Narrowing the research-practice gap: a newly published paper and the forthcoming RIVAL Reunion

‘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 RyanRachel 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.Hall Ryan Salzano Stephen 2023 Journal of Documentation 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

Edinburgh Napier University joins the international iSchools network

iSchools logo - red text stating 'iSchools'

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

Network development to narrow the LIS research-practice gap: Emerald EarlyCite paper now available

Amongst the latest articles published online ahead of print by the Journal of Documentation is one on narrowing the research-practice gap that I have recently co-authored with my Edinburgh Napier University colleagues Dr Bruce Ryan, Rachel Salzano, and Katherine Stephen.

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What is career information literacy and what can it do for you? Seminar presentation by Marina Milosheva

career information literacy talk Marina Milosheva CPUT librariesToday Centre for Social Informatics PhD student Marina Milosheva is delivering a presentation entitled ‘What is career information literacy and what can it do for you?’ at the second Research and information literacy skills in the workplace seminar hosted by Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) Libraries. Continue reading

Narrowing the research-practice gap through network building between researchers and practitioners: new paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Documentation

Cover of Journal of DocumentationFrom a network model to a model network: strategies for network development to narrow the LIS research-practice gap has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Documentation. I recently co-authored this article with my Edinburgh Napier University colleagues Dr Bruce Ryan, Rachel Salzano, and Katherine Stephen.

In this article we discuss the applicability of  strategies shown to work well in one model of network development to the development of another. It in an output of the Research Impact Value and LIS (RIVAL) project, funded by the Royal Society of Edinburgh between 2019 and 2021. We used the grant to bring together a collaborative network of Scotland-based Library and Information Science (LIS) researchers and practising library and information professionals interested in maximising the impact and value of library and information science research. Continue reading

Is the public library included? New paper on local authority services for forced migrants from Edinburgh Napier University team at #CoLIS11

CoLIS11 logo Oslo 2022Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS) 11 opens today in Oslo, Norway. Hosted by the Department of Archivistics, Library and Information Science at Oslo Metropolitan University, the conference runs until Wednesday 1st June. Continue reading

Data collection by multi-location, longitudinal focus group: an application in library and information science research

Leo Appleton

Dr Leo Appleton

I have recently published a new paper on research methods in Library and Information Science (LIS) research with Dr Leo Appleton of the Information School at Sheffield University.

This work is concerned with the data collection phase of Leo‘s part-time doctoral study completed in 2020 within the Centre for Social Informatics.  For this, Leo deployed a novel multi-location longitudinal focus group method. Fifty-three participants took part in three rounds of focus group meetings in eight public library authorities in England and Scotland over a period of three years. Continue reading

Workforce Data Consortium issues invitation to tender for Workforce Mapping Survey 2021/22

The Edinburgh Napier University Workforce Mapping Project team, 2014/15

In 2014/15 I led an Edinburgh Napier University team on a research project to profile the UK information professions. My colleagues were Christine Irving (now retired) and Dr Bruce Ryan of the Centre for Social Informatics; and Professor Robert Raeside (also retired), Dr Matthew Dutton, and Dr Tao Chen (now at the University of Bradford) of the Employment Research Institute. The output was a 186-page report (inclusive of 20 figures and 97 tables of statistics). Continue reading

Evaluation of engagement with hyperlocal e-participation systems by citizens and representatives: thesis PDF now available

Peter Cruickshank PhD title pageIn July 2021 my Centre for Social Informatics colleague Peter Cruickshank was awarded a doctoral degree for his thesis Evaluation of engagement with hyperlocal e-participation systems by citizens and representatives.

The pdf of the thesis is now freely available for download from the Edinburgh Napier University repository. It will be of interest to all who conduct research on information behaviour and use, and particularly those investigating themes such as everyday life information seeking and information literacy in the context of e-participation. Continue reading