phd in library and information science in europe

Best Universities for Library and Information science in Europe

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Library and Information science. A graph of 7.44M citations received by 490K academic papers made by 788 universities in Europe was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University College London

For Library and Information science

2. University of Oxford

3. University of Cambridge

4. University of Manchester

5. Imperial College London

6. University of Bristol

7. University of Edinburgh

8. University of Liverpool

9. University of Birmingham

10. University of Sheffield

11. University of Glasgow

12. Catholic University of Leuven

13. University of Nottingham

14. University of Leeds

15. University of Amsterdam

16. King's College London

17. Leiden University

18. Heidelberg University - Germany

19. Lund University

20. University of Southampton

21. Utrecht University

22. University of Warwick

23. University of Leicester

24. Uppsala University

25. London School of Economics and Political Science

26. University of London

27. University of Copenhagen

28. University of Helsinki

29. University of Sussex

30. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

31. Durham University

32. University of Zurich

33. Karolinska Institute

34. University of Groningen

35. University of York

36. University of Wales

37. University of Gottingen

38. University of St Andrews

39. RWTH Aachen University

40. Aarhus University

41. University of Bologna

42. Dresden University of Technology

43. University of Geneva

44. University of Vienna

45. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

46. University of Oslo

47. University of Aberdeen

48. Radboud University

49. Pierre and Marie Curie University

50. University of Freiburg

51. University of Strathclyde

52. University of Dundee

53. University of East Anglia

54. Newcastle University

55. Lancaster University

56. Moscow State University

57. University of Hamburg

58. Cardiff University

59. University of Bonn

60. University of Exeter

61. Stockholm University

62. Technical University of Munich

63. Ghent University

64. University of Munich

65. Queen's University Belfast

66. University of Barcelona

67. Eindhoven University of Technology

68. Delft University of Technology

69. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

70. University of Pisa

71. Loughborough University

72. University of Tubingen

73. University of Reading

74. Ruhr University Bochum

75. University of Milan

76. Free University Amsterdam

77. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

78. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

79. University of Gothenburg

80. Free University of Berlin

81. University College Dublin

82. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

83. University of Kent

84. Humboldt University of Berlin

85. Sapienza University of Rome

86. University of Padua

87. University of Basel

88. University of Cologne

89. University of Marburg

90. Queen Mary University of London

91. University of Essex

92. Birkbeck, University of London

93. University of Granada

94. University of Bern

95. Complutense University of Madrid

96. University of Bath

97. University of Bergen

98. University of Florence

99. University of Liege

100. Free University of Brussels - VUB

Computer Science subfields in Europe

Information Studies MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UCL Information Studies is one of the only departments in the UK with research programmes in library and information studies, information science, archives and records management, publishing, and digital humanities. We can also offer unparalleled opportunities for cross-domain research, such as user studies and usability, metadata, the management of electronic resources, information governance, data science and semantic technologies for the humanities.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

• Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper-second class UK Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate subject, or a recognised taught Master’s degree. Overseas qualifications of an equivalent standard from a recognised higher education institution are also accepted.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

UCL Information Studies undertakes research in fields including Librarianship, Archives and Records Management, Publishing, Information and Data Science, Machine Learning, Knowledge-based Artificial Intelligence and Digital Humanities, and offers doctoral study in these fields. Our research aims to develop the understanding and insight needed to shape the emerging information environment, while elucidating and building on the historical developments that have created it. We are the country's largest department of Information Studies located within one of the world's top ten universities and our teaching is built upon an international research reputation .

Who this course is for

This MPhil/PhD is for applicants with a strong interest or background in librarianship, archives and records management, publishing, information and data science, machine learning, knowledge-based artificial intelligence, and/or digital humanities. It is suitable for both recent masters graduates as well as early or mid-career professionals.

What this course will give you

The department has strong links with a wide variety of organisations including the National Archives, the Turing Institute, the British Museum and other major museums and galleries, and with various publishing houses. We are located close to the British Library and other major research libraries. Our central London location makes it easy for collaborative work with other nearby institutions and groups to take place .

The department's research is organised around four research centres and groups. These facilitate interaction between established researchers, and offer research training and career development opportunities for early stage researchers and research students. Importantly, they provide coherence and a critical mass of researchers in key areas.

The foundation of your career

Our doctoral students go on to do a wide variety of interesting jobs after they graduate from UCL. Many go into senior posts in the information professions, both in the UK and abroad. Examples include: Head, Curation and Preservation Services, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Libraries, USA; Chief of Archives at the United Nations; and Head of Research, The National Archives, UK. Others continue their academic career in universities around the world, in departments of library science, computer science, information management, archive studies, digital humanities and publishing.

Employability

Some of our research students have already worked as information professionals in the public and private sectors or in academia in the UK and worldwide. Other research students have recently completed masters programmes and have yet to start a professional career. The successful completion of a research degree has enabled many of our students to achieve high positions in fields including information and technical professions, cultural heritage/GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) professions, and policy, both in the UK and around the world.

The department has a strong culture of collaborative research and brings together researchers, whether staff or students, from across UCL as well as other institutions and organisations. Crucial to this are our research groups and centres, which provide a focus for our research activity, including doctoral students, post-docs and staff with specific research interests. Most doctoral students are attached to one or more of these groups and will be encouraged to get involved in research seminars, visiting speakers, annual lectures, visits and other activities which these centres organise regularly. The centres also facilitate online interaction through blogs and twitter feeds.

Teaching and learning

During your first year you will attend the DIS Doctoral Studies Research Seminar module (a weekly seminar based programme). You will work with supervisors to develop your research proposal and research questions, undertake an extended literature review and identify your research approach and methods.

All doctoral students are expected to take full advantage of the skills development programme available through the UCL Doctoral School. Research students should accrue 20 points per year (60 points over 3 years, or 80 points over 4 years).

All research students are initially registered for an MPhil. Upgrade to PhD status is dependent on satisfactory progress and takes place between months 9 and 18 for full-time students (15 and 30 for part-time students). The upgrade examination involves a written upgrade report and viva examination. A total of 20 training points are also required to Upgrade. Final PhD examination is by thesis submission and an oral viva examination.

Contact hours and hours of self-study are agreed between the student and the supervisor at the beginning of their research degree and should be reviewed on a regular basis. Full-time postgraduate research (PGR) students are expected to work a minimum of 36.5 hours per week on their project. With agreement of their supervisors, contact time can be on-site or remote working depending upon the nature and stage of the project. PGR students can have the opportunity to access UCL facilities ‘out of hours’ including weekends and holidays during their period of registration, and will have research meetings with their supervisors at least once per month. Full-time PGR students can take 27 days of annual leave, plus eight days of bank holidays and six UCL closure days.

Research areas and structure

At the heart of our research activities lie the following centres and groups hosted by the department:

• Centre for Digital Humanities
• Centre for Publishing
• Centre for Archives and Records Research
• Forum for information literacy Research
• Knowledge, Information and Data Science group

Research environment

We are one of the only university departments in the United Kingdom with postgraduate programmes in Library and Information Studies, Knowledge, Information and Data Science, Archives and Records Management, Publishing, and Digital Humanities. As well as topics within these specific areas, we can offer unparalleled opportunities for cross-domain research, for example in user studies and usability, metadata, the management of electronic resources, data visualisation, and applications of machine learning to natural language processing.

You will benefit from conducting research at one of the world’s top universities and will be supervised by experienced and internationally known researchers.

Year 1 Full-time

During your first year, you will attend the DIS Doctoral Studies Research Seminar module (a weekly seminar based programme which continues for 3 terms in Year 1).

Typically in the first year of study, you will work with supervisors to develop your research proposal and research questions, undertake an extended literature review, identify your broad research approach and appropriate research methods. By the end of Year 1, you should have a clearly articulated research proposal and associated research method, an initial bibliography appropriately referenced, have read a range of relevant literature, and developed a provisional timetable for the next two to three years. You will have done sufficient initial research to prepare for upgrade to full PhD candidate status.

Year 2 Full-time

If progress has been sufficient in Year 1, an upgrade to doctoral student status is made. If you are a full-time student, you should undertake the PhD upgrade after 9-18 months of registration. The exact timing will depend on when you are ready to meet the requirements.

Your activities in your second year will depend on your research area and methodology. Some students focus on primary data collection, others on experimentation, computer coding, or development of formal models or theories. You may focus on training in specific software packages or other tools that you wish to use to conduct analysis or experiments. Throughout your PhD, you will continue to meet your supervisor regularly to reassess your skills development and training needs and maintain the Log progress record.

Year 3 Full-time

In your third year, you will typically continue with the research activities undertaken in the previous year but with an increasing emphasis on analysis of the results accumulated using your chosen methodologies. During this year, you will also increasingly spend time on structuring and writing your final thesis, revising and improving earlier written material as necessary. Some students also begin to publish parts of their work and/or present their research at academic venues.

Completing Research Status (CRS)

The formal minimum length of the MPhil/PhD is three years. If you are not ready to submit your thesis after three years you will be required to apply for ‘Completing Research Status' (CRS). If agreed, it enables you to be registered with UCL for a fourth year of study without payment of any fees. Many full-time students complete and submit their thesis in this way

The milestones are spread over a longer timescale if you are part-time. You may have to take the DIS Doctoral Studies Research Seminar module over your first and second year and will not usually be ready to upgrade until your second year. You will conduct your main research over several years and will plan to write up and submit in your fifth year. If you are not ready to submit by the end of your fifth year, you can have up to two years of CRS.

UCL Information Studies has a number of doctoral students who study part-time over a minimum of five years. Part-time study is typically undertaken in conjunction with other employment, for example within the information professions, or because you have significant other time-consuming commitments.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

The department strives to keep additional costs low. Books and journal articles are usually available via the UCL library (hard copies or via e-journal subscriptions).

The department has some funds which can be applied for, on a case by case basis, for research expenses.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

Please visit our Scholarships for doctoral students in DIS page for more information about our departmental funding opportunities.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Quirk PhD Scholarship

Deadline: 26 January 2024 Value: Fees and maintenance (3yrs) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

Applicants can identify and contact potential supervisors before making their application. If they do not, the research proposal will be used to identify any potential supervisors in the department. For more information, see our Applying for a PhD in the Department of Information Studies page.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Information Studies

[email protected]

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PhD Research Programmes

Phd research programme.

The UCD School of Information and Communication Studies doctoral programme provides an environment that enables creative, energetic, and motivated students to complete original research that makes a substantial contribution to knowledge in information, communication, media and library science. Our PhD students work with research active supervisors in a variety of fields and have the opportunity to join and collaborate with research groups in the school and across the university. ' page" tabindex="0"> (opens in a new window) _________________________________

Ongoing PhD Opportunities

The staff of ICS work in a wide variety of research areas encompassing many aspects of information and communications studies. Please take a look at staff profiles to see if your project would fit with our staff interests and expertise. To be considered for admission to the School, you will need to have the support of at least one of our staff who are willing to supervise your thesis project. Staff will want to see a CV and a draft of your proposed project before agreeing to supervise so please contact staff before applying. It is the applicant's responsibility to find an appropriate supervisor; the PhD coordinator will not be able to do so.

(opens in a new window) Amber Cushing (opens in a new window) Benjamin Cowan (opens in a new window) Claire McGuinness (opens in a new window) Crystal Fulton (opens in a new window) Eugenia Siapera (opens in a new window) Lai Ma (opens in a new window) Kalpana Shankar (opens in a new window) Marguerite Barry (opens in a new window) Marco Bastos (opens in a new window) Páraic Kerrigan ' page" href="https://people.ucd.ie/susan.leavy" target="_blank" rel="noopener" tabindex="0"> (opens in a new window) Susan Leavy Elizabeth Farries ' page" target="_blank" rel="noopener" tabindex="0"> (opens in a new window) Elizabeth Farries (opens in a new window) Patrick Brodie (opens in a new window) Kevin Doherty (opens in a new window) Brendan Spillane (opens in a new window) James Steinhoff Stefanie Havelka ' page" tabindex="0"> (opens in a new window) Stefanie Havelka (opens in a new window) Arjumand Younus (opens in a new window) Madeleine Steeds

PhD scholarships offered by the school can be viewed on our PhD Vacancies page.

PhD Academic Background and Knowledge Requirements

PhD students applicants should have an academic background necessary to support doctoral level research. A potential supervisor may be able to advise on the knowledge they expect their potential students to have gained before applying for entry to the programme. We welcome students from a wide variety of academic and professional backgrounds. Since the PhD programme includes 30 credits of classwork, you will have the opportunity to learn some of the skills and knowledge you will need to complete your thesis.

Apply Now | Admission Requirements and Open/Close Dates, to the UCD PhD in Information and Communication Studies (FT/PT)

1. Check admission requirements.

a. A minimum 2.1 primary degree (GPA greater than 3.08) in any field of study*; OR b. A minimum 2.1 (GPA greater than 3.08) master’s degree in information science, library science, communication studies or a related field. For non-native English speakers, an English language certificate is required: IELTS overall score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each section. *If an applicant does not hold a master’s degree, they will be required to enter the PhD programme via the MLitt programme and will be provided the option of advancing to stage two of the PhD programme after successful completion of a Transfer Assessment Panel (TAP). Only applicants who meet the master’s degree requirement will be considered for funding.

2. The online application system opens in February each year.

Although you may submit at any time, applications are not reviewed until after the May 1st deadline (if you are applying for the UCD China Scholarship Scheme or other schemes the deadlines are usually much earlier- please contact the PhD Coordinator or UCD Graduate studies). We will attempt to notify you about the outcome of your application as soon as possible. After your application is reviewed, you may be asked to complete an online interview to provide the application committee with more information.

** APPLY NOW !** If you have further questions please contact the PhD coordinator: [email protected]

For current UCD Postgraduate research fees:

Non EU fees

For information about moving to and the cost of living in Dublin .

Scholarships

Phd scholarships..

PhD scholarships in UCD School of Information and Communication Studies can be viewed on our PhD Vacancies page. ' page"> PhD Vacancies page.

UCD Graduate Studies - current scholarship opportunities.

--------------------

Other sources of funding:

' page" tabindex="0"> (opens in a new window) Irish Research Council (opens in a new window) Fulbright

(opens in a new window) Mitchell

UCD China Scholarship Scheme

General Information

Please note that our PhD programme is face to face, especially during the early years when students will need to take taught modules. Other responsibilities will include attending supervisory sessions and Research Studies Panels. UCD School of Information and Communication Studies (ICS) and other units at UCD offer numerous research events, training in research skills, and opportunities for enriching your education, and expanding your networks.

Further Information

Further information regarding the application process, scholarships and questions, can be found on the Graduate Studies website

Visiting PhD student Application Process and Application Form

UCD ICS hosts visiting PhD scholars for less than 6 months or less than 12 months. As a visiting PhD student scholar you will be provided a desk to complete your work, library access, and be invited to participate in School and university events.

Application process

1. Check eligibility requirements

Currently enrolled in an accredited PhD Programme in information science, library science, communication studies or a related discipline.

Be in good financial standing with your home university

For non-native English speakers, an English language certificate is required: IELTS overall score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in each section.

2. Conduct research on School staff areas of expertise.

Search the UCD staff profiles and search published literature on Google scholar to get an idea about staff research expertise.

3. Contact a school staff member and ask if they would be willing to supervise you for a temporary proposed project. You will not be considered for a place in the programme if a staff member has not agreed to supervise you. While the PhD Coordinator may be able to offer advice, it is expected that exceptional applicants will locate their own supervisor.

4. Apply to the PhD Programme Coodinator using the application form below.

Applications must include all necessary documents to be considered.

UCD School of Information and Communication Studies

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Higher Education Compass

Library and information science distance studies, master of arts (library and information science).

Master Degree

4 semesters

Standard period of study (amount)

Please enquire

Overview and admission

Admission semester.

Winter Semester only

Area of study

• Library Science
• Documentation Science
• Information Science

Management of Libraries and Information Facilities, Electronic Publishing, Copyright and Library Law, Information Management, Inventory Development and Indexing, Knowledge Management and Knowledge Representation, Library Education and Information Literacy Licenses and e-media, Information Management, Library Construction, Equipment and Technology, Science and Library Infrastructure

Target group

The distance learning programme leads to a specialist qualification for high-level tasks in library, information and documentation facilities. It is aimed both at people who want to gain further qualifications in the library, information and documentation area and at people who are looking to work in this area.

Subject to a registration or selection procedure; The application period is from 1 April to 30 June. Required practical experience: One year of qualified professional activity after your previous professionally qualifying graduation in a field conducive to the degree course (not necessarily library/information, but also e.g. in the field of education, IT, science or management)

Admission modus

selection by the HEI

Admission requirements (Link)

Admission requirements

see at https://hu.berlin/master

Lecture period

• 15.04.2024 - 20.07.2024
• 14.10.2024 - 15.02.2025

Application deadlines

Winter semester (2024/2025), application deadline for germans and inhabitants.

- for Master of Arts/Science with admission restrictions: 02.05.-31.05.2023 - For Master of Education with admission restrictions: 01.06.-31.08.2023

Enrollment deadline for Germans and foreign students

- for Master of Arts/Science with admission restrictions: Deadline to follow - For Master of Education with admission restrictions: Deadline to follow

Deadlines for International Students from the European Union

- for Master of Arts/Science with admission restrictions: 02.05.-31.05.2023 - For Master of Education with admission restrictions: 02.05.-15.06.2023

Deadlines for international students from countries that are not members of the European Union

- for Master of Arts/Science with admission restrictions: 02.05.2023-31.05.2022 (cut-off date) - For Master of Education with admission restrictions: 02.05.-15.06.2023

Tuition fee

The enrolment fee is added to the tuition fees.

Languages of instruction

Main language.

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Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Berlin School of Library and Information Science

Mission statement for research and teaching at the berlin school of library and information science (ibi).

The mission statement of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin is to promote research and teaching, independent scholarship for its own sake, and personal development. Likewise research and teaching at the Berlin School of Library and Information Science supports these principles.

Alexander and Wilhelm von Humboldt were inquiring persons engaged in discovering and understanding the world. Although they approached inquiry from different angles - Alexander used an explorative approach whereas Wilhelm used an analytical one - they were connected by a desire to extend their knowledge. This 'Humboldt ideal' must be encouraged and cultivated in each scholarly generation. These ideas guide research and teaching at the Berlin School.

The Berlin School of Library and Information science is the only university in the German-speaking world where students can get a BA, MA, or PhD in the field of Library and Information Science. The Berlin School was elected to membership in the iSchool Caucus in 2009, an indication of its role as one of the leading programs in Library and Information Science internationally.

As the only German school for Library and Information Science at the university level, we aspire to research that which preserves the focus of traditional library science, while embracing the shift in scholarly communication and the focus on digitalization.

Within the arena of information and knowledge processes and the development of new communication cultures, the interaction between humans and technology takes center stage in research and teaching. Students acquire professional competencies and skills by actively answering scientific questions. Students at the IBI also gain necessary management competencies that qualify them for a variety of visionary roles in designing information services and in librarianship.

Students and teachers must learn from each other. This reciprocity occurs through the use of modern pedagogy and by integrating students into research projects: both supporting and challenging them. Our students are versatile, flexible, and excellently educated information professionals.

Research at IBI

Research at the Berlin School puts an emphasis on electronic publishing, digital libraries, ontologies, and cross-language searching. Our mission statement is a quote by Michael Seadle: “Excellence in scholarship, research and teaching through a culture of inquiry and analysis that mediates the connections between libraries, information, technology and people”. This does not only represent the abovementioned strive for excellence at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, but also the vision of the iSchools.

The iSchools organization is a consortium of Information Schools dedicated to advancing the information field. The consortium’s focus is the promotion of innovative information-solutions. Through the study of information, we seek to understand human information behavior in order to develop systems that create effective and efficient human-machine-interactions in times of a steadily rising volume of available information.

The Berlin School of Library and Information Science (IBI) was one of the first European Schools to pursue this goal and could successfully establish Library and Information Science in the German research field. We dedicate a lot of our work to memory institutions, especially libraries, as well as other public bodies that support the structure, operate and preserve how information flows in Germany.

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DInfSci Doctor of Information Science

Research opportunities.

The Professional Doctorate in Information Science (DInfSci) is a doctoral degree programme which allows experienced information professionals to research issues which arise from the practice of Information Science. Through the critical review and systematic application of appropriate theories and research methods to professional work environments, this programme allows you to increase your knowledge about practice, develop new research findings and improve your professional competence.

This programme has been designed for experienced professionals working in senior roles within the information profession. It offers a flexible and supportive method of study that allows you to continue in work whilst you study, develop a research programme that informs and enhances your own area of work, and study with some of the top Information Science researchers in the word. The DInfSci can be completed from wherever you are in the world.

View our current research opportunities

Research areas

Our specialist themes are Data Science and Machine Learning, Information Behaviour, Interactive Information Retrieval, and Information Engagement.

Data Science & Machine Learning

Putting machine learning into practice is a necessary step towards developing systems that tailor the delivery of content to end-users in order to optimise their experience. Our group specialises in helping companies build the infrastructure for developing and developing data driven solutions. We employ state of the art algorithms to help facilitate the classification of documents, ranking and recommendation of content, analysing and measuring user behaviour and performance in order to extract value and actionable insights from customer interaction data -- facilitating the move to data-driven decision making.

Information Behaviour

Information Behaviour studies the wide range of ways in which people interact with information, from finding, creating, using, sharing, disseminating, and avoiding information. We conduct studies of behaviour in varied contexts, including education, health, cultural heritage, and work with many groups of information users, with a particular focus on marginalised groups to understand what barriers may be faced by those seeking information and how those barriers can be overcome.

Interactive Information Retrieval

Finding the right information is the key to success in the digital age. The Interactive Information Retrieval group specialises in understanding how people search for information and developing interactive search tools that support their information seeking and retrieval work tasks.  The Interactive Information Retrieval group takes a holistic approach to studying users and their search behaviours, developing tools and interfaces that provide effective and efficient access to heterogeneous, unstructured multi-media collections of information.

Information Engagement

Information Engagement studies how and why people engage with information, and how to increase user engagement, particularly in the domains of digital health and social media. Information Engagement includes a broad range of online information interactions, such as browsing, searching, finding, describing, sharing, repurposing, and interacting with information. Our work in information engagement with cultural heritage has focussed on how to develop and evaluate new ways to understand and appreciate museum exhibits. This has led to novel interactive exhibits in museums and large evaluation studies of information engagement in national and local museums. 

Why Strathclyde

QS 2023 ranked Strathclyde as 4th in the UK and 22nd in the world for Information & Library Studies. We've been a leading school of information and library science in the UK for over 70 years. We're a member of the prestigious iSchools organisation, and the Strathclyde iSchool Research Group is one of the leading information science research groups in the UK.

We bridge theory and practice, and have worked collaboratively with a number of partners on funded research including:

• National Health Service (NHS) Scotland
• BAE Systems
• National Museums Scotland
• National Galleries Scotland
• BiP Solutions Ltd
• National Library of Scotland
• European Space Agency

Course content

The course duration is a minimum of three years full-time or four years of part-time study. You'll normally undertake the research at your place of work and it should be relevant to your current position. The DInfSci can be conducted entirely remotely, and therefore is suitable for international applicants. Applicants who are closer to Strathclyde can attend physical events, such as seminars, as well as engage in distance supervision and training.

The DInfSci starts with a tailored programme of research preparation consisting of three stages.

The DInfSci can be undertaken full-time or part-time. As the DInfSci requires a significant amount of personal effort, it's best to speak to us about your own situation before you apply. We can advise on typical workloads and how your DInfSci plans may work alongside your other commitments.

Stage one: Literature & scholarship

Individual supervisory meetings and supporting material on how to conduct a literature search including use of specialist bibliographic databases will provide you with the means to create a solid academic foundation for your research programme. This stage will allow you to create a robust review of the academic and practitioner literature and be able to confidently articulate the knowledge gaps in your area of study.

Stage two Directed study on areas of specialist knowledge

This stage will allow you to define the area of professional practice which you wish to research. This stage will contain a mixture of analysis, scoping projects, and stakeholder interactions to define your research project and associated research questions. You may also choose from classes within our instructional programmes to supply additional skills and specialist knowledge.

Stage three Research methods

This stage will provide you with the required research skills for your research programme. You'll take our MSc level Research Methods course to understand the processes involved in designing a research project, be able to differentiate major research paradigms and methods associated with them, identify suitable research methods and instruments, plan a research project, create ethically sound research programme, and how to document your research.

Having pass these three preparatory stages, you'll then undertake your individual research programme culminating in a thesis of around 60, 000 words.

Fees & funding

All fees quoted are per academic year unless otherwise stated.

Entrants may be subject to a small fee during the writing up period.

Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.

All fees are in £ sterling, unless otherwise stated, and may be subject to revision.

Annual revision of fees

Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that tuition fees are revised annually and may increase in subsequent years of study. Annual increases will generally reflect UK inflation rates and increases to programme delivery costs.

Please note: the fees shown are annual and may be subject to an increase each year. Part time students will pay pro-rata fees.

Glasgow is Scotland's biggest & most cosmopolitan city

Our campus is based right in the very heart of Glasgow. We're in the city centre, next to the Merchant City, both of which are great locations for sightseeing, shopping and socialising alongside your studies.

Programmes and courses

Each year, more than 300 students are admitted to SSLIS and about 130 Master’s theses are produced. We educate those who want to work with library and information services in a globalised knowledge society.

Follow us on social media

We share updates about our research and our education on our social media plattforms. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Meet us who work at SSLIS

Around 80 employees work on research, education, and administration at the Swedish School of Library and Information Science in Borås.

• NEWS The university's expert ensures open research
• NEWS Historical investment in doctoral education in Library and Information Science
• PROGRAMME Master’s Programme in Information Science: Digital Environments
• International Student Get to know the university
• International Student Exchange student

Journal: Information Research

Information Research is a freely available, international, scholarly journal, dedicated to making accessible the results of research across a wide range of information-related disciplines. It was established in 1995 by Professor T.D. Wilson, Professor Emeritus of the University of Sheffield and subsequently Senior Professor, University of Borås. It is now published by the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, University of Borås, Sweden.

Our research

INCLUDE – Centre for Inclusive Studies

With the broader ambition of Equal Opportunities for All, the Centre for Inclusive Studies aims to promote and enable research and innovation that relate to issues of Inclusion, Participation, Accessibility, and Equality.

The Centre for Cultural Policy Research (KPC)

The Centre for Cultural Policy Research work is based in the university's vision of Science for the Professions. We seek to play a key role in the growing field of research and practice in the field of cultural politics in the broadest sense.

Information Practices and Digital Cultures

The research group Information Practices and Digital Cultures acts as a dynamic cluster bringing together researchers at the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, whose work concerns people‘s engagement with information in different practices, roles, or institutions and the implications of digital cultures for how information and knowledge are shaped in contemporary society.

Culture, Library, Politics

Studies of (public) libraries’ current and historical conditions in different respects, cultural policy change processes, and cultural mediation and citizen involvement; these three themes gather the members of this research group.

Knowledge infrastructures

The Knowledge infrastructures research group (KIR) focuses on how information and knowledge is generated, maintained, shared and transferred.

To the news archive

Ingvar Carlsson: “Libraries are a cornerstone of democratic society”

Ingvar Carlsson has been appointed Honorary Doctor of Library and Information Science at the University of Borås. He is as forthright and determined today as when he held the post of Prime Minister of Sweden, and in his new role, he highlights the importance of protecting democracy, equality, freedom of expression, and the rule of law.

New honorary doctors

It has now been announced who will be honoured with the title of Honorary Doctor: Former Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson, entrepreneur and investor Staffan Hillberg, and Professor Xianyi Zeng of ENSAIT, University of Lille.

Major research project: What gets us to make smart choices for the climate?

“It is clear that society has failed in our environmental communication in some way. Today's advanced technology provides us with extensive information about the critical situation of the climate and about the seriousness of the reduction of biological diversity.” That's according to Jutta Haider, Professor of Library and Information Science at the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, who leads the sub-project "Information cultures, data, and technology in environmental communication" within the research programme Mistra Environmental Communication.

Doctoral thesis sheds new light on Oscar II

Is it possible to tell something about a person from what is on their bookshelf? This is the question asked by Arvid Jakobsson, Court Librarian at the Bernadotte Library at the Royal Palace of Sweden, who has delved deep into the library of King Oskar II and has now defended his doctoral thesis From the depths to the heights: A biography of Oscar II's library. He has studied large parts of Oskar II's book collections, catalogues, notes, letters, and archival material. This type of comprehensive library history research has not been done before on a private library collection.

UB researchers among the world's most influential

Several of the university's researchers have once again been included in a prestigious international ranking of the most cited researchers in the world. This list was drawn up by researchers at Stanford University and published in October.

Events SLISS

To the Calendar

A large consortium of interdisciplinary experts from four continents is brought together to combat the threat of forest fires and improve forest resilience against climate change. Researchers at the Swedish School of Library and information Science contribute with research expertise in knowledge organization, information management, user studies and participatory methodology.

Information Science: Digital Environments

Our new Master´s programme starts autumn 2023. You study information from both a technical and theoretical perspective.

The program is suitable for those with a bachelor's degree in library and information science, information architecture, archival science, digital humanities, computer science, information systems, or a related field.

Read more about the programme: Information Science: Digital Environments .

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Postgraduate Courses in Information Studies in Europe - 74 Courses

University of aberdeen school of natural and computing sciences.

• Information Technology MSc

Aberystwyth University Department of Information Studies

• Archive and Records Management Doctor of Philosophy - PhD Master of Philosophy - MPhil
• Information and Library Studies Doctor of Philosophy - PhD MA
• Information and Library Studies (Distance Learning) MA

Bangor University Bangor Business School

• Information Management MBA

City, University of London Department of Library and Information Science

• Library Science MSc

City, University of London Department of Media, Cultural and Creative Industries

University college dublin ucd school of information and communication studies.

• Digital Information Management Professional Certificate
• Digital Policy MSc
• Library & Information Studies GradDip MLIS

University of East London School of Architecture, Computing and Engineering (ACE)

• Information Security Professional Doctorate

Kingston University Computing and Information Systems

• Network and Information Security with Management Studies MSc

Lancaster University Organisation, Work and Technology

• Human Resource Management MSc

University of St Andrews Mathematics and Statistics

• Applied Statistics and Data Mining MSc Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip

University of Strathclyde Computer and Information Sciences

• Information and Library Studies MSc Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip

UCL (University College London) Computer Science

• Information Security MSc

UCL (University College London) Information Studies

• Information Studies Master of Philosophy - MPhil
• Library and Information Studies MA

Aarhus University Arts

• Information Studies - Digital Living MA

University of Amsterdam Faculty of Science

• Information Studies: Business Information Systems
• Information Studies: Human Centred Multimedia

University of Amsterdam Graduate School of Humanities

• Communication and Information Studies: Discourse and Argumentation Studies
• Communication and Information Studies: Rhetoric, Argumentation Theory and Philosophy (research MA)

University of Bolton Computing

• Artificial Intelligence MSc

Bristol, University of the West of England School of Computing and Creative Technologies

• Information Management MSc

Cardiff Metropolitan University Computing, Information Systems and International Studies

• Advanced Computer Science MSc Postgraduate Certificate - PgCert Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip

University of Dundee School of Humanities

• Records Management and Information Rights MSc MSc
• Records Management and Information Rights PgCert Postgraduate Certificate - PgCert
• Records Management and Information Rights PgDip Postgraduate Diploma - PgDip

University of Dundee School of Humanities Social Sciences and Law

• Archives and Records Management (PhD) Doctor of Philosophy - PhD
• Archives and Records Management (PhD) part time Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

Fonty's University of Applied Sciences - Eindhoven Campus Bachelor's in English

• International Business and Management Studies (IBMS): Information in English

Fonty's University of Applied Sciences - Venlo Campus Bachelors in English

University of gloucestershire school of business, computing and social sciences.

• Cyber Forensic Investigation MSc
• Technical and Applied Computing Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

University of Hertfordshire Engineering

• Communications and Information Engineering MSc

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PhD Information Science programs in Germany

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University of Bremen

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings is the only global university performance table to judge research-intensive universities across all of their core missions: teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.

Information Systems

University of Munster

Culture — language — media.

University of Flensburg

Applied computer science.

Trier University - Environmental Campus Birkenfeld

Deadline information, best universities with information science in germany.

Bachelor Information Science programs in Germany

Master Information Science programs in Germany

Most Popular Information Science programs in Germany

PhD Information Science programs in Germany

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• Doctoral Degrees

Library and Information Science, PhD

The Doctor of Philosophy in Library and Information Science program, in the Department of Information Culture and Data Stewardship (ICDS), prepares students for careers in research, education, and professional practice. The primary purpose of the PhD program is to develop an understanding of library and information science beyond the master’s degree, with particular emphasis on the conduct of original research, the production of significant research findings, and the contribution of such findings to public knowledge.

This is a research-driven program where you will work closely with professors who are experts in their fields. Opportunities for our PhD students include:

• Archives and Information Science: For doctoral students interested in pursuing academic careers in the archives area, with a focus on digital preservation or curation and archival ethics, accountability, and appraisal issues.
• Information Behavior: For doctoral students who seek to understand how people plot a course through complex information ecologies including digital environments, and how such ecologies can respond to their ways of thinking, feeling, and valuing. A special emphasis is placed on behaviors of children and youth.
• Health Information Behavior and Health Education Interventions: For doctoral students who wish to investigate the information practices and behaviors of health professionals, patients, caregivers, and consumers.
• Social Information Systems: For doctoral students who will investigate issues related to the design and use of social information systems, focusing on the impact of social media on people’s information behavior.
• Web-based Information Systems: For doctoral students interested in studying, designing, and implementing web-based systems for representing, retrieving, extracting, and disseminating relevant information.
• School Librarianship: For doctoral students interested in teaching, research, and administrative experience in a top-ranked, competency-based School Library Certification Program designed for school librarians and school library supervisors.

Degree Requirements

This PhD degree requires a minimum of 54 credits beyond the master’s degree with a total credit minimum of 72. A minimum of 36 credits must be taken in advanced course work. The student must receive a letter grade in each course taken in this 36-credit requirement, except for the teaching practicum course.  

An additional 18 credits are required, which must be applied to dissertation research and writing; however, regardless of the number of credits taken, no more than 18 credits for dissertation research and writing may be applied toward graduation. The grade for these credits will appear as an “S” on the student’s transcript. In order to register for, and successfully complete, dissertation credits, students must show evidence of work toward the dissertation by completing the Dissertation Credit Tracking Checklist and updating it at the end of the term.  

The minimum of 36 credits of course work, all of which must be on the graduate level, must be distributed as follows: 

• 3 credits: LIS 3000 Introduction to Doctoral Studies
• 9 credits: 3000-level doctoral seminars offered by SCI
• 3 credits: LIS 3950 Teaching Practicum or FACDEV 2200 Practicum on University Teaching
• 6 credits: Courses in research methodology and statistics
• 6 credits: Courses in cognate field
• 3000-level independent studies or doctoral seminars offered by SCI (maximum of 6 credits)
• Additional 3000-level doctoral seminars offered by SCI
• Additional cognate courses (up to 6 credits)
• Additional research methodology courses
• 2000-level courses in SCI (subject to approval by the students’ advisor)

For full degree requirement details, visit the Library and Information Science course catalog .

Admissions Requirements

Library and Information Science Trends and Research: Europe: Volume 6

Table of contents

Library and information science trends and research: europe, library and information science, copyright page, list of contributors, editorial advisory board.

This book provides a timely look on trends in education, research and practice in the field of library and information science (LIS) in Europe.

Introduction

Library and information science (LIS) is an academic, intellectual and industrial field with a large international reach. LIS educates library and information professionals, and is an active field in research and practice with a tradition of research development, standards, networks and distribution worldwide. The field has in recent years experienced a significant growth and development in all parts of the world, however, the field's long-term future is at the same time being challenged by new technologies, education changes and the development of new industries. A refocusing from a library to an information focus is in development within the LIS field. However, the field of information is also being grasped by the technology fields on the one hand and the psychological/behavioural fields on the other. Unfortunately for the field of LIS, information is now everyone's problem and of greater interest to more scientific fields and in addition, industry and government are looking for information management solutions that require technological development based on the psychological quality research. How the LIS field survives over the next 20 years will be played out in educational and industry environments globally.

The Emergence and Impact of Neoliberal Ideology on UK Public Library Policy, 1997–2010

Purpose — The chapter seeks to examine the impact of neoliberal language on the library profession in the United Kingdom. Since New Labour's election in 1997 public service restructuring in the United Kingdom took on a more oblique managerialist and consumerist approach. The impact of managerialism in the public library service has focused mainly on modernising and improving services to the individual user, and is based on scenarios where public libraries have to model themselves on the private sector, and where managers have been empowered over professionals.

Design/methodology/approach — The chapter uses a mixed methods approach by combining content and discourse analysis to examine how neoliberal discourses have impacted on public librarianship through examination of government policy documents, and other works on public libraries in the era under study.

Findings — The study highlights neoliberal narratives within public library policy documents in the period, with emphasis on deprofessionalisation and consumerist attitudes related to public choice evident. The discussion reveals how narratives of elitism and decline are used to describe the public library service, which reinforces negative stereotypes of a service in distress.

Research limitations/implications — The study only relates to the period 1997–2010 with an emphasis on the United Kingdom, thus cannot be seen to be representative of all public library services.

Originality/value — The study utilises a mixed method approach to examine narratives within public library policy, and reflects on an important period in public library development, and offers a unique insight into the period.

EBLIP and Organisational Recipes: An Analysis of the Adoption and Interpretation of EBLIP in the Library and Information Sector

Purpose — This article is inspired by sociology and institutional theory. It investigates how and why the adoption of Evidence-Based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP) by public and academic libraries in Europe reveals a remarkable variety and complexity. Primarily, it is observed differences in adoption and use of EBLIP — principles in different European countries that are in focus of the article.

Design/methodology/approach — The purpose of this article is to take a closer look upon these differences. The theoretical framework applied is inspired by a sociological approach, especially the notions developed within the framework of Scandinavian institutional theory. This approach invites to deal with the topic in a nuanced way by delivering fruitful concepts such as drivers for adopting new ideas, the importance of identity and organisational fields, concept migration, adoption processes and travel routes of ideas including the importance of imitation and translation of concepts. Furthermore, in this article, we will also consider the significance of topics such as organisational and information culture and leadership of adoption processes. The methodology can be classified as desktop research and some of the findings are based on a government-supported study in Denmark.

Findings — What was found in the course of the work? This will refer to analysis, discussion or results. The findings relate to the purposes and they are formulated in relation to six research questions. Findings are that several factors influence the adoption and use of EBLIP. The factors are among others national culture, cultural traits embedded in the value system of different types of library work and also related to information culture. The concept of organisational recipes appears to be a rather strong concept in relation to, for example, which forms of EBLIP a library adopt.

Research limitations/implications (if applicable) — The research clearly demonstrates that the diversified theoretical approach taken in this article would be fruitful as a starting point for further research.

Practical implications (if applicable) — A practical implication is that the library and information sector could benefit from the establishment of institutions that produce systematic reviews and also that the sector ought to be aware of the different forms of evidence-based practices classified as either soft or hard.

Originality/value — The article is one of the few in the field that introduces several new theoretical approaches together with an emphasis on cultures at different forms and levels.

The ‘Europeanisation’ of Cataloguing Codes: An Analysis of the Evolution of RDA

Purpose — This chapter uniquely addresses the topic of introducing a common set of cataloguing rules throughout Europe. While no such development is on the immediate horizon, there are signs that current trends are moving towards that possibility. At first glance, this may appear a trivial development in that ‘European’ standards in many areas are in place and not a source of contention, but in cataloguing, this is not the case.

Design/methodology/approach — The main method used for the research was an in-depth literature review. To gauge the current state of European interest in RDA, an email survey was performed in August 2011, of all the European members of the Standing Committee of the Cataloguing Section of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), and all the European speakers at the ‘RDA in Europe: making it happen!’ conference. This sample was chosen as being those individuals who would be most able to give a view from Europe on current cataloguing developments.

Findings — There is considerable interest throughout Europe regarding RDA and harmonising cataloguing codes, but there may be conceptual problems in that some European national cultures may diverge significantly from a core of rules based on English-speaking countries.

Originality/value — This chapter combines in-depth analysis of the proposed new cataloguing code Resource Description and Access (RDA), which will be adopted by English-speaking countries with a novel perspective relating to its adoption in non-English-speaking countries in Europe.

Virtual Path and Häme-Wiki as Examples of Library 2.0 Services in Finland

Purpose — The purpose of this study is to describe the development of contents, visibility and use of two Library 2.0 services, Häme-Wiki and the Virtual Path map service, launched by Hämeenlinna City Library and based on crowdsourcing, service convergence and the application on Web 2.0 technology.

Design/methodology/approach — The development of the contents of the services were analysed by observing the increase in articles and other items published in them. The interest in these sites and their use were studied by the number of their contributors, users and downloads and by link analysis concerning inbound links. To gather users’ experiences, a Web survey was directed to the registered users by e-mail. A questionnaire for all users was linked to the front page of both services. Qualitative theme interviews were conducted with the staff of Hämeenlinna City Library to elicit their experiences concerning the use of the services and their impact on the work community.

Findings — The reception of the services was evidenced by the daily increasing number of published articles and maps, also indicating crowdsourcing. Their use was clearly described by the increasing download figures and inbound links. Both services offered users information not available elsewhere.

The study is limited by the low number of responses in the Web surveys.

Practical implications — Practical implications originate from the concrete examples of content sharing, crowdsourcing and service convergence which have not been much studied in library context.

Originality/value — The practical implications of the work also contribute to the value of the paper for developers of Web 2.0 services and service convergence.

The Assessment of Research Quality in UK Departments of Library and Information Management

Purpose — This chapter provides an historical overview of assessments of research quality conducted by the UK funding councils in the period 1986–2008, with special reference to the assessments that have been carried out of departments in the library and information management (LIM) sector.

Methodology/approach — A literature review covering both LIM-specific material and more general sources discussing the assessment of research quality in UK universities.

Findings — There is clear evidence of an increase in the general quality of the research carried out by the LIM sector over the review period. This has been accompanied by a decrease in the number of traditional LIM departments submitting themselves for assessment, with these being replaced in the assessment process largely by information systems departments. The rankings over the review period have been dominated by a small number of departments with long-established research traditions.

Originality/value of the paper — While there is an extensive literature describing research assessment in general, and a few articles describing individual assessments in the LIM sector, there is no overview of the involvement of the LIM departments over the whole series of assessment exercises that has been carried out.

Research Assessment and the Shaping of Library and Information Research in the United Kingdom

Purpose – The purpose of the chapter is to provide an analytical overview of information research in the United Kingdom and of the role of the Research Assessment Exercises (RAE) in shaping the form and structure of that research.

Design/methodology/approach – The approach adopted is a detailed content analysis of the submissions made to the last UK RAE. This analysis is carried out in relation to four broad subject categorisations, and specific analysis of accounts of research carried out in the departments and research groups.

Findings – The RAE have played a key role in promoting research specialisms in library and information studies (LIS) research in the United Kingdom. The former general approach to research in information studies has been replaced by more focused research activities carried out in a variety of research groups spread across a diverse range of disciplines and departments, from LIS, to business and management, information systems, and computing and engineering.

Research implications – The prospects for general LIS research departments may be increasingly limited, as research becomes concentrated in sub-groups within larger organisational structures, subverting both departmental lines and conventional subject boundaries.

Originality/value – This overview provides a novel synthesis of information research in the United Kingdom in relation to four broad categories of research in information studies and information science, information management and social informatics, information systems and information interaction, and social computing and computational informatics. The account brings together a fragmented field of research in a compact and intelligible form.

Challenges for Globalised Information Systems in a Multilingual and Multicultural Context

Purpose – Global cooperation between and within organisations has become essential for successful businesses. For the information management within such an international and necessarily multilingual environment, new challenges arise due to the diversity of the stakeholders and participants as well as due to the heterogeneity of approaches and traditions of information handling.

Design/methodology/approach – Key technologies like search technologies need to be adapted to support content in multiple languages and efficient access to it. Information processes need to be analysed while bearing in mind that problems may arise due to cross-cultural misunderstandings. The diversity requires appropriate treatment and appropriate methods in information systems in order to improve international information flows.

Findings – This chapter identifies some of these challenges and shows how they can be approached from an information science perspective. User-oriented research at the University of Hildesheim in the areas information retrieval, information seeking and human–computer interaction is presented.

Originality/value – Global enterprises and organisations may use this chapter to identify challenges and solutions for adapting their information technology to an international scale. Researchers who work on multilingual information access and intercultural aspects of information systems get an overview on some current research.

The Bologna Process Impact on Library and Information Science Education: Towards Europeisation of the Curriculum

Purpose – The general aim of the chapter is to assess the impact of the Bologna Process (BP) on Library and Information Science (LIS) education in Europe, investigating the curriculum content, the different concepts and values of LIS institutions, the learning and teaching definition and the learning outcomes orientation, with student-centred learning considered the first objective to be achieved.

Design/methodology/approach – The past and recent debate inside European Association for Library and Information Education and Research (EUCLID), European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA), International Federation Library Associations (IFLA) studies and conferences are used together with relevant literature to describe the ongoing debate.

Findings – The main problem of LIS education in Europe is that there are different concepts of LIS and that the internationalisation of LIS education lends itself to various interpretations. The quality criteria of the contents of the LIS curricula evidenced here are the research orientation and, in particular, the qualities (and competencies) that you expect graduates of the programme to possess. The first tenet of LIS education in a European course is that it should have a student-centred approach. Pedagogy should be based on a constructivist approach and students should be encouraged to engage in a research project of some kind, so that they are more critical consumers of research.

Research limitations/implications (if applicable) – In the discussions inside the EUCLID project European Curriculum Reflections (Kajberg & Lorring, 2005), there was no common understanding of the LIS professional role. It is suggested that further research is needed towards Europeisation of LIS curriculum.

Social implications (if applicable) – Possible benefits of the Bologna Process for quality enhancement of LIS education, which can also be described as problematic areas, are the stimulus of the politicians which push a constructive dialogue between stakeholders.

Originality/value – Ambiguities are not lacking for the learning outcomes approach as a whole. The paper tries to evidence what the learning outcomes subject to evaluation are, and hence how they can be measured.

Education for Digital Librarians: Some European Observations

Purpose – Changes in the environment – political, economic, social, educational and technological – have demanded changes in many areas of work, most particularly in the roles and tasks of those involved in the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage, and interpersonal information intervention. Sending, storing and receiving digital information are commonplace activities, and now formally constructed digital libraries constitute an important component of this virtual information environment. Similar to traditional physical libraries, digital libraries are constructed for particular purposes, to serve particular clienteles or to collect and provide access to selected information resources (whether text documents or artefacts). Information intermediaries – or digital librarians – in this transformed information environment must learn new skills, play different roles and possess a new suite of competencies.

Design, methodology and approach – Myburgh and Tammaro have, for several years, examined the new knowledge, skills and competencies that are now demanded, in order to design and test a curriculum for digital librarians which has found expression in the Erasmus Mundus Master's in Digital Library Learning (DILL), now in its sixth year.

Findings – The chief objective of the Digital library program is to prepare information intermediaries for effective contribution to their particular communities and societies, in order to assist present and future generations of digital natives to negotiate the digital information environment effectively. This includes, for example, the necessity for digital librarians to be able to teach cultural competency, critical information literacies and knowledge value mapping, as well as understanding the new standards and formats that are still being developed in order to capture, store, describe, locate and preserve digital materials.

Research limitations – In this chapter, we propose describing the work we have done thus far, with special reference to the development of a model of the role of the digital librarian, including competencies, skills, knowledge base and praxis.

Social implications – Amongst the various issues that have arisen and demanded consideration and investigation are the importance of a multidisciplinarity dimension in the education of digital librarians, as information work is orthogonal to other disciplinary and cultural categorisations; that a gradual convergence or confluence is being identified between various cultural institutions which include libraries, archives and museums; the new modes of learning and teaching, with particular regard to knowledge translation and the learner-generated environment or context; and possibly even a reconsideration of the role of the information professional and new service models for their praxis.

Originality/value – The chapter tries to evidence the present debate about digital librarianship in Europe.

New Directions in Information Management Education in Denmark: On the Importance of Partnerships with the Business Community and the Role of Interdisciplinary Theory to Create a Coherent Framework for Information Management

Purpose — The chapter discusses the challenges of developing a three year bachelor's programme in information management. The argument focuses on creating a programme that (1) facilitates cooperation with the business community, (2) represents a coherent whole that fosters student identity and (3) provides an explanatory framework for information management.

Design/methodology/approach — A model for curriculum development is presented which takes its starting point in the business community's perception of the graduates’ future practice. Interdisciplinary theory, and its continuum of integration from multidisciplinarity to interdisciplinarity to transdisciplinary is applied as the backbone of the programme structure, and its role in creating progression is discussed, together with the importance of problem-oriented work, and the interplay between problem-based and discipline-based elements of the programme. The information management programme distinguishes between ‘information management’ as an umbrella term for the whole programme and ‘information management’ in a more narrow and discipline-specific perspective rooted in information science.

Findings — It is shown how the programme elements (projects, internship, semester themes and courses) are combined so that each single element contributes to gradually build up a holistic view of information processes and practices in organisations. The underlying structure of the programme contributes to a coherent, theoretically based explanatory framework for information management.

Practical implications — The chapter describes benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary curriculum development and may be provide inspiration for curriculum developers.

Originality/value — Interdisciplinary theory may be useful to respond to the challenges of engaging several disciplines in the information management field. It is suggested that multidisciplinarity may be supplemented or replaced by more interdisciplinary approaches in the future.

Information Science in France. Emergence, Evolution and Perspectives

Purpose — This chapter describes how incoherent government policies implemented in the first two decades (1970–1990) following the official recognition of Information science (IS) as an academic discipline within the broader interdiscipline of Information and Communication Sciences (ICS), shaped the current landscape of IS in France. This led to a narrow conception of IS often reduced to a technical specialty solving the problem of information explosion by setting up bibliographic databases, document indexing and delivery services.

Design/methodology/approach — The approach is historical and comparative. The author relies on earlier accounts by previous French authors and performs a comparison with the situation of IS in Anglophone countries (United States mostly).

Findings — The historical narrow conception of IS is now outdated. IS neither plays the role of gatekeeper anymore to scientific and technical information nor to information access since the generalisation of Internet search engines. Its scientific community in France lacks identity and is fast dwindling. Also, its problematics are not properly identified.

Research limitations/implications — Field work involving interviews of French figures and archival research could not be carried out in the limited time and means available. This needs to be done in the future.

Practical implications — This chapter should stimulate more comparative approach on the way Library & Information Science (LIS) is structured in other countries. Although the French situation appears unique in that IS is embedded within an interdiscipline (ICS) and does not exist autonomously, other similarities could be found in other countries where IS has had a similar trajectory and lessons could be learned.

Social implications — This chapter may serve as a stepping stone for future research on the historical foundations and epistemology of IS in France and elsewhere. It should also help disseminate to the LIS community at large how the French IS landscape has been evolving, since most French scholars publish in French, language has indeed been a barrier to disseminating their research worldwide.

Originality/value — There has not been a recent and comprehensive study which has looked at the peculiarities of the French IS landscape but also at the commonalities it shares with the situation of IS in other countries with respect to how the field originated and how it has evolved.

About the Authors

David Ellis is Professor in the Department of Information Studies at Aberystwyth University. He was previously lecturer and senior lecturer in the Department of Information Studies, University of Sheffield. He has a PhD and an MA in Information Studies from the University of Sheffield, and a BA in Philosophy and Politics from the University of Durham. His PhD study of the information behaviour of academic social scientists represented one of the first attempts to apply a rigorous qualitative methodology to modelling the information seeking patterns of social science researchers and was subsequently extended to studies of scientists in both academic and industrial research environments. These interests were further developed in the course of the uncertainty in information seeking project carried out in collaboration with researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of North Texas. Professor Ellis has published extensively in the information studies field, his work has been recognised as representing a distinct, substantive and methodological contribution to the fields of information behaviour and information retrieval research, and is widely cited in both. His current research interests are in the areas of information behaviour, information and knowledge management and information systems. Professor Ellis's professional activities have included service on the UK Research Assessment Exercise, Peer Review Panel for Library and Information Management, and Research Convenor of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Peer Review Panel for Librarianship, Information and Museum Studies. He is a member of the AHRC and the Economics and Social Sciences Research Council (ESRC) Peer Review Colleges and Research Notes Editor of the International Journal of Information Management .

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Prospective students will find that different programs award similar degrees with different names. These might include master of science in library science (MSLS), master of library and information science (MLIS), master of information science (MSI), and others. The important thing to pay attention to is whether the program you are considering is accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). All of these degrees lead students down the same career path, and one is not better than another.

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This depends on each student and their ability to manage the heavy course load of enrolling full-time- which is 9 credit hours (or 3 classes) per semester. Students who enroll full-time may find it difficult to keep even a part-time job. Students who are able to manage a full-time courseload can take advantage of our Graduate Tuition Cap and save on tuition, which offers a flat tuition rate per semester when enrolled in 9 or more credit hours.

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It's important to know how to approach learning in an online degree program. Online classes are not harder nor easier than in-person classes, but they are different due to their asynchronous modality. This means students going into an online master's program should expect to:

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• Communicate: If you are having any trouble, message your peers and/or your instructor right away to ask for help or clarification. Never be afraid to reach out to your instructors or Student Affairs if you need assistance--we have many resources to help you, but we need to know your situation to act accordingly on your behalf.

If you need additional support in navigating the online classroom, Canvas (our learning management system) has a number of helpful tools including a module for new students that walks everything you need to know about navigating information in your online class.

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All students are encouraged to pursue a practicum placement for which they can receive academic credit. Additionally, students have the option to take independent studies to help further their expertise in a specific area. We also offer a competitive Alternative Spring Break program to our students each spring. Students are placed at institutions like the National Library of Medicine and the Library of Congress. We also have a student chapter of the American Library Association which regularly sponsors activities for students.

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May 8, 2024

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The spread of misinformation varies by topic and by country in Europe, study finds

by Public Library of Science

The eventual prevalence of a piece of misinformation may depend on its topic and the country in which it spreads, with notable differences between the UK, Germany, France and Italy, according to a study published May 8 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Fabiana Zollo from the Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy, and colleagues. This finding suggests that policies to combat misinformation and polarization may need to be context-specific in order to be effective, the authors say.

Researchers analyzed news activity on Twitter (now X) in France, Germany, Italy and the UK from 2019 to 2021, including a focus on news about Brexit, the coronavirus, and the COVID vaccines. Each news source they analyzed was rated as either "reliable" or "questionable" based upon their NewsGuard (a tool that evaluates the reliability of news outlets based on nine journalistic criteria) score.

Across all four countries, the vast majority of users only ever consumed reliable news sources on each of the three topics. But in every country and in each topic, there was always a small percentage of users who only ever consumed questionable news sources—with very few people consuming a mix of both reliable and questionable sources.

The ratio of questionable news vs. reliable news consumption and spread varied between countries. Overall, Germany had the highest ratio of questionable news retweets to reliable news retweets on all three topics, with France in second, followed by Italy, and the UK had the lowest proportion of questionable news retweets overall.

However, measures of misinformation varied by topic. Italy, for example, had the lowest proportion of questionable news retweets for the topic of the coronavirus—but had the highest percentage of people consuming only questionable news sources on Brexit. These kinds of differences could emphasize that "cultural nuances" will be important when it comes to fighting misinformation , the authors write.

Journal information: PLoS ONE

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Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

At michigan state university, international research team uses wavefunction matching to solve quantum many-body problems, new approach makes calculations with realistic interactions possible.

FRIB researchers are part of an international research team solving challenging computational problems in quantum physics using a new method called wavefunction matching. The new approach has applications to fields such as nuclear physics, where it is enabling theoretical calculations of atomic nuclei that were previously not possible. The details are published in Nature (“Wavefunction matching for solving quantum many-body problems”) .

Ab initio methods and their computational challenges

An ab initio method describes a complex system by starting from a description of its elementary components and their interactions. For the case of nuclear physics, the elementary components are protons and neutrons. Some key questions that ab initio calculations can help address are the binding energies and properties of atomic nuclei not yet observed and linking nuclear structure to the underlying interactions among protons and neutrons.

Yet, some ab initio methods struggle to produce reliable calculations for systems with complex interactions. One such method is quantum Monte Carlo simulations. In quantum Monte Carlo simulations, quantities are computed using random or stochastic processes. While quantum Monte Carlo simulations can be efficient and powerful, they have a significant weakness: the sign problem. The sign problem develops when positive and negative weight contributions cancel each other out. This cancellation results in inaccurate final predictions. It is often the case that quantum Monte Carlo simulations can be performed for an approximate or simplified interaction, but the corresponding simulations for realistic interactions produce severe sign problems and are therefore not possible.

Using ‘plastic surgery’ to make calculations possible

The new wavefunction-matching approach is designed to solve such computational problems. The research team—from Gaziantep Islam Science and Technology University in Turkey; University of Bonn, Ruhr University Bochum, and Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany; Institute for Basic Science in South Korea; South China Normal University, Sun Yat-Sen University, and Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics in China; Tbilisi State University in Georgia; CEA Paris-Saclay and Université Paris-Saclay in France; and Mississippi State University and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University (MSU)—includes  Dean Lee , professor of physics at FRIB and in MSU’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and head of the Theoretical Nuclear Science department at FRIB, and  Yuan-Zhuo Ma , postdoctoral research associate at FRIB.

“We are often faced with the situation that we can perform calculations using a simple approximate interaction, but realistic high-fidelity interactions cause severe computational problems,” said Lee. “Wavefunction matching solves this problem by doing plastic surgery. It removes the short-distance part of the high-fidelity interaction, and replaces it with the short-distance part of an easily computable interaction.”

This transformation is done in a way that preserves all of the important properties of the original realistic interaction. Since the new wavefunctions look similar to that of the easily computable interaction, researchers can now perform calculations using the easily computable interaction and apply a standard procedure for handling small corrections called perturbation theory.  A team effort

The research team applied this new method to lattice quantum Monte Carlo simulations for light nuclei, medium-mass nuclei, neutron matter, and nuclear matter. Using precise ab initio calculations, the results closely matched real-world data on nuclear properties such as size, structure, and binding energies. Calculations that were once impossible due to the sign problem can now be performed using wavefunction matching.

“It is a fantastic project and an excellent opportunity to work with the brightest nuclear scientist s in FRIB and around the globe,” said Ma. “As a theorist , I'm also very excited about programming and conducting research on the world's most powerful exascale supercomputers, such as Frontier , which allows us to implement wavefunction matching to explore the mysteries of nuclear physics.”

While the research team focused solely on quantum Monte Carlo simulations, wavefunction matching should be useful for many different ab initio approaches, including both classical and  quantum computing calculations. The researchers at FRIB worked with collaborators at institutions in China, France, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, and United States.

“The work is the culmination of effort over many years to handle the computational problems associated with realistic high-fidelity nuclear interactions,” said Lee. “It is very satisfying to see that the computational problems are cleanly resolved with this new approach. We are grateful to all of the collaboration members who contributed to this project, in particular, the lead author, Serdar Elhatisari.”

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the German Research Foundation, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Chinese Academy of Sciences President’s International Fellowship Initiative, Volkswagen Stiftung, the European Research Council, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Security Academic Fund, the Rare Isotope Science Project of the Institute for Basic Science, the National Research Foundation of Korea, the Institute for Basic Science, and the Espace de Structure et de réactions Nucléaires Théorique.

Michigan State University operates the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) as a user facility for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), supporting the mission of the DOE-SC Office of Nuclear Physics. Hosting what is designed to be the most powerful heavy-ion accelerator, FRIB enables scientists to make discoveries about the properties of rare isotopes in order to better understand the physics of nuclei, nuclear astrophysics, fundamental interactions, and applications for society, including in medicine, homeland security, and industry.

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of today’s most pressing challenges. For more information, visit energy.gov/science.