Abstract

The 22nd Annual SIG-USE Research Symposium is focused on the human side of information research. This includes, but is not limited to: supporting each other through our work as information researchers; human resilience as an information phenomenon; and the human body as an instrument for research. This symposium is an opportunity for information researchers to share their experience and support like minded others in the field. Primary goals include: facilitating information exchange among scholars and information professionals, serving as a space for emerging scholars and professionals to engage critically with the field, and providing feedback on preliminary work and works-in-progress.

Introduction

Humans are highly social and emotional beings, and times of global crisis can have deep and lasting impacts on our lives. The lingering, but slowly dissipating, COVID-19 pandemic shifted the way that we do many things in our everyday lives. This symposium seeks to encourage discussion around the human side of information research, especially during times of great change and global crisis. We invite participants interested in questions such as: How do we collect research in uncertain times? How do we adapt to the needs of our participants? How can our bodies be instruments for data collection? How can our research create meaningful change?

Subtopics and Themes

Innovation and Change: The field of information science has grown and shifted rapidly over the past several decades, and has experienced exponential change due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic (Tang et al., 2021). This global crisis has had “devastating repercussions” on educational institutions and how they train and support their students - which includes LIS programs (Poole & Zhang, 2021, p. 315). This theme seeks to ask how we can adapt and change for the better as a field, especially in difficult times.

Ethics and Integrity: Information research often takes place on a spectrum of mixed methods. Every approach brings with it unique challenges for ensuring that research is done ethically and with integrity (Barriage et al., 2016). This theme encourages presentations on how we as information researchers and professionals can maintain a commitment to ethical standards, especially during times of global crisis and change.

In-person vs. Online Interaction: Even before the onset of the recent pandemic, studies have illustrated that our online and offline relationships can be intertwined and build upon each other (Xie, 2007, 2008). This theme is meant to encourage submissions that tease out the unique interplay between our embodied and digital social interactions during times of crisis and change.

Human Body-as-Information: Our embodied experiences in the world are full of information - from the  smelling and tasting of food (Hartel, 2006; Ocepek, 2018) to the sensations we feel within our own bodies (Chen, 2015). This theme seeks to consider how the human body can be a site of data collection in information research.

REFERENCES

Barriage, S., Buente, W., Greifeneder, E., Greyson, D., Kitzie, V., Morales, M., & Todd, R. (2016). Ethical tensions in research: The influence of metatheoretical orientation on research ethics. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 53(1), 1–3. 

Chen, A. T. (2015). Body-as-information: Learning to listen to the body in the context of chronic illness. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 52(1), 1–4. 

Hartel, J. (2006). Information activities and resources in an episode of gourmet cooking. Information Research, 12(1).

Ocepek, M. G. (2018). Sensible Shopping: A Sensory Exploration of the Information Environment of the Grocery Store. Library Trends, 66(3), 371–394.

Poole, A. H., & Zhang, J. (2021). “It makes me sad”: Archival Pedagogy in a Time of Covid-19. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 58(1), 315–326.

Tang, R., Mehra, B., Du, J. T., & Zhao, Y. (Chris). (2021). Framing a discussion on paradigm shift(s) in the field of information. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 72(2), 253–258.

Xie, B. (2007). Using the Internet for Offline Relationship Formation. Social Science Computer Review, 25(3), 396–404.

Xie, B. (2008). The mutual shaping of online and offline social relationships. Information Research: An International Electronic Journal, 13(3), 1–18.