Information Matters - Library and Information Studies at the University of Brighton

Open event

Audrey Marshall — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:06:33 +0000

We’re holding an Open Day on 1st May in the afternoon and early evening. If you’re interested in an information or library related MA course then come along. If you can’t make that day then check out the webinar option – details on the poster. Alternatively, get in touch with me: a.m.marshall@brighton.ac.uk

Filed under: Announcements, Meetings/Events, Open days

Graduation

Audrey Marshall — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 17:14:00 +0000

We celebrated considerable MAIS success at the Graduation ceremony today, on a cold but brilliantly sunny February morning. I managed to chat to all our graduates and catch up on news and gossip. It was great to hear about employment successes and future aspirations. The photo shows Rebecca Howes, Sally Ann Clarke and Jannicke Lie doing the traditional hat-throwing. Well done to them – and to all the others.

Filed under: Announcements

Christmas reflections

Audrey Marshall — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 11:28:59 +0000

It’s been a long old autumn term but the Christmas break is nearly upon us so it’s a good time to reflect. And that reflection is worthwhile, because it’s been a term of successes. The MAIS course was re-validated for another five years after a very successful Periodic Review. The Review panel commended us on our team commitment, the positive comments from External Examiners and students and the employment success of graduates. We were also commended for our CILIP accreditation and the professional focus of the course, in particular our placements and the annual professional day. The panel also commented favourably on how we meet the needs of applicants who lack prior professional experience. The Periodic Review process was valuable in that it made us think explicitly about future sustainability and, as a result, we’re planning more effective integration with other postgraduate courses in the School. We fit with the Head of School’s vision of a stronger ‘middle ground’ in computing, with a focus on data mining, computer ethics and business information. Thanks to current and former students who gave us feedback and support for the Review.

Thinking of current and former students, we’re also celebrating the success of recent graduates in getting jobs – at Anglia Ruskin University, the British Library and an international university in Bangkok to name just a few.

Information Matters has already reported MAIS graduate Rachel Sweeney’s success in heading up the library team at HMP Lewes which won CILIP’s first ever Prison Library of the Year Award. And, continuing the theme of success, special congratulations to MAIS graduate Erin Gow who has just won the BIALL Dissertation Award for her work investigating user training needs at Middle Temple Library.

Well done, all, and have a good Christmas!

I look forward to celebrating with the latest crop of graduates at the Award Ceremony in February.

Filed under: Announcements

MAIS Graduate Success

Audrey Marshall — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:58:57 +0000

MAIS graduate Rachel Sweeney heads up the library team at HMP Lewes, which has just won CILIP’s Prison Libraries Group first ever Prison Library of the Year Award.
The award recognises the outstanding work of library staff in prisons and Young Offender Institutions. The judges felt that the team at HMP Lewes provide a broad range of library activity which contributes positively to the prison’s reducing re-offending strategy as well as providing prisoners with the opportunity to increase their literacy skills, discover the joy and importance of reading for pleasure and prepare for life outside of prison.
Their participation in Storybook Dads and their Family Time initiative help prisoners to maintain links with their children whilst in prison. The library team has worked hard to provide a welcoming and inclusive library service which is an integral element of the prison regime at HMP Lewes.

Sue Wilkinson, Chair of CILIP’s Prison Libraries Group said:

The entries we received were of a very high standard and it was a difficult task to pick a winner. However, the judges felt that the entry from HMP Lewes showed an innovative and inclusive approach to service provision and a real commitment to embedding the library service in the daily life of the prison.

Rachel herself said:

When I started as librarian at HMP Lewes 2 years ago I was joining a new team. Knowing what to do and what was expected of us was difficult. However, it was a fantastic opportunity for us to try lots of new things. We have worked hard to really maximise the service the library can offer prisoners which has been seen in the events and programmes we have set up. We have really enjoyed the work we have done with literacy programmes such as Toe by Toe, the Six Book Challenge and our recent work with the National Literacy Trust, as well as setting up two read a loud groups, successfully running Storybook Dad’s and developing a new Family Time course. The work here is sometimes challenging, however the positive outcomes we have achieved, and the response we get from some of the prisoners, makes it worthwhile. Winning the award is great recognition of the work that all the team have put in and I am thrilled to be able to celebrate this with them.

Well done Rachel and her team!

Filed under: Announcements, Careers

Henrik Jones prize 2012

Audrey Marshall — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 11:24:48 +0000

Sally Ann Clarke and Mandy Williams were the proud recipients of CILIP’s Henrik Jones prize this year. The prize is awarded to the student(s) who demonstrate the best performance in an information retrieval module. The photo shows Sally Ann and Mandy after the ceremony in the Huxley Building, with myself and Marion Huckle from CILIP.

Filed under: Announcements, CILIP

Information 2.0 – free chapter

Martin De Saulles — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 12:38:51 +0000

Facet Publishing have released a free sample chapter from my book, “Information 2.0: new models of information production, distribution and consumption” – it is the introduction and gives a good overview of the themes, technologies and issues covered.

You can buy it from Facet or Amazon.

Filed under: Research

Web 2.0 training for Public Libraries

Martin De Saulles — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:16:26 +0000

As part of our programme of training for public library staff in the South East we delivered a day of Web 2.0 training last Friday. 13 participants from around the region attended along with Gary Green from Surrey Libraries who talked about how his libraries use a variety of Web 2.0 tools to help with their delivery of library and information services. After lunch attendees worked in pairs to create blogs using WordPress and the results were very impressive, particularly as most of them had never done it before. Gary has created a Delicious Stack for anyone wanting to follow up the services he talked about: http://delicious.com/stacks/view/EWwHic

Filed under: CPD, Web 2.0

End of term drinks

Audrey Marshall — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 08:41:29 +0000

Celebrating the end of term (well almost, for some students) in the Prince George in Trafalger St.

A jolly time!

Filed under: Meetings/Events

New Books by MA Information Studies Lecturers

Martin De Saulles — Tue, 29 May 2012 16:32:39 +0000

MA Information Studies lecturers, Audrey Marshall and Dr Martin De Saulles, have just had books published on aspects of information management. Audrey’s “Collection Management in the Digital Age” is an edited collection of chapters on the challenges facing libraries by digital technologies while Martin’s “Information 2.0: new models of information production, distribution and consumption” looks at the revolution in the media and publishing industries brought about by the internet and rise of social media. Principal lecturer, Martin says: “The internet and rise of low-cost mobile computing devices is really starting to impact on a range of industries and our books explore how organisations are adapting to these changes. Information technology investments have traditionally been focused on the technology aspects while there is now a growing awareness that the information which flows through and across these technologies and networks is what is driving economic and social change.” MA Information Studies course leader, Audrey, adds: “At the core of my book is a desire to confront the changes we are experiencing and to question the rational strategic approaches to developing and managing collections which have been at the heart of librarianship for years.”

Filed under: Announcements, Research

Come to our Open Evening

Martin De Saulles — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:48:03 +0000

If you want to find out more about our MA Information Studies and the opportunities it offers for graduates in the library and information world then come to our open evening on the 22 March in room W623 in the Watts Building on our Moulsecoomb campus. We will be there from 4pm to 7pm to answer questions and discuss the course with you.

We look forward to meeting you.

More details and an online booking form for the open evening are here.

Filed under: Announcements, Courses, Open days