Scientific Trajectory of Library Education in Cuba: Characterization Based on Scopus

Abstract

This paper is part of an effort to make visible and understand the scientific development of library science education in Cuba through the analysis of its academic output indexed in the Scopus database. In a context where the circulation of knowledge, its indexing, and international visibility have become dominant parameters for evaluating the maturity of disciplinary fields, it is necessary to interrogate the ways in which Cuban science integrates into these circuits of global recognition, particularly in an area such as library science, characterized by its theoretical-methodological hybridity and social vocation.
Library science education in Cuba has an institutional trajectory dating back to the mid-20th century, initially linked to training models of a technical nature and later to processes of university-level professionalization. The University of Havana, through its Faculty of Communication and the Department of Information Sciences, has been the main space for academic and scientific articulation in the field. Despite this institutional continuity, the systematic examination of its scientific production through international bibliometric sources has been scarcely developed, constituting a gap in knowledge about the ways in which Cuban library science knowledge is constructed, legitimized, and projected internationally.
The objective of this study is to characterize Cuban scientific production in the field of library science education based on documents indexed in Scopus, considering indicators such as the temporal evolution of publications, the most productive authors, institutional affiliations, selected journals, publication languages, and main themes addressed. This knowledge mapping not only offers a quantitative overview but also enables a critical interpretation of the logics of visibility, knowledge hierarchies, and mechanisms of inclusion/exclusion operating in international scientific evaluation systems.
The adopted methodology falls within bibliometrics, with a descriptive approach that acknowledges both the informative value of the indicators and their limitations in capturing the complexity of academic processes in peripheral contexts. The search was conducted using keywords in three languages, filtered by Cuban institutional affiliation and thematic areas related to education, library science, and information science. The period from 2000 to 2024 was selected to capture a sufficient historical series allowing the observation of sustained trends and significant breaks.
Results reveal moderate production, with peaks of higher productivity in certain periods coinciding with regional academic events or international editorial calls. Institutional concentration around the University of Havana is observed, although contributions from other provincial universities and research centers also appear. Regarding authorship, established researchers stand out, whose publications have managed to articulate thematic continuity alongside openness to new lines of inquiry.
One of the most relevant findings is the persistence of a thematic matrix centered on competency-based training, information literacy, knowledge management in educational environments, and the application of digital technologies. This focus responds to concrete needs of the Cuban educational system and simultaneously dialogues with international debates on curriculum renewal, digital inclusion, and pedagogical mediation. Studies on collection development, information behavior, digital preservation, and library service evaluation are also identified, indicating a progressive diversification of the field.
Regarding publication journals, there is a preference for Ibero-American journals indexed in Scopus, especially from Brazil, Colombia, Spain, and Mexico. The presence in English-language journals is smaller, highlighting certain linguistic and editorial barriers to internationalization. However, the choice of Spanish-language journals with broad regional dissemination allows establishing bridges with related academic communities and strengthens knowledge circulation in the Global South. In terms of publication languages, the predominance of Spanish is clear, although contributions in English and Portuguese suggest an incipient multilingual openness.
International collaboration is limited. Co-authorships with researchers from Latin America and Spain are identified, but articulation with global networks remains incipient. This situation reflects both material constraints and academic legitimization logics that tend to reproduce center-periphery inequalities. Nevertheless, regional collaboration experiences reveal a potential that could be explored to strengthen the international presence of the Cuban library science field.
The analysis of results also identifies certain tensions between institutional training frameworks and scientific production expectations. The consolidation of research lines does not always translate into a sustained international publication strategy, evidencing a mismatch between research as a formative practice and its translation into publishable results according to international criteria. This mismatch can also be interpreted as a form of resistance to the hegemonic logics of global science.
The Cuban political context has significantly influenced scientific production and dissemination processes, negatively affecting the international visibility of knowledge generated in the country. Restrictions on the free circulation of ideas, limitations on establishing sustained links with foreign academic networks, and the concentration of editorial control in state institutions have restricted the diversity and competitiveness of the library science field. Furthermore, the absence of stable scientific evaluation policies and limited access to technological and financial resources have deepened the disconnection from international standards. Together, these structural conditions have contributed to the relative delay in library science research in Cuba, not due to a lack of academic talent but due to systemic barriers that discourage innovation and global collaboration.