Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to analyse three Scandinavian iSchools in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with regard to their intentions of becoming iSchools and curriculum content in relation to these intentions. By doing so, a picture will be given of the international expansion of the iSchool concept in terms of organisational symbolism and practical educational content. In order to underline the approaches of the Scandinavian schools, comparisons are made to three American iSchools.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is framed through theory on organisational symbolism and the intentions of the iSchool movement as formulated in its vision statements. Empirically, the study consists of two parts: close readings of three documents outlining the considerations of three Scandinavian LIS schools before applying for the iSchool status, and statistical analysis of 427 syllabi from master level courses at three Scandinavian and three American iSchools.

Findings

All three Scandinavian schools, analysed, have recently become iSchools, and though some differences are visible, it is hard to distinguish anything in their syllabi as carriers of what can be described as an iSchool identity. In considering iSchool identity, it instead benefits on a symbolic level that are most prominent, such as branding, social visibility and the possible attraction of new student groups. The traditionally strong relation to national library sectors are emphasised as important to maintain, specifically in Norway and Sweden.

Research limitations/implications

The study is done on iSchools in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with empirical comparison to three American schools. These comparisons face the challenge of meeting the educational system and programme structure of each individual country. Despite this, findings prove possible to use as ground for conclusions, although empirical generalisations concerning, for instance, other countries must be made with caution.

Practical implications

This study highlights the practical challenges met in international expansion of the iSchool movement, both on a practical and symbolic level. Both the iSchool Caucus and individual schools considering becoming iSchools may use these findings as a point of reference in development and decision making.

Originality/value

This is an original piece of research from which the results may contribute to the international development of the iSchool movement, and extend the theoretical understanding of the iSchool movement as an educational and organisational construct.

The concept of “information experience” is rather new in information research. Conceptually, it draws from user-centered approaches to information studies. When applied to research on legislators, it could take the form of a social approach, espoused by Chatman, where context is inalienable from human action. In analyzing legislators’ constituency information practices, context constituted political, social, and economic circumstances, and these provided mitigating factors in information activities. Gender manifested in the sexual division of labor, the unequal expectations of female MPs and interactions in the home. This had implications for information acquisition. Large constituency and gender concerns had an impact on women’s information activities and experience of representation.

Purpose: To look for answers in educational history, using Sweden as an example, to challenges for library and information science departments from the European higher education reform known as the Bologna process.

Data: Four Swedish library registers from the 20th century containing data on 1790 librarians.

Method: Historical method and descriptive statistics.

Findings: Periods of vocational training (how to do it) have varied with periods of foregrounding academic and theoretic studies (how to think about it). Periods when priority was given to vocational training have decreased the professional status of librarians to a degree of deprofessionalisation.

Implications: Employability in Bologna terminology is a threat to professional status at the Bachelor level. The effect may be significant on public libraries.

The overall purpose is to examine librarians’ educational practices and libraries’ recruitmentpolicies during the first two thirds of the 20th century in Sweden. The study is a part of alarger project that is investigating the constitution of the knowledge domain of the librarian.The records used are four published registers containing detailed data of 1790 librarians.Variables include sex, age, formal merits and recruitments. Other variables such as fathers’and spouses’ occupations are considered for use at a later stage of the project. Time-linedesigns are used in order to present tables and diagrams in most cases. The records have beenused in this way for the first time.Findings: by the end of the 1950’s and the beginning of the 1960’s a woman’s profession hadbecome sharply delineated; characteristic qualifications include a Bachelor level degree and alibrary school diploma. Between 1926 and 1965 80% of the graduates of the library schoolwere women. However, there was a male stronghold of librarians with Ph.D.’s.

Purpose – To review critically the applicability of Grounded Theory.

Design/methodology/approach – Two perspectives are used: that of the author’s personalexperience and that of the internal pros and cons of Grounded Theory.

Findings – Grounded Theory is called into question regarding problems with pre-understanding,with everyday knowledge, with disconnection of context, and with coding procedure.

Practical implications – It is important to think twice before using Grounded Theory in spite of its promising features at the outset.

Originality/value – Empirically and theoretically founded critique of Grounded Theory