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Big data has been used to refer to different things and its characteristics are not universally accepted either. Therefore, this study aims to generate an overall understanding of big data. The domain of the study is limited to librarianship, because of its unique position in managing and utilising big data. Thus, the aim of this study is to understand big data in librarianship according to how it is defined in that profession. Articles containing definitions of big data were reviewed and 35 definitions were collected. Since the number of analysed definitions is small, a combined method was employed. Both a content analysis and a statistical description of these definitions were conducted. Five aspects are summarised based on the analysis of the collected definitions. These aspects help explicate libraries\u2019 current understanding of big data and librarians\u2019 big data skills.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/0961000617742451","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,13]],"date-time":"2017-12-13T04:06:18Z","timestamp":1513137978000},"page":"561-576","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":28,"title":["Understanding big data in librarianship"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"51","author":[{"given":"Ming","family":"Zhan","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"\u00c5bo Akademi, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gunilla","family":"Wid\u00e9n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"\u00c5bo Akademi, Finland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,12,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-0961000617742451","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4018\/jdwm.2013040104"},{"key":"bibr2-0961000617742451","volume-title":"The Accidental Data Scientist: Big Data Applications and Opportunities for Librarians and Information Professionals","author":"Affelt A","year":"2015"},{"key":"bibr3-0961000617742451","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10639-015-9407-3"},{"key":"bibr4-0961000617742451","unstructured":"arXiv ETft (2013) The Big Data Conundrum: How to Define It? 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