scholarly journals Toward Collaborative Evidence Based Information Practices: Organisation and Leadership Essentials

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Mirijamdotter
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Social Informatics ◽  
Information Practices ◽  
Information Practice

This commentary is based on my key note for the EBLIP conference held in 2009 in Stockholm, Sweden. The title was: Bridging the gap between users and systems – the potential contribution of Social Informatics to Evidence Based Library and Information Practice. In the following commentary, I focus on the application of social informatics principles to develop a collaborative evidence based approach grounded in shared workplace leadership. My remarks highlight some main contributions from the field of library and information science and social informatics and conclude with implications for practice, including further research.

scholarly journals “Ask, Acquire, Appraise”: A Study of LIS Practitioners Participating in an EBLIP Continuing Education Course

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthea Sutton ◽  
Andrew Booth ◽  
Pippa Evans
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Continuing Education ◽  
Question Answering ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Information Professionals ◽  
Information Practice

Objective – The project sought to examine the aspects of the question answering process in an evidence based library and information practice (EBLIP) context by presenting the questions asked, articles selected, and checklists used by an opportunistic sample of Australian and New Zealand library and information professionals from multiple library and information sectors participating in the “Evidence Based Library and Information Practice: Delivering Services That Shine” (EBLIP-Gloss) FOLIOz e-learning course. Methods – The researchers analyzed the “ask,” “acquire,” and “appraise” tasks completed by twenty-nine library and information professionals working in Australia or New Zealand. Questions were categorized by EBLIP domain, articles were examined to identify any comparisons, and checklists were collated by frequency. Results – Questions fell within each of the six EBLIP domains, with management being the most common. Timeliness, relevance, and accessibility were stronger determinants of article selection than rigour or study design. Relevance, domain, and applicability were the key determinants in selecting a checklist. Conclusion – This small-scale study exemplifies the EBLIP process for a self-selecting group of library and information professionals working in Australia and New Zealand. It provides a snapshot of the types of questions that library and information practitioners ask, and the types of articles and checklists found to be useful. Participants demonstrated a preference for literature and checklists originating from within the library and information science (LIS) field, reinforcing the imperative for LIS professionals to contribute to EBLIP research.

Considering the local and the translocal

2019 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 703-719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole K. Dalmer
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Institutional Ethnography ◽  
Practice Research ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Practices ◽  
Information Practice ◽  
Everyday Life Information Seeking

Purpose Institutional ethnography is a method of inquiry that brings attention to people’s everyday work while simultaneously highlighting broader sites of administration and governance that may be organising that work. The purpose of this paper is to argue that the integration of institutional ethnography in health information practice research represents an important shift in the way that Library and Information Science professionals and researchers study and understand these practices. Design/methodology/approach This paper first explores the key tenets and conceptual underpinnings of Dorothy Smith’s institutional ethnography, illuminating the importance of moving between translocal and the local contexts and identifying ruling relations. Drawing from a library and information science study that combined interviews and textual analyses to examine the social organisation of family caregivers’ health-related information work, the paper then explores the affordances of starting in the local particularities and then moving outwards to the translocal. Findings The paper concludes with an overall assessment of what institutional ethnography can contribute to investigations of health information practices. By pushing from the local to the translocal, institutional ethnography enables a questioning of existing library and information science conceptualisations of context and of reappraising the everyday-life information seeking work/non-work dichotomy. Ultimately, in considering both the local and the translocal, institutional ethnography casts a wider net on understanding individuals’ health information practices. Originality/value With only two retrieved studies that combine institutional ethnography with the study of health information practices, this paper offers health information practice researchers a new method of inquiry in which to reframe the application of methods used.

Embedding Indigenous Knowledge in Library and Information Science Education in Anglophone Eastern and Southern Africa

2017 ◽  
pp. 92-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Ngulube
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Eastern And Southern Africa ◽  
The University

There is need to re-examine the inclusion or exclusion of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the university curriculum in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Western scientific knowledge on which the university curriculum in SSA is mainly based has proved to be inadequate in addressing developmental challenges. Using the curriculum of library and information science (LIS) departments in Anglophone east and southern Africa (AESA) as a case study, this chapter focuses on factors that influence the inclusion of IK in higher education in SSA. IK is recognised for its potential contribution to development by organisations such as the World Bank and African Union. Its inclusive ethos and accommodation of multiple realities also accounts for its popularity. In spite of that, IK has not established a stronghold in LIS curriculum in AESA. This study investigates the factors that influence its integration into the curriculum and makes recommendations based on the findings.

scholarly journals The Perception and Practice of Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Among Iranian Medical Librarians

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vahideh Zarea Gavgani
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Improve Patient Care ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Health Care Context ◽  
Objective Evidence ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Information Practice

Objective – Evidence based library and information services help to link best evidence with decision making in library practice. Current library and information science practice operates in both a knowledge and evidence-based environment. Health service librarians provide information services in an evidence based health care context to improve patient care. But the evidence based practice movement has influenced many fields of human knowledge, including librarianship. Therefore, this study seeks to answer the following questions: 1) What are the perceptions of Iranian medical librarians regarding the use of an evidence based approach in their decision making processes? 2) Do Iranian medical librarians apply an evidence based approach in their professional work? 3) How do Iranian medical librarians practice an evidence based approach? 4) What are the barriers and limitations for Iranian medical librarians who engage in evidence based library and information practice (EBLIP)? Methods – This study utilized a survey to discover medical librarians’ attitudes and perceptions towards the use of an evidence based approach to library practice in Iran. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire to identify medical librarians’ attitudes toward EBLIP. Results – The findings of the study indicate that Iranian medical librarians are aware of EBLIP and that they utilize an evidence based approach towards their LIS work. They practice the five steps of an evidence based answering cycle in formulating, locating, assessing, applying, and redefining questions. However, they have less knowledge about levels of evidence, research methodologies, and critical appraisal. Conclusions – Medical librarians in Iran are familiar with the concept of an evidence based approach. More training is needed in some elements of evidence based practice to improve their approach to evidence based library and information practice.

Embedding Indigenous Knowledge in Library and Information Science Education in Anglophone Eastern and Southern Africa

2020 ◽  
pp. 255-278
Author(s):  
Patrick Ngulube
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Eastern And Southern Africa ◽  
The University

There is need to re-examine the inclusion or exclusion of indigenous knowledge (IK) in the university curriculum in sub Saharan Africa (SSA). Western scientific knowledge on which the university curriculum in SSA is mainly based has proved to be inadequate in addressing developmental challenges. Using the curriculum of library and information science (LIS) departments in Anglophone east and southern Africa (AESA) as a case study, this chapter focuses on factors that influence the inclusion of IK in higher education in SSA. IK is recognised for its potential contribution to development by organisations such as the World Bank and African Union. Its inclusive ethos and accommodation of multiple realities also accounts for its popularity. In spite of that, IK has not established a stronghold in LIS curriculum in AESA. This study investigates the factors that influence its integration into the curriculum and makes recommendations based on the findings.

Decision-making experiences of public library CEOs

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 644-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl Stenstrom
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Interpersonal Influence ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Multiple Sources ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore and describe the decision-making practices of public library managers in the context of interpersonal influence and evidence-based information sources, and to investigate the relationship between models of evidence-based practice and interpersonal influence in the decision-making process of public library managers. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through short audio blog posts participants made about their everyday decisions and coded considering the facets of three existing evidence-based library and information practice (EBLIP) models as well as the facets of interpersonal influence. Findings – The findings show that public library CEOs decision-making behaviours reflect the use of a variety of practices from analytical to intuitive as is expected of managers in any sector; however, a stronger reliance on gathering objective information may be present than in other sectors. Seeking multiple sources of information and a tendency towards rationalism may indicate a more sophisticated approach to decision making, but be less indicative of the practices employed more broadly. A possible outcome of these tendencies may result in discordance with external partners and collaborators. Practical implications – The findings from this study may inform the work of associations, library and information science (LIS) educators, and library managers in developing strategic directions and instructional strategies within their organisations. It is also the first study to jointly examine models of interpersonal influence and evidence-based decision-making practices in any field. Originality/value – While the study of the decision-making practices of various groups is growing, little previous research has been conducted with public library managers, and none has been undertaken in Canada.

Incorporating Social Informatics into the Curriculum for Library and Information Science Professionals

Libri ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
MERRI BETH LAVAGNINO ◽  
GEOFFREY C. BOWKER ◽  
P. BRYAN HEIDORN ◽  
MINDY MIRON BASI
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Social Informatics

Evidence-based practice and web usability assessment

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Cervone
Keyword(s):  
Information Science ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Information Organization ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
User Centered Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Web Usability ◽  
Usability Assessment ◽  
Fundamental Building Block

Purpose – Issues related to usability and creating effective and engaging user experiences on the internet continue to vex libraries and information agencies. Many organizations still do not have an on-going, sustainable usability assessment program in place. This should be a cause for concern because usability programs serve as a quality-control check on our ability to provide quality information. This is why evidence-based information practice is so important as a fundamental building block of a usability assessment plan. This paper aims to address these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of the basic principles of evidence-based practice, the author puts into context how a web assessment methodology could be put in place at a library or information organization. Findings – Using the principles of evidence-based practice, as well as a user-centered design perspective, can greatly enhance the ability of libraries and information organizations to develop effective web usability assessment programs. Originality/value – While there has been a significant body of work in library and information science related to implementing evidence-based practice (EBP), there has been little specifically written about applying EBP to web usability assessment. This article fills that gap in the literature.

scholarly journals Supporting open information literacy via hybridised design experiments

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
Kristen Radsliff Rebmann
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Design Experiment ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Learning Design ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Project Report ◽  
Information Practice ◽  
Design Experiments

This report discusses a project that forms connections between design experiment and informed learning approaches to designing learning activities supportive of open information literacy and scholarly communication among library and information science graduate students. Open information literacy is defined as information literacy relating specifically toward leveraging open access and open educational resources. Focus is placed on implications for research and practice by exploring one example of a hybridised, informed learning design experiment that fused subject content and open information practice. This project report represents an early step in thinking about the possibilities of infusing informed learning research structures and strategies with design experiments.

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