Mapping the Scientific Literature of e-Services in Libraries: A Bibliometric Study

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the research trends and patterns in eservices in libraries by examining the literature published over three decades.
Design/Methodology/Approach: Web of Science (WoS) was used to obtain the scientific publications on e-services of libraries. The data was extracted on 31-December-2021. The search query applied to get the desired results is (((TS= (DIGITAL LIBRAR*)) AND TS= (ELECTRONIC SERVIC*)) OR TI= (DIGITAL LIBRARY SERVIC*)) ANDTI=(E-SERVIC*) and Articles After refinements and removal of duplicates the total of 2300 articles were retrieved within a specific time. R software was used for data visualization and analysis.
Findings: The study revealed that the highest number of articles were published in 2015 and the highest mean total citation count per article belongs to 2011. It is revealed that the Academic of Librarianship had published the highest number of records. The most occurred keywords are “Information” and “Model”. It is also revealed that the word “Information” has the highest growth rate. It was determined that the USA has the highest productivity and citations followed by the UK and China.Cook C, and Thompson B are the most Prolific authors revealed in the study. It was also revealed that the University of Illinois, Chicago was the most prolific institution.
Practical Implications: The findings can help libraries in developing e-services by highlighting current research trends and identifying leading institutions and authors in the field. This can help in formulating policies and strategies that meet the evolving needs of the digital age.
Originality/Value: The study is confined to articles indexed in the Web of Science database, which may not reflect the scope of research on e-services in libraries. This study provides valuable insights into the research landscape of library e-services.