Page 181 - DLIS401_METHODOLOGY_OF_RESEARCH_AND_STATISTICAL_TECHNIQUES

Methodology of Research and Statistical Techniques

Notes Carl Keren (1984, 137) doubting the value of research in information science daringly suggests
that “It would be worthwhile to find out how much of it has really contributed to our body
of knowledge and to the methods used by practitioners.” He himself understands that “We
will probably be rather disappointed”. American teacher Margaret Steig (1992, 98) endorses
this notion:
Research done by library and information science educators seems to receive little
respect from professionals, and if they do not find it of value one has to wonder
who will.
She further quotes (p. 98) the famous Conant report to prove her point :
Library educators seldom produce well-researched literary products ... This is where
the library schools most fail the profession.
This is a time to pause and think, why? If we fail the practitioners and the scholars alike,
whom do we serve then?

13.11 Summary

• Professional higher education in library and information science (LIS) in India, now nine
decades old, is centred in universities. Exceptions are two national institutes, namely,
the Documentation Research and Training Centre (DRTC) in Bangalore, and the education
section of the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre (INSDOC) in New Delhi.

• The roots of research in our profession are not very deep. Research in library science is
a twentieth century occurrence ushered in by the library school of the University of
Chicago in mid-1920s. The visionary efforts of the Chicago School bore abundant fruit
and offered leadership to the world in library science research.

• The credit for the formal institution of the doctoral degree programme in library science
in India goes undeniably to Dr. S.R. Ranganathan (1892–1972). In 1951, he started one at
the University of Delhi surmounting many difficulties and facing personal ridicule.

13.12 Keywords

LIS : Library and Information Science.
DRTC : Documentation Research and Training Centre.
INSDOC : Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre.
UGC : University Grants Commission.

IATLIS : Indian Association of Teachers of Library and Information Science.
NASSDOC : National Social Science Documentation Centre.

13.13 Review Questions

1. How is longitudinal survey conducted in the research of LIS?
2. Discuss the historical approach of research for library science.

3. Why is discourse analysis applied in the research of library science?

176 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY