Web 2.0 in the professional LIS literature: An exploratory analysis

Abstract

This paper presents a statistical descriptive analysis and a thorough content analysis of descriptors and journal titles extracted from the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) database, focusing on the subject of Web 2.0 and its main applications: blog, wiki, social network and tags.The primary research questions include: whether the phenomenon of Web 2.0 with its various applications is significantly expressed in the professional LIS literature; which kind of journals deal with Web 2.0 and its applications; and what are the emerging issues or trends expressed in the professional LIS literature. The findings reveal that the percentage of peer-reviewed articles concerning Web 2.0 is quite low, and a close link between Web 2.0 and library issues. This tendency may suggest the potential of Web 2.0 and its implications for libraries, as presented in the professional LIS literature.