Who do we need to invite to the parlor? Curriculum deliberations and assessment approaches in conversation with course readings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47989/ir31iConf64151Keywords:
Curriculum, Evaluation and assessment, LIS competencies, Bibliometrics, Diversity equity and inclusionAbstract
Introduction. This research examines major themes in an MLIS curriculum through an analysis of program course readings in response to the 2023 revision of the ALA Core Competencies.
Method. Course readings were gathered for all courses in an MLIS curriculum. 3,406 readings were collected, including webpages, journal articles, conference papers, book chapters, and books.
Analysis. The visualisation of the bibliographic network was created using titles, keywords, and abstracts of the readings. Textual analysis of the full text of the course readings was conducted utilising topic modelling analysis. Quantifiable bibliographic information was analysed using basic descriptive statistics.
Results. Both bibliographic and topic model analyses indicated various nuanced DEI-related themes were present throughout the course readings, including topics related to race, gender, power, privacy, ethics, and legal considerations. Additionally, the analysis indicated strong breadth and depth within the curriculum.
Conclusion(s). Topic modelling and visualisation of assigned course readings render the LIS ‘parlor’ as a network of conversations that we can utilise to assess and guide the curriculum in evolving and aligning with professional competencies.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Angela P. Murillo, Andrea Copeland, Charles Sutton, Jenn Sheridan, Cherry Gupta
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