Library and Information Sciences in the Environment of the Information Disciplines: Towards Integrative Models of Disciplines, Professional Community and Information and Communication Public Policies

Introduction: The presentation seeks to investigate the facilitators and obstacles to convergence between library and information science theory and practice in an information disciplines context. The starting point consists of a review of "inward" and "outward" fragmentations existing in our discipline: between academia and professionals, between research areas, between university research and the other university functions: teaching and extension. The role of research problems' approaches to disciplinary unit, and the relevance of articulation of information disciplines to the promotion of information public policies are also considered. Development: These ideas are shared and discussed in light of a review and reflection on our experiences with interdisciplinary teams in library and information science research projects from 1990 to present in Uruguay. Conclusions: We refer to the challenges faced by information disciplines in view of, firstly, the new development model adopted by this country, based on building an information and knowledge society aiming to promote research and innovation and, secondly, a university in the middle of a reform process towards the integrity of university functions and the needed creation of "interdisciplinary spaces".