Library and information science in Spain: An assessment of 40 years of university studies

Abstract

Universities first taught Library and Information science (LIS) studies in Spain in 1982, reaching a zenith at the end of the 1990s. However, from 2000 onwards, student enrolment began to drop and some programmes closed, producing a crisis in the studies on offer, which is yet to end. The evolution of LIS education in Spanish universities over 40 years is analy-sed and its future is evaluated based on the opinions of academic leaders from Spanish university centres that offer LIS degrees. The article aims to provide a detailed analysis of the opportunities, threats and necessary priorities in the field and a general assessment of its chances of remaining an independent discipline. 23 interviews were carried out with lecturers of the Spanish university system, and a Likert questionnaire was responded by 34 experts. Disappointments are noted: loss of interest in the subject, failure to generate academic and professional visibility, and failure to take advan-tage of technological change to position the field in the mainstream. Opportunities: orienting the degree course toward new topics, and prioritising postgraduate programmes. Threats: loss of students, failure to convey the value of the discipline to society, and failure to redefine its profile. Priorities: adapting current qualifications more closely to needs, participating in European research projects, and adopting technological change. More than 60% of the respondents agree that Library and Information science will remain an independent discipline in the short and medium term, while 20% disagree, although they do not see this as a problem.