Pam McKinney liveblogs: This session reported on a collaborative study by Andy Lacey with the Spires homeless centre in London. There are 270,000 homeless people in the UK, but there are many types of homeless people and lots of stereotypes. Discussion took place with Spires to work out what an information focused project could look like, and how the charity could support information use. Some information needs are not different from the main community, but needs may be more acute. There has been limited research on information practices of the homeless, and much is based in the US and is over 10 years old.
The research objectives for the study were to explore how the lived reality of homelessness shapes information practices, how embodied information practices factor, and the role of the Spires charity in this space. For many people problem centred information seeking involves easy to find information sources. Trusted social sources are preferred over the internet or books for homeless people. Homeless people have less access to recognised information sources, and a reduced pool of social information sources. There’s been little research into how homeless people share information with each other. Homeless support services are not recognised as information providers in the research literatur, even though they play a significant role in giving useful information to homeless people.
This was a small scale study, but the data was very rich. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and a thematic analysis took place. There were multiple ways that participants found information. Sharing information socially was really important, particularly for the rough sleepers. Accessing information through conversation was important, and friends and family were trusted to provide accurate information. Participants would use different strategies to manage information, for example drawing information maps and pictures to help them remember key information. Information was posted on a fridge door to help with remembering it.
Embodied knowledge is a little ambiguous, but means information gathered from the body, or shared through the body. Rough sleepers gathered and shared embodied information. Presenting oneself as a dangerous or aggressive was an important self-protective practice. Observing others being attacked was an important lesson in how to behave. The Spires centre acted as an information provider, and signpost toward more information, and staff would support the development of people's information practices. Many users had negative experiences with statutory services such as the police meant they lacked trust. A process of resilience building helps establish a relationship, and then staff could more easily support information giving.
Lifelong learning for very socially deprived people or those with complex needs through the public library is not always appropriate. Spires staff have specialist information knowledge, but basic human needs for food and warmth have to be met before information needs can be addressed. Trust was an important aspect of the study, both with the social circle and with support services in terms of how well homeless people could interact with information. Homeless people expended huge amounts of energy: they have to share very personal information about themselves in order to receive basic support. In this landscape, posters and leaflets are important sources of information and libraries are good places to host this information. Relationship building is very important and has to take place before information can be provided.
Photo by Pam McKinney: one of the miniature doors, Cambridge
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