Contemplative Inquiry

Contemplative inquiry is an introspective methodology that values first-person perspectives and diverse ways of knowing. This paper introduces contemplative inquiry as a promising methodology for information science research. The methodology is first contextualized within a discussion of research at the crossroads of information and contemplation and then elaborated utilizing examples from the author’s thesis research. Possible contributions of the methodology to information science are subsequently highlighted, as are potential future research applications. It is proposed that adoption of the methodology will offer information science researchers the techniques and tools necessary to explore fundamental questions regarding human contemplative experiences and growth.

Finding Sanctuary and Strength in the LIS Classroom

In the spirit of contemplative pedagogy, this panel introduces The Tree of Contemplative Practices – a graphic representation that helps educators and students to understand the main principles and seven major types of contemplative practices. Using the Tree as a framework, enthusiasts can learn contemplative practices in a systematic, secular, and bespoke manner. Sequentially, the moderator and presenters will: 1) Encapsulate their commitment to contemplative pedagogy; 2) Recount an application of The Tree of Contemplative Practices in their teaching; and 3) Demonstrate several of the Tree’s major limbs (e.g. generative) and branches (e.g. loving-kindness meditation).

whole new world

This poster will present the results of a thematic analysis of the contents of the Vancouver Public Library’s (VPL) Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube feeds throughout the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (February 1st to June 30th, 2020) to better understand what types of crisis-related services and information they are providing to the public. This data will also be compared to Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube content from the same time period in 2019 to investigate whether the pandemic has changed VPL’s social media presence in any significant way.

“I’ll just make sure we’re all on the same page”: Talking fictional worlds into being

This poster will present emerging results from a study of material and discursive information practices in tabletop roleplaying games. The focus will be on the ways in which players collaboratively construct and interact with the fictional worlds of play. A “big and small story” approach, influenced by the ethnomethodological methods of conversation analysis and membership categorization analysis, will be used to analyze the players’ talk as they intersubjectively create and sustain a fictional space of play.

Ethical accountability and high-stakes recordkeeping: Discussions from the Sex Work Activist Histories Project

Including both academic and sex work activist community partners, panel members will discuss established and developing practices and key findings from the Sex Work Activist Histories Projects’ first two years as we collected and archived sex work activist histories. We draw from feminist and Indigenous frameworks of ethical, affective, and relational accountability (among groups, between academics and non-academics involved in the project, and between people and their records/histories) to productively consider how project relationships might be cultivated that are mutually accountable to the varied and complex analytical and affective positionalities of project members as they work together.

Information Literacy from High School to University

The Ontario School Library Impact Project (OSLIP) investigated the impact of school libraries on the development of key information literacy skills in students entering post-secondary education, using online surveys and qualitative interviews. The project found that first-year university students are challenged by the demands of post-secondary course research assignments. These findings support previous research indicating first-year university students are challenged by new demands for research skills. Unfortunately, opportunities to develop those skills are inconsistent among school boards in Ontario. This is a multifaceted problem confronting both school librarians and academic librarians as well as their teaching partners.

Multi-method experience sampling in information behaviour research

Capturing information behaviours and attitudes that occur in natural settings is a challenge. Observational methods are often intrusive or retrospective proxies, which may change behaviour or misrepresent attitudes. Technology enables novel approaches to in-situ quantitative data collection but rarely explores qualitative reflections; informing researchers on what happened, but not necessarily why. Recent work uses multi-method approaches that combine quantitative data, tracking experiences, feelings, and behaviours over time, with qualitative data to gain deeper insights into subjective experiences. This paper introduces information and library scientists to a multi-method approach to the data collection of subjective experiences over time.

“Hide, stay still and listen carefully”

This poster presents early findings of an ongoing study about information activities of the birdwatching communities on the YouTube platform. The research aims to find out how they typically seek and share information on this social media and to what extent YouTube videos can satisfy their information needs. To address the questions, the researcher analysed 1988 comments from a sample of the most visited birdwatching videos to identify the patterns based on the user generated content (UGC). The results up to this stage show birdwatching is an incredibly information-rich context and birdwatchers are involved in wide range of information activities to pursue their hobbies.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Race-Related Research in LIS

The purpose of this work in progress is to quantify the amount of attention given to questions of racial inequity experienced by BIPOC in LIS research. We find that despite a recent surge in BIPOC-related research output, the publications are low in numbers and tend to receive fewer citations than other work in the same research area. BIPOC-related research is present but unevenly distributed across several areas of the field. These trends may help create and sustain momentum towards addressing the persistent lack of diversity and equity in LIS.

Use of Twitter by a Public Library During the Pandemic

Social media such as Twitter and Facebook are used by organizations including public libraries to disseminate a variety of information to community members. This research aims to identify key areas in which Twitter was used to share information with users during the initial pandemic phase by a large public library operating in the Western region of Canada. The findings resulting from the analysis of 150 tweets revealed that the library shared information primarily in the following areas: Programs and Services, Library Operations, Health and Hygiene, Resources, and Other.