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The purpose of this paper is to better understand how emerging artists use information to navigate the transition out of university, using their changing ideas of failure, success, information literacy (IL), and transition to frame the qualitative data. A literature review is used to frame the current understanding of emerging artists and feed into the creation of the interview questions. Four emerging artists participated to elicit qualitative accounts. Descriptive and process coding was used to analyse the interviews to form the findings. The findings present how emerging artists use information to shape their criteria for success and failure during the transitional period after leaving art school education. Three core information practices -- sharing, feeding, and balancing -- were observed within the interviews. With this framing insights into the emerging artists' past (learning from historic failings) and the future (envisioning future success) begin to be formed. Furthermore, this paper contributes to the knowledge of emerging artists' information practices, including the impact of their digital media usage and self-referencing as IL. The study uses the work of other IL scholars with the information practices of emerging artists and frames them through three key ideas: IL, transition, and success and failure. This intersection of study has not been explored previously. The results will provide direction for information professionals serving emerging artists, and for art educators preparing their students for their careers outside of university. It also deepens the understanding of the field of transition and information practices of new practitioners across fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DearEditor, Bullous pemphigoid (BP), mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) and pemphigus vulgaris (PV) are autoimmune blistering diseases that present with mucocutaneous blistering and erosions. 10 What is the best way to treat skin wounds in BP, MMP and/or PV, including how should blisters or erosions be best washed and managed and does treatment vary according to body site?. [Extracted from the article]

An intelligence information system (IIS) is a particular kind of information systems (IS) devoted to the analysis of intelligence relevant to national security. Professional and military intelligence analysts play a key role in this, but their judgments can be inconsistent, mainly due to noise and bias. The team‐oriented aspects of the intelligence analysis process complicates the situation further. To enable analysts to achieve better judgments, the authors designed, implemented, and validated an innovative IIS for analyzing UK Military Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) data. The developed tool, the Team Information Decision Engine (TIDE), relies on an innovative preference learning method along with an aggregation procedure that permits combining scores by individual analysts into aggregated scores. This paper reports on a series of validation trials in which the performance of individual and team‐oriented analysts was accessed with respect to their effectiveness and efficiency. Results show that the use of the developed tool enhanced the effectiveness and efficiency of intelligence analysis process at both individual and team levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the rules applied by the courts in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom in determining whether the defendant in a negligence action attained the required standard of care in performing a professional task. It will discuss the effect of the defendant's adherence to a practice widely accepted in the relevant profession at the time, and the effect of expert witnesses testifying that they regard the defendant's conduct as proper. This article also discusses the different rules applying to the provision of certain information by a professional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this second study into information literacy practice during the COVID-19 pandemic is to identify the conditions that influence the emergence of information literacy as a safeguarding practice. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative research design comprised one to one in-depth interviews conducted virtually during the UK's second and third lockdown phase between November 2020 and February 2021. Data were coded and analysed by the researchers using constant comparative techniques. Findings: Continual exposure to information creates the "noisy" conditions that lead to saturation and the potential for "information pathologies" to act as a form of resistance. Participants alter their information practices by actively avoiding and resisting formal and informal sources of information. These reactive activities have implications for standard information literacy empowerment discourses. Research limitations/implications: The paper is limited to the UK context. Practical implications: Findings will be useful for librarians and researchers who are interested in the theorisation of information literacy as well as public health and information professionals tasked with designing long-term health promotion strategies. Social implications: This paper contributes to our understandings of the role that information literacy practices play within ongoing and long-term crises. Originality/value: This paper develops research into the role of information literacy practice in times of crises and extends understanding related to the concept of empowerment, which forms a central idea within information literacy discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to evidence the perspectives of information professionals in the UK in relation to environmental sustainability and climate action to catalyse collaborative action. Design/methodology/approach: This study takes an interpretivist stance. Research into archive and record management literature was conducted to establish key themes on climate change within the information sector. These themes informed research questions included in a survey cascaded to UK archivists, conservators, records managers and cultural heritage professionals via national mailing lists. The results were then codified and analysed. The study had research ethics and data protection approval from University College London. Findings: Using professional ethics as a framework, this paper argues that climate action can protect records from the impact of climate change, ensuring future access. The information professionals surveyed were motivated by duties to preservation and access to mitigate the impact of the information sector on the environment. However, sector-specific climate action, such as introducing passive storage conditions or decreasing collection sizes, is limited by insufficient resources, organisational hierarchies and cultures, sector support and a perceived conflict with the duty to preservation. Originality/value: To date, there is a growing body of literature from other countries on archival practices and the natural environment. However, the UK in general and the records management sector in particular, have not yet fully engaged in the discussion. This study reviews these knowledge gaps for the UK information sector to appropriately respond to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The specialty of OMFS in the UK is a dual degree specialty which was recognised in Europe within Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EU. Currently UK law matches that of the EU. Brexit may change this. Defines two specialties within European nations, Dental, Oro-Maxillo-Facial Training -->DOMFS (Basic dental & medical training) -->and Maxillofacial Surgery (basic medical training). The UK sat within DOMFS and so specialists from DOMFS nations could travel and work in the UK. Specialists from all other nations -->were required to use the Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) route. -->This directive updated 2005/36/EU regarding Mutually Recognised Professional Qualifications (MRPQ) including creating an international alert system for doctors in difficult -->Entry onto the UK OMFS Specialist List by CESR Route -->CESR application is a large and complex portfolio of evidence to demonstrate knowledge, skills and experience are equivalent to a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) holder. To date, no EU applicants have successfully completed a CESR application. Even after Brexit, the UK will remain a full member of UEMS. The OMFS Section of UEMS is a source of information and support for specialists wishing to work in other nations and for nations wishing to develop an OMFS specialty in their nation. Applicants meeting the person specifications for approved OMFS specialty training (ST) posts in the UK are welcome to apply to the national selection process for OMFS specialty training in the UK. Many have done so successfully. Fixed term appointments and Fellowships are advertised and represent a useful route to gain support for application for training or through the CESR Route. The UK remains part of the diverse OMFS community in Europe. There is support from within the UK and from UEMS for trainees and specialists interested in coming to the UK to train or to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Careers research has moved beyond the notion of traditional careers in a stable, predictable work environment to a more individual perspective. However, individual agency in career management is still likely to involve interactions between organizations and individuals. This is particularly evident in organizational career management (OCM). Career anchor theory has shed light on the work preferences of professionals but little research has examined relationships between career anchors and how people enact their careers, or how these constructs and their relationships might differ between countries. We report a quantitative study of 1629 IT professionals from 10 organizations in Switzerland, Germany and the UK. After allowing for control variables, career anchor scores explained statistically significant amounts of variance in preferences for five of the six categories of OCM practices. Some of the connections between career anchors and OCM preferences followed naturally from their content, but others were less self-evident, or even seemingly contradictory. There were some significant differences between nationalities, with the UK tending to be the outlier. These differences were partly but not entirely consistent with prior research. This study expands understanding of the interplay of individual values and OCM and draws on previous work to offer a new classification of OCM practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subsequent to training IT professionals ( n = 35) in skills for performing effectively in a selection interview, 16 were randomly assigned to a transfer of training intervention, written self-guidance (WSG). This methodology is based on social cognitive and self-persuasion theories. The results showed that WSG resulted in significantly higher ratings from an interviewer than did those in the control group. Self-efficacy for interviewing skill mediated the relationship between WSG and performance. A content analysis of the WSG letters showed that the use of self-affirming and self-relevant statements was positively related to performance in the selection interview. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information literacy, the concept most associated with inculcating the attributes necessary to behave in a strategic, thoughtful and ethical manner in the face of a superfluity of information, has been part of the information specialist scene for many years. As the United Kingdom's QAA benchmark statements for Politics and International Relations highlight, many of the competences associated with this concept are vital in the honourable struggle to become a successful graduate of those disciplines. This article presents a longitudinal study of a survey used to expose the information literacy levels of two groups of firstyear Politics/IR students at a British university and, using the logic of 'most similar design', make informed inferences about the level of students' information literacy on coming into tertiary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay offers an overview of the life, career, and accomplishments of Saint Benedict Biscop, a seventh-century Benedictine monk in Northumbria, England. A brief overview of his life traces his conversion and later service to the church, his role in founding found a monastery at Wearmouth-Jarrow, and his particular interest in building a library, a task that required numerous journeys to Rome. The conclusion of the essay identifies hallmarks of Biscop's career that remain instructive for contemporary theological librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on an ongoing project investigating library and information science students' perceptions of the library and information profession and their motivations for undertaking a degree in this field. The analysis presented here focuses on students' reasons for becoming involved in information work, and their motivations for embarking on a professional qualification. Design/methodology/approach – The research was focused on students enrolling on Information and Library Studies programmes in the Department of Information Studies, Aberystwyth University. Students from both undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses are represented over the period 2005-2010, undertaking campus-based and distance learning (DL) programmes. A qualitative approach, using focus groups, was taken towards data collection and analysis. Findings – Many students followed a circuitous path into the library and information field, indicating that caution needs to be exercised when making assumptions regarding "typical" library and information workers. Similarly, motivations for attaining a qualification are a complexity of both personal and professional aspirations. Although motivations remain consistent, in line with previous studies, it is argued that "either/or" attitudes to traditional and modern aspects of information work are being replaced by a flexible understanding of the modern profession. Originality/value – The paper builds on and adds new perspectives to literature on student motivations and career aspirations. The groups studied are eclectic, including PG and UG, full-time and DL cohorts across a range of age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores issues in relation to the contribution and importance of mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) in re-energizing and motivating the information profession. Set within the context of developing our understanding of the concept of ‘professionalism’ for the contemporary information profession, the mandatory schemes offered by professional associations in the UK and New Zealand are compared and contrasted, and an assessment made of their pros and cons in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Information professionals are now tasked with the requirement to 'do more with less' in every sector. Having dealt with the fallout from the college building and expansion programme, an average 16% cut in their funding for adult learning in 2009/2010, now coupled with an overall funding reduction of 25% over the next four years, further education (FE) librarians have had more experience than most in managing budget cuts in recent years. It was against this backdrop of impending cuts that I ran my workshop at the UKSG Conference 2010, reporting on the e-books for FE project and the FE market for e-resources. The article provides a summary from this presentation and outlines the steps that might be taken to respond to the demand for e-textbooks in FE in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Legal information work has expanded with the growth in knowledge management and emergence of a new type of knowledge/information manager, the professional support lawyer. This study aims to investigate competency requirements for library-based information work in UK law firms, including the specialist subject knowledge required, methods of development and the impact on information professionals of professional support lawyers. Design/methodology/approach – The investigation used a pragmatic mixed-methods approach, including a mainly quantitative questionnaire, administered online to 64 legal information professionals, followed by eight semi-structured interviews and a focus group with four participants. A literature review informed the questionnaire design and contextualised the findings. Findings – The survey confirmed a broad range of competency requirements and clarified the specific subject knowledge needed. Participants favoured a varied combination of formal, and informal learning. Most participants also wanted specialised professional education for the sector. Research limitations/implications – The nature of the sample and use of categorised questions were limiting factors, partly compensated by inviting open-ended comments and follow-up interviews. A larger study using qualitative methods with professional support lawyers and fee-earners would provide a fuller more rounded picture. Practical implications – The findings indicate that the subject knowledge needed for legal information work in law firms is more extensive than for other sectors and suggest that information science departments should strengthen and extend curriculum content to reflect this need. Originality/value – The study has advanced the understanding of the competency, education and training needs of UK legal information professionals, challenging assumptions about academic/professional qualifications and illuminating the blend of competencies needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The image of the library and information professional has been a source of professional anxiety for many years. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this long-standing issue by studying the portrayal of librarianship in UK national newspapers during a period of rapid technological change. It also proposes to examine the representation of the professional role, determined by the skills and competencies depicted and the topics associated with librarianship. Design/methodology/approach - The approach takes the form of a content analysis of a sample of 264 newspaper articles taken from The Times and The Mirror between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2008. Findings - The findings reveal a lack of representation of skills and duties performed by librarians. The usefulness and relevance of those depicted are overshadowed by the reported value of libraries. When professional duties are depicted, however, the results appear positive: librarians were seen as having an expert knowledge of content, technological competence and skills in collection development. The reporting of negative behavioural traits was infrequent and it was found that newspapers were not perpetuating negative stereotypes. Research limitations/implications - Although The Times and The Mirror are important publications in terms of circulation, their depiction of the library and information profession does not form a complete picture of the representation of librarianship in the UK press. Originality/value - The paper contributes to debates about the image of the profession, and raises awareness about the skills and competencies that practitioners and professional bodies need to promote for the library and information profession to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this editorial is to introduce the selected Proceedings of the 1st National Conference of ISKO UK, the UK Chapter of the International Society for Knowledge Organization. It aims to provide some background for the group, and place it within the context of the recent history of information organization and retrieval in subject domains. Design/methodology/approach - The paper introduces a selection of papers delivered at the 1st National Conference of the UK Chapter of the International Society for Knowledge Organization. Findings - The field of knowledge organization is lively and progressive, and researchers and practitioners in many sectors are actively engaged with it, despite its apparent decline in LIS education. New communities of interest may use different terms to describe this work, but there is much common ground, and a growing convergence of ideas and methods. Originality/value - The value of existing theory is now more widely recognised, and the importance of structured knowledge organization systems and vocabularies in retrieval is generally acknowledged. It is to be hoped that these important areas of information practice and research will soon be restored to their former place in professional education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of the paper is to review UK government policy on public libraries since 2003, and to examine its relationship to other forms of demand for public libraries Design/methodology/approach - The published literature from government and professional bodies is reviewed, alongside published statistics on library use. Findings - Since 2003 public libraries have been the subject of sustained interest from UK government, in the form of a range of policy initiatives and incorporation in the Best Value and more recent Common Area Assessment monitoring frameworks. Alongside this, professional bodies and other commentators have put forward views on the role of libraries, but even taken together it is not clear that these represent the needs or aspirations of library service users. Originality/value - This paper provides an overview of the demand for UK public libraries, and its synthesis will be of value to librarians, government departments and professionals in this and related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that records management frameworks need to be risk based, flexible and aligned to wider information management objectives. The paper outlines some of the changes, challenges and opportunities now and on the horizon for records managers. The paper argues that through embedding the international information security standard ISO 27001 in conjunction with the records management standard ISO 15489, holistic information governance strategies will be delivered that are responsive to change.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a discussion on the challenges facing records and information management professionals and suggests that ISO 27001 provides some of the systems' solutions lacking from ISO 15489.Findings – The alignment of ISO 27001 to ISO 15489 strengthens the delivery of existing records management systems and its drivers. This is critical to build strong information governance programmes, which enable risks to be assessed in an ever-changing information management world.Practical implications – Successful implementation of records management requires alignment with wider information standards and strategies to deliver holistic information management and governance.Originality/value – This research will assist in promoting best practice in records management and information governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate what employers seek when recruiting library and information professionals in the UK and whether professional skills, generic skills or personal qualities are most in demand. Design/methodology/approach – A content analysis of a sample of 180 advertisements requiring a professional library or information qualification from Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professional's Library + Information Gazette over the period May 2006-2007. Findings – The findings reveal that a multitude of skills and qualities are required in the profession. When the results were compared with Information National Training Organisation and Library and Information Management Employability Skills research, customer service, interpersonal and communication skills, and general computing skills emerged as the requirements most frequently sought by employers. Overall, requirements from the generic skills area were most important to employers, but the research also demonstrates that professional skills are still valued. An unanticipated demand for profession related experience was found: this was the single most frequently sought requirement in the advertisements analysed. Research limitations/implications – Although the Gazette is the largest source of library and information jobs, it does not provide a complete picture of the employment market. Originality/value – The paper contributes to debates about the skillsbase of the profession, and raises awareness of the abilities professionals need to cultivate in order to progress through their careers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada has been striving hard to bring a formally-recognised IT professional certification to the industry for almost 20 years; so, what can the rest of the world learn from its experience? The current debate surrounding the need for a chartered IT professional status stretches further than the UK, and some other countries have made significant legal headway in establishing it; Canada is a prime case in point. Canada has been a leader in promoting IT professionalism at the highest levels. Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS) works with universities to accredit their computer science programmes, so that graduates can use their degrees as a stepping stone to ISP designation. Creating a legally-recognised professional certification for IT practitioners is one thing but getting it widely recognised by industry is quite another. CIPs continue to lobby provinces concerning the former, while working with national and international organisations to do latter. Canada is a little over twice the age of the fledgling IT industry that it is trying to formalise and refine into a chartered profession. It has embarked on a significant challenge, and the UK can learn much from following the course of its progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the role of two electronic resources librarians (ERLs) in improving health care information resources in Shropshire, U. K. According to the authors, they developed a joint information-skills training program and a joint Shropshire Health Libraries website. The website links the National Core Content journal resources with the National Library for Health. The ERLs prepared patient information leaflets based on gaps identified by the patient information working groups and were integrated into the "Do Once and Share" action teams to develop national guidelines for maternity systems.

This article discusses how clinicians in the U. K. conduct evidence-based research with and without the help of librarians. The authors argue that librarians are involved in less than half of the research and frequently the clinicians were unaware that help was available for their searches. It was unclear in this context how work by one clinician could be generally made available to others. They recommend better connections to user needs with a greater marketing effort for library services such as help and support for literature searches.

This article discusses a collaboration between information professionals and a patient care multi-disciplinary team in the U. K. The authors argue that evidence-based research in the health care field involves additional time and skills which can be facilitated by an information resources librarian. The authors review a variety of titles and roles applied to the librarian and conclude that information professionals should play a pro-active, high profile role. The development of a Health Evidence Bulletin from Wales on coronary heart disease is described.

The article discusses the effects of operational convergence and the subsequent growth of the hybrid library model on the professional self-identity of librarians and the staff of academic libraries in Great Britain. The phenomenal growth and rate of exchange in information communication technology and electronic information services have had a profound and far-reaching effect upon learning and information services on British academia. One of the effects of operational convergence is the advent of hybrid libraries, which are described as the continuum between the conventional and digital library, where electronic and paper-based information sources are used alongside each other.

This article considers the recent changes in UK copyright law and the implications of them for information professionals. It sets the background to why these changes have come about. The most important changes are those on database rights and those resulting from the EU Directive on copyright in the information society. The latter has imposed new rules regarding so-called Technical Protection Systems, Rights Management Information and copyright for commercial research purposes. Suggestions are made for what will qualify as commercial copying or what will not. The article concludes with some thoughts on the management of risk in the current environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents updates on information professionals in Great Britain as of December 2005. Lynne Brindley accepted a permanent contract to continue on her post as CEO of the British Library. Bernard Naylor has retired as chairman of the Laser Foundation. The National Archives Library at Kew, England has appointed Holly McGill as research services librarian. The National Health Service's director of clinical knowledge, process and safety, Muir Gray, has been knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Artifact, which was officially launched in November 2003, is the arts and creative industries hub of the UK's Resource Discovery Network. Variously described as a gateway, a hub and a subject guide, Artifact offers an alternative to commercial search engines, principally for those studying, teaching or researching arts, communications and other creative subjects within UK further and higher education, but also freely available to anyone seeking quality-assured resources online. With the support of a wide spectrum of professionals from both the educational and commercial arts sectors, Artifact is now developing into a comprehensive service that can help fulfil a wide array of information needs for potential customers from many spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A clinical informationist could provide the best available published evidence in response to clinicians’ questions identified during the process of care. This study sought to assess the feasibility of an informationist service and to propose a model for its delivery in an Australian teaching hospital. Whilst similar services are increasing in the UK, with a long history in the USA, this is the first Australian study in an acute public hospital. The views of 40/49 (82%) medical staff at the Daw Park Repatriation General Hospital, South Australia were canvassed using a questionnaire designed to address key issues relating to a proposed service. Doctors were receptive to its potential benefits, perceived it as relevant and likely to be used, and were interested in a pilot. They typically indicated a required response time of 24 h. They expressed limited concerns other than a likely high workload for such a service, and reported currently searching infrequently for evidence in response to clinical questions, citing time issues and unavailability of computers as current key barriers to pursuing clinical questions. An informationist service is feasible. Results suggest that a pilot could be run in an area of acute medicine where questions about therapy and diagnosis are likely to proliferate, and the informationist should attend consultant ward rounds and clinical meetings, aiming to provide a response within 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how far the expectations of and the practices and technologies used by academics in management roles in UK higher education at the end of the twentieth and beginning of the twenty-first centuries appear to differ from those used in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. The system of higher education in the UK is explained and then concepts of new managerialism and academic knowledge work are discussed. Next the changing policy context of UK higher education since the 1960s is examined. The paper then uses illustrations of perceptions of contemporary changes to changing expectations about the roles of academics in management roles in UK universities from a recent UK Economic and Social Research Council funded project on ‘New Managerialism and the Management of UK Universities’. Finally, using research and insider accounts of university management and governance from the 1960s onwards, the paper examines the extent to which so-called new forms of management of higher education may have predated the 1990s. It is suggested that whilst some elements of the management of universities remain intact (role titles, leadership of academics, oversight of teaching and research) from the 1960s and 1970s, radical policy changes from the 1980s onwards have meant that major shifts in what was expected of academics in management roles began in the early to mid-1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a brief summary of articles related to libraries and information science, published in several periodicals. Reports on an international video-conferencing forum hosted by the British Council on the role of libraries in bridging the digital divide. Purposed to report to IFLA, librarians from Canada, Great Britain, South Africa and India explored parallels between experience of the divide in the two hemispheres. Themes covered include a definition of the digital divide and training provision for librarians to address inequalities. There is over 20 years of accumulated cross-country evidence of the link between telecommunications provision and economic growth. Looking at micro-studies from a range of countries including Bangladesh, Botswana and Zimbabwe, there is also some evidence that provision of telephony has a dramatic effect on the income and quality of life of the rural poor. Information is a resource for development. It is vital for every aspect of personal and working lives. Libraries have traditionally been among the foremost repositories in the dissemination of information. But the ways in which they fulfil these roles are rapidly altered by modern technologies.

The absence of a formal code of ethics for librarians in Britain until 1983 meant that ethical values were passed on by example rather than precept. Increased interest in ethical issues in the 1970s, when the profession was seen as in crisis, resulted in discussions within the Library Association and a draft code was issued in 1981. Despite strong criticism of the draft, it became the basis of the formal Library Association code. It has seldom been tested as a disciplinary instrument. Renewed interest in ethical issues and the need for a Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) code, after the creation of the new organisation in 2002, have returned codes into the area of debate. It is suggested that a new code, rather than standing alone, might form part of a group of related codes from other organisations, all of which could be endorsed by CILIP. This would be intended to encourage ethical maturity in the profession, rather than simply acting as a basis for professional discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective --To determine what skills employers in the United Kingdom (U.K.) want from information professionals as revealed through their job advertisements. Design -- Content analysis, combining elements of both quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Orme describes it as "a descriptive non-experimental approach of content analysis" (62). Setting -- Data for this study were obtained from job advertisements in the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professional's (CILIP) Library and Information Gazette published from June 2006 through May 2007. Subjects -- A total of 180 job advertisements. Methods -- Job advertisements were selected using a random number generator, purposely selecting only 15 advertisements per first issue of each month of the Library and Information Gazette (published every two weeks). The author used several sources to create an initial list of skills required by information professionals, using such sources as prior studies that examined this topic, the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) database thesaurus, and personal knowledge. Synonyms for the skills were then added to the framework for coding. Skills that were coded had to be noted in such a way that the employer plainly stated the employee would be a certain skill or attribute or they were seeking a skill or a particular skill was essential or desirable. Skills that were stated in synonymous ways within the same advertisement were counted as two incidences of that skill. Duties for the position were not counted unless they were listed as a specific skill. Data were all coded by hand and then tallied. The author claims to have triangulated the results of this study with the literature review, the synonym ring used to prepare the coding framework, and a few notable studies. Main Results -- A wide variety of job titles was observed, including "Copyright Clearance Officer," "Electronic Resources and Training Librarian," and "Assistant Information Advisor." Employers represented private, school, and university libraries, as well as legal firms and prisons. Fifty-nine skills were found a total of 1,021 times across all of the advertisements. Each advertisement averaged 5.67 requirements. These skills were classified in four categories: professional, generic, personal, and experience. The most highly noted requirement was professional experience, noted 129 times, followed by interpersonal/communication skills (94), general computing skills (63), enthusiasm (48), and team-working skills (39). Professional skills were noted just slightly more than generic and personal skills in the top twenty skills found. Other professional skills that were highly noted were customer service skills (34), chartership (30), cataloguing/classification/metadata skills (25), and information retrieval skills (20). Some notable skills that occurred rarely included Web design and development skills (6), application of information technology in the library (5), and knowledge management skills (3). Conclusion -- Professional, generic, and personal qualities were all important to employers in the U.K.; however, without experience, possessing these qualities may not be enough for new professionals in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the professional organization Middle East Libraries Committee or MELCom in Great Britain. It states that the organization started in the second half of the 1960s in Great Britain following the expansion of Middle Eastern studies in the country. A report recommended the creation of an inter-university library committees to cover the needs of both scholars and students specializing in Middle Eastern studies.

This article discusses various International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) conferences and meetings, including the World Library and Information Congress 2007 in South Africa from August 19, 2007 to August 23, 2007, an international library trade exhibition in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and the 7th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurements in Libraries and Information Services.

Educationalists' and policymakers' curriculum work on digital literacy in England has overlooked the expertise of digital specialists such as information, IT and media professionals. Given the lack of evidence, this article draws on semi-structured interviews with experts in the United Kingdom, enhanced by a diary methodology and a conversational approach to the think aloud method, to explore how they engage with and evaluate online content. In doing so, it addresses what digital literacy entails and how to promote it across the national curriculum for England. It is argued that the ability to evaluate online content involves not only reflections on the nature and origin of information, contextual knowledge and the use of multiple sources, but also functional and critical digital skills and knowledge about the internet and the digital environment. Relatedly, it is argued that the Citizenship and Computing curricula should be revised to promote digital literacy as a cross-curricular subject. • This study explores how digital experts in the UK engage with and evaluate online content. • As a result, it reflects on what digital literacy entails and how to promote it across the national curriculum for England. • Digital literacy relies on reflections on information, contextual knowledge and the use of multiple sources. • In addition, it requires functional and critical digital skills and knowledge. • The Citizenship and Computing curricula should be revised to promote digital literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]