This study investigates the evolution and current status of subject librarianship in Chinese higher education spanning the past 25 years. Utilizing scientometric analysis, we construct knowledge graphs, encompassing publication trends, co-citation and co-occurrence networks, and the burstiness of keywords. The data are drawn from 504 articles in the Chinese Social Science Citation Index (CSSCI) database. The analysis sheds light on knowledge domains, evolutionary routes, and research hotspots within this field. The graphs delineate intricate connections among subject librarianship in Chinese higher education, involving universities, faculties, students, cooperative enterprises, and government. Significantly, these services play pivotal roles in information resource construction, scientific research, intellectual property support, and propaganda. The progression of subject librarianship in Chinese higher education is driven by innovations in information technology, user demands and policy advocacy. The knowledge graph-based exploration of subject librarianship holds substantial implications for libraries further constructions, particularly in enriching content and enhancing quality, aligning with the criteria of the new education public policy outlined by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.
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