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News from the Department of Information Science (formerly SIM)

Category: Faculty

Students & Faculty: Call for Submissions to the Partnership Journal

Partnership, Canada’s open access journal for library practitioners, welcomes submissions for the next issue.

This is an excellent opportunity to share your research or your perspective on any topic relevant to library and information sciences that would be of interest to our readers.

  • Have you attended or presented at a conference? The Conference Spotlight section invites articles based on presentations at Canadian library or library-related conferences. The article may be based on a presentation or poster presented at a conference and transformed into an engaging article by the conference presenter(s). Or, it may be a personal reflection on the theme of a conference you attended.
  • Getting close to graduating? The Professional Development section is looking for submissions to this question: What was the most useful thing you learned during your library education?
  • We are also accepting articles for peer-review, as well as book reviews, and first-person view points.

The submission deadline for the next issue is: October 2, 2015 (with some flexibility!).

A full description of the journal’s section policies, the online submission process and author guidelines are available at:

https://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/perj/about#.VaQCzU3bJ9A

If you have any questions about the submission process or would like to discuss an article for future publication, please contact:

Robin Bergart
Editor-in-Chief
rbergart@uoguelph.ca
519 824 4120 ext 54094
 
 

Research Roundup – Summer edition

As we look forward to the new school year and our new and returning students it is a good time to update all on the range of conferences SIM Faculty have participated in this summer.  While not a complete list, here are some of the highlights of the impact of SIM in our community, across Canada and Internationally. Join us for the Beyond the Classroom session during Orientation week to hear more about our research projects and passions.

Dr. Vivian Howard

Dr. Vivian Howard’s conference travel began with a trip to Australia, where she arrived in time for the first day of winter, a balmy 21 degrees in Perth. Dr. Howard gave a talk at the State Library of Western Australia, focusing on her research into the role of pleasure reading in creating social community.  This talk was organized by former SIM students Yusuke (Ishimura) and Megan Fitzgibbons (class of 2007) who are now living and working in Perth.  Dr. Howard then flew to the east coast for the Digital Humanities Conference at the University of Western Sydney, where she presented on the Sea Stacks website (https://seastacks.lib.unb.ca/) and her research into Atlantic Canadian children’s authors and illustrators.  Dr. Howard returned to Nova Scotia just in time to travel to Wolfville, where she was one of the organizers of the 9th Thomas Raddall Symposium at Acadia University, an exploration of Child, Youth, and Place in Atlantic Canadian Literature.   Dr.

Dr. Keith Lawson

Dr. Lawson presented a paper at Congress 2015 in Ottawa (Canadian Society for Digital Humanities) on mobile apps and the sense of place. Museums and other memory institutions have undergone a fundamental shift from being primarily presenters of objects to being providers of experiences that offer visitors opportunities for individual meaning making and narrative creation. Dr. Lawson’s research brings together perspectives from the ideas of Michael de Certeau, tourism studies, game studies, and mobile interface theory to examine how museums or archives can present digital objects—texts, images, audio and video—through mobile applications and create an experience of place, both individual places and larger narrative spaces joining a number of places.

Dr. Bertrum MacDonald

Two members of the Environmental Information: Use and Influence research team, James Ross and Dr. Bertrum MacDonald, presented the paper “The Generation and Regeneration of Scientific Literature: The Case of State of the Environment Reports” at the 23rd international conference of the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading, and Publishing in Montreal on 9 July. Presented in a session on “Generating and Regenerating Scientific Communication,” this paper drew on recent research by the EIUI program, particularly case studies of The 2009 State of Nova Scotia’s Coast Report, the State of the Gulf of Maine Report, and the State of the Scotian Shelf Report. More information on this conference and their other activities are available on the EIUI website:  http://eiui.ca/.

Dr. Lori McCay-Peet

In June, Lori McCay-Peet had a paper and poster presented at the Canadian Association for Information Science (CAIS) in Ottawa on exploratory search in digital libraries while in July a work-in-progress paper on interdisciplinary teams in social media research was presented at the Social Media & Society Conference in Toronto.

Dr. Mike Smit

SIM professor Dr. Mike Smit delivered a talk this past week on Open Data and Open Government to an interesting (and interested!) audience: the Commonwealth Hansard Editors Association and the Hansard Association of Canada’s annual conference, which is taking place in Halifax this week. In most parliamentary systems, the Hansard Office is responsible for parliamentary reporting, capturing verbatim (or near verbatim) records of what elected representatives say in their parliament. Dr. Smit’s teaching and research interests include Open Data and its role in civic society, particularly how we move from Open Data to open, usable, accessible information. “The Hansard is one of the earliest examples of governments making democratic data and information widely available to the public, so it’s an honor to speak with this audience about the relationship between parliamentary reports and Open Data,” says Dr. Smit. “I’ve always admired the dedication editors have to the accuracy of their record; they should inspire everyone to strive for accuracy and context when trying to realize the value of open data.”

Dr. Sandra Toze

SIM Interim Director Dr. Sandra Toze took part in a lively panel discussion on Transforming Digital Governance at the IPAC 2015 conference in Halifax this past Monday.  Along with fellow Digital Governance Partnership members Dr. Davide Cargnello, Chief Research Officer at the Institute on Governance, Dr. Evert Lindquist, Professor of Public Administration at the University of Victoria, Dr. Jeffrey Roy – Professor of Public Administration at Dalhousie University and Maryantonett Flumian- President of the Institute on Governance the group highlighted their work to date to explore the historic challenges and opportunities facing governing institutions in the digital era.Dr. Toze focused on the critical question of information governance focusing how processes and culture needs to evolve to allow us to fully harness the power of digital information. The relationship between information, power and accountability are being renegotiated.  To move forward we need information leaders who are focused on enabling information flows within and between departments, as well as between governments and citizens, while protecting privacy and ensuring security.

SIM Welcomes Dr. Lori McCay-Peet

Faculty Profile_Lori McCay-PeetThe School of Information Management is pleased to welcome Dr. Lori McCay-Peet, who is joining us in a limited term position as of August 1st, 2015.

Dr. Lori McCay-Peet has an interdisciplinary PhD (Management and Computer Science), MLIS, BA (History), and Diploma in Costume Studies from Dalhousie University. Dr. McCay-Peet has been postdoctoral fellow at the University of Western Ontario in the SocioDigital Lab, interned at Yahoo! Research in Barcelona, and earned a SSHRC Joseph-Armand Bombardier Doctoral Scholarship and the Thomson Reuters Information Science Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Scholarship for her PhD work. Her research focuses on new and emerging media such as social media and examines topics such as the information-rich phenomenon of serendipity, user engagement, and scholarly communication. Dr. McCay-Peet’s research interests lie in a) understanding how and why people use new and emerging media and to what effect, and b) applying this knowledge to improve these technologies. She has published and presented her research in several information science and computer science publications and venues including the Journal of the Association of Information Science and Technology, Information Research, Information Processing and Management, and the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems.

When she’s not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter in Dartmouth, paddling (sprint kayak and war canoe), and walking her chocolate labradoodle.

 

SIM researcher on NSHRF‑funded team to study health‑related social media

Dr. Vivian Howard, Associate Professor in the School of Information Management, is part of an interdisciplinary team that was recently awarded a Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF) Development/Innovative Grant. The project, entitled “Developing a Method for Studying Online Health Information Sharing over Social Media” will develop, apply and evaluate a novel approach for describing the type and content of health-related social media posts and to examine how this information is being shared over social media. The team consists of Dr. Christine Chambers (principal investigator, Dalhousie), Dr. Penny Corkum (IWK Health Sciences Centre), Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd (Ryerson) and doctoral student Michelle Tougas. Congratulations, Dr. Howard!

SIM Researchers Receive SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Awards

A number of SIM students and faculty received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to conduct knowledge synthesis projects that will answer the question: What new ways of learning, particularly in higher education, will Canadians need to thrive in an evolving society and labour market?

1. Faculty member, Joyline Makani and MLIS graduate (2015), Alieda Blandford for their work on the project “Strengthening Deeper Learning through Virtual Teams in E-Learning: A Synthesis of Determinants and Best Practices”.

2. Faculty member, Mike Smit, MLIS student Chantel Ridsdale, and MLIS graduate (2015) James Rothwell for their work on the project “Strategies and Best Practices for Data Literacy Education”.

Read the full story here.

Congratulations to all on this wonderful accomplishment!

Dr. Sandra Toze Appointed as Interim Director, School of Information Management

Public Lecture_Sandra Toze (200w)Please join us in congratulating our own Dr. Sandra Toze, who will be stepping into the role of Interim Director for SIM, effective July 1st!

Formal announcement from Peggy Cunningham, Dean of the Faculty of Management:

I am pleased to announce the appointment, subject to the approval of the Board of Governors and based on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee for this search, of Dr. Sandra Toze to the position of Interim Director of the School of Information Management for the period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.  Sandra brings 14 years of experience as an Information Management professional in the Financial and Professional Services industries as well as an academic background in Information Management, Library Science and Political Science. The multidisciplinary perspective afforded by such experience is a major asset to our Faculty.

Sandra has a strong teaching record and a growing research and grant portfolio. She knows the School of Information Management and its students well, having been a faculty member for the last 12 years teaching in all of the programs the School supports (the Bachelor of Management, Master of Information Management and Master of Library and Information Studies).

With her passion for collaboration and knowledge-based work, I am confident that she will build on the strong foundation established by Louise Spiteri and all of the School’s faculty and staff. In addition to focusing on the Faculty’s mission of values-led management, Sandra has a articulated the areas she and the SIM will focus on over the year: development of an aggressive plan to recruit top students, building on the School’s research successes, reviewing and adapting curricula to ensure ongoing relevance, and seeking even more ways to collaborate with the other Schools in the Faculty of Management and the University.

Please join me on congratulating Sandra on this appointment and thank her for her willingness to serve in this important role.

Faculty posting: School of Information Management

School of Information Management 
Dalhousie University 
Assistant Professor of Information Management 

The Dalhousie School of Information Management (SIM) seeks a dynamic and innovative colleague to join our team. SIM invites applications for a probationary tenure-track appointment at the rank of Assistant Professor commencing January 1, 2016 (negotiable). 

This position combines teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities. The School seeks candidates with a strong interest in, and capacity for, interdisciplinary research. Candidates will be expected to teach in at least two of the programs at the graduate or undergraduate levels. Professional information management experience will be an asset. 

The successful candidate will have a PhD at or near completion in information management or in a related discipline, with expertise in one or more of the following areas: 

• Data management: curation, preservation, and visualization 
• Data analytics 
• Information risk management 
• New and emerging media 
• Organizational learning, collaboration, and knowledge management 

The School of Information Management offers two graduate programs and contributes to a collaboratively-delivered undergraduate program. At the graduate level, SIM offers the American Library Association-accredited Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) program, and the mid-career blended learning Master of Information Management (MIM) program. At the undergraduate level, the School provides core and elective courses in the Bachelor of Management program, notably in the Knowledge Management major. The School also participates in Dalhousie’s Interdisciplinary PhD program. 

SIM is part of the Faculty of Management, which has a unique commitment to values-based management and interdisciplinary research and learning. Thus, the successful candidate will have opportunities to work with like-minded colleagues in the sister schools within the Faculty: the Rowe School of Business, the School of Public Administration, and the School for Resource and Environmental Studies. 

Dalhousie University is one of Canada’s leading teaching and research universities with four professional faculties, a Faculty of Graduate Studies, and a diverse complement of graduate programs. Inter-faculty collaborative and interactive research is encouraged, as is cooperation in teaching. Dalhousie University inspires students, faculty, staff and alumni to make significant contributions regionally, nationally, and to the world. Dalhousie is located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Halifax is a vibrant, capital city and is the business, academic, and medical centre for Canada’s east coast. 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Dalhousie University is an Employment Equity/Affirmative Action employer. The University encourages applications from qualified Aboriginal people, persons with a disability, racially visible persons, and women. 

Applicants should send a curriculum vitae, copies of previous teaching evaluations, a statement of teaching interests, and a statement of research interests to Ms. Miriam Breslow, Room 3060, Faculty of Management, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, Dalhousie University, 6100 University Avenue, PO Box 15000, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, B3H 4R2, no later than June 15, 2015. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. 

Part time academic posting: INFO 6070 Reading & Reading Practices

Posting Date:  April 24, 2015

Application Deadline:   May 8, 2015

Position:  Part-Time Academic

Department/Location:  School of Information Management

Pay Rate:  In accordance with CUPE Collective Agreement

 

Work Assignment:

INFO 6070 – Reading and Reading Practices

The part-time academic will teach the elective course INFO 6070 Reading and Reading Practices in the Master of Library and Information Studies program during the 2016 Winter term.  The course is scheduled for one 3 hour period per week, January – April 2016.

The candidate should be a graduate in Library and Information Studies, Information Management, or cognate discipline.  Prior teaching experience will be an asset and some professional experience in readers’ services, or a cognate area will be helpful.

The Instructor reports to the Director of the School.  Duties include, but are not limited to:

Responsibility for all aspects of teaching and administering the course, including lectures, active learning class sessions, assignment preparation and evaluation; availability for two hours per week for consultation with students.

If you are interested in this position, please apply in writing by the deadline to:

Kim Humes

School of Information Management

Dalhousie University

6100 University Avenue

PO Box 15000

Halifax, NS B3H 3J5

sim@dal.ca

 

All offers of employment as a part-time academic are conditional upon sufficient student enrolment in the courses and approval by the University.

Dalhousie University is an Employment Equity/Affirmative Action employer.  The University encourages applications from qualified Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, racially visible persons, and women.

 

Part time academic posting: INFO 6370 Records Management

Posting Date:  April 24, 2015

Application Deadline:   May 8, 2015

Position:  Part-Time Academic

Department/Location:  School of Information Management

Pay Rate:  In accordance with CUPE Collective Agreement

Work Assignment:

INFO 6370 – Records Management

The part-time academic will teach the elective course INFO 6370 Records Management in the Master of Library and Information Studies program during the 2016 Winter term.  The course is scheduled for one 3 hour period per week, January – April 2016.

The candidate should be a graduate in Library and Information Studies, Information Management, or cognate discipline.  Prior teaching experience will be an asset and some professional experience in records management or a cognate area will be helpful.

The Instructor reports to the Director of the School.  Duties include, but are not limited to:

Responsibility for all aspects of teaching and administering the course, including lectures, active learning class sessions, assignment preparation and evaluation; availability for two hours per week for consultation with students.

If you are interested in this position, please apply in writing by the deadline to:

Kim Humes

School of Information Management

Dalhousie University

6100 University Avenue

PO Box 15000

Halifax, NS B3H 3J5

sim@dal.ca

 

All offers of employment as a part-time academic are conditional upon sufficient student enrolment in the courses and approval by the University.

Dalhousie University is an Employment Equity/Affirmative Action employer.  The University encourages applications from qualified Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, racially visible persons, and women.

 

SIM Directorship

Dear colleagues, alumni and students,

Louise Spiteri is completing her term as the Director of the School of Information Management on June 30th, 2015 and will be taking her well-deserved administrative leave during the 2015-2016 academic year. She will return to her role as an Associate Professor in the School upon the completion of her leave. Louise leaves the school on a strong footing and many important projects have been completed under her leadership and with the support of her strong team of faculty and staff. Most importantly is the successful re-accreditation of the MLIS program by the American Library Association for the full term of seven years. Louise and the SIM faculty also developed and have successfully implemented the strategic plan designed for the period 2012-2015. The School now has a strong social media presence utilizing tools like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and the SIMCast blog. The MLIS program has stable enrollment and the MIM program has grown by 125% since 2010. New faculty and staff have joined the school during Louise’s tenure. Outreach continues to be important for the School and our many stakeholders have been engaged to provide insight on program design and efforts for on-going improvement. The Summer Shine Series, designed to give MLIS interns working at Dalhousie libraries an opportunity to present their internship projects, was launched along with the SIM sponsored Toronto Startup program. In addition to her many research interests which span important areas like information privacy, user-generated metadata, the education needs of cataloguers; and knowledge organization systems, Louise has many personal passions including choral singing and animal rights which I know will keep her very busy over her leave. We wish to thank Louise for her many contributions and hard work over the last five years.

We are beginning the search for an Acting Director. We delayed the processes to some degree in the hope that a new Dean would be named for the Faculty of Management. Since the Dean search is still on-going, we thought the best line of action would be to seek an Acting Director who will work to ensure that the School continues along its current positive trajectory.

Yours truly
Peggy

Peggy Cunningham, PhD
R.A. Jodrey Chair
Dean, Faculty of Management
Dalhousie University

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