadel Mamar SeydouSarah KenderdineJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-05-0810.1108/JD-01-2022-0027https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-01-2022-0027/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Computer vision and machine learning approaches for metadata enrichment to improve searchability of historical newspaper collectionshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-01-2022-0029/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestHistorical newspaper collections provide a wealth of information about the past. Although the digitization of these collections significantly improves their accessibility, a large portion of digitized historical newspaper collections, such as those of KBR, the Royal Library of Belgium, are not yet searchable at article-level. However, recent developments in AI-based research methods, such as document layout analysis, have the potential for further enriching the metadata to improve the searchability of these historical newspaper collections. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned issue. In this paper, the authors explore how existing computer vision and machine learning approaches can be used to improve access to digitized historical newspapers. To do this, the authors propose a workflow, using computer vision and machine learning approaches to (1) provide article-level access to digitized historical newspaper collections using document layout analysis, (2) extract specific types of articles (e.g. feuilletons – literary supplements from Le Peuple from 1938), (3) conduct image similarity analysis using (un)supervised classification methods and (4) perform named entity recognition (NER) to link the extracted information to open data. The results show that the proposed workflow improves the accessibility and searchability of digitized historical newspapers, and also contributes to the building of corpora for digital humanities research. The AI-based methods enable automatic extraction of feuilletons, clustering of similar images and dynamic linking of related articles. The proposed workflow enables automatic extraction of articles, including detection of a specific type of article, such as a feuilleton or literary supplement. This is particularly valuable for humanities researchers as it improves the searchability of these collections and enables corpora to be built around specific themes. Article-level access to, and improved searchability of, KBR's digitized newspapers are demonstrated through the online tool (https://tw06v072.ugent.be/kbr/).Computer vision and machine learning approaches for metadata enrichment to improve searchability of historical newspaper collections
Dilawar Ali, Kenzo Milleville, Steven Verstockt, Nico Van de Weghe, Sally Chambers, Julie M. Birkholz
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Historical newspaper collections provide a wealth of information about the past. Although the digitization of these collections significantly improves their accessibility, a large portion of digitized historical newspaper collections, such as those of KBR, the Royal Library of Belgium, are not yet searchable at article-level. However, recent developments in AI-based research methods, such as document layout analysis, have the potential for further enriching the metadata to improve the searchability of these historical newspaper collections. This paper aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.

In this paper, the authors explore how existing computer vision and machine learning approaches can be used to improve access to digitized historical newspapers. To do this, the authors propose a workflow, using computer vision and machine learning approaches to (1) provide article-level access to digitized historical newspaper collections using document layout analysis, (2) extract specific types of articles (e.g. feuilletons – literary supplements from Le Peuple from 1938), (3) conduct image similarity analysis using (un)supervised classification methods and (4) perform named entity recognition (NER) to link the extracted information to open data.

The results show that the proposed workflow improves the accessibility and searchability of digitized historical newspapers, and also contributes to the building of corpora for digital humanities research. The AI-based methods enable automatic extraction of feuilletons, clustering of similar images and dynamic linking of related articles.

The proposed workflow enables automatic extraction of articles, including detection of a specific type of article, such as a feuilleton or literary supplement. This is particularly valuable for humanities researchers as it improves the searchability of these collections and enables corpora to be built around specific themes. Article-level access to, and improved searchability of, KBR's digitized newspapers are demonstrated through the online tool (https://tw06v072.ugent.be/kbr/).

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Computer vision and machine learning approaches for metadata enrichment to improve searchability of historical newspaper collections10.1108/JD-01-2022-0029Journal of Documentation2023-02-27© 2022 Emerald Publishing LimitedDilawar AliKenzo MillevilleSteven VerstocktNico Van de WegheSally ChambersJulie M. BirkholzJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-02-2710.1108/JD-01-2022-0029https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-01-2022-0029/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2022 Emerald Publishing Limited
Unsilencing colonial archives via automated entity recognitionhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-02-2022-0038/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis paper aims to expand the scope and mitigate the biases of extant archival indexes. The authors use automatic entity recognition on the archives of the Dutch East India Company to extract mentions of underrepresented people. The authors release an annotated corpus and baselines for a shared task and show that the proposed goal is feasible. Colonial archives are increasingly a focus of attention for historians and the public, broadening access to them is a pressing need for archives.Unsilencing colonial archives via automated entity recognition
Mrinalini Luthra, Konstantin Todorov, Charles Jeurgens, Giovanni Colavizza
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This paper aims to expand the scope and mitigate the biases of extant archival indexes.

The authors use automatic entity recognition on the archives of the Dutch East India Company to extract mentions of underrepresented people.

The authors release an annotated corpus and baselines for a shared task and show that the proposed goal is feasible.

Colonial archives are increasingly a focus of attention for historians and the public, broadening access to them is a pressing need for archives.

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Unsilencing colonial archives via automated entity recognition10.1108/JD-02-2022-0038Journal of Documentation2023-01-31© 2022 Emerald Publishing LimitedMrinalini LuthraKonstantin TodorovCharles JeurgensGiovanni ColavizzaJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-01-3110.1108/JD-02-2022-0038https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-02-2022-0038/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2022 Emerald Publishing Limited
Relevance and creativity – a linear modelhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-02-2023-0023/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this paper is to provide a new and useful formulation of relevance. This paper is formulated as a conceptual argument. It makes the case for the utility of considering relevance to be function of use in creative processes. There are several corollaries to formulating relevance as a function of use. These include the idea that objects by themselves cannot be relevant since use assumes interaction; the affordances of objects and how they are perceived can affect what becomes relevant but are not in themselves relevant; relevance is not an essential characteristic of objects; relevance is transient; potential relevance (what might be relevant in the future) can be distinguished from what is relevant in use and from what has been relevant in the past. The paper shows that its new formulation of relevance brings improved conceptual and terminological clarity to the discourse about relevance in information science. It demonstrates that how relevance is articulated conceptually is important as its conceptualization can affect the ways that users are able to make use of information systems and, by extension, how information systems can facilitate or disable the co-production of creative outcomes. The paper also usefully expands investigative opportunities by suggesting relevance and creativity are interrelated.Relevance and creativity – a linear model
Wayne de Fremery, Michael Keeble Buckland
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this paper is to provide a new and useful formulation of relevance.

This paper is formulated as a conceptual argument. It makes the case for the utility of considering relevance to be function of use in creative processes.

There are several corollaries to formulating relevance as a function of use. These include the idea that objects by themselves cannot be relevant since use assumes interaction; the affordances of objects and how they are perceived can affect what becomes relevant but are not in themselves relevant; relevance is not an essential characteristic of objects; relevance is transient; potential relevance (what might be relevant in the future) can be distinguished from what is relevant in use and from what has been relevant in the past.

The paper shows that its new formulation of relevance brings improved conceptual and terminological clarity to the discourse about relevance in information science. It demonstrates that how relevance is articulated conceptually is important as its conceptualization can affect the ways that users are able to make use of information systems and, by extension, how information systems can facilitate or disable the co-production of creative outcomes. The paper also usefully expands investigative opportunities by suggesting relevance and creativity are interrelated.

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Relevance and creativity – a linear model10.1108/JD-02-2023-0023Journal of Documentation2024-02-20© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedWayne de FremeryMichael Keeble BucklandJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-2010.1108/JD-02-2023-0023https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-02-2023-0023/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
How do you solve a problem like Michael?https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-02-2023-0029/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestCelebrate Michael Buckland's impressive legacy to LIS by showing his humanity, generosity and versatility. This article is walk through a scientific career in LIS. Through personal anecdotes and life history and building upon Michael Buckland's legacy, it summarises the author’s own work seen through the prism of her interactions with Buckland, leading to scholarly contributions articulating significant statements about the field of LIS as well as pointers to past relevant publications. Michael Buckland has a unique way of putting an end to thorny LIS issues as well as being a documentator extraordinaire. It is a personal account, as such cannot be evaluated through the classical norms of empirical research as there is no ground truth. This account shows how chance encounters with fellow scholars can have a lasting influence on one's academic career as well as wider impact in a field.How do you solve a problem like Michael?
Fidelia Ibekwe
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Celebrate Michael Buckland's impressive legacy to LIS by showing his humanity, generosity and versatility.

This article is walk through a scientific career in LIS. Through personal anecdotes and life history and building upon Michael Buckland's legacy, it summarises the author’s own work seen through the prism of her interactions with Buckland, leading to scholarly contributions articulating significant statements about the field of LIS as well as pointers to past relevant publications.

Michael Buckland has a unique way of putting an end to thorny LIS issues as well as being a documentator extraordinaire.

It is a personal account, as such cannot be evaluated through the classical norms of empirical research as there is no ground truth. This account shows how chance encounters with fellow scholars can have a lasting influence on one's academic career as well as wider impact in a field.

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How do you solve a problem like Michael?10.1108/JD-02-2023-0029Journal of Documentation2023-06-26© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedFidelia IbekweJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-06-2610.1108/JD-02-2023-0029https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-02-2023-0029/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The informative potential of bibliographic classification systems – reflections on a discussion in the French Documentation Movementhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-03-2023-0049/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestIn this article, the author discusses works from the French Documentation Movement in the 1940s and 1950s with regard to how it formulates bibliographic classification systems as documents. Significant writings by Suzanne Briet, Éric de Grolier and Robert Pagès are analyzed in the light of current document-theoretical concepts and discussions. Conceptual analysis. The French Documentation Movement provided a rich intellectual environment in the late 1940s and early 1950s, resulting in original works on documents and the ways these may be represented bibliographically. These works display a variety of approaches from object-oriented description to notational concept-synthesis, and definitions of classification systems as isomorph documents at the center of politically informed critique of modern society. The article brings together historical and conceptual elements in the analysis which have not previously been combined in Library and Information Science literature. In the analysis, the article discusses significant contributions to classification and document theory that hitherto have eluded attention from the wider international Library and Information Science research community. Through this, the article contributes to the currently ongoing conceptual discussion on documents and documentality.The informative potential of bibliographic classification systems – reflections on a discussion in the French Documentation Movement
Joacim Hansson
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

In this article, the author discusses works from the French Documentation Movement in the 1940s and 1950s with regard to how it formulates bibliographic classification systems as documents. Significant writings by Suzanne Briet, Éric de Grolier and Robert Pagès are analyzed in the light of current document-theoretical concepts and discussions.

Conceptual analysis.

The French Documentation Movement provided a rich intellectual environment in the late 1940s and early 1950s, resulting in original works on documents and the ways these may be represented bibliographically. These works display a variety of approaches from object-oriented description to notational concept-synthesis, and definitions of classification systems as isomorph documents at the center of politically informed critique of modern society.

The article brings together historical and conceptual elements in the analysis which have not previously been combined in Library and Information Science literature. In the analysis, the article discusses significant contributions to classification and document theory that hitherto have eluded attention from the wider international Library and Information Science research community. Through this, the article contributes to the currently ongoing conceptual discussion on documents and documentality.

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The informative potential of bibliographic classification systems – reflections on a discussion in the French Documentation Movement10.1108/JD-03-2023-0049Journal of Documentation2023-07-04© 2023 Joacim HanssonJoacim HanssonJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-07-0410.1108/JD-03-2023-0049https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-03-2023-0049/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Joacim Hanssonhttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
The spectrum of semantic and syntactic labourhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-03-2023-0057/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe article extends the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour to comprehend all forms of mental labour. It answers a critique from de Fremery and Buckland, which required envisaging mental labour as a differentiated spectrum. The paper adopts a discursive approach. It first reviews the significance and extensive diffusion of the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour. Second, it integrates semantic and syntactic labour along a vertical dimension within mental labour, indicating analogies in principle with, and differences in application from, the inherited distinction of intellectual from clerical labour. Third, it develops semantic labour to the very highest level, on a consistent principle of differentiation from syntactic labour. Finally, it reintegrates the understanding developed of semantic labour with syntactic labour, confirming that they can fully and informatively occupy mental labour. The article further validates the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour. It enables to address Norbert Wiener's classic challenge of appropriately distributing activity between human and computer. The article transforms work in progress into knowledge for diffusion. It has practical implications for determining what tasks to delegate to computational technology. The paper has social implications for the understanding of appropriate human and machine computational tasks and our own distinctive humanness. The paper is highly original. Although based on preceding research, from the late 20th century, it is the first separately published full account of semantic and syntactic labour.The spectrum of semantic and syntactic labour
Julian Warner
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The article extends the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour to comprehend all forms of mental labour. It answers a critique from de Fremery and Buckland, which required envisaging mental labour as a differentiated spectrum.

The paper adopts a discursive approach. It first reviews the significance and extensive diffusion of the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour. Second, it integrates semantic and syntactic labour along a vertical dimension within mental labour, indicating analogies in principle with, and differences in application from, the inherited distinction of intellectual from clerical labour. Third, it develops semantic labour to the very highest level, on a consistent principle of differentiation from syntactic labour. Finally, it reintegrates the understanding developed of semantic labour with syntactic labour, confirming that they can fully and informatively occupy mental labour.

The article further validates the distinction of semantic from syntactic labour. It enables to address Norbert Wiener's classic challenge of appropriately distributing activity between human and computer.

The article transforms work in progress into knowledge for diffusion.

It has practical implications for determining what tasks to delegate to computational technology.

The paper has social implications for the understanding of appropriate human and machine computational tasks and our own distinctive humanness.

The paper is highly original. Although based on preceding research, from the late 20th century, it is the first separately published full account of semantic and syntactic labour.

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The spectrum of semantic and syntactic labour10.1108/JD-03-2023-0057Journal of Documentation2023-08-28© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedJulian WarnerJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-08-2810.1108/JD-03-2023-0057https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-03-2023-0057/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The importance of a complementary approach when working with historical documentshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-03-2023-0060/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this study is to show that the neo-documentary – or complimentary – approach in Library and Information Science by no means is conservative, but highly necessary also in today's digitized media landscape. An example from a digitized photo archive is chosen to demonstrate the importance of a complimentary analysis that considers both material aspects as well as social and mental ones. By taking Jenna Hartel's description of the neo-documentary turn as point of departure, the paper focuses on one case, the portrait of Johannes Abrahamsen Motka taken by Sophus Tromholt in 1883 and discusses different versions of the photograph from glass plate negatives to digitized versions in different contexts and media. Many of the same paratextual elements can be found in different versions, also the digitized ones, to help the viewer to establish a historical context, but the images exhibited today are nevertheless no longer the same ones taken by Tromholt at the end of the 19th century. Not only have the material properties changed, but also – and probably even more important in most cases – the social and mental aspects. More re-contextualization is needed for today's audiences to recognize and understand a historical photograph taken in a colonial context. Focusing on document's material elements is not novel within the LIS-field, but the so-called neo-documentary turn was also a reaction on political and technological developments during the 1980s and 1990s. The increased focus on understanding a document in a complimentary way has demonstrated its impact during the last decades and is, at the same time, still work in progress. As a scholar in the humanities the author can only relate to and therefore analyze what the author can experience and observe on screen level. In providing a case study, this article illustrates the necessity of employing a complimentary approach when analyzing documents. This also implicates the claim that the neo-documentary turn – or complimentary as it rather should be called – by no means is a conservative one, but a highly necessary one in today's digitized media landscape.The importance of a complementary approach when working with historical documents
Roswitha Skare
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this study is to show that the neo-documentary – or complimentary – approach in Library and Information Science by no means is conservative, but highly necessary also in today's digitized media landscape. An example from a digitized photo archive is chosen to demonstrate the importance of a complimentary analysis that considers both material aspects as well as social and mental ones.

By taking Jenna Hartel's description of the neo-documentary turn as point of departure, the paper focuses on one case, the portrait of Johannes Abrahamsen Motka taken by Sophus Tromholt in 1883 and discusses different versions of the photograph from glass plate negatives to digitized versions in different contexts and media.

Many of the same paratextual elements can be found in different versions, also the digitized ones, to help the viewer to establish a historical context, but the images exhibited today are nevertheless no longer the same ones taken by Tromholt at the end of the 19th century. Not only have the material properties changed, but also – and probably even more important in most cases – the social and mental aspects. More re-contextualization is needed for today's audiences to recognize and understand a historical photograph taken in a colonial context. Focusing on document's material elements is not novel within the LIS-field, but the so-called neo-documentary turn was also a reaction on political and technological developments during the 1980s and 1990s. The increased focus on understanding a document in a complimentary way has demonstrated its impact during the last decades and is, at the same time, still work in progress.

As a scholar in the humanities the author can only relate to and therefore analyze what the author can experience and observe on screen level.

In providing a case study, this article illustrates the necessity of employing a complimentary approach when analyzing documents. This also implicates the claim that the neo-documentary turn – or complimentary as it rather should be called – by no means is a conservative one, but a highly necessary one in today's digitized media landscape.

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The importance of a complementary approach when working with historical documents10.1108/JD-03-2023-0060Journal of Documentation2023-08-30© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedRoswitha SkareJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-08-3010.1108/JD-03-2023-0060https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-03-2023-0060/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
User perspectives through cross-connections. The role of archives as part of the German digital research data infrastructurehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2022-0081/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestStarting from the status quo, the paper outlines perspectives and challenges for the connection and interlinking of digitised and digital archival data. The following topics are addressed: Where are fields of action and what are the means of archives? Which functional and technical requirements are to be considered, and what is the role of portal infrastructures linking together various different institutions? Considering needs of users and general framework conditions, the paper examines new approaches emerging in Germany. It outlines recent projects and considerations aiming to improve services and visibility of archives within the national data infrastructure in Germany. Cross-connections are no new phenomenon, but change their appearance significantly in a digital context. In this respect, both smaller and bigger archives profit from participation in larger digital networks. Furthermore, archives need to keep in mind to reflect the quality of their digital (meta)data regularly and to offer or join systems that functionally and technically support cross-connection and interlinking of data. The paper endeavours to show the importance of digital cross-connections and the role of portal infrastructures for visibility, online-distribution and use of digital archival metadata and data.User perspectives through cross-connections. The role of archives as part of the German digital research data infrastructure
Kai Naumann, Andreas Neuburger
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Starting from the status quo, the paper outlines perspectives and challenges for the connection and interlinking of digitised and digital archival data. The following topics are addressed: Where are fields of action and what are the means of archives? Which functional and technical requirements are to be considered, and what is the role of portal infrastructures linking together various different institutions?

Considering needs of users and general framework conditions, the paper examines new approaches emerging in Germany. It outlines recent projects and considerations aiming to improve services and visibility of archives within the national data infrastructure in Germany.

Cross-connections are no new phenomenon, but change their appearance significantly in a digital context. In this respect, both smaller and bigger archives profit from participation in larger digital networks. Furthermore, archives need to keep in mind to reflect the quality of their digital (meta)data regularly and to offer or join systems that functionally and technically support cross-connection and interlinking of data.

The paper endeavours to show the importance of digital cross-connections and the role of portal infrastructures for visibility, online-distribution and use of digital archival metadata and data.

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User perspectives through cross-connections. The role of archives as part of the German digital research data infrastructure10.1108/JD-04-2022-0081Journal of Documentation2024-03-01© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedKai NaumannAndreas NeuburgerJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-03-0110.1108/JD-04-2022-0081https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2022-0081/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Datafication of audiovisual archives: from practice mapping to a thinking modelhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2022-0093/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestRecent archiving and curatorial practices took advantage of the advancement in digital technologies, creating immersive and interactive experiences to emphasize the plurality of memory materials, encourage personalized sense-making and extract, manage and share the ever-growing surrounding knowledge. Audiovisual (AV) content, with its growing importance and popularity, is less explored on that end than texts and images. This paper examines the trend of datafication in AV archives and answers the critical question, “What to extract from AV materials and why?”. This study roots in a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of digital methods and curatorial practices in AV archives. The thinking model for mapping AV archive data to purposes is based on pre-existing models for understanding multimedia content and metadata standards. The thinking model connects AV content descriptors (data perspective) and purposes (curatorial perspective) and provides a theoretical map of how information extracted from AV archives should be fused and embedded for memory institutions. The model is constructed by looking into the three broad dimensions of audiovisual content – archival, affective and aesthetic, social and historical. This paper contributes uniquely to the intersection of computational archives, audiovisual content and public sense-making experiences. It provides updates and insights to work towards datafied AV archives and cope with the increasing needs in the sense-making end using AV archives.Datafication of audiovisual archives: from practice mapping to a thinking model
Yuchen Yang
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Recent archiving and curatorial practices took advantage of the advancement in digital technologies, creating immersive and interactive experiences to emphasize the plurality of memory materials, encourage personalized sense-making and extract, manage and share the ever-growing surrounding knowledge. Audiovisual (AV) content, with its growing importance and popularity, is less explored on that end than texts and images. This paper examines the trend of datafication in AV archives and answers the critical question, “What to extract from AV materials and why?”.

This study roots in a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of digital methods and curatorial practices in AV archives. The thinking model for mapping AV archive data to purposes is based on pre-existing models for understanding multimedia content and metadata standards.

The thinking model connects AV content descriptors (data perspective) and purposes (curatorial perspective) and provides a theoretical map of how information extracted from AV archives should be fused and embedded for memory institutions. The model is constructed by looking into the three broad dimensions of audiovisual content – archival, affective and aesthetic, social and historical.

This paper contributes uniquely to the intersection of computational archives, audiovisual content and public sense-making experiences. It provides updates and insights to work towards datafied AV archives and cope with the increasing needs in the sense-making end using AV archives.

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Datafication of audiovisual archives: from practice mapping to a thinking model10.1108/JD-04-2022-0093Journal of Documentation2024-03-05© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedYuchen YangJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-03-0510.1108/JD-04-2022-0093https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2022-0093/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Documentation to Documentality in the works of Michael Bucklandhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2023-0066/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestMichael Buckland's works have spanned theoretical, historical and practice-oriented foci and genre. This article focuses on some of his theoretical-historical works that span over 20 years, which demonstrate a reading and critique of European Documentation in terms of what has been called “Documentality.” This turn to a philosophy of information called “Documentality” marks the moment of “neo-documentation.” This article surveys this moment in Buckland's works by reading his articles “Information as Thing,” “What is a ‘Document’?”, and “Documentality Beyond Documents.” It shows the transition from Documentation as a philosophy of information as representation to Documentality as a philosophy of information as function and performance. Some concepts and works of Bruno Latour are used to illuminate this transition from Documentation to Documentality. Implications and further research directions are discussed at the end. Conceptual and historical analyses. The article follows a neo-documentalist transition in Buckland's works in the thinking of documents from an Otletian representationalist epistemology (“Documentation”) to a functionalist and performative epistemology (“Documentality”) for documents. This is a conceptual work on a limited corpus in Buckland's oeuvre. It has a limited discussion of Documentality in the works of other writers, namely the works of Bernd Frohmann and Maurizio Ferraris. The article points to historical shifts in the study of documents in Library and Information Science. Documentality critically and materially studies documents in sociotechnical information management systems and elsewhere. This work highlights the importance of the above works and the importance of the neo-documentalist perspective of Documentality.Documentation to Documentality in the works of Michael Buckland
Ronald E. Day
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Michael Buckland's works have spanned theoretical, historical and practice-oriented foci and genre. This article focuses on some of his theoretical-historical works that span over 20 years, which demonstrate a reading and critique of European Documentation in terms of what has been called “Documentality.” This turn to a philosophy of information called “Documentality” marks the moment of “neo-documentation.” This article surveys this moment in Buckland's works by reading his articles “Information as Thing,” “What is a ‘Document’?”, and “Documentality Beyond Documents.” It shows the transition from Documentation as a philosophy of information as representation to Documentality as a philosophy of information as function and performance. Some concepts and works of Bruno Latour are used to illuminate this transition from Documentation to Documentality. Implications and further research directions are discussed at the end.

Conceptual and historical analyses.

The article follows a neo-documentalist transition in Buckland's works in the thinking of documents from an Otletian representationalist epistemology (“Documentation”) to a functionalist and performative epistemology (“Documentality”) for documents.

This is a conceptual work on a limited corpus in Buckland's oeuvre. It has a limited discussion of Documentality in the works of other writers, namely the works of Bernd Frohmann and Maurizio Ferraris.

The article points to historical shifts in the study of documents in Library and Information Science.

Documentality critically and materially studies documents in sociotechnical information management systems and elsewhere.

This work highlights the importance of the above works and the importance of the neo-documentalist perspective of Documentality.

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Documentation to Documentality in the works of Michael Buckland10.1108/JD-04-2023-0066Journal of Documentation2023-08-23© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedRonald E. DayJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-08-2310.1108/JD-04-2023-0066https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2023-0066/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Does a name make a difference? The neo-documentalist movement, where does it stand after 27 years 1996–2023https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2023-0070/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of the paper is to analyze how the Neo-documentalist movement, initiated in 1996 by Michael Buckland, Boyd Rayward and Niels Lund, has evolved in its 27 years history, how the choice of documentation as name of the new program in Tromsø has made a difference in the LIS field and how different documentation scholars around the world has participated and approached the movement until now. The paper has approached the “Neo-documentalist movement” in a historical perspective from 1996 to 2023 discussing what difference does the choice of a concept make, when the concept of documentation is chosen instead of information in the name of a program and for the general discussion of the object of an academic field like Library and Information Science. The analysis shows that it did make a difference to choose the concept of documentation as name of the program in Tromsø and the Neo-documentalist movement contributed to a new focus and discussion of the informative objects, the documents and their creation, not only in Tromsø, but in different parts of the world across linguistic borders. The paper is original by the fact that it is the first time that the neo documentalist movement has been reviewed on a global scale across linguistic barriers. It has value by a discussion of the ways in which a choice of concept matter in relation to defining a field and the research agenda.Does a name make a difference? The neo-documentalist movement, where does it stand after 27 years 1996–2023
Niels Windfeld Lund
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of the paper is to analyze how the Neo-documentalist movement, initiated in 1996 by Michael Buckland, Boyd Rayward and Niels Lund, has evolved in its 27 years history, how the choice of documentation as name of the new program in Tromsø has made a difference in the LIS field and how different documentation scholars around the world has participated and approached the movement until now.

The paper has approached the “Neo-documentalist movement” in a historical perspective from 1996 to 2023 discussing what difference does the choice of a concept make, when the concept of documentation is chosen instead of information in the name of a program and for the general discussion of the object of an academic field like Library and Information Science.

The analysis shows that it did make a difference to choose the concept of documentation as name of the program in Tromsø and the Neo-documentalist movement contributed to a new focus and discussion of the informative objects, the documents and their creation, not only in Tromsø, but in different parts of the world across linguistic borders.

The paper is original by the fact that it is the first time that the neo documentalist movement has been reviewed on a global scale across linguistic barriers. It has value by a discussion of the ways in which a choice of concept matter in relation to defining a field and the research agenda.

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Does a name make a difference? The neo-documentalist movement, where does it stand after 27 years 1996–202310.1108/JD-04-2023-0070Journal of Documentation2023-09-01© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedNiels Windfeld LundJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-09-0110.1108/JD-04-2023-0070https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2023-0070/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The identity of information sciencehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2023-0074/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis paper offers a definition of the core of information science, which encompasses most research in the field. The definition provides a unique identity for information science and positions it in the disciplinary universe. After motivating the objective, a definition of the core and an explanation of its key aspects are provided. The definition is related to other definitions of information science before controversial discourse aspects are briefly addressed: discipline vs. field, science vs. humanities, library vs. information science and application vs. theory. Interdisciplinarity as an often-assumed foundation of information science is challenged. Information science is concerned with how information is manifested across space and time. Information is manifested to facilitate and support the representation, access, documentation and preservation of ideas, activities, or practices, and to enable different types of interactions. Research and professional practice encompass the infrastructures – institutions and technology –and phenomena and practices around manifested information across space and time as its core contribution to the scholarly landscape. Information science collaborates with other disciplines to work on complex information problems that need multi- and interdisciplinary approaches to address them. The paper argues that new information problems may change the core of the field, but throughout its existence, the discipline has remained quite stable in its central focus, yet proved to be highly adaptive to the tremendous changes in the forms, practices, institutions and technologies around and for manifested information.The identity of information science
Vivien Petras
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This paper offers a definition of the core of information science, which encompasses most research in the field. The definition provides a unique identity for information science and positions it in the disciplinary universe.

After motivating the objective, a definition of the core and an explanation of its key aspects are provided. The definition is related to other definitions of information science before controversial discourse aspects are briefly addressed: discipline vs. field, science vs. humanities, library vs. information science and application vs. theory. Interdisciplinarity as an often-assumed foundation of information science is challenged.

Information science is concerned with how information is manifested across space and time. Information is manifested to facilitate and support the representation, access, documentation and preservation of ideas, activities, or practices, and to enable different types of interactions. Research and professional practice encompass the infrastructures – institutions and technology –and phenomena and practices around manifested information across space and time as its core contribution to the scholarly landscape. Information science collaborates with other disciplines to work on complex information problems that need multi- and interdisciplinary approaches to address them.

The paper argues that new information problems may change the core of the field, but throughout its existence, the discipline has remained quite stable in its central focus, yet proved to be highly adaptive to the tremendous changes in the forms, practices, institutions and technologies around and for manifested information.

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The identity of information science10.1108/JD-04-2023-0074Journal of Documentation2023-09-05© 2023 Vivien PetrasVivien PetrasJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-09-0510.1108/JD-04-2023-0074https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-04-2023-0074/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Vivien Petrashttp://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
On the traces of documentation: German approach and its pioneershttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-06-2023-0112/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe main purpose of the paper is to offer a personal view on the development of documentation/information and documentation (IuD) in Germany, while pointing out the need to further investigate the specific features of its development paths. The methodology is based on critical review of the available literature sources in the German language. The paper uses the method of critical review of published documents in journals (especially in Nachrichten für Dokumentation), books and reports of state and provincial administrations that are directly related to monitoring and/or encouraging the development of the young field of documentation. The paper offers a review and interpretation of the most significant development phases, the contributions of individuals and the influence of the official state and information policy based on the consulted sources. This research is limited to the literature written in German language. The paper could be of interest to researchers and professionals who are interested in the development of documentation. The paper covers the period after the World War II until the end of 1980s that is especially interesting from the social point of view in divided Germany. To the author’s knowledge, there is no comprehensive history of documentation in German-speaking countries written in English. This paper is the result of a research project started three years ago with colleagues from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, that aims to cover all phases of the appearance and development of information science in German-speaking countries and could be understood as a kind of introduction to papers planned to follow.On the traces of documentation: German approach and its pioneers
Tatjana Aparac-Jelušić
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The main purpose of the paper is to offer a personal view on the development of documentation/information and documentation (IuD) in Germany, while pointing out the need to further investigate the specific features of its development paths. The methodology is based on critical review of the available literature sources in the German language.

The paper uses the method of critical review of published documents in journals (especially in Nachrichten für Dokumentation), books and reports of state and provincial administrations that are directly related to monitoring and/or encouraging the development of the young field of documentation.

The paper offers a review and interpretation of the most significant development phases, the contributions of individuals and the influence of the official state and information policy based on the consulted sources.

This research is limited to the literature written in German language.

The paper could be of interest to researchers and professionals who are interested in the development of documentation.

The paper covers the period after the World War II until the end of 1980s that is especially interesting from the social point of view in divided Germany.

To the author’s knowledge, there is no comprehensive history of documentation in German-speaking countries written in English. This paper is the result of a research project started three years ago with colleagues from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, that aims to cover all phases of the appearance and development of information science in German-speaking countries and could be understood as a kind of introduction to papers planned to follow.

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On the traces of documentation: German approach and its pioneers10.1108/JD-06-2023-0112Journal of Documentation2023-10-03© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedTatjana Aparac-JelušićJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-10-0310.1108/JD-06-2023-0112https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-06-2023-0112/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Robert Pagès’ concept of the “auto-document” as a forerunner to neo-documentation’s philosophy of documentalityhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-07-2023-0123/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this paper is to examine Robert Pagès' 1948 conception of “auto-document” as a possible forerunner to the neo-documentalist conception of “documentality” as offered in Bernd Frohmann’s 2012 article “The Documentality of Mme Briet’s Antelope.” This paper is conceptual and historical. Robert Pagès' concept of the “auto-document” in his 1948 article proposed an understanding of documents that depends on the “uniqueness” of a document. His article proposed a post-Otletian theory of documents similar to a discussion of documents by Bernd Frohmann in 2012 with the concept of “documentality.” Further attention to Pagès work and to Frohmann’s works could result in new understandings of Briet’s works, could illuminate other works and authors understood as belonging to neo-documentation and could yield new understandings of documents and information from the perspective of documentality as a new philosophy of information and documents. Further attention to Pagès' work and to Frohmann’s works could yield new understandings of documents and the relation of documentary types across natural and sociocultural domains and bring renewed attention to documentality as a new philosophy of information and documents. Attention to these issues could broaden the study of documents and documentation, increase the historical understanding of Suzanne Briet’s works and bring light to other works in neo-documentation, particularly in regard to the concept of documentality as a new philosophy of documentation and information. Attention to these issues could broaden the study of documents and documentation to include more broadly animal and other natural entities and our relationships to them. The works cited also illuminate an empirical science understanding of documents, documentary evidence and information. This is one of the first papers commenting on Robert Pagès’ works and brings renewed attention to Bernd Frohmann’s works, as well as to neo-documentation and its concept and philosophy of documentality, as a new philosophy of information and documents.Robert Pagès’ concept of the “auto-document” as a forerunner to neo-documentation’s philosophy of documentality
Ronald E. Day
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this paper is to examine Robert Pagès' 1948 conception of “auto-document” as a possible forerunner to the neo-documentalist conception of “documentality” as offered in Bernd Frohmann’s 2012 article “The Documentality of Mme Briet’s Antelope.”

This paper is conceptual and historical.

Robert Pagès' concept of the “auto-document” in his 1948 article proposed an understanding of documents that depends on the “uniqueness” of a document. His article proposed a post-Otletian theory of documents similar to a discussion of documents by Bernd Frohmann in 2012 with the concept of “documentality.” Further attention to Pagès work and to Frohmann’s works could result in new understandings of Briet’s works, could illuminate other works and authors understood as belonging to neo-documentation and could yield new understandings of documents and information from the perspective of documentality as a new philosophy of information and documents.

Further attention to Pagès' work and to Frohmann’s works could yield new understandings of documents and the relation of documentary types across natural and sociocultural domains and bring renewed attention to documentality as a new philosophy of information and documents.

Attention to these issues could broaden the study of documents and documentation, increase the historical understanding of Suzanne Briet’s works and bring light to other works in neo-documentation, particularly in regard to the concept of documentality as a new philosophy of documentation and information.

Attention to these issues could broaden the study of documents and documentation to include more broadly animal and other natural entities and our relationships to them. The works cited also illuminate an empirical science understanding of documents, documentary evidence and information.

This is one of the first papers commenting on Robert Pagès’ works and brings renewed attention to Bernd Frohmann’s works, as well as to neo-documentation and its concept and philosophy of documentality, as a new philosophy of information and documents.

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Robert Pagès’ concept of the “auto-document” as a forerunner to neo-documentation’s philosophy of documentality10.1108/JD-07-2023-0123Journal of Documentation2024-02-08© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedRonald E. DayJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0810.1108/JD-07-2023-0123https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-07-2023-0123/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
In search of a coherent theoretical foundation for LIS ethical principles: an appraisal of Floridi's Information Ethicshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-07-2023-0133/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study aims to examine the potential of Information Ethics (IE) to serve as a coherent ethical foundation for the library and information science profession (LIS profession). This study consists of two parts: the first part present IE’s central theses and the main critiques it has received; the second part offers the authors' own evaluation of the theory from the LIS perspective in two steps: (1) assessing its internal consistency by testing its major theses against each other; (2) assessing its utility for resolving frequently debated LIS ethical dilemmas by comparing its solutions with solutions from other ethical theories. This study finds that IE, consisting of an informational ontology, a fundamental ethical assertion and a series of moral laws, forms a coherent ethical framework and holds promising potential to serve as a theoretical foundation for LIS ethical issues; its inclusion of nonhuman objects as moral patients and its levels of abstraction mechanism proved to be particularly relevant for the LIS profession. This study also shows that, to become more solid an ethical theory, IE needs to resolve some of its internal contradictions and ambiguities, particularly its conceptual conflations between internal correctness, rightness and goodness; between destruction, entropy and evil; and the discrepancy between its deontological ethical assertion and its utilitarian moral laws. This study alerts LIS professionals to the possibility of having a coherent ethical foundation and the potential of IE in this regard. This study provides a systemic explication, evaluation and field test of IE from the LIS perspective.In search of a coherent theoretical foundation for LIS ethical principles: an appraisal of Floridi's Information Ethics
Liangzhi Yu, Yao Zhang
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study aims to examine the potential of Information Ethics (IE) to serve as a coherent ethical foundation for the library and information science profession (LIS profession).

This study consists of two parts: the first part present IE’s central theses and the main critiques it has received; the second part offers the authors' own evaluation of the theory from the LIS perspective in two steps: (1) assessing its internal consistency by testing its major theses against each other; (2) assessing its utility for resolving frequently debated LIS ethical dilemmas by comparing its solutions with solutions from other ethical theories.

This study finds that IE, consisting of an informational ontology, a fundamental ethical assertion and a series of moral laws, forms a coherent ethical framework and holds promising potential to serve as a theoretical foundation for LIS ethical issues; its inclusion of nonhuman objects as moral patients and its levels of abstraction mechanism proved to be particularly relevant for the LIS profession. This study also shows that, to become more solid an ethical theory, IE needs to resolve some of its internal contradictions and ambiguities, particularly its conceptual conflations between internal correctness, rightness and goodness; between destruction, entropy and evil; and the discrepancy between its deontological ethical assertion and its utilitarian moral laws.

This study alerts LIS professionals to the possibility of having a coherent ethical foundation and the potential of IE in this regard.

This study provides a systemic explication, evaluation and field test of IE from the LIS perspective.

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In search of a coherent theoretical foundation for LIS ethical principles: an appraisal of Floridi's Information Ethics10.1108/JD-07-2023-0133Journal of Documentation2023-12-28© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedLiangzhi YuYao ZhangJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2023-12-2810.1108/JD-07-2023-0133https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-07-2023-0133/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Signifying unity: exploring the interplay of semiotics, universalism and pluralism in information sciencehttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-07-2023-0144/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe purpose of this study is twofold: first, to provide a nuanced understanding of the information concept that encapsulates both its universal foundations and context-dependent intricacies, and second, to propose a theoretical framework that integrates these diverse viewpoints, thereby contributing to the theoretical discourse and practical applications in information science/studies (IS). The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between universalism and pluralism in connection with semiotics. The paper adopts a conceptual approach based on semiotics to address the long-standing debate over the definition of information in IS. By engaging with two foundational semiotic theories—C.S. Peirce's pragmatic semiotics and Ferdinand de Saussure's structuralist semiotics – the research seeks to bridge the conflicting perspectives of universalism and pluralism within the field. The findings reveal that Peirce's semiotics, with its universalist core, views information as dynamic and shaped by context, while Saussure's approach, which is rooted in linguistics, emphasizes the relational aspects of sign systems and connects them to pluralism. This comparative analysis facilitates a broad understanding of information that transcends the limitations of singular perspectives. In conclusion, the paper seeks to demonstrate that the integration of universalist and pluralist perspectives through semiotics offers a more holistic approach to the study of information in IS. It contributes to the field by suggesting that the tension between these perspectives is not only reconcilable but also essential for a richer and more complete understanding of information. This theoretical foundation paves the way for future research and practical advancements in IS and advocates for approaches that recognize the complexity and multifaceted nature of information. The study engages with theoretical frameworks, predominantly semiotic theories by C.S. Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure. While this provides a deep conceptual understanding, the lack of empirical data may limit the practical applicability of the findings. The research focuses on two semiotic perspectives, which, although foundational, do not represent the entirety of semiotics or information theory. Other significant semiotic theories and perspectives could provide alternative or complementary insights. The concepts of universalism and pluralism in information science are highly intricate and multifaceted. This study's approach to synthesizing these concepts, while comprehensive, might oversimplify some aspects of these complex paradigms. The paper's originality lies in its unique integration of semiotic theories into the discourse of IS. This integration offers a novel perspective on understanding the concept of information, bridging the gap between universalist and pluralist approaches. The study presents a new conceptual framework for understanding information that combines elements of universalism (consistent, objective understanding of information) and pluralism (context-dependent, subjective interpretations). This dual approach is relatively unexplored in IS literature, providing fresh insights into the complex nature of information.Signifying unity: exploring the interplay of semiotics, universalism and pluralism in information science
Martin Muderspach Thellefsen
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to provide a nuanced understanding of the information concept that encapsulates both its universal foundations and context-dependent intricacies, and second, to propose a theoretical framework that integrates these diverse viewpoints, thereby contributing to the theoretical discourse and practical applications in information science/studies (IS).

The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between universalism and pluralism in connection with semiotics. The paper adopts a conceptual approach based on semiotics to address the long-standing debate over the definition of information in IS. By engaging with two foundational semiotic theories—C.S. Peirce's pragmatic semiotics and Ferdinand de Saussure's structuralist semiotics – the research seeks to bridge the conflicting perspectives of universalism and pluralism within the field.

The findings reveal that Peirce's semiotics, with its universalist core, views information as dynamic and shaped by context, while Saussure's approach, which is rooted in linguistics, emphasizes the relational aspects of sign systems and connects them to pluralism. This comparative analysis facilitates a broad understanding of information that transcends the limitations of singular perspectives. In conclusion, the paper seeks to demonstrate that the integration of universalist and pluralist perspectives through semiotics offers a more holistic approach to the study of information in IS. It contributes to the field by suggesting that the tension between these perspectives is not only reconcilable but also essential for a richer and more complete understanding of information. This theoretical foundation paves the way for future research and practical advancements in IS and advocates for approaches that recognize the complexity and multifaceted nature of information.

The study engages with theoretical frameworks, predominantly semiotic theories by C.S. Peirce and Ferdinand de Saussure. While this provides a deep conceptual understanding, the lack of empirical data may limit the practical applicability of the findings. The research focuses on two semiotic perspectives, which, although foundational, do not represent the entirety of semiotics or information theory. Other significant semiotic theories and perspectives could provide alternative or complementary insights. The concepts of universalism and pluralism in information science are highly intricate and multifaceted. This study's approach to synthesizing these concepts, while comprehensive, might oversimplify some aspects of these complex paradigms.

The paper's originality lies in its unique integration of semiotic theories into the discourse of IS. This integration offers a novel perspective on understanding the concept of information, bridging the gap between universalist and pluralist approaches. The study presents a new conceptual framework for understanding information that combines elements of universalism (consistent, objective understanding of information) and pluralism (context-dependent, subjective interpretations). This dual approach is relatively unexplored in IS literature, providing fresh insights into the complex nature of information.

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Signifying unity: exploring the interplay of semiotics, universalism and pluralism in information science10.1108/JD-07-2023-0144Journal of Documentation2024-03-12© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedMartin Muderspach ThellefsenJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-03-1210.1108/JD-07-2023-0144https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-07-2023-0144/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Critical open access literacy as a strategy to confront the challenges in scholarly communicationhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-08-2023-0155/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe paper seeks to introduce the “critical open access literacy” construct as a holistic approach to confront the challenges in open access (OA) as a dimension of scholarly communication. The paper first introduces the concepts of information literacy (IL) and OA in the context of transformations in the scholarly information environment. Via a theoretical-analytical exercise on the basis of a literature review of the intersections between the two concepts and of the criticisms of OA, the paper discusses the role of critical IL in addressing the challenges in OA and lays the theoretical-conceptual groundwork for the critical OA literacy construct. The structural nature of the challenges and transformations in the scholarly information environment require new foci and pedagogical practices in library and information studies. A more holistic, critical and integrative approach to OA is warranted, which could effectively be achieved through the re-conceptualization of IL. The paper specifies the avenues for putting the theoretical conceptualizations of critical OA literacy into practice by identifying possible foci for IL instruction alongside a transformed role for librarians. The paper extends deliberations on the role of critical IL for scholarly communication and attempts to advance the research fields of the two domains by proposing a new construct situated at the junction of OA and IL.Critical open access literacy as a strategy to confront the challenges in scholarly communication
Dijana Šobota
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The paper seeks to introduce the “critical open access literacy” construct as a holistic approach to confront the challenges in open access (OA) as a dimension of scholarly communication.

The paper first introduces the concepts of information literacy (IL) and OA in the context of transformations in the scholarly information environment. Via a theoretical-analytical exercise on the basis of a literature review of the intersections between the two concepts and of the criticisms of OA, the paper discusses the role of critical IL in addressing the challenges in OA and lays the theoretical-conceptual groundwork for the critical OA literacy construct.

The structural nature of the challenges and transformations in the scholarly information environment require new foci and pedagogical practices in library and information studies. A more holistic, critical and integrative approach to OA is warranted, which could effectively be achieved through the re-conceptualization of IL.

The paper specifies the avenues for putting the theoretical conceptualizations of critical OA literacy into practice by identifying possible foci for IL instruction alongside a transformed role for librarians.

The paper extends deliberations on the role of critical IL for scholarly communication and attempts to advance the research fields of the two domains by proposing a new construct situated at the junction of OA and IL.

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Critical open access literacy as a strategy to confront the challenges in scholarly communication10.1108/JD-08-2023-0155Journal of Documentation2024-02-09© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedDijana ŠobotaJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0910.1108/JD-08-2023-0155https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-08-2023-0155/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Understanding ways to support teens and parents affected by Russia–Ukraine warhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-08-2023-0159/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe study explored how information institutions can support the resilience of parents of adolescents affected by the Russia–Ukraine war. Ukrainian parents are facing major challenges of supporting their teenagers through a difficult developmental phase while also “buffering” their war-related hardships. By supporting parents, information institutions can also support children. Fifteen parents were interviewed about mental health challenges and resources that are helpful and/or missing from their support systems. Recordings of participant narratives were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis technique. The findings indicate that both teens and parents rely on internal resilience skills, family, friends and community resources to support themselves. However, a number of additional resources could be offered by information institutions, including content for (1) teens on developing skills in communication, interpersonal relationships, problem solving and academic pursuits; (2) parents on child development and opportunities in their host countries; both groups on (3) both groups on mental health first aid and safe spaces to meet peers. The study recommendations will be of interest to information professionals working with families, especially families affected by disasters. The study relied on a small convenience sample of participants. Study recommendations would be of interest to information professionals who develop and provide services to families affected by natural and manmade disasters. Study recommendations improve understanding of the (potential) role of information institutions and libraries in strengthening family and community resilience. The study offers a rare insight into experiences of war-affect families and provides evidence-driven recommendations for information institutions to support family and community resilience.Understanding ways to support teens and parents affected by Russia–Ukraine war
Irene Lopatovska, Celia Coan
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The study explored how information institutions can support the resilience of parents of adolescents affected by the Russia–Ukraine war. Ukrainian parents are facing major challenges of supporting their teenagers through a difficult developmental phase while also “buffering” their war-related hardships. By supporting parents, information institutions can also support children.

Fifteen parents were interviewed about mental health challenges and resources that are helpful and/or missing from their support systems. Recordings of participant narratives were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis technique.

The findings indicate that both teens and parents rely on internal resilience skills, family, friends and community resources to support themselves. However, a number of additional resources could be offered by information institutions, including content for (1) teens on developing skills in communication, interpersonal relationships, problem solving and academic pursuits; (2) parents on child development and opportunities in their host countries; both groups on (3) both groups on mental health first aid and safe spaces to meet peers. The study recommendations will be of interest to information professionals working with families, especially families affected by disasters.

The study relied on a small convenience sample of participants.

Study recommendations would be of interest to information professionals who develop and provide services to families affected by natural and manmade disasters.

Study recommendations improve understanding of the (potential) role of information institutions and libraries in strengthening family and community resilience.

The study offers a rare insight into experiences of war-affect families and provides evidence-driven recommendations for information institutions to support family and community resilience.

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Understanding ways to support teens and parents affected by Russia–Ukraine war10.1108/JD-08-2023-0159Journal of Documentation2024-02-09© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedIrene LopatovskaCelia CoanJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-0910.1108/JD-08-2023-0159https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-08-2023-0159/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
The in-between: information experience within human-companion animal living environmentshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-08-2023-0160/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestWhile exploring the information experience within multispecies families, the subjective nature of humans and non-human entities, living beings and non-living objects becomes evident. This paper aims to reveal the underlying significance of information within socio-physical living environments shared among humans, cats and dogs as companions. Gaining inspiration from the information experience approach and posthumanism, this is a phenomenological paper. Empirical material related to lived experiences of participating families were gathered through multispecies ethnography methods, followed by phenomenological reflections. The paper has been written based on excerpt-commentary-units and the inclusion of videos and images as an approach to convey the richness of the lived experiences and multiple perspectives. Findings are organised into three main sections, each capturing lived experiences of information and its utilization from various frames. The paper shows how living beings, both human and animal, use their physical, sensual and moving bodies to acquire and convey information to and from each other. Moving beyond the living beings, the study discusses how non-living objects in the physical environment of a multispecies family also shape information. Material objects, spatial locations and even plants became sources of information for the family members. Lastly, the paper delves into the social environment of the family, where all members, human and animal, are actively shaped by information within their social interactions and companionship. Considering information distributed across species and material objects in a shared, more-than-human environment, the article suggests implications for an information experience approach. It emphasizes how information shapes the in-between humans, animals and their environment, highlighting their reliance on each other for understanding and living a good shared life. There is a need for future research to explore the information experience within the internal subjective minds of members of multispecies families, bridging the gap in the understanding of these external information and their internal information processes.The in-between: information experience within human-companion animal living environments
Niloofar Solhjoo, Maja Krtalić, Anne Goulding
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

While exploring the information experience within multispecies families, the subjective nature of humans and non-human entities, living beings and non-living objects becomes evident. This paper aims to reveal the underlying significance of information within socio-physical living environments shared among humans, cats and dogs as companions.

Gaining inspiration from the information experience approach and posthumanism, this is a phenomenological paper. Empirical material related to lived experiences of participating families were gathered through multispecies ethnography methods, followed by phenomenological reflections. The paper has been written based on excerpt-commentary-units and the inclusion of videos and images as an approach to convey the richness of the lived experiences and multiple perspectives.

Findings are organised into three main sections, each capturing lived experiences of information and its utilization from various frames. The paper shows how living beings, both human and animal, use their physical, sensual and moving bodies to acquire and convey information to and from each other. Moving beyond the living beings, the study discusses how non-living objects in the physical environment of a multispecies family also shape information. Material objects, spatial locations and even plants became sources of information for the family members. Lastly, the paper delves into the social environment of the family, where all members, human and animal, are actively shaped by information within their social interactions and companionship.

Considering information distributed across species and material objects in a shared, more-than-human environment, the article suggests implications for an information experience approach. It emphasizes how information shapes the in-between humans, animals and their environment, highlighting their reliance on each other for understanding and living a good shared life. There is a need for future research to explore the information experience within the internal subjective minds of members of multispecies families, bridging the gap in the understanding of these external information and their internal information processes.

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The in-between: information experience within human-companion animal living environments10.1108/JD-08-2023-0160Journal of Documentation2024-01-09© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedNiloofar SolhjooMaja KrtalićAnne GouldingJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-0910.1108/JD-08-2023-0160https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-08-2023-0160/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Data quality assurance in research data repositories: a theory-guided exploration and modelhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-09-2023-0177/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study addresses the need for a theory-guided, rich, descriptive account of research data repositories' (RDRs) understanding of data quality and the structures of their data quality assurance (DQA) activities. Its findings can help develop operational DQA models and best practice guides and identify opportunities for innovation in the DQA activities. The study analyzed 122 data repositories' applications for the Core Trustworthy Data Repositories, interview transcripts of 32 curators and repository managers and data curation-related webpages of their repository websites. The combined dataset represented 146 unique RDRs. The study was guided by a theoretical framework comprising activity theory and an information quality evaluation framework. The study provided a theory-based examination of the DQA practices of RDRs summarized as a conceptual model. The authors identified three DQA activities: evaluation, intervention and communication and their structures, including activity motivations, roles played and mediating tools and rules and standards. When defining data quality, study participants went beyond the traditional definition of data quality and referenced seven facets of ethical and effective information systems in addition to data quality. Furthermore, the participants and RDRs referenced 13 dimensions in their DQA models. The study revealed that DQA activities were prioritized by data value, level of quality, available expertise, cost and funding incentives. The study's findings can inform the design and construction of digital research data curation infrastructure components on university campuses that aim to provide access not just to big data but trustworthy data. Communities of practice focused on repositories and archives could consider adding FAIR operationalizations, extensions and metrics focused on data quality. The availability of such metrics and associated measurements can help reusers determine whether they can trust and reuse a particular dataset. The findings of this study can help to develop such data quality assessment metrics and intervention strategies in a sound and systematic way. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first data quality theory guided examination of DQA practices in RDRs.Data quality assurance in research data repositories: a theory-guided exploration and model
Besiki Stvilia, Dong Joon Lee
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study addresses the need for a theory-guided, rich, descriptive account of research data repositories' (RDRs) understanding of data quality and the structures of their data quality assurance (DQA) activities. Its findings can help develop operational DQA models and best practice guides and identify opportunities for innovation in the DQA activities.

The study analyzed 122 data repositories' applications for the Core Trustworthy Data Repositories, interview transcripts of 32 curators and repository managers and data curation-related webpages of their repository websites. The combined dataset represented 146 unique RDRs. The study was guided by a theoretical framework comprising activity theory and an information quality evaluation framework.

The study provided a theory-based examination of the DQA practices of RDRs summarized as a conceptual model. The authors identified three DQA activities: evaluation, intervention and communication and their structures, including activity motivations, roles played and mediating tools and rules and standards. When defining data quality, study participants went beyond the traditional definition of data quality and referenced seven facets of ethical and effective information systems in addition to data quality. Furthermore, the participants and RDRs referenced 13 dimensions in their DQA models. The study revealed that DQA activities were prioritized by data value, level of quality, available expertise, cost and funding incentives.

The study's findings can inform the design and construction of digital research data curation infrastructure components on university campuses that aim to provide access not just to big data but trustworthy data. Communities of practice focused on repositories and archives could consider adding FAIR operationalizations, extensions and metrics focused on data quality. The availability of such metrics and associated measurements can help reusers determine whether they can trust and reuse a particular dataset. The findings of this study can help to develop such data quality assessment metrics and intervention strategies in a sound and systematic way.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first data quality theory guided examination of DQA practices in RDRs.

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Data quality assurance in research data repositories: a theory-guided exploration and model10.1108/JD-09-2023-0177Journal of Documentation2024-01-25© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedBesiki StviliaDong Joon LeeJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-2510.1108/JD-09-2023-0177https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-09-2023-0177/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Influence of Dervin’s sensemaking methodology determined through citation context analysis, content analysis and bibliometricshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-09-2023-0185/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study explored the influence of Dervin’s sensemaking methodology (SMM). Citation context analysis was used to identify the most influential SMM concepts in 948 articles citing 34 SMM-related studies by Dervin that were published between 1983 and 2017. Moreover, the bibliometric method and content analysis were incorporated to examine the disciplines and research topics influenced by the SMM-related studies and the role of cited content in SMM-related studies. The influence of SMM is concentrated in information behavior research in the field of library and information science (LIS). The 1992 book chapter From the mind’s eye of the user was most frequently cited, followed by the first SMM study from 1983; 14 of the 18 content categories were relevant to SMM. “Sensemaking,” at the core of SMM, was the most influential cited concept, primarily cited from the 1983 SMM-related study. Although the SMM was developed as a research method, it has not been primarily applied to design research methods in other studies. This study explored the interdisciplinary influence of Dervin’s SMM from several aspects and demonstrated the complex information dynamics between SMM-related works and citing articles.Influence of Dervin’s sensemaking methodology determined through citation context analysis, content analysis and bibliometrics
Yu-Wei Chang, I-Jen Li
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study explored the influence of Dervin’s sensemaking methodology (SMM).

Citation context analysis was used to identify the most influential SMM concepts in 948 articles citing 34 SMM-related studies by Dervin that were published between 1983 and 2017. Moreover, the bibliometric method and content analysis were incorporated to examine the disciplines and research topics influenced by the SMM-related studies and the role of cited content in SMM-related studies.

The influence of SMM is concentrated in information behavior research in the field of library and information science (LIS). The 1992 book chapter From the mind’s eye of the user was most frequently cited, followed by the first SMM study from 1983; 14 of the 18 content categories were relevant to SMM. “Sensemaking,” at the core of SMM, was the most influential cited concept, primarily cited from the 1983 SMM-related study. Although the SMM was developed as a research method, it has not been primarily applied to design research methods in other studies.

This study explored the interdisciplinary influence of Dervin’s SMM from several aspects and demonstrated the complex information dynamics between SMM-related works and citing articles.

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Influence of Dervin’s sensemaking methodology determined through citation context analysis, content analysis and bibliometrics10.1108/JD-09-2023-0185Journal of Documentation2024-01-05© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedYu-Wei ChangI-Jen LiJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-0510.1108/JD-09-2023-0185https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-09-2023-0185/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
Recent temporal dynamics in economics: empirical analyses of annual publications in economic fieldshttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-10-2023-0201/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestDifferences in annual publication counts may reflect the dynamic of scientific progress. Declining annual numbers of publications may be interpreted as missing progress in field-specific knowledge. In this paper, we present empirical results on dynamics of progress in economic fields (defined by Journal of Economic Literature (JEL), codes) based on a methodological approach introduced by Bornmann and Haunschild (2022). We focused on publications that have been published between 2012 and 2021 and identified those fields in economics with the highest dynamics (largest rates of change in paper counts). We found that the field with the largest paper output across the years is “Economic Development”. The results reveal that the field-specific rates of changes are mostly similar. However, the two fields “Production and Organizations” and “Health” show point estimators which are clearly higher than the estimators for the other fields. We investigated the publications in “Production and Organizations” and “Health” in more detail. Understanding how a discipline evolves over time is interesting both from a historical and a recent perspective. This study presents results on the dynamics in economic fields using a new methodological approach.Recent temporal dynamics in economics: empirical analyses of annual publications in economic fields
Lutz Bornmann, Klaus Wohlrabe
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

Differences in annual publication counts may reflect the dynamic of scientific progress. Declining annual numbers of publications may be interpreted as missing progress in field-specific knowledge.

In this paper, we present empirical results on dynamics of progress in economic fields (defined by Journal of Economic Literature (JEL), codes) based on a methodological approach introduced by Bornmann and Haunschild (2022). We focused on publications that have been published between 2012 and 2021 and identified those fields in economics with the highest dynamics (largest rates of change in paper counts).

We found that the field with the largest paper output across the years is “Economic Development”. The results reveal that the field-specific rates of changes are mostly similar. However, the two fields “Production and Organizations” and “Health” show point estimators which are clearly higher than the estimators for the other fields. We investigated the publications in “Production and Organizations” and “Health” in more detail.

Understanding how a discipline evolves over time is interesting both from a historical and a recent perspective. This study presents results on the dynamics in economic fields using a new methodological approach.

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Recent temporal dynamics in economics: empirical analyses of annual publications in economic fields10.1108/JD-10-2023-0201Journal of Documentation2024-02-12© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedLutz BornmannKlaus WohlrabeJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-1210.1108/JD-10-2023-0201https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-10-2023-0201/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited
Dancing with the devil: the use and perceptions of academic journal ranking lists in the management fieldhttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-10-2023-0217/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThis study explores the use and perceptions of scholarly journal ranking lists in the management field based on stakeholders’ lived experience. The results are based on a survey of 463 active knowledge management and intellectual capital researchers. Journal ranking lists have become an integral part of contemporary management academia: 33% and 37% of institutions and individual scholars employ journal ranking lists, respectively. The Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) Journal Quality List and the UK Academic Journal Guide (AJG) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) are the most frequently used national lists, and their influence has spread far beyond the national borders. Some institutions and individuals create their own journal rankings. Management researchers employ journal ranking lists under two conditions: mandatory and voluntary. The forced mode of use is necessary to comply with institutional pressure that restrains the choice of target outlets. At the same time, researchers willingly consult ranking lists to advance their personal career, maximize their research exposure, learn about the relative standing of unfamiliar journals, and direct their students. Scholars, academic administrators, and policymakers should realize that journal ranking lists may serve as a useful tool when used appropriately, in particular when individuals themselves decide how and for what purpose to employ them to inform their research practices. The findings reveal a journal ranking lists paradox: management researchers are aware of the limitations of ranking lists and their deleterious impact on scientific progress; however, they generally find journal ranking lists to be useful and employ them.Dancing with the devil: the use and perceptions of academic journal ranking lists in the management field
Alexander Serenko, Nick Bontis
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

This study explores the use and perceptions of scholarly journal ranking lists in the management field based on stakeholders’ lived experience.

The results are based on a survey of 463 active knowledge management and intellectual capital researchers.

Journal ranking lists have become an integral part of contemporary management academia: 33% and 37% of institutions and individual scholars employ journal ranking lists, respectively. The Australian Business Deans Council (ABDC) Journal Quality List and the UK Academic Journal Guide (AJG) by the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) are the most frequently used national lists, and their influence has spread far beyond the national borders. Some institutions and individuals create their own journal rankings.

Management researchers employ journal ranking lists under two conditions: mandatory and voluntary. The forced mode of use is necessary to comply with institutional pressure that restrains the choice of target outlets. At the same time, researchers willingly consult ranking lists to advance their personal career, maximize their research exposure, learn about the relative standing of unfamiliar journals, and direct their students. Scholars, academic administrators, and policymakers should realize that journal ranking lists may serve as a useful tool when used appropriately, in particular when individuals themselves decide how and for what purpose to employ them to inform their research practices.

The findings reveal a journal ranking lists paradox: management researchers are aware of the limitations of ranking lists and their deleterious impact on scientific progress; however, they generally find journal ranking lists to be useful and employ them.

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Dancing with the devil: the use and perceptions of academic journal ranking lists in the management field10.1108/JD-10-2023-0217Journal of Documentation2024-01-10© 2023 Emerald Publishing LimitedAlexander SerenkoNick BontisJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-01-1010.1108/JD-10-2023-0217https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-10-2023-0217/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2023 Emerald Publishing Limited
The impact of information needs satisfaction on the creativity of visual art teachershttps://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-11-2023-0233/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatestThe aim of this study is to investigate how the information needs satisfaction of visual art teachers affects their creativity. Visual art teachers’ information seeking behaviour and specifically the association of information needs satisfaction with creativity has been an understudied area, despite competent information seeking being considered essential for high quality practices of art teachers. A questionnaire survey was developed addressing the information seeking behaviour of art teachers, informed by Wilson’s model (1981), including visual art teachers’ information needs, information resources, obstacles faced while seeking information and the perceived impact of information needs satisfaction on visual art teachers’ creativity. The study included 298 visual art teachers in Greece. The results demonstrated that the key information needs of art teachers were mainly related to materials’ properties, techniques for creating artwork and artwork promotion methods. Online information sources were the preferred sources of art information, followed by colleagues, personal collections and visits to galleries and museums. Our study identified lack of time, lack of specialized libraries and copyright, as the main barriers to information seeking. Information about art plays a substantial role in visual art education, while visual art teachers’ information needs satisfaction positively influences their creative endeavours. There is a need to further explore the digital information needs of visual art teachers.The impact of information needs satisfaction on the creativity of visual art teachers
Spyros Kolyvas, Petros A. Kostagiolas, Konstantina Martzoukou
Journal of Documentation, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.-

The aim of this study is to investigate how the information needs satisfaction of visual art teachers affects their creativity. Visual art teachers’ information seeking behaviour and specifically the association of information needs satisfaction with creativity has been an understudied area, despite competent information seeking being considered essential for high quality practices of art teachers.

A questionnaire survey was developed addressing the information seeking behaviour of art teachers, informed by Wilson’s model (1981), including visual art teachers’ information needs, information resources, obstacles faced while seeking information and the perceived impact of information needs satisfaction on visual art teachers’ creativity.

The study included 298 visual art teachers in Greece. The results demonstrated that the key information needs of art teachers were mainly related to materials’ properties, techniques for creating artwork and artwork promotion methods. Online information sources were the preferred sources of art information, followed by colleagues, personal collections and visits to galleries and museums. Our study identified lack of time, lack of specialized libraries and copyright, as the main barriers to information seeking.

Information about art plays a substantial role in visual art education, while visual art teachers’ information needs satisfaction positively influences their creative endeavours. There is a need to further explore the digital information needs of visual art teachers.

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The impact of information needs satisfaction on the creativity of visual art teachers10.1108/JD-11-2023-0233Journal of Documentation2024-02-26© 2024 Emerald Publishing LimitedSpyros KolyvasPetros A. KostagiolasKonstantina MartzoukouJournal of Documentationahead-of-printahead-of-print2024-02-2610.1108/JD-11-2023-0233https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JD-11-2023-0233/full/html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss_journalLatest© 2024 Emerald Publishing Limited