From perspectives to policy: an examination of evidence, value and impact can inform the LIS research agenda
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This document discusses how examining evidence, value, and impact can inform the library and information science (LIS) research agenda. It notes that LIS research ranges widely but is often poorly funded and recognized. With funding cuts, LIS must justify its value and impact. The document advocates adopting techniques used by policymakers to demonstrate cost-benefit analyses and impact case studies. It also stresses the importance of human-centered research and involving practitioners and end users in research. Finally, it calls for identifying priority research areas and collaborating to develop the LIS research agenda and secure necessary funding.
From perspectives to policy: an examination of evidence, value and impact can inform the LIS research agenda
- 1. From perspectives to policyHow an examination of evidence, value and impact can inform the LIS research agendaProfessor Charles Oppenheim
- 2. A REQUESTPlease tweet during this session, ideally just three words summarising your views of the key words that describe the day Kirsty Pitkin will be collecting your tweets for her write-up#lisrc10 plus #eval
- 3. SETTING THE SCENE FOR YOUAll the England-branded Mars bars are on special offer in Tescos four for one
- 4. WHY DO LIS RESEARCH?Intellectual interest/curiosity?Make you more engaged and empowered?To help influence policy and decision-makers?To make your name?Other reasons?
- 5. MY PERCEPTIONS OF THE LIS RESEARCH LANDSCAPEA lot of scattered effort, some of which isnt really recognised by those doing it as researchOften poorly funded, poorly conducted, poorly recognisedPlethora of unco-ordinated funding bodies, with different agendas, requirements, overlapping areas
- 6. WHERE IS THE NEXT GENERATION OF RESEARCHERS?Every generation worries about the next oneStandard complaint when short-listing for lectureships in the fieldWeve seen a really impressive set of presentations from PhD students exploring some fascinating topicsGives me reason to be optimistic for the future
- 7. Large amount of research going on world-wide, much of it in the UKRanges from fundamental studies on how people seek, search for and use information, via IR (TREC, etc.), to very practical studies on how to improve a particular library service
- 8. THE ECONOMIC CONTEXTCuts in funding means increased pressures on LIS to justify their existence/provide evidence of value for moneyIt also means less money available to fund research, and reduced funds for University LIS Departments
- 9. VALUE AND IMPACT How does one measure impact or value?
- 10. The bean counters demand something robust that they can relate to, e.g., RoI
- 11. Research on how much money has been saved by having the library or information service there is often viewed as unconvincing/self-servingCOST BENEFITCost is easy to measureBenefit is hard to measureThe bean counters require it we have to learn to use their techniques and talk their language, even if it goes against our deep-seated principles
- 12. TWO KEY TERMSImpactHuman angle
- 13. IMPACTEveryone is talking about itThe REF requires evidence of impact of research, and HEFCE has provided guidance notes on what constitutes impact more to comeThe REFs approach: a series of case studies, plus a narrativeWhy not adopt the same approach?
- 14. THE HUMAN ANGLEOur profession is about humans creating, storing, disseminating and using information, and this can only be done by understanding the way humans interact with informationThe most outstanding IR system in the world is useless if humans dont want to interact with itAlso learn from history good and bad use of information in the past and the lessons we can learn todayLIS research has to focus on this as well
- 15. MOREHow do yuppies multi-task?Information overload strategies and stressWhat makes information valuable to people?Adopt a scientific paradigm seems to press the right buttons
- 16. POLICY ANGLESWe have yet to work out the new Governments policies towards LISThere seems to be a commitment to releasing Government dataIssues to do with the Digital Economy Act affecting library operations
- 17. QUESTIONS TO ASKWhat is the purpose of the research?Who are we demonstrating our value and impact to?The audience changes over timeHow do we communicate to the audience formal routes, informallyDifferent levels of seniorityAre we influencing the end users and are they our best advocates?
- 18. How much do we involve the audience in the research design?Do practitioners really understand what users want?Cultural issue do we have the skills?To what extent is research nice to do rather than must have? How to get research embedded into the organisational culture?
- 19. Do we use mixed methods? How important are narratives?
- 20. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?New sources of funding Microsoft, Google and lobby existing funding agencies
- 22. Ground-breaking report on the benefits of LIS?
- 23. Use of novel research techniques, e.g., social network analysis, critical incident technique, sophisticated stats,, log file analysis, Balanced Scorecard, observational studies..
- 24. Involve psychologists, sociologists, philosophers, computer scientists (but dont become bedazzled by IT) , economists!MOREPublish, or at least capturing/anonymising negative results something for the Coalition?Get journals to publish more practitioner researchMentor practitioners
- 25. TASKSIdentify worthwhile realistic research projects, especially a research agenda for tough timesIdentify the researchers who can undertake itIdentify the funders to pay for it
- 26. A CLASSIC IMPACT EXPERIMENT
- 27. CONCLUSIONThe title of my talk was wrong it should be Evidence, Value and Impact SHOULD BE the LIS research agenda
- 28. DONT FORGET TO FILL OUT YOUR EVALUATION FORMS AND LEAVE THEM AT THE REGISTRATON DESK!