CoLIS as ‘community of practice’: A study of papers presented at Conceptions of Library and Information Science conferences, 1991-2022

Introduction. This paper examines CoLIS proceedings since its inception, addressing two questions: 1) has CoLIS achieved its goal of convening a critical mass of library and information science (LIS) scholars to articulate and demarcate the field’s sphere of reality?; and 2) has CoLIS developed a community of practice for scholars exploring the general conception of the discipline, as it was designed to do? (Vakkari, 1992). Method. The paper examined 362 short and full papers published in the 1991-2022 CoLIS proceedings. Published prefaces, keynote addresses, and calls for submissions informed the analytic framework. Analysis. Analyses included authorship trends and the nature of the papers themselves, including types of methodologies, and depths of reflection on research practices and conceptual underpinnings of the field. Papers were analysed using a community of practice framework, alongside the articulated goals for CoLIS conferences (Vakkari, 1992; Wenger, 1999). Results. Most CoLIS papers were conceptual, qualitative, and textual by design, and report results of research studies. Only a small subset were reflective papers, articulating the conceptual underpinnings of library and information science. Conclusion. CoLIS is an engaged community, particularly in Nordic countries, the United Kingdom, and Europe. There is potential to expand into a vibrant, global community of practice to examine conceptions of the discipline.