seizing the opportunity of research-led practice

BLA 2010 – the Research Agenda

Seizing the opportunity of research-led practice

Dr Hazel HallLibrary and Information Science Research Coalition


About Hazel Hall and the Library and Information Science Research Coalition…


Hazel Hall in her seconded role


The LIS Research Coalition aims to:

bring together information about LIS research opportunities and results

encourage dialogue between research funderspromote LIS practitioner research and the translation of

research outcomes into practice articulate a strategic approach to LIS researchpromote the development of research capacity in LIS


The LIS Research Coalition aims to:

bring together information about LIS research opportunities and results

encourage dialogue between research funderspromote LIS practitioner research and the translation of

research outcomes into practice articulate a strategic approach to LIS researchpromote the development of research capacity in LIS

Support research-led practice of librarians and

information scientists

Support research-led practice of librarians and

information scientists


About research-led practice: making use of published research in services delivery…


To exploit the existing knowledge base for services improvementTo improve decision making for services delivery

To enhance the value of prior workTo capitalise on significant investment in previous studiesTo raise the value of previous studies through reuse

To demonstrate the value and impact of service delivery

Why research-led practice?


http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/econimpact.html

Florida study: for every $1 invested in public libraries there is a $6.54 return

Florida study: for every $1 invested in public libraries there is a $6.54 return


Improves decision-making services delivery, yet…

Exploitation of existing knowledge base for services improvement

… librarians tend to be action-oriented, relying on… experience and professional judgment to make decisions.

(SLA, 2001)


Multi-disciplinary nature of LIS literatureAcross publications of various domains

Grey sourcesStraightforward access not always obvious, e.g. unpublished

internal studies, summaries on listservs

Valuable work is often not published at all

We suffer “evaluation by-pass” (Booth, 2006)


Multi-disciplinary nature of LIS literatureAcross publications of various domains

Grey sourcesStraightforward access not always obvious, e.g. unpublished

internal studies, summaries on listservs

Valuable work is often not published at all

We suffer “evaluation by-pass” (Booth, 2006)

TIME


Good on advocacyLibraries are a “good thing”

Good at measuring tangiblese.g. transactions

Demonstration of value and impact of services delivery




Less skilled at demonstrating value and impactThis is the evidence that politically important stakeholders

need to justify further investment





Less skilled at demonstrating value and impactThis is the evidence that politically important stakeholders

need to justify further investment


To what extent have innovations in your services delivery contributed to student retention, or to attracting international student fee income, or to improvements in research assessment ratings?


About practitioner-led research (as opposed to research-led practice): LIS practitioners as researchers…


Few LIS practitioners publish research in international peer-reviewed journalsException – North American librarians seeking tenure

Practitioner-led research


Few LIS practitioners publish research in international peer-reviewed journalsException – North American librarians seeking tenure

Practitioner-led research

…librarians are regarded as experts at searching for evidence to support the practice of other professionals but are very unlikely to do the same for their own practice.

Booth (2002) notes the irony of this


No ambiguity in job title of “research scientist”This person engages in research

Ambiguity in the job title “research librarian”Professional who engages in research?Professional who supports the research of others?

The understanding of job titles is also indicative of the irony


.

I primarily attempt to assist people in locating information that they need to successfully complete their scholarly endeavors.


1. Time constraints of the practitioner role2. Low internal support of research activity3. Limited knowledge of research approaches4. Failure to recognise research activity/skills as

such5. Poor access to external support of research

activity, e.g. funding, mentors

The research-practice “gap”


1. Resources set up to save LIS researchers’ time2. Advocacy to persuade services managers of need

to support research initiatives3. Resources and events to extend repertoire of

research approaches in LIS4. Efforts to improve recognition of research

knowledge within the profession5. Focus for external research support in LIS

The LIS Research Coalition is working to narrow the gap


Research funding opportunitiesResearch funding opportunities

Studentships offeredStudentships offered

Invitation to join consultationInvitation to join consultation

Research report publishedResearch report published

Topical debateTopical debate

Report of on-going researchReport of on-going research

Training event announcedTraining event announced

Conference registration openConference registration open

New journal issue published New journal issue published

Conference offering funded placesConference offering funded places

Research report publishedResearch report published

Saving practitioner researchers’ time: Twitter feed as current awareness.

Saving practitioner researchers’ time: Twitter feed as current awareness.


Saving practitioner time: resources on the Coalition web pages.

Saving practitioner time: resources on the Coalition web pages.


Encouraging top-level support for practitioner research.

Encouraging top-level support for practitioner research.


Extending the repertoire of research approaches, and plans for further events in 2010/11.

Extending the repertoire of research approaches, and plans for further events in 2010/11.


Providing opportunities for ongoing research to be recognised.

Providing opportunities for ongoing research to be recognised.

The full One Minute Madness video can be accessed from:http://www.vimeo.com/12948960

The full One Minute Madness video can be accessed from:http://www.vimeo.com/12948960


Acting as the focus for external support of LIS research in the UK.

Acting as the focus for external support of LIS research in the UK.


The hard sell: increase your engagement in LIS research with the support of the LIS Research Coalition…


Organisational prioritiesInform practice, decisions on future services developmentsDemonstrate impact and value

Personal prioritiesJob satisfaction: intellectual stimulation & enjoyment of

learning, pride in enhancing work practice, (retention)Enhance “peer” relationships, e.g. academia Career benefits: profile/reputation, leadership development,

CPD career progression

Increased engagement in research supports


Share good practice beyond individual servicesRaise profile of LIS

Evidence-based profession, like others – support role plusSupport claims of LIS value

To individuals: e.g. education, social mobilityTo citizens/society: e.g. enhanced local communities,

contribution to culture and heritageTo specialist user groups: e.g. information provision to

business to support economic development

Priorities at level of profession or discipline


Find out more at http://lisresearch.org Suggestions for content welcomed

Follow @LISResearch on Twitter@LISResearch will tweet your research-related news, queries...

Review materials from the conference held at the British Library on 28th JuneSee http://lisresearch.org/conference-2010

Join us and help build the evidence base

Seize the opportunities of research-led practice and practitioner-led research


Booth, A. (2002). Mirage or reality? Health Information Libraries Journal 19, 56-58.

Booth, A. (2006). Clear and present questions: formulating questions for evidence based practice. Library Hi Tech 24(3), 355-368.

Special Libraries Association (2001, June). SLA research statement. URL http://www.sla.org/content/resources/research/rsrchstatement.cfm (accessed 4 July 2010).

References


LIS Research Coalitionhttp://lisresearch.org@LISResearch

Dr Hazel [email protected]+44 (0)7969 078181


Seizing the opportunity of research-led practice

Dr Hazel HallLibrary and Information Science Research Coalition

seizing the opportunity of research-led practice

Education

results encourage

politically

listservs

existing knowledge

unpublished

good thing

lis research

lis research