Gathering Residue

A Literature Review of Arts-Based Research in Library and Information Studies

Abstract

Arts-based research (ABR) encompasses the use of methodological tools including literary (e.g., poetry), performative (e.g., dance), visual (e.g., painting), and audiovisual (e.g., film) genres, and is used by researchers in the humanities and natural, social, and health sciences. Recent publications demonstrate diverse applications of ABR in Library and Information Studies (LIS) research. We have three aspirations for this article. First is to peer through a critical lens of literature reviews by asking ourselves: What are we doing (as activity, task, process) when we’re “literature reviewing”? We also consider metaphors we use to describe the role and application of literature reviews. Our second aspiration is to share an appreciation of the potential of ABR (in theory and in practice) to impact LIS and its transformational potential. Third, we aim to describe the generative potential of the frustrated efforts and gaps created when trying to research something differently. We share our reflections regarding positivism and practice of the literature review genre and include a summary of preliminary findings. This literature review culminates in an invitation to sit with the tensions between theory and practice, ambition and implementation, and time and energy.

Pre-print first published online 10/02/2023