Singing in the rain: the role of umbrella concepts in library and information science

Introduction. This paper considers the function and use of umbrella concepts within the library and information science (LIS) discipline. Method. This paper uses the example of information avoidance to examine how umbrella concepts shape LIS theoretical work, including how they impact the theorisation of an emerging discipline. Analysis. We use on Hirsch and Levin’s (1999) umbrella concept lifecycle to examine how umbrella concepts develop and, potentially, how they disappear. Results. We suggest that while umbrella concepts provide a useful way to unite disparate or emerging strands of research, they can also constrain the development of a field when the label becomes a convenience rather than an invitation to continue the theoretical work needed to progress scholarly constructs. Conclusions. We finish by considering how this examination of umbrella concepts plays into continued debates about the theoretical structure of LIS (or lack of it) as well as offering suggestions for future research priorities in this area.