Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Date of this Version
Fall 9-26-2022
Abstract
This study analysed and contextualised research on LAMs (acronym for libraries, archives and museums) funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under competitive calls for projects from 2010 to 2020. The ultimate intention was to verify the existence or otherwise of a national research agenda on these cultural institutions. The initial search and location of Spanish Ministry-funded projects in official sources was followed by data processing and grouping by subject category. A total of 145 projects were analysed. The results showed LAM projects to be scant in number, highly varied in terms of subject matter, poorly funded, widely scattered across a number of areas of knowledge although with a prevalence of the humanities, and highly concentrated in certain institutions and disciplines. The subject-based analysis characterised LAM institutions, from the research perspective, as tools supporting other types of research but not themselves objects of study. None of the nationwide research plans was observed to include LAMs as a line of research. This study has essentially two practical implications. 1. It underscores the need for greater transparency among research project funding agencies; and 2. it defends the inclusion of LAMs among the items on a country’s national research agenda deserving of funding to enhance awareness of their value, purpose and projects.