Attribution: Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay

I am working on a project for LIRG who have identified the need to develop a rationale for how and where to focus limited research funding supporting library practitioners across the UK.

The project will ask:

• What future developments will libraries in the UK need to significantly engage with, in the next ten years?
• Which of these areas are most critical for us to understand and require in-depth focused research to support this (and thus benefit from funding)?  

The key purpose of the research is to provide a clear indication of the research focus for libraries for the future. It is anticipated that this would support coalescence of activity in critical areas for the LIS community.

Over the last two months I have been working on several aspects of the project simultaneously:

Firstly, ensuring that the nuts and bolts of the research process such as ethics approval and relevant documentation is finalized for participants.

Secondly I have been searching for, and collating the themes, for as many conference programmes and 2024 ‘calls for papers’ across the profession as possible.

The following groups conference information have been included to date in the analysis:

1. CILIPS
2. CILIP : conference and Libraries Rewired
3. WHELF
4. RLUK
5. CONUL
6. SLA
7. LILAC
8. The EDGE Conference
9. LibPMC
10. University of Northampton Researcher Conference
11. CILIP’s HLG conference
12. BIALL
13. CALC
14. Academic Libraries North
15. Libraries Connected

I have amalgamated and then themed the outputs of all the conference listings, with some indication of the types of conference papers that have led to the creation of a specific theme. The current list is large; librarians certainly have a wide range of interests, some specifically niche to their area, and some that are likely to be relevant to all. The next step to this part of the process is to test the list with library staff from all areas of the profession to ensure that the list is robust and relevant for all.

In order to undertake the second part of the research process, in advance of the final Delphi workshop I have also been making contact with as many colleagues/organizations across the profession as possible, initially following my original research plan and then diversifying in other directions as other leads made themselves apparent. The aim is to find as many staff from all areas of the profession to check the themed list created through the conference activity.

IF YOU ARE WILLING AND INTERESTED IN HELPING WITH THIS STAGE OF THE RESEARCH PLEASE GET IN TOUCH! Responses to this element of the project need to be completed and returned to me by 7th February: elizabeth.tilley@cantab.net

I am already aware of the many issues that arise when undertaking a research project and what might have seemed so simple on paper, doesn’t always translate into reality. I genuinely consider myself to be a problem-solver, so I have made at least one significant change in the second part of the research process. I had planned to hold semi-structured interviews with library staff rather than ask for an email response, however both time constraints AND a realization that actually I want to ask everyone the same three questions, has led to a change in the process; this should not be to the detriment in the results at this stage of the process, rather it should allow me to access more varied staff across the profession in the long run. 

I’m looking forward to hearing from lots of you this month…………

Libby Tilley elizabeth.tilley@cantab.net

LIRG Research Award 2023 - Congratulations Libby Tilley!

We are delighted to announce that Elizabeth (Libby) Tilley (formerly University of Cambridge Library) has won the LIRG Research Award 2023. Libby is receiving the LIRG research award fund and support to conduct research which aims to identify the most important and answerable research questions for UK library practice. Over the coming months Libby will update her progress on the LIRG blog. We look forward to supporting this exciting project and discovering research priorities for library, information and knowledge workers in the UK. Well done Libby!

Judy Wright, CILIP LIRG Research Awards Officer

Deadline extended: There is still time to share your views by completing our survey.

The Library and Information Research Group (LIRG) committee are undertaking a project to gain an understanding of Library, Information and Knowledge (LIK) practitioners’ experiences, skills and confidence of taking part in research as part of professional practice.

We invite all LIK professionals (eg in the public sector), to participate in our survey so that we have a complete picture across the UK. You do not need to be a CILIP member to participate and you do not need to have undertaken any research.  

The survey should take no longer than 15-20 minutes to complete

To participate in the survey please click here (Please note the survey will close at midnight Thursday 30th November)

Before participating please read the Participant and Consent Information

Once we have collected and analysed our data, we will be posting our findings on our Blog

The findings will help develop strategy around research for the profession, identify training needs and interventions to encourage research ensuring that key values are embedded in library, information and knowledge practice. 

Library Information and Knowledge practitioner's experience of research

Launched at CILIP Conference the Library and Information Research Group (LIRG) committee are undertaking a collaborative project to gain a baseline understanding of Library, Information and Knowledge (LIK) practitioners’ experiences, skills and confidence of taking part in research.

Research is important to library, information and knowledge (LIK) professionals as it has the potential to demonstrate professional value and impact, raise the profile of library and information science (LIS) as a discipline and contribute evidence for professional decision making. However, LIK professionals themselves are often not seen as researchers and little is known about their confidence and skills to conduct research.

The findings of this research will help develop strategy around research for the profession, identify training needs and interventions to encourage research ensuring that key values are embedded in library, information and knowledge practice.

The research will involve taking part in a survey, and potentially an interview about your experiences of research as a LIK professional. We invite all LIK professionals, across all sectors and from any background to participate so that we have as complete picture as possible across the UK. You do not need to be a CILIP member to participate.

For further information and to access the survey please visit our web pages - please note the survey closes at midnight on Friday 8th September 2023

The LIRG Committee invites applications for the LIRG Research Award 2023. Closing date for applications is 15th May 2023.

About the LIRG Research Award 2023

The award designed to fund a small project with the aim of identifying the most important and answerable research questions for UK library practice.

In 2008 the Medical Library Association (MLA) undertook a group consensus project to develop a research agenda based on the most important and answerable questions. (Eldredge et al. 2009) A similar study of Swedish librarianship research needs was also conducted in 2008. (Maceviciute and Wilson 2009)  This LIRG research award will update previous research by identifying current and future priority areas for library practitioner research. The results of the project will support research funders and researchers focus their time and funds on questions likely to be of high impact and value to the library and information science community. Without agreed priorities for library research there is a risk of ‘research waste’ where research is funded that is straightforward to do, but has low value to library practitioners and library users.

The award of up to £3000 is open to UK-based applicants with relevant experience or expertise in the library and information profession. Payment will be staggered with funding at the start of the project and the end when the research is accepted for publication in the Library and Information Research (LIR) journal.

The project should use appropriate research methods such as (but not limited to) the consensus methods detailed in research questions and needs studies by Eldredge et al. 2009 and Maceviciute and Wilson 2009.

The project should be completed within a maximum of twelve month period. The project report should be in the form of journal article for the LIR journal. We strongly encourage additional forms of dissemination to reach a wide library practitioner audience e.g. infographic, short video, webinar (online presentation at LIRG event).

The award can be used to fund appropriate research costs e.g. staff time, consumables, travel, licences.

How to apply

Download the application guidance notes and application form or contact Judy Wright, LIRG Awards Co-ordinator.

The submission deadline for the LIRG research award is 15th May 2023. The submission outcome is expected by the end of May with an anticipated project start date in July 2023.

For guidance on writing a research proposal see:

Eve J. Writing a research proposal: planning and communicating your research ideas effectively. Library and Information Research. 2008;32(102):18-28. https://lirgjournal.org.uk/index.php/lir/article/download/92/136

References

Eldredge, J.D., Harris, M.R. and Ascher, M.T., 2009. Defining the Medical Library Association research agenda: methodology and final results from a consensus process. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 97(3), p.178.

Maceviciute, E. & Wilson, T. D. (2009). A Delphi investigation into the research needs in Swedish librarianship. Information Research, 14 (4), paper 419. http://www.informationr.net/ir/index.html