Information professionals are increasingly responsible not only for running traditional information and library services but also for providing an online presence for their organisation. This book shows how best practice in delivering online information services should be based on actual user needs and behaviour. A series of international and UK case studies provide real life examples of how social science information is being used in the community. The book then draws on these case studies to outline the main issues facing service providers: such as usability, metadata and management. The book concludes with a look to the future and how both technological and organisational changes will shape online information services.

Author Biography

Dr Neil Jacobs, an experienced information professional who has worked both in traditional libraries and on national projects and online services and works at the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and University of Bristol, UK. Lesly Huxley, University of Bristol, UK The contributors to the book are based at the Institute for Learning and Research Technology, University of Bristol, UK and are responsible for developing and running national online services.