Alison Pickard

Developing a criteria‐based quality framework for measuring value

If information professionals are to measure the value of their services, they must talk directly to users and listen to what they have to say about their lives, as well as measuring the service in terms of value for money. Whilst acknowledging the necessity of data concerned with processes and procedures, the concept of value can only be fully explored by going to the individual user directly, within a specific context. Researchers must make the anecdotal believable, trustworthy, worthy of being considered alongside other types of hard data, and a constructivist approach to collecting, analysing and presenting qualitative data can be used effectively to achieve this. The UK government has pledged to deliver public services to meet the needs of citizens, not the convenience of service providers, by involving and meeting the needs of all different groups in society. Its Best Value review represents one of the most far reaching challenges facing those responsible for local services. Can its framework provide the flexibility to support all those who have a stake in measuring value of library and information services?

The challenges facing public libraries in the Big Society: The role of volunteers, and the issues that surround their use in England

The use of volunteers in English public libraries is nothing new, however their use is becoming ever greater and one may argue that we are increasingly seeing a mixed economy of public library provision, in the wider arena of the Big Society. This paper presents the findings of a Delphi Study of 15 library managers undertaken as part of a Professional Doctorate exploring the challenges facing public libraries in England today, particularly focusing on volunteer use. An overview of relevant supporting literature is provided to help contextualize the research, particularly focusing on concepts such as the political background surrounding policy development, community engagement, the Big Society, and volunteering. Explanation of how the Delphi Study was conducted is given, together with a discussion of the key findings. Results show that opinions of library managers cover a broad spectrum. Although volunteer use is generally viewed by the respondents as a good thing, with potential to further enhance a service and aid community engagement, there are also a number of concerns. These concerns particularly relate to the idea of the volunteer as a replacement to paid staff rather than an enhancement to the service. Other key concerns relate to the quality of service provision, the rationale behind volunteer use, and the capacity of communities to deliver. Volunteer use in public libraries on this scale is a new phenomenon, and the longevity of such a development is largely unknown. This raises the question as to whether this is simply a large scale ideological experiment, or a move to even greater community engagement?

Neogeography and the democratization of GIS: a metasynthesis of qualitative research

ABSTRACT Neogeography is the name given to the phenomenon of the vastly expanded Geographic Information Systems (GIS) user base. It consists of a collection of practices, tools and users generally found outside of traditional, authoritative GIS. GIS are computer applications that allow users to contribute geotagged data and to access and utilize geospatial data sets in combination with attribute information for a variety of purposes. This paper investigates questions of whether neogeography furthers the democratization of GIS and if increased access translates to empowerment or, conversely, to further marginalization. The research is interpretative and involves a literature review of the topic and a metasynthesis of recent qualitative research. Metasynthesis involves critical evaluation of data to identify an appropriate research sample and synthesis of findings by a compare-and-contrast exercise followed by reciprocal translation of each study into the other studies to reveal overarching metaphors. This is followed by conclusions and recommendations. The findings show that, depending on circumstances, neogeography can result in the democratization of GIS and geospatial data but may also constitute new methods of exclusion depending on technological and societal barriers. Neogeography can also result in empowerment, but this is difficult to define and is often highly contingent on local context.

The role of effective intervention in promoting the value of electronic information services in the learning process: Case studies in higher education

Purpose – This research aims to produce a “mile‐deep” study of the impact of using EIS on a small homogeneous group of undergraduate students during their entire undergraduate education, a period spanning three years.Design/methodology/approach – This research uses a constructivist approach, focusing on 19 in‐depth, holistic case studies to produce “rich pictures”. Data collection is achieved using interviews, focus groups, student diaries, bibliography analysis and observation. The fieldwork lasted three years in order to investigate changing behaviour over time, and measure impact.Findings – These rich pictures reveal a variety of ways in which access to EIS can provide valuable learning opportunities in higher education. This paper focuses on the cross‐case analysis of the change in perceptions and use of EIS over a period of three years and the nature of the intervention that impacted upon this perception and use.Research limitations/implications – This research indicates that longitudinal studies can...

Young people and the evaluation of information on the World Wide Web: Principles, practice and beliefs

A recurrent theme in LIS literature is the tendency of young people not to evaluate rigorously the information with which they come into contact. Although many information literacy models stress the need to take a critical approach, the reality of behaviour is often very different. Recent research conducted in an English high school has explored the importance that teenagers attach to 10 particular evaluative criteria. Data were contributed by 149 youngsters via an online questionnaire. Participants felt that information on the Web should be current/topical, free from spelling and grammatical errors and easily verifiable elsewhere but authorship was much less of a priority to them. The findings are likely to be of special relevance to information literacy teachers who are defining priorities for their own programmes.

Trust in ‘E’: Users’ Trust in Information Resources in the Web Environment

The paper describes a Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC)-funded project, conducted by a cross-disciplinary team, examining trust in information resources in the web environment employing a literature review and online Delphi study with follow-up community consultation. A tool was developed from analysis of the literature and discussed in the consultation. Elements comprising the tool include external factors, internal factors and user’s cognitive state. Each element is detailed and discussion focuses on the key issues of risk and return on investment as perceived by stakeholders.

Measuring electronic information resource use: towards a transferable quality framework for measuring value

Focuses on the research outcomes of a longitudinal, in‐depth investigation of the electronic information resource use of 16 young people. Aims to provide a flexible, qualitative framework that can be applied within local contexts to enable context‐specific understanding of electronic information resource use. Concludes that, although the groups may remain consistent, personal constructions and notions of value within those groups is more likely to be context‐specific.

Learning mathematics through serious games: An engagement framework

Digital games have become part of childhood and adolescence. The debate has moved from should teenagers play digital games to how to gain benefits from this gameplay. Researchers predict that technology-enhanced learning will increase with educational computer games (serious games) playing an important role. Although serious games are often built on established educational theories, they can also appear boring and struggle to engage the learner. Analyses of serious games demonstrate that many do not offer an entertainment experience comparable to or even recognizable as relatives of the entertainment games familiar to many players. However, a high level of engagement by the learner is viewed as necessary to provide a strong learning environment. The long-term aim of this study is to explore how digital games can support a more engaging and effective mathematics learning experience. This first stage has taken a qualitative grounded theory approach to explore the engagement factors of digital games among young people (aged 7 - 16 years). Analyses of data gathered through a combination of surveys and interviews have led to a framework of engagement factors. This provides a basis for designing serious games that are effective by being both engaging and educational.

An evaluation on the effectiveness of Web 2.0 Startpages (Netvibes & Pageflakes) within NHS libraries

Carol McCormick was Learning Resources Advisor in the library at James Cook University Hospital, South Teesside when she completed her BSc (Hons) Librarianship (Work Based Learning) degree at Northumbria University. She gained a 1st Class Honours and is now Learning Resources Librarian. Carols dissertation formed part of a wider action research project into the provision of current awareness services at James Cook University Hospital. This article reports on the evaluation which was conducted after a Web 2.0 Startpage, or portal, had been introduced to improve access to current awareness information for all staff within the Trust. It is the second article in the Dissertations into practice series to examine the use of web-based tools to improve access to information for NHS staff. AM.

Information evaluation and the individual's cognitive state: Some insights from a study of British teenaged users

This paper explores, on the basis of their cognitive states, the likely inclinations of a group of young people in England with regard to evaluating Web-based information. The work draws on data submitted via an online questionnaire by 82 16–18 year-olds. Frequency counts were generated and each participant received a ‘trust disposition’ score according to their questionnaire responses. The results present a mixed picture in terms of the probable tendencies of young people to evaluate information. The participants’ data in relation to some of the issues addressed in the questionnaire suggest that they may be inclined to accept much of what they see without challenging it, although few of their overall trust disposition scores are significantly high.