Library and information science (LIS) is highly interdisciplinary by nature and is affected by the incessant evolution of technologies. A recent study surveying research trends in the years 2002—6 at various information science departments worldwide has found that a clear trend was identified in Masters theses and doctoral dissertations of social aspects of information moving into the spotlight. The study found that only a third of the research that was tagged on the ProQuest Digital Dissertations database under either or both ‘Library Science’ and ‘Information Science’ was actually conducted at LIS departments. The current study aims to examine the remaining two thirds of these papers, conducted in non-LIS departments. This will contribute toward our understanding of the field and its future development. The research findings indicate that there is a relatively clear division of research topics between the studies conducted in various information studies departments and those conducted in other departments that study information. The main difference found is the opposite foci of LIS and non-LIS studies. While LIS scholars focus on the information user, other fields, headed by business administration, computer science, education and communication, focus on the system, on information technology, the information industry and the management of information.

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PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine how different feminist Facebook groups in Israel operate in order to better understand the main issues in their discussions about feminism in Israel. The study will also identify the variances between the different subgroups. A secondary research question examined was whether Voyant Tools can be used as an effective content text analysis tool in general and in Hebrew in particular.Design/methodology/approachThe study's research method analyzes the content of Facebook posts using the Voyant Tools online toolkit to quantitatively analyze and visualize the results of text mining and data visualization. The sample consists of the texts of posts of three groups representing different currents in Israeli feminism, gathered over a period of three months.FindingsThe results show that there are high-frequency words occurring in all groups, each group has its unique words, which distinguish it from the other groups. Feminist and Halachic Feminist groups had few words in common, while the Religious Feminist groups had more words in common with both the Feminist and the Halachic Feminist groups and more so with the latter group. While all groups discussed the issue of violence against women, especially sexual violence, the degree of engagement varied greatly between the groups. In addition, there were clear differences in the prominent issues concerning the various groups. This paper demonstrates the possibility of using Voyant Tools for text mining and analysis.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates the possibility of using Voyant Tools for text mining and analysis. Voyant Tools shed light on common concepts, their location and prevalence in the text.

A Torah studies library is a type of Jewish library specializing in biblical and rabbinical literature. One of its characteristics is its process of collection development and censorship. This study primarily aims to discuss the collection development policies in Torah libraries, particularly censorship implemented as part of a policy, with an emphasis on how prohibited books are rejected. A qualitative-narrative research technique was used, allowing the viewpoints of the "selectors" to be examined. To present a broad picture, various types of Torah studies libraries were chosen for the study.

PurposeThe current study aims to review the emerging trends as revealed in masters' theses and doctoral dissertations written over the past five years (2002‐2006) in information science departments worldwide, and to examine how social and ethical issues are reflected in these research projects.Design/methodology/approachThe ProQuest digital dissertations database was used to identify the studies, and studies conducted in the Department of Information Science at Bar‐Ilan University in Israel during the same years were also added to the sample. To locate these projects studies, all studies that received the subject classification of “library science” “information science” or both during those years in the ProQuest digital dissertations system were retrieved yet only studies conducted in departments of information science were included in the sample. The dissertations and theses retrieved were divided into nine categories.FindingsA clear trend can be identified in masters' theses and doctoral dissertations research conducted over the past five years in departments of information science worldwide. The social aspects of information are moving into the spotlight. It appears that the user and his/her ability to sift through the vast sea of information will be the primary research focus in the twenty‐first century.Originality/valueThe paper presents the current trends in research in the field of information science. The findings will be relevant for researchers and curriculum planners in information science.