Emerging landscapes of “alternative-academic” careers in library and information science: Evolutionary patterns and prospects in the Chinese context

Abstract

This study investigated the emerging landscape of alternative-academic careers in the field of library and information science in China using text mining techniques on a dataset of 7832 job postings from 334 institutions between 2016 and 2023. The findings revealed that alternative-academic positions are widely distributed across academic, cultural, governmental, and commercial institutions, with a growing presence in interdisciplinary and applied research domains. The results highlight the emergence of four distinct functional types: resource construction, academic services, intelligence research, and social functions. Alternative-academic roles have evolved towards greater professionalization, specialization, and collaboration, reflecting the shifting demands of the digital information landscape.