From “Library Science” to “Library Design”: Recasting the Narrative of Academic Librarianship

Session Description:
The standard professional credential for American librarians is a master’s degree in library science. Yet librarians, especially academic librarians, spend much of their time creating: everything from information literacy curricula to research projects and reference service models. And creation is the realm of design. This paper argues for recasting the narrative of academic librarianship as a design profession rather than a “library science.” Real-world examples will show how epistemological elements of design are already present in academic librarianship and how they align with and support academic librarianship’s focus on education and social justice.