Practitioner Research in libraries: a cross-sectoral comparison

Even when research conducted in public library authorities does not have a major impact on policy, it can be crucial for service development. In Spring 2003, the Centre for Information Research (CIRT) at the University of Central England carried out a series of surveys of public, academic, health, school and special libraries in the British Isles in order to obtain up-to-date information about the research issues of particular interest to staff. This indicated that there is significant interest in research, even among those librarians who are not heavily involved in research activity personally. There were a number of common themes which cut across the different library sectors, including ICT, user needs, accommodation, collections, funding, staffing and co-operation. This suggests that, while sector-specific research is necessary in some areas, in others, cross-sectoral research may help library staff to address the common problems they all face

Practitioner Research in libraries: a cross-sectoral comparison

Even when research conducted in public library authorities does not have a major impact on policy, it can be crucial for service development. In Spring 2003, the Centre for Information Research (CIRT) at the University of Central England carried out a series of surveys of public, academic, health, school and special libraries in the British Isles in order to obtain up-to-date information about the research issues of particular interest to staff. This indicated that there is significant interest in research, even among those librarians who are not heavily involved in research activity personally. There were a number of common themes which cut across the different library sectors, including ICT, user needs, accommodation, collections, funding, staffing and co-operation. This suggests that, while sector-specific research is necessary in some areas, in others, cross-sectoral research may help library staff to address the common problems they all face

Patterns of allotment holding in the Black Country, 1914-2000.

Based on the existing literature and supported by images present in popular culture four stereotypes relating to allotments and allotment holders can be discerned: the characteristics of allotment holders; their motivations for taking on a plot; the appearance, atmosphere and culture of allotments sites; and the importance attached to allotment activities. This thesis uses documentary and oral evidence to explore each of these stereotypes in relation to the allotment community in the Black Country between 1914 and 2000 in order to determine the extent to which they have held true throughout this period. The research concludes that, although some aspects of the traditional stereotypes, especially in relation to the characteristics of allotment holders, could be argued to be broadly accurate, many aspects of the existing stereotypes need to be revised. Stereotypes relating to the motivation for allotment holding and importance of allotment activities in particular are far too crude to be a helpful means of investigating these features. By questioning existing views of allotments and allotment holders, this thesis raises issues for the study of twentieth-century middle class and working class cultures in the Black Country and beyond

Bibliotherapy and Graphic Medicine

While most bibliotherapy activities focus on the use of written text, whether in the form of novels, poetry or self-help books, in recent years there has been a growing interest in the use of graphic novels and comics as a form of bibliotherapy. Although graphic novels are, perhaps, most often seen as a library resource for teenagers or less literate readers, there are a growing number of highly sophisticated texts exploring health-related issues, such as Davis B’s Epileptic; Brian Fies’ Mom’s Cancer; and Nicola Streeten’s Billy, Me and You. This chapter explores the ways in which graphic novels and comics can be used as an effective form of bibliotherapy. It considers how the medium can be particularly effective in supporting important features of bibliotherapy such as providing reassurance; connection with others; alternative perspectives; and models of identity. It then draws on examples of bibliotherapy collections from different library settings to demonstrate some of the ways in which graphic texts can be used in bibliotherapy practice

Releasing the potential of Shakespearean comic book adaptations in the classroom: A case study of Romeo and Juliet

The increasing number of comic book adaptions of Shakespeare’s plays is unsurprising given their prevalence within school curricula. Graphic novel adaptations are often seen as a stepping stone to the ‘real’ text, a way of introducing young people to works whose language, settings and complexity may, initially, be off-putting. Retelling Shakespeare’s plays in a comics format has, therefore, become a popular approach to attempt to engage students and to make the work more accessible, especially to ‘reluctant readers’. Romeo and Juliet is among the most frequently taught of Shakespeare’s texts, and is often used as a first introduction to studying Shakespeare. The four adaptations compared in this article illustrate the variety of ways in which Shakespeare can be reinterpreted in a comics format and used to support young people studying his plays. Classical Comics offers the most conventional representation, drawing obviously on long-standing comic traditions of the western hemisphere. A different approach is taken by the Manga Shakespeare version, which is set in present day Tokyo. This incorporates many elements of Japanese manga, while remaining accessible to readers without previous experience of manga, for instance, the action flows from left to right across the page and the book is read from ‘front to back’. The Manga Edition has many similar features, but retains the original setting of the play. Finally, Gareth Hinds’ recent adaptation clearly draws on European comic conventions, but also incorporates elements of manga, most noticeably in action scenes. Comparing these diverse approaches, this article considers how comic book adaptations can do more than simplify the text and make Shakespeare more attractive for young people. It considers ways in which they can act as an effective pedagogical device to support young people of differing abilities and levels of reading experience studying Shakespeare’s play. It also considers the extent to which these texts have a value in their own right, rather than simply being viewed as inferior versions of the original that merely engage and simplify Shakespeare’s plays and can be discarded as soon as they are no longer required

Using participant-created comics as a research method

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential of participant-created comics as a research method through a project to investigate the life stories of British–Bangladeshi women. Design/methodology/approach The author worked with a group of ten women through a series of workshops exploring their personal and community histories. Each of the women produced a digital comic that represented her story using text in any languages, photographs and drawings. Findings The experiences of the Graphic Lives project suggest there is considerable unexplored potential for the use of comics creation as a research method when working with community groups that may be considered “hard-to-reach”. A crucial difference between the comics created for the Graphic Lives project when compared to many other visual methods is that they do not seek or attempt to represent a verifiable truth. The project acknowledged and accepted the presence of fictional elements of autobiography and the difficulty in drawing boundaries between fiction and non-fiction. Indeed, this was seen as a strength of the stories as the use of imaginary elements offered participants a way to express emotional truths that they may otherwise have found difficult to convey. Research limitations/implications Whilst interviewing participants could be one way to analyse participant-created comics in certain circumstances, this should not simply be the default. In the Graphic Lives project, it was important to accept that participants had already voiced their story in a certain way – using words and images – during the creative process. The project needed to accept and respect their voices as they had chosen to present them and not expect the participants to transform this into something that was more aligned with what the researcher might want to hear. A limitation of this method is the time and resourcing required to undertake such a programme of in-depth work, in addition to the need for close collaboration with community partners. Practical implications The paper questions the appropriateness of research interviews when working with many “marginalised” groups. It suggests that alternative methods, such as the comics creation method described, may be a more effective way to engage “hard-to-reach” groups in research. Social implications This research has implications for the involvement of groups who, for a variety of reasons, are often excluded from research. It outlines a method that may be more socially acceptable than more established methods such as interviewing for some groups. Originality/value To date, exploration of the potential of comics as method of participatory knowledge construction has been limited. In addition, the use of comics to engage communities in research, especially adult groups who may be more reluctant to participate via traditional research methods, has received relatively little attention. This paper addresses these issues through a discussion of the use of comics creation as the research method adopted in a project working with a group of British–Bangladeshi women in the UK

Freedom to teach: Implications of the removal of Persepolis from Chicago schools

Despite sometimes being viewed as inferior to other forms of literature, comic books and graphic novels are frequently used within the school curriculum. However, in March 2013, public schools in Chicago were instructed by the district authority to remove the well-respected graphic novel Persepolis (Satrapi, M. 2008. London: Vintage) from libraries and classrooms. Chicago Public Schools indicated that the ban would only be revoked once professional development guidelines for teachers had been produced to support the teaching of the text. This article examines the types of support that teachers may benefit from when teaching graphic novels, and Persepolis in particular, and questions whether the possible lack of such support justifies the removal of the text from schools

External Evaluation of the Tim Peake Primary Project

This report details the external evaluation of ESERO-UK’s Tim Peake Primary Project (TPPP), which ran in 1,400 UK primary schools from 2015-2017, and used Tim Peake’s mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to promote space as a cross-curricular context for teaching science, literacy and numeracy. Delivered by the European Space Education Resource Office in the UK (ESERO-UK), and funded by the UK Space Agency and the Department for Education, with further support from the European Space Agency, the project delivered continuing professional development (CPD), resources and support from specially trained Space Ambassadors (SA) to teachers. The TPPP aimed to increase teachers’ confidence in teaching space-related topics, and consequently their engagement with enquiry-based teaching and learning in science, in order to increase pupils’ confidence and enthusiasm for STEM activities linked to space. This report was produced by Su Lyn Corcoran and Sarah McNicol from the Education and Social Research Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University

School librarians’ intellectual freedom attitudes and practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the most significant censorship issues faced by UK school librarians today and to determine what factors influence attitudes towards these issues. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was designed, closely based on that used for a previous survey of UK librarians in 2004. It was distributed online and 96 responses were received. Findings Overall, respondents were more likely to express support for intellectual freedom in theory than in practice. Statements that prompted the strongest pro-censorship responses related to access issues, namely, labelling and filtering. A number of librarians place significant emphasis on their personal ability, or right, to determine whether or not resources are included in the collection. There was evidence of a difference in practical application depending on whether librarians worked with pre-school children or were members of professional associations. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest a need for further research into the role of professional associations in supporting school librarians faced by censorship issues, especially those who support the youngest students. Originality/value The findings suggest that while school librarians hold strong pro-intellectual freedom views, they may need additional support to put these into practice. School librarians are undoubtedly in a challenging position, often being solo workers; they need support to find ways to uphold professional intellectual freedom principles within a school setting