Information Science Advancing while Library Retreating: An Exploratory Study with LIS Education in Mainland China

The aim of this study is to highlight the evolving trend of 'delibrarization' in LIS school education in mainland China and to explore the underlying reasons for its emergence. To achieve this, the study employs discourse analysis to examine the nomenclatures and objectives of undergraduate degree programs at the top five LIS schools in mainland China. Furthermore, a critical analysis of the social background and academic evaluation system was conducted to further identify some contributing factors. The study concludes that the trend of 'delibrarization' in LIS education is driven by a combination of factors: the self-imposed perception of library science as 'restricted to library' and interdisciplinary, as constructed by some scholars in the field; the unfavorable nature of the current academic evaluation system; and the diminishing influence of library science within LIS schools.