Archana Venkatraman

IWR: Tell us about the Library and Information Science (LIS) Research Coalition. What are its objectives and what is your role in the programme?

HH: Its broad mission is to facilitate a co-ordinated and strategic approach to LIS research across the UK. The Coalition will provide a formal structure to improve access to LIS research, and to maximise its relevance and impact in the UK. It aims to bring together information about LIS research opportunities; encourage dialogue between research funders; promote LIS practitioner research and the translation of research outcomes into practice; articulate a strategic approach to LIS research; and promote the development of research capacity in LIS.

The Coalition was established in March 2009, I was appointed in August 2009. My role is to lead the implementation. I am seconded part-time to this role, two days a week.

The Coalition’s first one-day conference will take place in London on Monday 28 June at the British Library conference centre. It will focus on LIS research and we aim to attract practitioners, researchers, academics and funders from the UK and beyond will meet to discuss the UK LIS research landscape.

What attracted you to this role?

There were three things in particular: extension of my involvement in library and information science research strategy to a national level; growth opportunities through networking with other information professionals and practitioners; and the chance to put into practice my organisational skills.

What do you think of the role of knowledge and information management and the trends in these segments?

This is a big topic! The full impact of social media on IM and KM practice is yet to be understood. For example, with respect to particular technologies such as microblogging I am reminded of first reactions to the widespread introduction of e-mail in the workplace in the early to mid-1990s. In the coming months we will still be debating the risks and opportunities of social computing with relation to the specifics of IM and KM work. One thing that is now absolutely clear, however, is that for those in external customer-facing roles social media adoption is not optional: any organisation that hopes to maintain its competitive advantage must engage in these tools.

The semantic web is another theme that is becoming more prominent, as evidenced at Online 2009, where there was a real buzz about the topic.

So what would be your message to information professionals?

I have two. The first is: ignore social computing at your peril – engagement is not optional. The second relates to hard economic times, when there is a pressing need to be able to demonstrate worth. The strongest way to do so is to argue value on the basis of solid evidence, which in turn derives from research. Information professionals, particularly those working in the public sector where cuts are inevitable, should make efforts to contribute to the building of the evidence base. I’d like to see a growth in the body of practitioner researchers who not only conduct research (and we know that this is happening) but also disseminate their findings beyond their home institutions.

What should they look for in 2010?

Semantic web developments; the mobile phone as the preferred platform for information delivery; and Google Wave – though this has not yet taken off.

What changes would you like to see in the information profession?

Greater engagement in practitioner research. We have become experts in supporting the research efforts of others while neglecting the evidence base of our own subject domain.

Does this mean information professionals need multiple skills because information-related roles are evolving and overlapping?

Indeed. We have to accept that change is inevitable and must continually develop new skills. For example, if conversation and information is moving to a different environment, information professionals must also make that move or risk exclusion.

How does it feel to be named IWR Information Professional of the Year (2009)?

Winning the Information Professional of the Year award comes at the end of an extraordinary 12 months. I am delighted that my work in my two roles as director of the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University, and in implementing the Library and Information Science Research Coalition, has been recognised in such a way. All those with whom I have collaborated throughout the year are due a share of this recognition, particularly my international colleagues in Scandinavia, Canada and the US, and the information and knowledge management practitioner community in the UK, whose work inspires my research and teaching.

And what do you think of the social web?

I’m a big fan, but I think it’s very important that people use the right tool for the right job. Digital identity is a big issue here. Over time individuals are realising that they need to think carefully about how they manage their identity (or identities) online. This is an issue that will hit more people this year as they venture further into the social web.

For example, I manage three Twitter accounts: @hazelh for personal professional updates; @LISResearch for the Coalition; and @CentSocInfo for the Centre for Social Informatics. I use my Facebook account purely for social purposes, and so decline invitations from people I do not know, as well as from students. Dedicated accounts for particular purposes means that followers and friends can selectively choose the type of updates they want to hear from me.

As an academic information professional, what differences do you see in academics, librarians, readers and researchers in today’s times?

Something we all have in common is the flexibility in the boundaries of our jobs. By this I mean first that the boundaries of information professional roles are not as obvious as they were – our work opportunities extend far wider than straightforward information services provision; and secondly the different roles have greater overlap than before – for example academics engage in contracted short-term consulting work projects that previously would have been the domain of commercial consultants, academic librarians are spending more time in the classroom (normally the home of the lecturer) etc. Something that ties us together is research.

What do you do in your free time?

I love eating, cooking and running (in that order). I run a lot so I can eat the food I enjoy cooking!

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