Page 11 - DLIS405_INFORMATION_STORAGE_AND_RETRIEVAL

Information Storage and Retrieval

Notes Methodology

LISTA (Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts), a world class bibliographic indexing
and abstracting database that provides coverage on subjects such as librarianship, classification,
cataloguing, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more, was
selected for analyzing library and information science literature. LISTA indexes nearly 700 periodicals
plus books, research reports and proceedings, which makes it an ideal source for study. The data
was carefully analyzed and interpreted. The geographic output and the date of the first issue was
extracted from Ulrichsweb (Online version of Ulrich’s Periodical Directory published by R.R.
Bowker), one of the renowned source listing periodical publications all over the world.

Chronological Development

Library and information science literature grew right from the time when the first core trade
publication “Bookseller” (abstracted now in LISTA) appeared in 1852. The first publication date of
all the titles under study is taken from Ulrich’s online Periodical Database. From 1852 to date, there
is a tremendous increase in library literature in various forms. For the sake of convenience and
clarity, the study is divided into decades from 1850’s to 2000’s. In 1850’s, only one publication fell
into the scope of library and information science literature.

During 1850’s and 1860’s, the literary output phase was dormant and produced no
publications.
During 1870’s, 4 (0.50%) publications came out; in 1890’s, the number rose up to 5 (0.62%); and in
1900’s, it went up to 7 (0.87%) publications. The first magazine “Author” appeared in 1890’s. The
first academic journal “New Library World” was also launched in the same decade. But with the
passage of time, more and more publications emerged from the field. Table 1.1 demonstrates that
the 1980’s has the largest number of publications, i.e., 155 (19.44%). 1970’s and 1960’s rank 2nd and
3rd with a total of 124 (15.55%) and 68 (8.53%) publications respectively. Table 1.1 is supplemented
by Fig. 1.1 to better demonstrate the data. The first year of publication for 163 publications could
not be ascertained from Ulrich’s online periodical directory. Therefore, they were kept under the
heading “Not Traceable”.

Table 1.1

Decades Output Percent
1850’s 1 0.12

1860’s 0 0.00

1870’s 4 0.50
1880’s 0 0.00

1890’s 5 0.62
1900’s 7 0.87

1910’s 7 0.87

1920’s 9 1.12

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