LIS Research Coalition

Evidence, Value and Impact: the LIS Research Landscape in 2010

This conference took place on Monday 28th June 2010. From this page you can access details of the day, including links to summaries of the six main sessions and associated PowerPoint presentations and videos, and the live blog:

• “Review of the work of the LIS Research Coalition and its support of LIS research in 2009/10, and plans for 2010/11″ by Michael Jubb
• “Perspectives on the evidence, value and impact of LIS research: conceptual challenges” by Andrew Dillon
• One Minute Madness session
• Breakout sessions
• “From perspectives to policy: how an examination of evidence, value and impact can inform the LIS research agenda” by Charles Oppenheim
• Views and comments (video interviews with conference participants)
• CoverItLive site (live blog)
• Reviews of the conference
• A media release on the day’s proceedings is available from the news page

All the PowerPoint presentations from the conference are also available from the LIS Research Coalition’s Slideshare site. Video footage from the day, including delegate interviews and the one minute madness session, is available from the LIS Research Coalition’s Vimeo site.

Conference details

• Monday June 28th 2010, 10:30-16:15 (registration from 09:45)
• British Library Conference Centre, London, UK
• Conference fee: £85.10 (+ £14.90 VAT = £100 inclusive)
• Three recruitment firms sponsored places for PhD students
• Three additional companies supported the event, including the contracting of live blogger Kirsty Pitkin of T-Consult Ltd
• Conference hashtag #lisrc10
• Conference updates were relayed on Twitter from@LISResearch
• The LIS Research Coalition conference delegate Twitter list gave delegates the opportunity to get to know one another in advance of the conference.

What is the value of library and information services? What is their impact? How can we build the evidence base to support declarations of the value and impact of library and information services?

This one-day conference on June 28th 2010 considered perspectives on the library and information science research landscape with reference to: identifying LIS research opportunities; translating research outcomes into practice; growing research capacity amongst LIS professionals; and developing the future UK LIS research agenda. The programme was designed to appeal all LIS research stakeholders. These range from the funders of LIS-related research activity through to those who publish LIS research output, as well as practitioner researchers and academics. With first-hand access to expert speakers and peers on the day, and opportunities for active participation in the programme in the one minute madness and breakout sessions, delegates developed their general knowledge of the LIS research landscape, including the work of the LIS Research Coalition, while also increasing their awareness of:

• the diversity of LIS research opportunities
• research funding sources
• potential research collaborators
• means of increasing the relevance of research efforts
• avenues for publication of research output
• research development opportunities for individuals and groups
• techniques for integrating research activities into everyday work practice

They travelled London on Monday 28th June 2010 to join the debate on LIS research, and to contribute to the building of the evidence base that demonstrates the value and impact of library and information services.

The programme

The conference format included keynote presentations and break-out sessions, with further opportunities for delegates to participate actively in the discussions on the day. We were pleased that Professor Andrew Dillon of the University of Texas and Professor Charles Oppenheim of Loughborough University agreed to give invited keynote presentations at the conference. Other speakers, facilitators and chairs offered research experience in: public, academic, special and corporate libraries; the health service; business; publishing; consulting; training; charities and higher education. They were assisted by a team of PhD student rapporteurs, attending the conference on sponsored places. The students are currently undertaking research related to public libraries, health librarianship, information behaviour and use, and ontologies.

Conference sessions

The venue

The conference venue was the British Library’s state of the art Conference Centre. Located in central London, the British Library Conference Centre is within easy walking distance of three mainline railway stations – St Pancras (Eurostar terminal), Euston and King’s Cross – and six tube lines, and is thus at the heart of the UK and European transportation network.

Programme committee

The conference programme was developed by the LIS Research Coalition conference committee: David Ball, Bournemouth University (Chair); Melanie Goody, TFPL; Hazel Hall, LIS Research Coalition; Brian Kelly, UKOLN; Stephanie Kenna, LIS Research Coalition; and Miggie Pickton, University of Northampton.

Conference Secretariat

Richard Hart and Adele Bates of Event Logistics Ltd provided the Secretariat for the conference. They can be contacted at lisrc10@event-logistics.co.uk.

Other events of interest in London towards the end of June 2010

Some delegates to the LIS Research Coalition Conference on Monday 28th June combined participation at this conference with attending other professional events that took place in London around this time. These included: (1) the 7th International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS 7), between 21-24 June at University College, London and other central London venues; (2) the 4th Bloomsbury Conference on E-publishing and E-publications, between 24-25 June at University College, London. In addition, the UK Electronic Information Group (UKeIG) ran a training event in London the day after the Coalition conference on Tuesday 29th June entitled Tipping the scales: tackling information obesity to ensure productive and sustainable information resources.

Visitors to London who arrived early for the LIS Research Coalition conference (or combined attendance with one of the events noted above) and stayed in the city over the weekend of 26-27 June found plenty to entertain them, including exhibitions, concerts, theatre and major sporting events such as the Kenwood House picnic concerts (Blondie on Saturday 26th June) and the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships. The Henley Royal Regatta took place immediately after the conference from 30th June until 4th July. For what’s on details for London, delegates referred to the London Town web site.