Mapping critical librarianship in LIS: A scoping review

Abstract

This article presents a scoping review and bibliometric analysis of critical librarianship within library and information science (LIS). While interest in critlib has grown, existing research remains fragmented and heavily concentrated in the Global North. Using Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and PRISMA, we identified 86 peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2006 to 2025. Keyword co-occurrence and citation network mapping were conducted using VOSviewer. Three themes emerged: pedagogy and information literacy, which are well established; structural and decolonial critique, which is emerging but less consolidated; and race-conscious instructional practice, which remains limited. The review highlights a narrow distribution of authorship and scholarship, largely centered in North America, with minimal representation from the Global South. This study contributes a synthesized view of the field and identifies key gaps, providing a foundation for future research that seeks to expand critical inquiry across geographies, professional roles, and institutional contexts.