Library and Information Science (LIS) is a long-standing academic discipline, with its own set of theories, perspectives and methods. It studies all aspects of the creation, organisation, management, communication and use of recorded information in documents of all kinds, including new forms of digital and immersive documents.

It underlies a variety of practices such as information management, librarianship, data management, and archiving and records management, educating professionals for work in those areas, and carrying out research to improve practice.

The role of libraries in providing widespread and inclusive access to knowledge is widely acknowledged. In today’s context, libraries have to play two distinct roles – to serve as a local center of information and knowledge, and be a local gateway to national and global knowledge.