Library and information science education in developing countries

SummaryThis paper introduces the special issue on education for library and information science in developing countries. It reviews past articles that appeared in The International Information and Library Review on the same topic and comments on the articles appearing in this issue. Previous articles reveal that this topic has been of interest to readers and contributors to the journal since its beginning. Some issues have remained constant throughout the history of the journal, for instance, the relevance of LIS curriculum to developing countries, dependence on Western education models, lack of respect for the profession and need to upgrade the skills of librarians and other information professionals to address the challenges of the information society. The articles contained in this issue address some of the same concerns with an additional focus on the need for LIS education to prepare graduates to become more involved in the economic and social development of their countries.