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The Library and Information Services department of the City of Edinburgh Council has been extending its service provision for citizens and engaging with the wider community. This case study shows how it has made innovative use of services and applications (Apps) for mobile devices. It makes it clear that support for mobile devices is best seen in the context of a wide-ranging social media and digital communication strategy. This case study covers the relationship with the digital communications service providers and the suppliers of the library management suite. It also considers other content and services available to mobile devices including as eBooks and audio content.

Introduction. Prior research in Information Science often uses constructs from Social Exchange Theory to explain online information sharing. Exchange theories have a strong focus on reciprocity, yet in some communities, such as elected democratic representatives at hyperlocal level, it is observed that information is shared online for little visible return. This raises questions as to the extent to which existing models of online information sharing based on the tenets of exchange are applicable across a full range of contexts. In the case of hyperlocal representatives, this also prompts consideration of their motivations for online information sharing, and their response to apparent non-participation or 'lurking' in this process on the part of citizens. In this paper an information sharing practice-based approach is deployed to explore the means by which hyperlocal representatives in Scotland handle their information sharing role and address their relationship with their online 'lurker' audiences. Method. Hour long interviews were conducted in November and December 2016 with 19 representatives who serve on Scottish community councils. Analysis. Qualitative analysis of the interview data generated the results of the study. Results. Information sharing is regarded as an important duty of community councillors. It is largely practised as transmission or broadcast (rather than exchange) using a variety of channels, both online and face-to-face. Such efforts are, however, limited. This is due to restricted resources, a lack of familiarity with the information users (and non-users) that community councillors serve, and poor knowledge of tools for analysing online audiences. Attitudes towards online communities that largely comprise lurker audiences vary from frustration to resignation. Conclusions. While some of the findings articulate with extant knowledge and extend it further, others contradict the results of prior research, for example on online platforms as deliberative spaces. The practice-based approach as ...

There has been much research into citizens' engagement with their representatives. This paper offers an approach to understanding sustained take-up of internet technologies by these representatives in a (hyperlocal) democratic context using Community Councils in Scotland a case study. A Community of Practice model was developed and initial data collected to evaluate whether the model can be adapted for contexts where community boundaries are not clear. The focus is the community of users of technology: representatives as primary content creators as a necessary first stage before higher levels of engagement and participation are possible. The CoP model is found to have potential, even in a context of weak, dispersed and non-self-aware communities. The importance of understanding transitions and level of engagement is highlighted and another avenue for further research identified.

In October and November 2015 Edinburgh Napier University (Napier) hosted a series of workshops on digital engagement for Community Councillors and representatives of Registered Tenants Organisations. These '#digiCC' workshops were held in Ayr, Elgin, Forfar and Newton St Boswells.The workshops mixed presentations by subject experts with round-table discussions by the attendees.This report is intended to be read by all interested in community councils and Registered Tenants Organisations, including the Scottish Government (SG), Improvement Service (IS) and Local AuthorityCommunity Council Liaison Officers (CCLOs).It summarises the most significant findings from these workshops.In summary, the events were well received and felt by delegates to be of immediate benefit. There is clear demand for more events of this nature, in particular for one in Glasgow. We would of course bevery happy to offer more #digiCC workshops, and to contribute to training programmes building on the needs we have found.

This report presents a seed research project funded by the CCN+, that investigated digital engagement by three neighbouring Scottish Community Councils (CCs) in a distinct area of a Scottish city. Recent work had shown that CCs generally do not use the internet well to engage with their citizens, despite being required to find and deliver citizens' views to Local Authorities. In fact, over half had no observable internet presence, while a large proportion of CCs that earlier had informative internet presences no longer do so. Therefore there is a pressing need to learn how CCs' internet use can be strengthened so that CCs can live up to their requirements.This project researched whether the Community of Practice model could be used to understand relationships between CC members involved in digital engagement work, and to find techniques to improve practices. Interviews with CC members investigated how knowledge was and could be managed and the digital tools desired for digital engagement work. Action research was used to follow and support a CC beginning to use Twitter as a dissemination and engagement channel, to understand whether it could sustainably generate social capital despite CCs' low budgets and voluntary nature.A Community of Practice was found supporting the digital engagement practitioners in the neighbouring CCs, and that this is situated within a context of interested non-practitioners who share knowledge with practitioners. However, the Community of Practice is fragile, and knowledge management is conspicuously absent. Knowledge management is also not used other CCs that have fuller suites of digital engagement channels. The action research strand showed that active use of Twitter can increase engagement with citizens, and that collaboration brings unexpected rewards.This project investigated only one digital initiative set within one small Community of Practice. It is proposed to continue this work by investigating CCs' digital communication across Scotland – and similar organisations in other ...

A workshop on digital engagement by Community Councils (CCs) was hosted by Edinburgh Napier University on 30 January 2015 to which members from 35 CCs came. Facilitated sessions were held to establish common perceptions of problems and ways to address them. Speakers from the Scottish Government community empowerment unit, the Improvement Service, Democratic Society Scotland shared their insights and helped facilitate.The key outcomes of the day are: •Digital engagement by CCs suffers from lack of support from communities, local and national government and even from other CC members.•While CCs at the day were aware of the many channels for digital engagement, they often lack time, budget and training to use them effectively. •Sources of help are patchy and may be slow to respond.•There is lack of succession planning leaving CCs dependent on an individual for their online presences. Overall, the circumstances lead in some cases to cynicism, despondency and inaction. This calls for CCs and other stakeholders to work together to create and implement a roadmap towards positive change. This would include changes within and outside CCs, and may well include the creation of a Scotland-wide Community of Practice around CC digital engagement. One of the main objectives of the workshop was to create a forum where interested CC members could network and share experiences. The general feeling was that this objective was achieved, and an online community is being created for sharing experiences, resources and knowledge.

A survey of Scottish Community Councils found that only 22% have up-to-date online public presences. Only 4% of Community Councils have easily accessible online planning content. Most Community Councils websites communicate from Community Councils to citizen – only 10% use social media to host online discussion and opinion-gathering. Local Authority-hosted presences guarantee that Community Councils have presence but not that they are up to date. Such presences are also not content-rich. Community Councils' own volition makes the difference between having no presence at all, mediocre presences and informative, content-rich presences that may serve citizens well. Suggestions to improve matters include broadening the scope of Local Authority-hosted presences and CCs mentoring each other.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to consider the ways in which large‐scale e‐participation projects can be evaluated. It argues that existing evaluation approaches can be improved upon by taking a closer look at the characteristics of the users of such systems, by estimating their self‐efficacy.Design/methodology/approachLiterature review is followed by the development of relevant research questions, and an assessment of points at which relevant and useful data can be collected in a petitioning process.FindingsIt is found that data relating to self‐efficacy, while not simple to collect, can add much to the evaluation process, and have the potential to result in more effective projects and systems.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings are specific to one project, EuroPetition, which will allow the co‐ordination and submission of cross‐border pan‐European petitions.Originality/valueThe paper represents the first attempt to integrate perspectives derived from social cognitive theory to the evaluation of a large e‐participation project. Self‐efficacy is discussed in terms of both computer self‐efficacy and political self‐efficacy.

The HANDS question-answering and direction application, consisting of Answer Tree and Address Guesser modules is described in relation to the EDEN project from which it is derived. The use of an Open Source (OSS) model for application development and service delivery is considered in the context of European policy. The interaction of HANDS with Public Bodies' (PBs) existing business process is described. We then consider the evaluation of the factors that affect acceptance by PBs, including those that go beyond technical effectiveness. We describe the underlying language processing engine used by HANDS and discuss the advantages of using Natural Language Processing (NLP) over keyword-based question-answering techniques in terms of increasing the potential for take-up from all citizens, not just the most literate or IT skilled.

In this paper, we explore the possibilities of using Web 2.0 for collaborative production of government services in the UK. Can co-production be used to deliver eGovernment services in the UK? What kind of services could use Web 2.0-supported co-production? Could Web 2.0 help to promote cooperation? If Web 2.0 and collaborative production can be usefully allied, what are the potential advantages, risks, and barriers? We give a brief overview of the current territory and outline a study to investigate.

*Introduction: This paper addresses the information practices of hyperlocal democratic representatives, and their acquisition and application of information literacy skills. *Method: 1034 Scottish community councillors completed an online questionnaire on the information-related activities they undertake as part of their voluntary roles, and the development of supporting competencies. The questions related to: information needs for community council work; preparation and onward dissemination of information gathered; factors that influence community councillors' abilities to conduct their information-related duties. *Analysis: Data were summarised for quantitative analysis using Microsoft Excel. Free text responses were analysed in respect of the themes from the quantitative analysis and literature. *Results: Everyday life and workplace roles are perceived as the primary shapers of information literacy as a predominantly joint competence. *Conclusion: The focus of information literacy development has traditionally been the contribution of formal education, yet this study reveals that prior employment, community and family roles are perceived as more important to the acquisition of relevant skills amongst this group. This widens the debate as to the extent to which information literacy is specific to particular contexts. This adds to arguments that information literacy may be viewed as a collective accomplishment dependant on a socially constructed set of practices.

The increasing dependence on social media and other online systems as part of everyday life has grown considerably over the years. At the same time, the complexity and security of online systems has also been increasing, making it more challenging for some people to access the services they need. This impacts the information practices of many users, leading to several scenarios where individuals need assistance in information related tasks, from registering for government services to updating social media content. This poster presents findings from two studies which investigated how individuals who lack the skills to use digital tools and services might seek or be offered support from others including those working in an intermediary or digital proxy role on the account holder's behalf.

The purpose of the research was to investigate the practices of elected, yet unpaid, community councillors in Scotland as they exploit information channels for democratic engagement with citizens. Its focus is both novel and significant in that it considers the information literacy of a group that has not been studied before: volunteer representatives active in hyperlocal government. The primary means of data collection was semi-structured interviews of one hour in length with 19 community councillors. Research design and data analysis were informed by the SCONUL 7 pillar model of information literacy, and by Activity Theory. The main finding of the analysis is that community councillors engage with a range of information sources and tools in their work, the most important of which derives from local authorities. Three recommendations emerge from the analysis. These relate to (i) information literacy training; (ii) valuing information skills; and (iii) the role of the public library service in supporting community council work.