Temathic approaches into Information Literacy: a temporal analysis in scientific production in Web of Science (1974-2019)

This study identifies the evolution of research topics in information literacy since the adoption of the terminology in 1974, by a temporal analysis of author-keywords in the publications of this research area. The universe of analysis is documents indexed in the Web of Science core collections between 1974-2019. It identified 6,108 keywords, totaling 15,289 mentions, in 2,918 documents. The descriptors were analyzed associated with the development period of the Information literacy movement, in 1974-1989, 1990-1999, 2000-2009, 2010-2019. The temporal analysis indicates a decrease in terminological variability, the consolidation of research topics and terminological consensus past the years. Terms associated with librarianship and education were identified from the first period, with the gradual inclusion of keywords associated with technologies past second phase. Research including specific audiences, notably associated to higher education and library users are later incorporated, so as new types of literacies associated with these themes. In the last period, there is the maintenance of the subjects and audiences already incorporated and the development of critical skills in these contexts. It resulted, from the initial phase, a period of consolidation, development and expansion phases of information literacy, which can be used to demarcate the development of the area.