Audience Tools

Specializations

  • Cultural Impact of Documents and Documentation
  • Future of Libraries
  • Information Science

Research Areas

Courses

  • INFO 200 - Intellectual Foundations Of Informatics
  • INFO 357 - The Record Of Us All

Biography

I'm interested in how information and information resources work, what they are for, what they do and what they tell us about the human condition; in particular I study the cultural impacts and social roles of documents and documentary forms. In addition, I have a focus on libraries, how they work, how they change, how they have evolved, and what we can learn and adopt from previous practice, blended with new and exciting ideas, to keep libraries of all kinds vital, necessary and important parts of their communities. I teach courses in information sources and services, in search, in research methods and statistics, and the broad information field in general. Associate Professor Janes holds the MLS (1983) and PhD (1989) from Syracuse University.

Education

  • Ph D, Information Transfer, Syracuse University, 1989
  • MLS, Syracuse University, 1983
  • BA, Syracuse University, 1982

Awards

  • Nominee - Best Information Science Book of the Year, ASIST, 2018
  • Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award for distinguished contributions to reference librarianship, 2006

Memberships

  • American Society for Information Science & Technology
  • American Library Association
  • American Library Association
  • American Library Association

Publications and Contributions

  • Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-New
    Library 2030 (2024)
    The Janus Library Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Electoral College Documents, 2020 (2021)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Articles of Impeachment, 1868 (2020)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    World’s Fair Time Capsule, 1939 (2020)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Magazine/Trade Publication
    ALA 2019: Thank You, Archivists (2019)
    Publisher's Weekly Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Code of Hammurabi, c1754 BCE (2019)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Eurovision/European Broadcast Union Statutes, 1950 (2019)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    IRS Form 1040, 1914 (2019)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    Libraryland column (2018-present) (2018)
    Publishers Weekly Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    “Operation Mincemeat” Faked Documents, 1943 (2018)
    Documents That Changed the World Authors: Joseph Janes, Kate Merrifield
  • Book, Non-Scholarly-New
    Documents that Changed the Way We Live (2017)
    Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Voyager “Golden Records”, 1977 (2017)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Noah Webster’s Dictionary, 1828 (2016)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Palm Beach County "Butterfly" Ballot, 2000 (2016)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    Safe and Sound: Libraries offer empathy in an unpredictable world (2016)
    American Libraries Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    The Last Card: A profession in constant transition must finally bid farewell to catalog cards (2016)
    American Libraries Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Alfred Nobel's Will, 1895 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Annals of the World, 1650 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Declaration of Independence deleted passage on slavery, 1776 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    FDR Thanksgiving Proclamation, 1939 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Fannie Farmer Cookbook, 1896 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Nupedia (Wikipedia predecessor), 2000 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Magazine/Trade Publication
    One Size LIS Does Not Fit All (2015)
    Library Journal Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Richter Scale, 1925 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Statistical Significance, 1925 [Fisher's "Statistical Methods for Research Workers"] (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Stock Market Crash Ticker Tape, 1929 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Broadcast Media
    Vietnam Veterans' Memorial, 1982 (2015)
    Documents That Changed the World Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    When Is a Bookstore Not a Bookstore? A librarian’s take on the Amazon store (2015)
    American Libraries Author: Joseph Janes
  • Book, Chapter in Non-Scholarly Book-New
    Forward (2014)
    Reimagining Reference Author: Joseph Janes
  • Encyclopedia Entry
    "Library" (2013)
    World Book Encyclopedia Yearbook 2014 Author: Joseph Janes
  • Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-New
    Eponymous Chapter (2013)
    Library 2020: Today’s Leading Visionaries Describe Tomorrow’s Library Author: Elisabeth Jones Editor: Joseph Janes
  • Book, Non-Scholarly-New
    Library 2020 (2013)
    Editor: Joseph Janes
  • Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-New
    The library in 2020 will be your best friend (2013)
    Library 2020: Today's leading visionaries describe tomorrow's library Author: Michael Crandall Editor: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    Internet Librarian column (2002-2012) (2012)
    American Libraries Author: Joseph Janes
  • Journal Article, Academic Journal
    Anonymity in a World of Digital Books: Google Books, Privacy, and the Freedom to Read (2010)
    Policy & Internet Authors: Elisabeth Jones, Joseph Janes
  • Journal Article, Academic Journal
    The Thank You Study: User Feedback in E-mail 'Thank You' Messages (2007)
    Reference and User Services Quarterly, 46(4), pp. 53-59 Authors: Joseph Janes, Lorri Mon
  • Book, Chapter in Scholarly Book-New
    Thriving in the Age of Google, in Information Tomorrow: Reflections on Technology and the Future of Public and Academic Libraries (2007)
    Reflections on Technology and the Future of Public and Academic Libraries Author: Joseph Janes
  • Journal Article, Academic Journal
    Academic Reference: Playing to Our Strengths (2004)
    portal: Libraries and the Academy, 4(4), pp. 533-536 Author: Joseph Janes
  • Book, Scholarly-New
    Introduction to Reference Work in the Digital Age (2003)
    Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    Tech Talk column (2000-2003) (2000)
    Voice of Youth Advocates Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    On Research column (1999-2003) (1999)
    Library Hi Tech Author: Joseph Janes
  • Book Review
    Review of Literary Texts in an Electronic Age: Scholarly Implications and Library Services (1996)
    Library Quarterly Author: Joseph Janes
  • Book Review
    Review of Libraries and the Internet/NREN (1995)
    Library Quarterly Author: Joseph Janes
  • Book Review
    Review of Research and Evaluation for Information Professionals (1993)
    Journal of Academic Librarianship, pp. 313-314 Author: Joseph Janes
  • Regular Column in Journal or Newspaper
    "Another Story" column (2012-present)
    American Libraries Author: Joseph Janes

Presentations

  • Back to the Future: Predictions from Library 2035 (2024)
    American Library Association Annual Conference - San Diego, CA
  • Ensuring the Future of Libraries: Connecting the Academy and the Profession (2018)
    Public Library Association - Philadelphia, PA
  • Ensuring the Future of Libraries: Connecting the Academy and the Profession (2018)
    American Library Association Annual Conference - New Orleans, LA
  • Invited Lecture, Friends of the University of Washington Libraries Annual Meeting (2018)
    Friends of the University of Washington Libraries - Seattle, WA
  • Not Just A Piece of Paper (2017)
    National Archives - Washington, DC
  • Tips for Attending ALA (2017)
    S'ALA webinar - Seattle, WA
  • Masters of Library and Information Studies orientation (2016)
    Panel at University of Washington - iSchool - Seattle, WA
  • Libraries: The Way Forward (2014)
    Center for the Study of Libraries, Information, and Society, Drexel University - Philadelphia, PA
  • Library 2020 (2014)
    Library Camp, Fort Wayne Public Library - Fort Wayne, IN
  • Library 2020 (2014)
    Lead the Change, Seattle Public Library - Seattle, WA
  • Achieving Common Ground: New Models of Service & Collaboration in the Learning Commons (2013)
    Douglas College - Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • Documents That Changed the World (2013)
    Town Hall - Seattle, WA
  • Implementing change: Realizing the results of collaborating in the cloud (2013)
    OCLC/Library Journal webinar
  • Information Makes Us Human (2013)
    Goucher College Library - Baltimore, MD
  • Information Makes Us Human (2013)
    British Columbia Library Association annual conference - Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • Library 2020 (2013)
    American Association of Law Librarians annual conference - Seattle, WA
  • Library 2020 (2013)
    Choice
  • Library Survival (2013)
    Western New York Library Association - Buffalo, NY
  • Information Makes Us Human (2012)
    Canadian Association of Law Librarians - Toronto, ON, Canada
  • Information Makes Us Human (2012)
    Oregon Statewide Virtual Reference Service - Lincoln City, OR
  • Information Makes Us Human (2012)
    University of Toronto Faculty of Information - Toronto, ON, Canada
  • Change and Flexibility (2011)
    Staff Day, University of Oregon Libraries - Eugene, OR
  • Trends in US LIS Education (2011)
    American Embassy - Jakarta, Indonesia
  • It's Not About Access (2010)
    Conference on Information Access: Commons, Control, Controversy (IA3C), Information School, University of Toronto - Toronto, ON, Canada
  • King County Library System (2010)
    KCLS - King County Library System - Issaquah, WA
  • Mastering the art of deception: Are we teaching the next generation of librarians to be lying time-wasters? (2010)
    Reference Renaissance Conference, BCR - Biblographical Center for Research - Denver, CO
  • Invited Keynote Address (2009)
    International Conference, UKSIG - UK Serials Interest Group - Torquay, England, United Kingdom
  • Invited opening (2009)
    Symposium, Montana Academic Libraries - Bozeman, MT
  • Invited address (2008)
    Annual Conference, Pennsylvania Library Association - Valley Forge, PA
  • Invited address (2008)
    Rutgers University Library - Rutgers, NJ
  • Invited address (2008)
    LITA - Library and Information Technology Association President's Program - Anaheim, CA
  • Invited Closing Panel Discussion (2008)
    Annual Conference, Texas Library Association - Dallas, TX
  • Invited closing presentation (2008)
    Preconference, Urban Libraries Council - Anaheim, CA
  • Invited Keynote Address (2008)
    Staff Day, Sacramento Public Library - Sacramento, CA
  • Invited Keynote Address (2008)
    Columbia University Reference Symposium, Columbia University - New York, NY
  • Invited Keynote Address (2008)
    Annual Conference, SUNY Librarians Association - New York, NY
  • Invited Keynote Address (2008)
    Annual Conference, South Dakota Library Association - Chamberlain, SD
  • Invited keynote speaker (2007)
    Annual Conference, ALAO - Academic Library Association of Ohio - Columbus, OH
  • Invited keynote speaker (2007)
    Annual Conference, New Mexico Library Assocation/Mountain Plains Library Association - Albuquerque, NM
  • Invited keynote speaker (2007)
    Collaborative Virtual Reference Summit, Colorado Virtual Library - Denver, CO
  • Invited panelist (2007)
    Debate, LITA - Library and Information Technology Association (ALA) - Washington, DC
  • Invited speaker [online presentation] (2007)
    Distributed virtual conference on reference
  • Invited keynote speaker (2006)
    Army Library Training Institute - St. Louis, MO
  • Invited keynote speaker (2006)
    State Library of Illinois - Springfield, IL
  • Invited panelist (2006)
    Debate, LITA - Library and Information Technology Association (ALA) - New Orleans, LA
  • Invited panelist (2006)
    University of Kentucky Libraries - Lexington, KY
  • Invited speaker (2006)
    University of Oregon Libraries - Eugene, OR
  • General keynote speaker (2005)
    Kansas Library Association - Kansas City, MO
  • Invited keynote presentation (2005)
    Preconference, ALA Annual conference - Chicago, IL
  • Invited keynote speaker (2005)
    Virtual Reference Symposium, Vancouver Public Library - Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • Invited keynote speaker (2005)
    WILSWorld conference, Wisconsin Library Services - Madison, WI
  • Invited speaker and participant (2005)
    Summit on Future of Libraries, Idaho State Library - Boise, ID
  • Invited workshop (2005)
    Ontario Library and Information Technology Association - Toronto, ON, Canada