North African Research Tendencies in Library and Information Science: the theoretical and the empirical

Abstract

The aim of this work is to study the evolution of research activities in the field of library and information science in North Africa in relation to changes in the information sector, and to analyze the basic characteristics of scientific production within the information area. A rough reading of Arabic literature in the field of librarianship shows that the volume of this literature remains modest and that its content is mainly characterized by the predominance of empirical studies and the almost total absence of theoretical and methodological studies. The effort of theoretical thinking is still put aside despite its being important for the development of the new science of information. The interest is more on how to solve technical problems than on methodological and theoretical questions related to the information field. It is because of this that ambiguity remains over some fundamental concepts, research topics and Arabic language terms. It appears that some studies by Arab researchers are marked by the mechanical `transplantation' of concepts without considering their cultural and historical context and roots.