‘From a network model to a model network: strategies for network development to narrow the LIS research–practice gap’ has just been published. This paper, which I co-authored with my Edinburgh Napier University colleagues Dr Bruce Ryan, Rachel Salzano, and Katherine Stephen, can be found in issue 3 of volume 79 of the Journal of Documentation, and is available as a full-text download from the publisher.
Continue reading
Applications invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship on digital literacy skills

The successful candidate will be based at Edinburgh Napier University’s Merchiston campus
Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship within the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. The successful candidate will work with Director of Studies Dr David Haynes on a project entitled Digital literacy skill requirements for new employees and its relation to productivity in the Scottish economy. Continue reading
Information literacy and the digitalization of the workplace: new book to be published on 13th April 2023
Along with my co-authors Marina Milosheva, Pete Robertson, and Peter Cruickshank, I am excited to see that the details of Information literacy and the digitalization of the workplace are now available in Facet’s publishing catalogue.
The anticipated publication of the book next month on 13th April comes just over two years since its first editor Gunilla Widén (Åbo Akademi University, Finland) initially approached me about the possibility of contributing to this new work. The conversation ultimately led to the preparation of a chapter that draws primarily on some of the research that PhD student Marina Milosheva has undertaken for her ESRC/Skills Development Scotland funded doctoral study on career information literacy and career decision-making, and team discussions in Marina’s supervision meetings. In it we focus on the importance of employability information literacy and career information literacy to sustainable employment in largely digitised work environments. Continue reading
New roles for Katherine Stephen and Rachel Salzano
In October 2019 new PhD students Rachel Salzano and Katherine Stephen joined the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. Three and half years later, they are now coming to the end of their PhD journeys while settling into new work roles. Continue reading
Edinburgh Napier University joins the international iSchools network

Congratulations to Professor Diane Pennington and Dr Debbie Meharg of the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University. With the support of the Dean Professor Peter Andras, they have led the work that has resulted in the recent acceptance of the University’s School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (SCEBE) as a member of the international iSchools network. Continue reading
The power of audio – presenting archives via podcasts: submission accepted for Shaking the archive conference, Edinburgh, June 2023
Along with my colleagues Dr Bruce Ryan, Marianne Wilson, and Dr Iain McGregor, I am delighted that the submission that we made earlier this year to the Shaking the archive – reconsidering the role of archives in contemporary society conference has been accepted. Continue reading
National award recognises the Platform to Platform project: British Records Association Janette Harley Prize 2022 runner-up
The Edinburgh Napier University team that worked on the Platform to Platform (P2P) project to transform Lorna Lloyd’s Diary of the war into a podcast series is delighted to have learnt that this work has been highly commended as a runner-up for the British Records Association’s (BRA) 2022 Janette Harley Prize. This prize, awarded in memory of archivist Janette Harley (1951-2015), is intended to generate interest in archives, and raise awareness of research and achievements in the world of archives. Continue reading
Out with the old, in with the new
In autumn 2022, the more eagle-eyed readers of this blog may have noticed some changes across the pages of my web site, as well as in my profile information on other platforms. I spent 16th November 2022 editing my designation as ‘Professor’ so that it now reads ‘Emeritus Professor’. At the same time, my colleagues updated the Centre for Social Informatics flyer as version 19.3 to reflect the new status granted to me by my employer. Earlier in the year, on August 3rd, we advertised a job vacancy for a new Professor in Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University. All this activity ties to my retirement at the end of September 2022. Continue reading
A conceptual framework of career information behaviour and career information literacy: new research published in ‘Information Research’
Capturing career information use in everyday life: introducing the CIEL conceptual framework by Marina Milosheva, Hazel Hall, Peter Robertson, and Peter Cruickshank has been published. The paper features in the proceedings of Information Seeking in Context (ISIC) 2022 in a special issue of Information Research. ISIC 2022 took place between 26th and 29th September at the Berlin School of Library and Information Science at Humboldt University. Continue reading
Funded Social Informatics PhD opportunities at Edinburgh Napier University: apply by 15th January 2023
If you would like to study for a PhD from October 2023, the Social Informatics Research Group at Edinburgh Napier University is currently advertising the following projects:
- Behaviour change for cybersecurity: Increasing awareness and reducing susceptibility – supervised by Dr JP Vargheese
- A new model for information literacies of community representatives – supervised by Dr Peter Cruickshank
- Online safety and digital literacy – supervised by Dr David Haynes
- Organisational learning and agile coaching – supervised by Dr Pritam Chita and Dr Peter Cruickshank
- Policy changes for inclusion of disabled students in HE – supervised by Dr Debbie Meharg
- Privacy and identity in the metaverse – supervised by Dr David Haynes
- Trust, risk and digital identity for digitally-unsure citizens – supervised by Dr Peter Cruickshank

