Week 12

My research question(s) have not changed since my SSHRC proposal.  Because of my background in social work, I am hardwired to recognize inequalities and work towards social justice.  I felt that if I were to move forward with this research proposal in real life, it would have to sit comfortably with the same values and practices I hold as a (former) social worker.

What became more obvious as I worked through this proposal are the many similarities between librarianship and social work.  This realization led me to grounding my research within the social work paradigm of Anti-Oppressive theory even though I could not find any literature applying this framework to librarianship.  This led me to proposing the fairly unorthodox method of participatory research as a layer to the qualitative survey and questionnaire design of my SSHRC proposal.
While participatory research is uncommon (possibly non-existent) in information science, my literature review as well as the principles of Anti-Oppressive social work research both pointed to the need for ground up involvement of people living with autism and other disabilities.

Although I have no intention of moving forward with research in my professional career, the importance of research is not lost on me.  Research shapes our lives in seemingly invisible ways and I'm confident that my classmates who move forward with research professionally will find new ways to expand our knowledge and improve the world around us.

Cheers INF1240!  It's been a slice :)

Week 11

Swimming (more like drowning...) in documents is an issue that I think crosses into most professions and is something that we can all understand.

It just so happens that my neurofeedback experience comes to mind this week again, as I was a key player in the documentation preservation process.  When I wasn't with clients, you could find me going through boxes of old files and inputting their contents into an excel spreadsheet.   Legally we are required to keep full client records on site for 10 years, at which point myself and other staff members would input the old file data into our computer and the files would be taken off site.

While all staff members were not required to, I would also keep a notebook of session notes for my personal reference.   Keeping a hardcopy notebook of sessions is best practice for social workers and it is something I try to keep up in my professional and academic activities.  

(Pro tip: you should all do it too.  It makes you look super professional and your memory is not as good as you think it is.)

I don't expect to produce anything as meaningful or interesting as Alexander Graham Bell, but on the off chance I do - those notebooks would be available for future generations to explore and admire. The more likely outcome will be the burning of those useless notebooks as they will contain no useful information at all.  

In my research proposal I'm looking at services and accessibility of TPL to the autistic community.  If I were actually conducting this research, I would keep a notebook of the process and I would input this data into a spreadsheet and/or other digital formats.  This would include notes on any interviews and phone calls to autism organizations in Toronto,  questionnaires/surveys (possibly even drafts), this blog and of course the data collected.  

I do think it's very important to preserve information, notes and data.  Obviously making them digital is a step in the right direction, but I don't think digital records/documents are a stable, stand alone resource.  That's because the technological future (as well as the future in general) is so uncertain. The best way to ensure preservation is to keep copies of documents and data in multiple formats and locations - including hard copies.

In my lifetime I have seen many forms of technology emerge and become obsolete (and I'm only 31). If the information contained in the documents/data is important enough, it will be updated to new formats for use with new technologies.   Additionally, I have learned that technology can be unreliable and is no substitute for actual papers and books.  Am I pessimistic Luddite?  Almost definitely, yes.  But I stand by my methods because when the power is out, my information is still accessible.

Week 10

I was having some trouble thinking of an experiment for this week and over the weekend my youngest cousin mentioned some of his friends have abandoned their smartphone for flip phones. This got me thinking about technology and how inescapable it is, especially for young people.

I worked for a while as a neurofeedback trainer. What is that you may ask?  Well, using the clients EEG (measured by placing electrodes on the person's head), we would target brain waves to increase/decrease and 'train' their brain to do so using visual and auditory cues, biofeedback (heart and breathing rates), and strategies taught to them during their sessions.  (If you want to know more about it, just drop me a line.  It's a pretty awesome process.)

Now the experiment I'm proposing here would be very expensive and time consuming.  So let's assume that I'm the richest woman in the world and I want nothing more than to improve the education process.  

I would select an average high school, and with the consent of all participants of course, I would have the students hooked up with electrodes, heart rate monitors and breathing monitors (it's really not as invasive as it sounds).  

At this school 2 classes would be randomly selected and I would record their baseline EEG and biofeedback.  Then the real fun begins!

One class would have students use only electronic devices for note taking/assignments (independent variable) and another class would exclusively use paper and pens for note taking/assignments (control).

The dependent variable would be the EEG and biofeedback data.  I think I can safely assume that the students who use electronic devices would should neurological and biological patterns indicating a decrease in focus from their baselines, whereas the control group will show equal or improved focus from their baselines overall. 

But I'm not insanely wealthy researcher, so I guess we'll never know for sure. 

Week 9

Personal identification documents are intriguing to me and I think they would provide a great deal of insight as to how we classify ourselves.  The complexities and variances of the human experience are endlessly interesting to me, and the evolution of personal identification, within Canada and abroad, tells both individual stories as well as a big picture of our societies.  

I would focus on the drivers license, even though the historical scope of study is more narrow than it would be with a birth certificate, it contains a goldmine of information that is irresistible!   
Thinking about when the car was invented (1886- according to wiki) the regulations about who could drive have changed dramatically over time.  The number of people with drivers licenses would show us things like affordability and prevalence of vehicles at any given moment in history.  The evolution of the ID would show us changes in what information was included, when photographs were first used and what types of cameras were used, where they were issued and so on.  How many licenses belonged to women and how does this data change among different countries?  

In addition to containing data that reflects the composition of our society and social issues over time, drivers licenses tells a part of the story of government policy, surveillance and technology. How has the way government classifies their citizens changed and why?  What were the first restrictions on driving and how have these policies evolved?  What materials have been used to make drivers licenses and what can these tell us about the economy, trade and environment?

I'm sure these questions could be answered in other ways, but using drivers licenses to answer them adds another dimension to our understanding of the world.  Plus, think about how many hilariously bad photos would be enjoyed in the process!

Week 8 - Research and Policy

Working in the public library system makes you keenly aware of how things like funding and policy shape your workplace and career.  The demand to quantify and prove your job worth through research and measurable outcomes has grown stronger in many fields, particularly ones that rely on government funding (ahem, libraries).  Which brings us to research.

Research is a wonderful means of expanding knowledge and strengthening/proving theories, However, when it comes to informing policy and budgets, the reliance on research can be inconsistent.  For example, the city of Toronto allocates a massive chunk of our budget to Toronto Police, despite decreased crime, internal corruption and a lack of accountability for how the funds are spent.  Whereas TPL must do survey weeks, record and manage data about library service use, while being handed a budget that does very little beyond maintaining the status quo and undervaluing the work we do.

I suppose my point here is that the research and data available is telling us that we don't need a stronger police presence, but it doesn't seem to play a part in the decisions being made by our government.  I could even go as far back as the early days of the Harper government's commitment to oil extraction, while ignoring the many scientific studies warning us that climate change is real and urgently needs our attention.  What good is good research if it's being ignored?

So that's what I've been thinking about in the research world lately.  Why yes, I am jaded.  Thank you for noticing.

Week 7: Fieldwork in the Field of Information

Fieldwork in the realm of information will probably be in libraries and online for the most part.  I don't think that means the researcher isn't 'getting their hands dirty', maybe it's just a different kind of dirt.  

I haven't had any research experience beyond proposal writing, but I do have extensive experience working in the public library system as well as with people who have special needs, including autism.  My observations at work are what led me to my research question because I noticed a discrepancy in services and use for a particular population.  I can't speak to settings of academic libraries, but in public libraries there are plenty of observable behaviours, interactions and patterns for fieldworkers to absorb.  

It's not helpful to apply a hierarchy of 'realness' to fieldwork because what is relevant to one researcher will inevitably be irrelevant to another.  The sentiment behind the challenges to go outside of the library and get your hands dirty, I think, is really about stepping outside of the literature to immerse yourself in your research question.  That can be done in libraries and in virtual spaces for information researchers, and it's just as valuable fieldwork as the dusty anthropologists sitting in the wilderness.

Week 6- Statistics

Statistics are perceived to be cut and dry facts, because numbers are objective, duh!  Except this is not always the case.  Numbers tell a story, but the kind of story they tell is not as objective as we like to think.  The information we extrapolate from data may depend on the answer we're actively looking for.

I find that statistical data is often taken at face value by the general public, which is alarming because not all data is created equal and there are cases of misleading or straight up fabricated statistics we see every day.

Did you know that 80% of dentists recommend Rosebrugh brand toothpaste?  Well, who are these dentists?  How did we find them?  Who did the research?  What wording was used in the questions that led us to this stat? (Obviously a fake stat, I do not own a toothpaste brand...yet...)

I felt I had to get that little rant out of the way before addressed the actual questions this week.

The truth is that I rely on statistics and find them very effective and illuminating.  The stories told in numbers that are the most impactful for me are ones that quantify inequality and oppression.  I think that's because it gives me a sort of tangible tool when discussing issues like racism, that can be invisible to those who are privileged enough for it to not be a part of their life experience.  For example, someone might argue that racism is no longer an issue.  Which is impossible to believe if you look at the statistical breakdown of how race impacts rates of incarceration, police violence, poverty etc.  (The lesson here is, don't try to argue with me unless you've done your research.)

One story around statistics that really taught me about the human story behind the numbers was shared with my first year sociology class.  My professor informed us that 18 years after Roe v. Wade, rates of crime in the United States had dropped significantly.  It wasn't because police were doing such an amazing job or people just didn't want to break the law anymore.
It was because children who are unwanted or who have parents unable to provide them with proper care have an increased likelihood of being involved in criminal activity, which tends to be around 18 years of age.  Because women had the right to choose, their unwanted children weren't born and weren't exposed to the risk factors leading to criminal activity.
The crime rate data 18 years after Roe v. Wade had a very interesting human story behind the numbers that has stuck with me 10 years later.

Week 4 - Lesley Rosebrugh draws a bedraggled daisy.

Believe it or not, this is the best of my numerous attempts at drawing a bedraggled daisy.
I thought to myself,  "I'm a reasonably capable adult and can probably knock this daisy out in no time!  How hard could it be to draw 8 interconnecting ovals?"
8 grotesque daisies later...

I see the value in Luker's (2008) exercise and I understand people find visualizing concepts to be helpful.
Personally, it didn't do much for me (other than remind me of how I almost failed art that one year...)

When researching a subject, I will make lists of key words and variances of those words (for search engines that shun truncation *shakes fist*) and use a variety of combinations until I find what I'm looking for.  If I were to actually input all of these terms into the daisy format, it would be an indiscernible tangle of madness.  Luckily, I had already gone through the process of searching for literature related to my research question and had a paired down list of key word combos that got me to my sources (Toronto didn't really help me to be honest).

There's got to be a better way than the bedraggled daisy for us to visually organize the intersecting subjects of our research questions.  Maybe some kind of colour coded web of lines?  That might only take me 3 or 4 tries :)

Week 3 - Quiz Result (Lesley)

According the quiz, my epistemology is that of the wonderful Patricia Hill Collins (<3).

I'm certainly not surprised with my results, as my entire undergraduate degree was spent learning about oppression and inequalities (while reading my share of Collins) from a marxist-feminist informed anti-oppressive perspective.  It is my understanding that each person's life experience is shaped by their social identity, creating multiple realities and truths co-existing in the same social space.  I could not agree more with the sentiment that we cannot gain a complete understanding of our world without the inclusion of each of these varied personal truths.

In terms of research, I feel comfortable with critical theory and it's a fitting framework to examine the role of public libraries in the community.  My research question (which is still in the works) is going to look at what may be some obstacles to accessing library services that result in certain marginalized populations being underserved.

Week 2 - Lesley

It's difficult for me to say what area I'm interested in researching, because I don't have much interest in research in general - or at least not conducting research of my own.  However, I may indeed stumble upon a question during this exercise, so let's give it a go!

I've been working for TPL for over ten years and I enjoy working in the system.  I did my undergraduate degree in social work and aside from having difficulty finding a full time job in the field, I realized that I am too prone to burnout to make a career as a social worker.
Luckily for me, librarians and social workers have many overlapping skills and interests.  I read an article about a library (possibly on the west coast?) hiring a resident social worker.  Having social workers in the public library system makes a lot of sense to me.  Public libraries are used by a hugely diverse population and many people who come in to their local branch need assistance that goes beyond what librarians can offer.  I've noticed that the role of a librarian is shifting to include more elements of community engagement and outreach.  There are also many staff training programs at TPL to address things like: disability service, safe space, mental health, LGTB service and so on.
While I think that librarians (as well as pretty much every human being) should absolutely be well equipped to provide quality service to all individuals, I wonder if maybe our role as information professionals is becoming diluted?  There might be a research question in there somewhere.

I also have some interest in how well equipped we are, at TPL and elsewhere, to meet the rising demand of home library services.  As the child of baby boomers, I am well aware of this massive chunk of our population getting older every year (as people do with the passage of time).  There will be more people unable to physically come into their local libraries and we have a responsibility to ensure our materials and services are available to them.  Are home library services prepared for a considerable increase in use?  Do we have the funding and the staff?

Do I have a research question?  Not yet, but I feel like I'm getting closer!