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Purpose: This research investigates the presence of communitarian philosophy within contemporary Scottish public library strategy, exploring links between philosophy, politics and practice. Design/methodology/approach: The paper follows a qualitative research approach, combining content analysis and discourse analysis methodologies for the analysis of a corpus of Scottish public library trust documentation according to a thematic framework of communitarian values. Findings: The analysis revealed strong links between trust strategy and communitarian values but also highlighted contradictions within this form of communitarianism which belied a deeper neoliberal philosophical foundation. The research therefore identified a communitarian strategic service shift which introduced benefits of social inclusion, community autonomy and common good but also brought concerns of an inherently weakened communal foundation and the survival of a neoliberal status quo. Research limitations/implications: The analysis is focused on strategy in Scotland only and thus can only claim to be representative of that country. However, the growth in communitarian strategies in the public sector is informed from the analysis undertaken. Practical implications: The paper provides a novel analysis of public library strategy and thus contributes to the understanding of public library practice in the modern era. Social implications: The impacts of communitarian philosophy in the public sphere are under-researched and how these changes impact the mission of libraries needs to be better understood. Originality/value: This is the first analysis to consider public library strategy from a communitarian point of view. As such, it provides novel insights into a growing area of public service development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research explored the storytelling (collection, curation and use) in the Cabrach, a remote Scottish glen. This study aims to capture the methodological process of storytelling and curation of heritage knowledge through the lens of the Cabrach's whisky distilling history, a central part of the area's cultural heritage, tangible and intangible. This research was conceptualised as "telling the story of telling the story of the Cabrach". It was concerned with how the history, heritage, historiography and testimony associated with the parish could be harvested, made sense of and subsequently used. Design/methodology/approach: The study was epistemological in nature and the research was concerned with how heritage knowledge is gathered, curated and understood. It was built around the collection of knowledge through expert testimony from Colin Mackenzie and Alan Winchester, who have extensively researched aspects of life in the Cabrach. This was done using a series of theme-based but free-flowing conversational workshop involving participants and research team. Issues of trust and authority in the research team were crucial. Data were recorded, transcribed and coded. A conceptual model for heritage storytelling in the Cabrach was developed together with a transferable version for other contexts. Findings: The research was conceived around identifying the stories of the Cabrach and grouping them into cohesive narrative themes focused on the most important aspect of the glen's history (the development of malt whisky distilling). The research showed how all crucial narratives associated with the Cabrach were interconnected with that malt whisky story. It was concerned with identifying broad thematic narratives rather than the specific detailed stories themselves, but also from a methodological perspective how stories around those themes could be collected, curated and used. It presents the outcome of "expert testimony" oral history conversations and presents a conceptual model for the curation of heritage knowledge. Practical implications: This paper reports on research which focuses on the confluence of those issues of heritage-led regeneration, intangible cultural heritage, as well as how stories of and from, about and for, a distinctive community in North-East Scotland can be collected, curated and displayed. It presents methodological conceptualisations as well as focused areas of results which can be used to create a strong and inclusive narrative to encapsulate the durable sense of place and support the revival of an economically viable and sustainable community. Social implications: This conceptual model offers a framework with universal elements (Place, People, Perception) alongside a strong core narrative of storytelling. That core element may vary but the outer elements remain the same, with people and place being omnipresent and the need to build an emotional or visceral connection with visitors being crucial, beyond "telling stories" which might be regarded as parochial or narrowly focused. The model informs how communities and heritage organisations tell their stories in an authentic and proportionate manner. This can help shape and explain cultures and identities and support visitors' understanding of, and connection with, places they visit and experience. Originality/value: The originality lies in two principal areas, the exploration of the narratives of a singularly distinctive community – the Cabrach – which plays a disproportionately significant role in the development of malt whisky distilling in Scotland; and also in terms of the methodological approach to the collection and curation of heritage storytelling, drawing not on first-hand accounts as in conventional oral history approaches but through the expert testimony of two historical and ethnographic researchers. The value is demonstrating the creation of a conceptual model which can be transferred to other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper investigates the information behaviour of creative DJs, a group previously not considered from the perspective of information studies. The practice of DJing is a musically creative process, where a performance can draw on a vast range of music to create a unique listening and dancing experience. The authors study what are the information behaviour processes involved in creative DJing and what roles embodied information play in DJing practice. Design/methodology/approach: From a set of semi-structured interviews with 12 experienced DJs in Scotland, UK, that were subjected to inductive thematic analysis, the authors present a model of how DJs undergo the process of planning, performing and evaluating a DJ performance. Findings: From this study, a model of creative DJs' information behaviour is presented. This three-stage model describes the information behaviours and critical factors that influence DJs' planning, decision-making and verification during the pre-performance, performance and post-performance stages, with particular emphasis on DJs' performances as a rich site of embodied information interactions. Originality/value: This research provides insight into a new activity in information behaviour, particularly in the use of embodied information, and presents a model for the information behaviour of creative DJs. This opens the way for future studies to consider minorities within the activity, the audience as opposed to the performer, as well as other creative activities where physicality and performance are central. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a study that explored human behaviour in response to political "facts" presented online by political parties in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach: The study consisted of interactive online interviews with 23 citizens in North-East Scotland, in the run-up to the 2017 UK General Election. Findings: Participants demonstrated cognitive and critical responses to facts but little affective reaction. They judged facts swiftly and largely intuitively, providing evidence that facts are frequently consumed, accepted or rejected without further verification processes. Users demonstrated varying levels of engagement with the information they consume, and subject knowledge may influence the extent to which respondents trust facts, in previously unanticipated ways. Users tended to notice facts with which they disagreed and, in terms of prominence, particularly noted and responded to facts which painted extremely negative or positive pictures. Most acknowledged limitations in capacity to interrogate facts, but some were delusionally confident. Originality/value: Relatively little empirical research has been conducted exploring the perceived credibility of political or government information online. It is believed that this and a companion study are the first to have specifically investigated the Scottish political arena. This paper presents a new, exploratory fact interrogation model, alongside an expanded information quality awareness model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Organisational culture and leadership, employee skills and aptitudes, access to resources, and training are regularly cited as important determinants of the development of innovative work behaviour (IWB). The purpose of the work reported in this paper was to investigate a further set of possible determinants of the development of IWB: those that are information-related. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed methods approach was adopted. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by questionnaire, interview and focus groups in three large public sector case study organisations in Scotland, Finland and England. Findings: A set of information-related determinants of the development of IWB is evidenced, adding to the list of determinants that are already well documented. Notably workplace information literacy (IL) appears to furnish a bridge between determinants of the development of IWB and workplace learning. Originality/value: That information-related determinants may be valuable to the development of IWB has not previously merited specific consideration, nor been recognised, in the wider IWB literature. The identification of these determinants in this research should encourage researchers and professionals beyond the domain of information science to pay serious attention to IL. This is particularly important in respect of the role of workplace IL in processes that lead to new knowledge creation and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine issues associated with user engagement on social media with local history in the North East of Scotland and to focus on a case study of the Buckie and District Fishing Heritage Society, a small but very successful and professionally-run community-based local heritage organisation.Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach using photo elicitation on social media was deployed in conjunction with analysis of the user interactions and the reach insights provided by Facebook to the page manager. Additionally, a focus group was used.Findings The research, although focussed on an individual case study, offers significant lessons which are more widely applicable in the local history and cultural heritage social media domain. Key aspects include user engagement and how digital storytelling can assist in the documentation of local communities ultimately contributing to local history research and the broader cultural memory. The significance of the image and the photo elicitation methodology is also explored.Social implications The research demonstrates new opportunities for engaging users and displaying historical content that can be successfully exploited by community heritage organisations. These are themes which will be developed within the paper. The research also demonstrates the value of photo elicitation in both historical and wider information science fields as a means of obtaining in-depth quality engagement and interaction with users and communities.Originality/value The research explored the underutilised method of photo elicitation in a local history context with a community possessed of a strong sense of local identity. In addition to exploring the benefits of this method, it presents transferable lessons for how small, community-based history and heritage organisation can engage effectively with their audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although social networks are considered influential to employment outcomes, little is known about the behavioural manifestation of networking during job search. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of networking amongst 16–24 year old active jobseekers living in Scotland. Design/methodology/approach: A sequential, mixed methods approach was applied to gather data, including interviews (no. of participants=7), a focus group (no. of participants=6) and a survey questionnaire (no. of participants=558). The study design was underpinned by a prominent model from the field of Information Science. As such, job search networking has been treated as an information behaviour. Findings: The findings show that young people acquire different types of information from network contacts throughout job search, and that frequent networking is associated with positive outcomes. This is especially true of engaging with family members, acquaintances and employers. However, barriers such as a lack of confidence or awareness mean that few young people make the most of their social contacts when seeking work. Practical implications: Careers professionals can use this knowledge to advise clients on maximising the potential of social networks as sources of job search information. Originality/value: A key contribution of this work is that it provides a detailed insight into a topic that has been neglected in previous studies: that of the process of job search networking as an information behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore theoretically and empirically the concept of workplace information literacy (IL) and its connections to knowledge management (KM), and to examine the applicability of the mainstream institutional IL frameworks (American Library Association, The Australian and New Zealand Institute for IL, The Society of College, National and University Libraries, The UK Chartered Institute of Library Professionals, etc.) to the workplace environment. Design/methodology/approach - Phenomenographic study of conceptions of effective information use of frontline staff at NHS24, which are discussed with respect to organizational characteristics of NHS Scotland and against the background of the two theoretical concepts: KM and IL. Findings - The paper shows that the main institutional IL frameworks do not properly reflect some important ways in which information is used by participants in the study, particularly the use of people as information sources and the social sense making and interpretation of the value of information and its application in the workplace environment. Research limitations/implications - The results from this qualitative study of a small population can be useful inasmuch as they highlight characteristics of workplace IL that may be relevant in several organizational settings, as well as presenting a critical analysis of the IL frameworks developed by librarians in regard to their applicability to workplace settings. Practical implications - The paper highlights the importance of developing organization-specific guidelines for IL development, endorsing views of learning and information use grounded in socio-constructive perspectives and a consideration of context as situated practice. Originality/value - This is an original research study conducted as part of a PhD qualification which has contributed to further the understanding of workplace IL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to report on a research designed to find out how people in Scotland access and use online health information. Design/methodology/approach - It is based on a survey of two sets of population in Glasgow - a group of 64 users from the general public and a group of 24 post graduate students from a university in Glasgow. Findings - Use of the Internet for health information was found to be much lower in Scotland than in the previous UK studies particularly those using online surveys. It was noted that people searched online health information for themselves, family and friends. Healthy eating, exercise and alternative medicine were the most commonly sought topics. Approximately half the survey participants felt online health information influenced their treatment. Originality/value - The study incorporates both Internet users and non-users, as well as proficient internet users, and therefore provides a more balanced view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]