Endurance and Coherence: The Post‐2020 iSchool

Abstract

The iSchools Organization encompasses 121 information and library science schools around the globe, and is rapidly expanding. Officially begun in the early 2000s as a way to bolster a sense of field-wide purpose and identity relevant to the twenty-first century, among other objectives, iSchools are positioned as those sharing an interest in information, people, and technology. Early questions about endurance of the iSchools movement are now largely overshadowed by, and joined with, questions about coherence of the iSchools movement. This 90-minute virtual panel will present international findings about issues that are currently, as of 2020-2021, top-of-mind for iSchool leaders, pertaining to: 1.) views on and of the field of information; 2.) faculty and institutional relationships; and 3.) extra-unit alliances and alignments, including with and within the iSchools Organization itself. It draws mainly upon interview data from the funded project i4G: Shaping the iSchools' Identity and Interaction in a Globalized World.

Connecting iSchools and Society Through Scientific Research: A Worldwide Exploratory Study

“…Considering the research focus of its members, the growing and diverse body of its more than 130 worldwide member institutions provides a good opportunity to understand the connection between iSchools’ research scopes and society. Such an exploratory study will help shape the iSchools' collective identity (Thomson et al, 2021), define and redefine the profession of information (Bruce, 2010), and encourage knowledge exchange on a global scale (Wu et al, 2012).…”

“…The diversity of the members (Ma & Zou, 2020) increases the difficulty of getting a complete view because the research undertaken by two different iSchools may appear to be the same, even though their social context may be significantly different, due to the employment market, funding bodies, governance structure, etc. (Thomson et al, 2021).…”

“…Since it is a leader in LIS education, research, and professional domains (Chakrabarti & Mandal, 2017;Olson & Grudin, 2009), the iSchools organization seeks to maximize the social visibility and influence of its member iSchools on a global scale (Cai et al, 2019). Considering the research focus of its members, the growing and diverse body of its more than 130 worldwide member institutions provides a good opportunity to understand the connection shape the iSchools' collective identity (Thomson et al, 2021), define and redefine the profession of information (Bruce, 2010), and encourage knowledge exchange on a global scale (Wu et al, 2012).…”