The Library and Information Science Research Coalition (LISRC), which is now two years old, has announced a review of its value and impact.
The review will be conducted by Ian Wooler and co-Editor of BIR Sandra Ward.
A questionnaire, which should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete, will be published on the LISRC website next week and will be available until 8th April 2011.
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) has just re-launched its website at esrc.ac.uk.
The site provides access to all ESRC-funded research findings including journal articles, books and papers as well as details of the impact that the reseach has on the economy, society and individuals. ESRC’s research covers a vast range of subjects including employment, education, health, crime, the environment, wellbeing, the economy, social diversity, innovation, skills, technology and security.
Euan Semple’s latest newsletter is full, as ever, of useful and interesting ideas and references. In particular, his link to this article will no doubt be of interest to many people who are challenged with proving the value of social media – and microblogging in particular – in the workplace.
Written by Elizabeth Lupfer and published on Social Media Today the article summarises and provides links to more that 40 success stories/case studies on the use of microblogging in a wide range of organisations. The stories are grouped by business need/outcomes, ranging from process improvement to ideas generation.
In December’s issue of BIR, we published an article by Loudon and Hall about the usage of Twitter in library and information services provision.
A new issue of Business Information Review is now available online. You can see the table of contents here.
Martin White reports on the role of the smartphone in mobile access. Lynn Louden/Hazel Hall and Phil Bradley focus on social media – its critical importance to organisations and research on its use by library and information services. Knowledge management is covered by Jon Beaumont (UK law firm) and Ian Wooler and Sandra Ward (KM in a downturn). Peter Griffiths provides a perspective on the value and future of information audit. The Scottish Business Information Service is outlined by Maureen Ridley and an historical perspective on the City Business Library is given by Garry Humphreys. As alway, Allan Foster’s Intiatives column covers developments in the business information world.
Happy reading!
Blog readers who made a blaze with their Christmas lights this year – or who criticised those who did – might want to read this article featured in SAGE Insight describing fascinating research into the people who light up their houses and streets and the reactions of the media. It’s a thought provoking article, and reminds us not to make instant assumptions!
Nicholas Carr, author of The Shallows: what the Internet is doing to our brains, worries that we can become addicted to receiving ‘pellets of information’. Quoted in the Daily Telegraph, he feels that the number of times we return to our inboxes in a working day (up to 30 times each hour for British office workers, according to recent research) is the triumph of hope over experience.
Following the ‘conversation’ about the future of CILIP, CILIP Council has approved a new vision and mission for the organisation.
Vision
A fair and economically prosperous society is underpinned by literacy, access to information and the transfer of knowledge.
Mission
CILIP exists to
Promote and support the people who work to deliver this vision.
Be the leading voice for information, library and knowledge practitioners, working to advocate strongly, provide unity through shared values and develop skills and excellence
The roadmap for change is available here.
Martin White has long been known for working at the frontiers of information practice. Watch out for his contribution to the December issue of BIR which focuses on the potential of smart phones for location-independent information delivery. Who doesn’t carry their mobile phone with them more or less wherever they are?
The potential of developments in mobile-specific apps are already prompting new, up to the minute delivery routes from Elsevier, Factiva, LexisNexis and the ACS. The advice for information professionals on how to take mobile access forwards in their organisation is timely and practical.
The importance of mobile access is confirmed by a recent survey on people’s online activities mentioned in the December Initiatives column which evidences how the growth in social networking is being fuelled by the transition from PC to mobile.
BIR features the National Library of Scotland in its December 2010 issue. Maureen Ridley presents its SCOTBIS service and demonstrates tactics for reaching remote users. National libraries are showing the way too in how they partner with other organisations to support economic development.
Free resources covering the following may be downloaded from the CILIP website:
* Ten aspects of good practice for information and library services
* Are you at risk checklist
* Resource list of additional information