Published 3 times a year

1. Government Information
Group Journal
August 2011 The Government Information Group Journal (formerly the Government
Volume 21 No 2 Libraries Journal) is the official journal of the Government Information Group
Inside this issue:
Editorial 3
Umbrella 2011 4
SLIC Award 9
GIG Member 11
Survey Results
GIG and Social 13
Media
Chartered Institute of
Library and Information
Professionals

2. Page 2 Government I nformation Group Volume 21, No 2
All contributions should be addressed to
the Editor:
Nikki Myall
Dstl Knowledge and Information Services
Building H18 Room 5
DSTL Fort Halstead
Sevenoaks, Kent
TN14 7BP
Email: njmyall@dstl.gov.uk
The Government Information Group Journal (formerly the Government Libraries Journal) is the
official journal of the Government Information Group of CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library
and Information Professionals. It is published 3 times a year in March, July and November by the
Group and distributed free to members of the Group.
The 2011 subscription to non-members is £6.00 in the UK and £8.00 overseas (Sterling
payments), £10 equivalent (non-Sterling payments).
Articles appearing in the Journal, and any views expressed therein, are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of the Editor, the Group or the Chartered Institute.
Copy dates are:
Nov 2011 issue - 24th October 2011
2012 dates to be confirmed
Please address all advertising, subscriptions, requests for back issues, missing issues enquiries to
the Editor.
Copyright © the Contributors and CILIP GLIG 2011
Registered Charity No 313014
CILIP members can now subscribe to receive regular updates from GLIG by email. To do so,
simply register with CILIP on the website at www.cilip.org.uk/register. Members can subscribe/
unsubscribe from this service at any time by visiting the My Profile area of the CILIP website
where their subscriptions are stored.

3. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 3
Editorial
New structures, new technologies, new challenges - How can we adapt to an
age of austerity? This was the question being asked at Umbrella 2011 and one
which the 45 hours of presentations tried to answer. This edition of the journal
is published slightly later than normal to allow us to present a write up of this
two day conference, and in particular those sessions the Government
Information Group were involved in (p.4)
It is really nice to hear when teams have been recognised for the work they do.
Our congratulations must go to the Solicitor's Legal Information Centre (SLIC)
of the Scottish Government Legal Directorate who won the 2011 British and
Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) Halsbury's Award for the Best Legal
Information Service operating in the non commercial sector for the whole of
Britain and Ireland (p.9). If you or the team you work in have been recognised
for your achievements we would love to hear about them.
Thanks you to all of you who completed the member’s survey. The responses
will be useful as the committee looks at how you would like us to communicate
with you and how you would like to communicate with us. Many thanks to
those of you who have offered to write articles for future issues of the journal - I
will be in touch!
Finally do you tweet, are you linked in, is your social network growing? As part
of keeping our skills up to date as information professionals we need to be
using the technologies that are customers are using and be part of their online
networks, and GIG is keen to develop its use of social media (p.13). Join the
GIG Group on LinkedIn GIG on LinkedIn or follow us on
Twitter @gig_cilip.
Nikki Myall
Editor

4. Page 4 Government I nformation Group Volume 21, No 2
Umbrella 2011
Melanie Harris, DWP
between the information rich and the
T
he Government Information information poor is widening, making
Group (GIG) presented an it more important than ever to make
excellent showing at Umbrella our politicians at a national and
this year. A total of 513 delegates international level aware of the vital
attended Umbrella this year, fewer role that our libraries play in enabling
than usual. I found it interesting all citizens to take an active part in
studying the Participants List. There economic and political life.
were some of the usual suspects but
others noticeable by their absence The first offering by GIG followed on
(Ian Snowley was Programme appropriately from this keynote
Director but his car broke down!). address and was a panel discussion
CILIP staff and Councillors on the Big Society: Big Opportunity
dominated the list as the single – the response of government
biggest grouping. As far as information professionals to the
Government Departments were Coalition’s agenda for the public
concerned, the Department of Work service. The panel included Graham
and Pensions (DWP) looked Monk (DWP and GIG Chair), John
disgustingly healthy with four people Quinn (Department of Education) and
attending but two were speakers and David Smith (Department for
one was an organiser (making the Communities and Local Government).
cost to DWP relatively cheap), and, Unfortunately, Carryl Allardice was
as the only full-paying delegate, I felt unable to participate in the panel
obliged to volunteer to write it up! discussion due to sickness. The
There appeared to be a trend of session was chaired by Suzanne
usually one or two people Burge. The session was well-
representing an organisation, attended and a lively discussion
although Hertfordshire County ensued with lots of questions.
Council bucked the trend with eight Graham discussed how increasingly
delegates and the University of information professionals within
Cambridge had six and Oxford Christ government - including those known
Church five. as government librarians - will need to
adjust to new roles and
The keynote speaker was Gerald responsibilities. John Quinn noted
Leitner, EBLIDA President and that increasingly policy-making
Secretary General of the Austrian organisations such as the Department
Library Association. In his for Education were now taking on
presentation entitled "A library policy direct responsibility for service
for Europe" he stressed how the gap delivery (e.g. for free and academy

5. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 5
radical/militant information
schools) and therefore information professionals. For all the reasons we
professionals had to think about the all know about, this is literally a fight
"frontline" in their work and how best for survival. For the benefit of non-
it could be served. David Smith government delegates – and there
talked about how the information were many – at 91 attendees, this
professionals will be transformed into was the best-attended GIG session of
new information roles such the whole conference – Sharon briefly
as accounts managers (advising mentioned the Professional Skills for
clients on managing the life-cycle of Government competency framework.
records) and information rights She then went on to draw analogies
specialists (dealing with freedom of with Bear’s “must have” list for
information enquiries or data survival as follows:
protection requests). These would
build on more traditional library skills A waterproof cell phone – stay in
such as the reference interview or touch. Make sure you can use
information retrieval. the technologies your customers
use - twitter, social media, web
Graham went from a speaker on the 2.0, apps etc.
panel to chair the next GIG event Backpack – beware of the
which was jointly run with the Career baggage! Change the way we
Development Group (CDG). perceive the present and the
Graham’s first job was to introduce future.“
his own manager, Sharon Jones, Nectar” or nourishment -
Deputy Director-Information professionalism as a state of
Management Division and Head of mind can be nourished There are
Profession – Knowledge & lots of people who don’t bash us.
Information Management. Sharon is Our fellow professionals often do
known to some of us through her it for nothing e.g. bloggers.
work on evidence-based policy Deodorant – stay fresh. How
making at the Cabinet Office back in much time do you spend horizon-
the 1990s. scanning? Do you know what
new entrants are learning now?
From Melvil Dewey to Bear Grylls: Extra socks- don’t be afraid to
the heat is on! was the enigmatic get your feet wet. We need to get
title of Sharon’s presentation. As out of the library and start
Bear Grylls is the new Chief Scout of experimenting WITH our users,
the UK Scouts Association, I found instead of FOR them.
this quite appropriate, taking into Picture of family - Be human,
account Graham’s own involvement empathise.
with that organisation! Although Trash bags. Everything has a
change is nothing new, Sharon told shelf life. Don’t be afraid to bring
us that sometimes we have to be (Continued on page 6)

6. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 6
gave us examples of where librarians
things to an end and learn the have managed to respond to attacks
skills to do so - skills in change by using their own media to promote
management, positive libraries such as Annie Mauger and
communications, and the Women’s Institute and Toby
transformational skills. Greenwait in The Huffington Post as
Bible. Keep your faith. Use your well as library issues covered in the
influencing & negotiating skills Guardian’s Comment column. This
but know when to stop. session referred to examples of
Ultimate knife. Cut to the chase. library bloggers operating in a non-
Learn to tell the stories of how librarian world where it is possible to
we do what we do and what target the currently indifferent.
difference it makes in simple,
user-friendly terms. Laura has a blog
Barefoot shoes. Enjoy the woodsiegirl.wordpress.com and more
sensation. Feel what is going on on the Echo Chamber and the
under your feet. presentation can be found at:
http://www.netvibes.com/
Sharon’s lively, entertaining and nedpotter#The_Echo_Chamber
passionate presentation was the
ideal after-lunch slot which energised The last GIG session on the first day
everyone in the room. Sharon was of the conference was again chaired
followed by Franko Kowalczuk, KM by Graham. This was a joint session
Coordinator from King’s College and shared with Health Libraries Group
a role model for Chartership (HLG) and Library and Information
candidates. Through his own career Research (LIRG). David Smith as
history, Franko gave us a solid usual gave an entertaining
reminder of the variety of skills and presentation on Transparency in the
experience which can be public sector: what is the role of
accumulated during a lifetime. the information professional?
There was a lot of interest from
This particular session concluded delegates outside the government
with a joint presentation delivered by sector.
Ned Potter and Laura Woods called
Escaping the echo chamber. This Two speakers then spoke about
was an excellent and thought- From practice to publication:
provoking session. The echo professional assistance from the
chamber is where views are reflected librarian. The first was Dr Alison
back to each other in an enclosed Brettle and the second was Tatjana
space and nobody notices except Petrinic. Dr Brettle’s presentation was
other librarians. If people do not very interactive and she asked the
know how we can help them, they audience for examples of their own
will not come to us for help. Ned publishing. Perhaps that encouraged

7. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 7
(Continued from page 6) environment. Ian discussed Deep Log
me to put pen to paper or rather finger Analysis (DLA) as a method of
to keyboard! assessing what people actually did
when they visited a site. He also
This concluded the first day of discussed research carried out in the
Umbrella as far as the formal sessions Department of Information Studies at
were concerned. The Gala Dinner this UCL for JISC and the British Library,
year took place at Sopwell House. The which looked at the information
guest speaker was Bonnie Greer OBE, behaviours of the “Google generation”
author, musician and actress. Her He then went on to discuss a web
speech was incredibly moving and you behaviour test that was developed by
could have heard a pin drop in the the Department of Information Studies
dining room! at UCL in conjunction with the BBC,
which attempted to discover what
GIG was not hosting any sessions on motivates users to click on a website
Wednesday until 11.15 so this was an from a list of search results; implicit
opportunity to attend a session from trust in the search algorithm, perceived
another sector. My first instinct was to authority of the information provider, or
attend Future of libraries with Ned something else?
Potter (that I was so impressed with
the previous day), Annie Mauger and Following this session I took the
Ferelith Hordon but this event was opportunity to visit the exhibition where
over-subscribed so I went to the I spent time talking to suppliers and
technology session Technology, collecting the compulsory freebies!
personalisation and Librarians with
Professor Nigel Ford. This was an The final GIG event which was run
interesting analysis of ways to work jointly with Information Services Group
towards a greater understanding of (ISG) was an interesting talk on the
user needs. He called for LIS Ministry of Defence ATHENA
“researchers” and “practitioners” to Reports Collection by Ann-Marie
work more closely together, in order toKnowles from the Defence Science &
achieve a “critical mass of knowledge” Technology Laboratory (DSTL). This
on information behaviour. As a provided a fascinating insight into the
practitioner, it was useful to gain an art of digitisation and meeting the
insight into library and information needs of those who needed to use this
research taking place in our library valuable collection whilst at all times
schools. More details can be found at being mindful of the security aspects.
www.europeana.eu Of particular interest was the
qualitative feedback which, as one
The final part of this session was Ian user described it was “a huge step in
Rowland’s The Google generation: the right direction for sharing
understanding information-seeking knowledge across MOD”. See
behaviours in the digital www.dstl.gov.uk/athena for more

8. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 8
details. chaired by Alan Gibbons, Author and
Library Campaigner and a lovely
Claire Newing stepped in at short touch was when he was presented
notice to deliver a presentation on with an Honorary CILIP Fellowship!
behalf of The National Archive (TNA) Please see the CILIP website for
on Preserving information on the details of these and the runner ups.
web for the future. Claire gave a
very competent and thorough http://www.cilip.org.uk/about-us/
background on Government medalsandawards/libraries-change-
websites, the difficulties in preserving lives/Pages/finalists2011.aspx
important government information,
and she spoke about the Web
continuity project which aims to
redirect users from broken links to
ensure that that the information
remains accessible. Claire finished
by linking datasets work to support
transparency at www.data.gov.uk.
This tied in nicely with David Smith’s
previous talk.
Many delegates were starting to wilt
by lunchtime on the 2nd and last day
of Umbrella. What was needed was
something uplifting and I certainly
found it at Libraries Change Lives:
ideas for you and your service – a
celebration of 20 years of the
CILIP Libraries Change Lives
Award. This session, run by
Community Services Group (CSG),
featured past winners and judges,
chaired by Linda Constable, Chair of
Libraries Change Lives and CSG. It
was truly inspiring and an ideal
prelude to the final formal session of
Umbrella 2011 which was the CILIP
Libraries Change Lives Award
Ceremony. This year’s winner was
Kent Libraries – Making the
difference. I always think that they all
deserve to win and I invariably end
up in tears! The ceremony was

9. Page 9 Government I nformation Group Volume 21, No 2
Award for SLIC
Roddy Waldhelm, SLIC
T
he Solicitor’s Legal Information prepare the nomination for the team
Centre (aka SLIC), co- and it was endorsed by Murray
ordinates and provides legal Sinclair, Solicitor to the Scottish
information and research facilities for Government.
all staff within the Scottish The Awards ceremony took place at
Government Legal Directorate the BIALL conference in Newcastle
(SGLD) and the rest of the on June 16. "Unfortunately, we
Government Legal Service for weren't all at the event as we were on
Scotland (GLSS) offices, which latter our Business Division Away Day,"
include the Office of the Solicitor to says Roddy. "However, Ariel was
the Advocate General, Office of the happy to represent us all and, after
Solicitor to the Scottish Parliament, the good news was texted to us,
the Legal Secretariat to the Lord brought the trophy back home with
Advocate, the Legal Secretariat to her. We're looking forward to
the Advocate General and the displaying it in a new trophy cabinet,
Scottish Law Commission, as well as which will be located in the library.
the Office of the Scottish Some current books may have to be
Parliamentary Counsel, a GLSS moved out to make room, but that's
associated office. the price of success!"
SLIC is headed up by the Senior
Librarian Roddy Waldhelm, who is
supported by Deputy Librarian,
Sandra Turkington; Assistant
Librarian, Ariel Dodson, and Library
Assistants Carmen McCormack and
Louise McInnes.
In May Roddy mentioned to his
manager, Lucy Proctor, Deputy Head
of SGLD Business Division, that the
British and Irish Association of Law
Librarians (BIALL) was inviting
The SLIC team with their award:
nominations for the 2011 Halsbury’s
(pictured clockwise from top left to
Awards which included the category:
right): Sandra Turkington, Roddy
“Best Legal Information Service (Non
Waldhelm, Ariel Dodson, Louise
-commercial Sector)” in Britain and
McInnes and Carmen McCormack
Ireland. Lucy, as a devoted user of
the service, was more than happy to

10. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 10
(Continued from page 9)
SLIC is the first Scottish
representative to win the award.
Previous winners include the Institute
of Advanced Legal Studies Library
and the Law Society Library in
London. Murray Sinclair concludes:
"This very prestigious award
recognises, celebrates and rewards
the dedicated performance and
outstanding service offered by the
SLIC team. This is a great
achievement and thoroughly well
deserved. Well done."
GIG Members survey results
Suzanne Burge, NetIKX
I
n April and May this year, GIG studying all the ideas and they will
carried out a survey of its inform our future programme.
members, using Survey Monkey, Interesting, nearly 80% said they
to find out what you want from the preferred daytime to evening events.
Group, how you would like us to
communicate with you and how you Most people wanted to visit other
would like to communicate with us. government libraries, and again there
The response rate was about was a demand for visits outside
average for a survey of this type i.e. London. The Committee will follow
pretty low, but it has produced some this up too, but a present we have a
interesting results. vacancy for a visits organiser, so if
anyone is interested, please contact
We began by asking people what us.
they wanted from GIG. 86% wanted
news, 65% events, and just under Email was overwhelmingly the
60% wanted courses, and the same preferred channel of communication
number visits. (over 90%), with the website at 30%
and print and social media at 15%
There were useful ideas about the and 7% respectively. This last was
sort of events you would like to see, undoubtedly influenced by the fact
several mentioning events outside that only 50% of you have access to
London. A strong theme was social media at work,
networking. The Committee will be

11. Page 11 Government I nformation Group Volume 21, No 2
What is y our preferred channel of communication?
60
50
40
Most preferred
30 Average
Least preferred
20
10
0
Email Website Print Other electronic
(LinkedIn, Twitter
etc.)
Overseas, 4.2% East Midland, East of
0.0% England, 4.2%
Yorks and
Humberside, 4.2% Ireland, 0.0%
West Midlands,
0.0%
Wales, 14.6%
London, 33.3%
South Western,
South Western 12.5%
12.5%
South East,
8.3%
North East, 2.1%
Scotland, 14.6%
North West, 2.1%
In which geographical area do you work?

12. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 12
(Continued from page 11) with more than 5,000, while the rest
though nearly 90% have access at are spread across a wide ranges of
home. organisations and none. 90% were
GIG members, and 100% CILIP
Nearly two-thirds would prefer the members. Looking at the overlap
journal to come out in pdf format with other CILIP groups, 35% were
rather than web-based. There were UKeIG members, 26% in CDG and
no real surprises in the responses on 13% in CIG. Beyond CILIP, 77%
journal content, though 90% were were NGLIS members, 27 in BIALL
interested in Government KIM and 13% in SLA.
material and 77% wider government
material. A number of you said you GIG is very grateful to those of you
would be interested in contributing to did respond and the winner of the £20
the journal and we will be following Amazon voucher will be hearing from
this up. us shortly. If anyone wishes to know
about the survey results, you are very
Over 60% of you visited the website welcome to contact me at
less than once a month and just s.burge@btinternet.com.
under a quarter never visited, which
is worrying. We will be looking at
this, and seeing what we can do
within the limitations that the CILIP
software imposes. The biggest use of
the website was for news, with
information about GIG coming a long
way second. Despite this, when
asked what you would like to see,
information came behind most other
options such as news, events, etc.
56% wanted to see a discussion
forum, and we will be providing this
through our new LinkedIn Group.
Finally we asked for information
about our respondents. A third were
London-based, 14% from Scotland
and the same number from Wales,
and the next largest group were from
the South West. We also asked for
job titles and 30% had the words
library or librarian in them, 39%
information and 7% knowledge. 50%
worked in government departments

13. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 13
GIG and social media
Suzanne Burge, NetIKX
A
re you one of those who think know what you think!.
social media is not for you? Do It’s also a great way of keeping up with
you turn up your nose at the professional matters:
mention of Twitter, and think LinkedIn
is irrelevant? If so, you may be @MatthewMezey Just received copy
thinking that GIG’s announcement that of O'Dell+Hubert KM book 'The New
it now has accounts on both is just a Edge in Knowledge' - try their quick
gimmick, belated band wagon KM program assessment: http://bit.ly/
jumping. od53mT #CILIP
Twitter, in particular, has suffered badly
through its public image. It’s very easy @CILIPinfo The NEW #CILIP
to think it’s all about Wayne Rooney’s organisational structure is now in effect
hair transplant or Stephen Fry’s ego. - find out more there: http://
But there is much more to it, and real ow.ly/5yyZV
benefits to be gained. First of all, it’s a
great way of keeping up to date
professionally. If you follow the likes of @CPD23 Do you tweet for your
Karen Blakeman @karenblakeman, organisation (or considering doing
Euan Semple @euan, or Phil Bradley, so)? Some great tips from
@Philbradley, you can keep up on @laurawaldoch: http://bit.ly/mOYq6H
developments in search, technology, #cpd23
etc. For example:
@euan Google Plus, The Great Game And it is excellent for breaking news,
and why Social is the One Ring To current affairs and government,
Bind the Internet Operating System @BBCBreaking from the BBC,
http://bit.ly/jUo67S @Politics.co.uk, and the like.
@guardiantech is good for keeping up
@Philbradley Looking for stuff on G+ ? with the IT world without jargon
Try http://bit.ly/nQZv1w and let me (Continued on page 14)

14. Volume 21, No 2 Government I nformation Group Page 14
(Continued from page 13) search took me to http://on.mash.to/
oal7H3, the report of a survey on
@Politics.co.uk Phone-hacking inquiry Mashable about how people use
triggers 'long grass' fears - http://bit.ly/ Linkedin. It hit the 100 million user
q2wGdX mark in March, and 90% of those
surveyed found it useful. As social
media blogger Sharisax wrote recently,
@PSFBuzz The Case Against Online “If Facebook is the Backyard BarBQ,
Participation and Government As A LinkedIn is “your” Office Space”.
Platform: http://bit.ly/p5MFV6 “LinkedIn is where you can present
your professional self, demonstrate
your expertise, and build solid
@guardiantech Google+ forces us to professional relationships.” For many
question who owns our digital identity people though, one of LinkedIn’s most
http://bit.ly/ohIpSb useful features is its groups. It is very
easy to set up a LinkedIn group, and a
large number have only a small
The News Distribution Service tweets number of members and very few
press releases across all government postings, but others, particularly those
departments linked to particular organisations such
as GIG, can perform valuable
You don’t have to tweet yourself – just functions. They are a good way of
set up an account in two minutes and publicising the organisation and
lurk, if that’s what you prefer. There is attracting new members, but they also
a lot more to Twitter, but if you want an offer existing members tools which
interesting government-focussed may not be available on their websites.
introduction have a look at For GIG, for example, using LinkedIn
http://www.scribd.com/doc/17313280/ will provide us with a discussion facility
Template-Twitter-Strategy-for- and a way of publishing our events to
Government-Departments. It was a very broad mix of people.
prepared by Neil Williams, based on
the strategy he devised for BIS when If you are not on LinkedIn you will
he was their Head of Digital Comms. need to join and set up a profile, but if
He is now Project Lead, Departmental you want you can skip much of the
Publishing Platform, Single detail and simply lurk.
Government Website at the Cabinet
Office. GIG will developing its use of social
media, but if you are a government
LinkedIn attracts a great deal less librarian on LinkedIn you can expect to
publicity – it’s had 111 mentions on be invited to join the group at some
www.guardian.uk this year compared point, so why not do so now? Just
with 5,572 for Twitter – but it is still search for Government Information
very widely used. The first hit from my Group in the Groups category.