VOL. 21 NO. 4, DECEMBER, 2016

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The experience of evidence-based practice in anAustralian public library: an ethnography

Ann Gillespie, Helen Partridge, Christine Bruce and Alisa Howlett

Abstract

Introduction. This paper presents the findings from aproject that investigated the lived experiences of library andinformation professionals in relation to evidence-basedpractice within an Australian public library.Method. The project employed ethnography, which allowsholistic description of people's experiences within a particularcommunity or cultural setting. A member of the researchteam visited a public library regularly over a six monthperiod. Data collection comprised interviews, observationand document analysis. A field journal was also maintainedwhere daily activities and interactions were recorded.Analysis. Ethnography involves many levels of iterativeanalysis. Data extracts were identified, grouped and furtherrefined whilst maintaining the context of the whole experienceof the culture.Results. Evidence-based practice is experienced in thelibrary through four interconnected and interdependentcultural orientations: (i) culture of valuing; (ii) culture ofbeing; (iii) culture of learning; and (iv) culture of leading.These orientations represent not only how evidence-basedpractice is experienced in the library but also how it has beenenabled.Conclusions. Context or environment is significant in termsof library and information service professionals’understanding of evidence-based practice. Evidence-basedpractice can be beneficial to all such professionals, as it buildsprofessional knowledge and deeper understandings ofpractice at all levels of professional experience.

Introduction

In the past fifteen years, there has been a growing interestin evidence-based practice in the library and informationprofession worldwide (see Booth and Brice, 2004). Theliterature indicates that, evidence-based practice in thecontext of the library and information profession refers tothe process of using formal research skills and methods toassist in decision-making and establishing best practice(Booth, 2002, 2007; Eldredge, 2000). While numerousstudies have been undertaken under the guise of beingevidence-based (see for example the empirical paperspublished in the online journal Evidence Based Libraryand Information Practice), very few studies in the libraryand information profession have explored evidence-basedpractice as the object of study. As such there is a lack oftheory-guided and empirically tested models or paradigmsfor the concept. This has implications for how wellevidence-based practice can be implemented within theprofessional practice of library and informationprofessionals. This paper outlines a research project whichexplores the lived experiences of evidence-based practicewithin one Australian public library. The paper concludeswith a detailed description of the research findings.

Literature review

Evidence-based practice consists of a systematic andstructured process for identifying, acquiring, appraisingand applying evidence to decision-making in professionalpractice (Brice and Hill, 2004). Originating in healthcare,evidence-based practice has seen a broadened applicationinto other areas such as education, social sciences, crimeand justice and library and information practice (Brice andHill, 2004).

A decision-making framework for libraryand information professional practice

The current evidence-based practice model in the libraryand information profession is founded on a conceptual re-modelling of the decision-making framework fromevidence-based medicine and health librarianship (Todd,2006, p. 32). Eldredge (2000, p. 291) proposes the first

framework for evidence-based practice in the library andinformation profession and posits that it 'seeks to improvelibrary practice by utilising the best available evidencecombined with a pragmatic perspective developed fromworking experiences'. An early definition of evidence-based practice within the library sector by Booth (2002)builds on this framework to outline a basic process,identify sources of evidence to inform library andinformation practice, as well as how the role of evidence isapplied to improve practice or ‘professional judgments’.

Evidence-based librarianship is anapproach to information science thatpromotes the collection, interpretation andintegration of valid, important andapplicable user-reported, librarianobserved, and research derived evidence.The best available evidence, moderated byuser needs and preferences, is applied toimprove the quality of professionaljudgments. (Booth, 2002, p. 53)

The literature exploring evidence-based practice in the libraryand information profession focuses on a step-by-step proceduralmodel (also known as the 5 As) popularised by Booth (2007),with the importance of asking a 'clearly defined, answerablequestion' (Eldredge, 2000, p. 291; see also Booth, 2006;Crumley and Koufogiannakis, 2002).

Todd begins to acknowledge the role of professionalknowledge in the evidence-based practice process andpresents an holistic approach to evidence-based practice inthe school library context. Todd's (2009) conceptual modelintegrates available research evidence with professionalknowledge, whilst also engaging with locally derivedevidence to identify issues, needs and opportunities toactively contribute to the school's learning goals. Yet adirect application to professional practice remainsunrealised in the current evidence-based library andinformation practice model.

Few empirical studies have explored how library andinformation professionals perceive and experienceevidence-based practice. A study by Partridge, Edwardsand Thorpe (2010) was the first Australian study toexplore variations in how library professionals experiencedevidence-based practice. Partridge, Edwards and Thorpe

used a phenomenographic approach to categorise fivedifferent experiences of evidence-based practice:

1. Evidence-based practice is experienced as notrelevant.

2. Evidence-based practice is experienced as learningfrom published research.

3. Evidence-based practice is experienced as serviceimprovement.

4. Evidence-based practice is experienced as a way ofbeing.

5. Evidence-based practice is experienced as a weapon.

The research suggests experiences of evidence-basedpractice by library professionals are 'complex and multi-dimensional' and are influenced by context or workenvironment and culture.

A grounded-theory study of academic librarians byKoufogiannakis (2013a) reveals evidence-based practicebeing used for decision-making in the work environment.Here too, context influenced how evidence-based practicewas experienced. Koufogiannakis (p. 4) found that anindividual librarian’s autonomy and power over a decision,determined how evidence was used. When an individuallibrarian is making a decision, evidence will generally beused to confirm a position and/or knowledge. In a groupor team situation, where the individual librarian has lesspower over a decision, evidence may be used to influence it(Koufogiannakis, 2013a, p. 6).

A case study of an academic health services libraryidentified and gathered evidence to support an operationalreview of the library (Bayley, Ferrell and McKinnell,2009). The review included decisions about staffing,improvements to services and physical space. This is anexample of evidence-based practice in action and isconsistent with what Partridge, Edwards and Thorpe(2010) describe as service improvement. The case study byBayley et al. (2009) also suggests the potential use ofevidence as a weapon to influence decisions made outsidethe control of the library or information service(Koufogiannakis, 2013b, p. 6). These experiences ofevidence-based practice suggest a need to situate thelibrary or information service within a bigger picture to

derive an understanding from a contextual viewpoint toproduce a model that is reflective and relevant to dailypractice.

Evidence-based practice, or the integration andapplication of evidence in the library and informationprofessional context is not a linear process, as Booth’s(2007) 5As model would assume. A study exploringAustralian teacher-librarians found evidence-basedpractice to be a holistic experience (Gillespie, 2014). Inexperiencing evidence-based practice, evidence may bepurposefully engaged with, or sought after, or it can beencountered as a serendipitous event or activity (Gillespie,2014, p. 18). For the teacher-librarians in Gillespie’s study,evidence-based practice can be guided by practitioners'professional knowledge of knowing when and how toactively engage with evidence. This experience of evidence-based practice is similar to that described byKoufogiannakis (2013b, p. 4) when individual decisionsare being made. The studies of Koufogiannakis (2012,2013a) and Gillespie (2014) found that different types ofevidence are gathered and used together in combination tomake decisions and improvement to practice.

The research to date provides insights into the gaps incurrent understandings of evidence-based practice in thelibrary and information profession. Little is currentlyunderstood about how evidence-based practice isconceptualised and experienced within the practicecontext of public libraries. A better understanding derivedfrom an empirical basis is therefore important insupporting library and information professionals to fulfilthe aims of evidence-based practice in continuouslyimproving practice in their library communities.

Research approach

This study adopted an ethnographic approach toinvestigate the lived experiences of evidence-basedpractice within an Australian public library. Ethnographywas considered the ideal approach to respond to theresearch question: What are the lived experiences ofevidence-based practice among public libraryprofessionals? Additionally, ethnography as a researchapproach has not previously been used to explore how

evidence-based practice is experienced in library contexts.This approach will therefore shed new empirically derivedunderstandings on how library practitioners actuallyexperience evidence-based practice. An interest in peoples’lived experiences may be described as a focus that ‘orientsus holistically towards peoples informed existences,considering people and what informs them, within theirwider environments in a manner which considers peopleand their world as inseparable’ (Bruce, Davis, Hughes,Partridge and Stoodley, 2014, p. 5).

Fetterman (1998, p. 2) considers that 'the ethnographer isinterested in understanding and describing a social andcultural scene from the emic, or insider's perspective'. Theemic perspective is fundamental to understanding howpeople experience the world around them (Fetterman,2008; Wolcott, 1990). Ethnographers also present an eticperspective as a way to make sense of what they havecollected. The etic perspective involves stepping back fromthe insider's view in an attempt to make sense of theculture or phenomenon being investigated (Fetterman,2008). Cultural narrative is the key objective ofethnography, hence the real voices of the participants areintegral in relating the findings. The ethnographer is botha storyteller and a scientist and endeavours to understandthe native's or in this case, the library practitioners'experiences.

Cultural setting

Summertown Library is the site for this investigation. Toprotect the identities of the participants, Summertown andthe names of the participants are pseudonyms.Summertown Library is a service provided bySummertown City Council. Summertown Council as theparent organization finances and guides many of theactivities and programmes of the library. SummertownLibrary serves a large provincial town of over 180,000residents. Three branches are strategically located withanother branch planned in the near future to cater for thegrowing spread of the population. Summertown as acoastal town has a port and is the service centre foroutlying mining and industrial industries. In more recenttimes it has become a site for migrant and refugee families.The library executive is part of the council's organizing

committee, causing the library to work within the structureof the council while it controls many of the systems andprocesses in the management of the library. Consequentlythe strategic plan and subsequent programmes of thelibrary have an alignment with those of the council, hencethe effectiveness of these programmes is measured againstpro formae designed and systematised to fit the manydepartments of the council.

Data collection

After approvals and ethics clearances were confirmed onemember of the research team travelled to Summertownfifteen times over a six-month period. Each visit lastedbetween three and four days. Initial visits took a big netapproach where the researcher was immersed in as manyactivities in the library as possible. Emmerson, Fretz andShaw (1995) consider that ethnographic fieldwork is not adetached or passive observation. Consequently, thediscussion presented here on the data collection, analysisand findings will be expressed in the first person. This firstperson voice represents that of the research team memberwho was situated in Summertown doing the interviews andon the ground observation.

I involved myself in many library activities from shelving,assisting customers on the floor, culling, storytelling,assisting in the mobile van and offering assistancewherever possible. At each day's end I recorded the eventsin a journal. Included were unobtrusive observations,comments and interactions with staff and my firstattempts to interpret what I was seeing. These wererecorded electronically, allowing me to use an iPad, laptopor PC in any location. Journal notes included the morestructured meetings and descriptions, locations and workroles. Over time, utilising judgemental sampling(Fetterman, 1998, p. 33), I was able to identify potentialparticipants for interviews. Judgemental sampling involvesconscious selection of potential participants by theresearcher. In using judgemental sampling, the researcherdraws upon their experiences to select participants whichare in the researcher's judgement, representative ortypical. As I came to know the staff, I became conscious ofthose who may be approachable for interviews and would

openly speak about their professional practice. I chosethirteen participants from the organization to representthe various operational units and management levels. Theinterviews utilised open-ended questions and wererecorded in face-to-face settings. Each of the interviewsbegan with asking the participants to describe their role inSummertown library. Further indicative questionsincluded: What does the phrase evidence-based practicemean to you? Can you give me some examples of howevidence-based practice is enacted in this library?Probing questions following could be: How are these typesof evidence useful? What evidence do you have that thelibrary is delivering a quality service?

The interviews lasted from thirty to sixty minutes. Laterthese interviews were transcribed into a Word document.Additionally, I collected a range of print materials,including promotional leaflets of library activities, strategicplan and related timelines, planning proforma, andfeedback forms. My immersion included having a staff e-mail account, access to the intranet and related software.

Data analysis

Ethnographic data analysis is iterative 'as it builds onideas throughout the study' (Fetterman, 1998, p. 92).Iterative analysis occurs on many levels and my journalwas used extensively to capture my thoughts and evolvingunderstandings. Initially, in the analysis process, Iidentified pieces of information from the collected data,being mindful that the primary lens was experiences ofevidence-based practice. I did this by reviewing eachinterview and using a table in Word, highlightingsignificant aspects and incidents in the interview, andmaking notes in the adjoining column. These notes weremy first attempts to build categories or themes to organizethe data. At the conclusion of each transcript analysis Iwrote a response which captured my early and emergingthoughts. These were shared with the wider research teamfor response and feedback. Fetterman (1998, p. 92)describes how the researcher finds their way as an'analytic trek – between logical and enticing paths'. Theright path weaves between the two pathways to findgenuine patterns of behaviour. 'Choosing the right pathrequires discrimination, experience, attention to both

detail and the larger context, and intuition' (Fetterman,1998, p. 92). I worked through the notes I had made inconjunction with the preliminary categories I had added tothe interview transcripts. I began to organize all of the datasources into themes, gradually refining and merging thethemes until four main themes emerged.

Analysis is a refinement of the data with the researchertrying to fit selections of the data into the bigger picture; inthis case experiences of evidence-based practice. A usefultechnique in this process is triangulation. Triangulationimproves the quality of data and the accuracy ofethnographic findings (Fetterman, 1998). Triangulationwas achieved through multiple sources of data. Theseincluded participant interviews and analysis, my reflectiveresponses, open thought discussions with the widerresearch team, and in the final analysis stages, reference tothe literature. As I revisited the interviews I began toidentify patterns of thought and behaviour. Fetterman(1998, p. 96) considers that 'patterns are a form ofethnographic reliability'. These patterns emerged as thesignificant themes of the findings.

In ethnographic style, I then began to write to recaptureand reconstruct the months of data collection,observations and reflections the study had revealed. Thewriting clarified my thinking as I grouped the various datasources into themes. My qualitative, interpretive approachallowed me to penetrate the surface and find out about thethoughts and feelings of the participants. Henstrand's(2006) application of Geertz's interpretive anthropologyprovided a way to present the real voices of theparticipants through narratives and vignettes. Myapproach included my reflections and interpretations,observations, interactions and field notes. The etic andemic perspectives guided me to build a picture of theevidence-based practice experiences within the culture ofSummertown Library.

Findings

In keeping with the ethnographic approach, the findingsare presented in themes as a narrative. Wolcott (1990, p.50) considers that 'there is no ethnography until culturemakes an entry', hence the findings are expressed as

cultural orientations. Evidence-based practice isexperienced in Summertown Public Library through fourinterconnected and interdependent cultural orientations(See Figure 1 for a diagrammatic illustration):

i. A culture of valuing: evidence-based practiceinvolves being valued and valuing each other.

ii. A culture of being: evidence-based practice involvesbeing and becoming a professional.

iii. A culture of learning: evidence-based practiceinvolves being a learner and supporting the learningof others.

iv. A culture of leading: evidence-based practiceinvolves leadership at many levels and leadingtowards one shared vision.

A description of each of the four cultural orientationsfollows, together with illustrative quotes that were derivedfrom the research interviews. Where quotations are shown,a pseudonym for the participant is provided.

Figure 1: The culture of evidence-basedpractice at Summertown Public Library

A culture of valuing

Summertown Library team has a culture of valuing eachother. This valuing can been witnessed through the waysskills and achievements of staff are acknowledged andshared. Open acknowledgments shared face-to-face andamong staff is affirmative evidence. An example ofevidence as affirmation is the daily session termed toolboxwhich takes place fifteen minutes before opening time.Staff stand in a circle near the library entrance and thesenior staff member on site leads the toolbox meeting.Anyone can speak but the meeting is kept on topic due tothe fifteen minute time frame. There is a similar flow toeach of these meetings and topics covered include issuesthat have arisen or follow up from the previous day'smeeting, staff absences and replacements, activitieshappening in the library for the day, general issues withlibrary management, customer concerns that have beenraised and workplace safety. It is a time when anyone canshare incidents and responses, usually a firsthandencounter or e-mail, relating to customer reactions, eventsthey have attended and general feedback. An example ofsuch an incident came in the form of an e-mail which cameto Tonya, the Executive Manager, praising one of thejunior staff members. The incident related to a customerwho had brought his small daughter, named Alice, to thelibrary for a storytime session. In this session, Alice had awardrobe malfunction where the strap on her sundresscame apart. It was a distressing situation and the librarystaff member offered to fix the dress with a brooch she waswearing. Alice was most unsure at first, but when the staffmember explained that it was a special brooch, of Alice inWonderland, young Alice accepted it with pride. Disasterwas averted and the most relieved father took his nowsmiling daughter home. Tonya's sharing of the e-mailacknowledged the staff member going beyond the line ofduty in freely giving the brooch to young Alice.

Two further incidents demonstrate a culture of valuing.During a conversation with Karen, the manager of theLearning Engagement section, she explained to me theimportance of developing an understanding of indigenouscultures and the leadership, enthusiasm and innovationdemonstrated by a staff member called Kiah. As we walkedto the lunchroom, we stopped by Kiah's workspace whereKaren introduced us, acknowledging the fantastic work

that Kiah was doing with indigenous cultures and bringingthem into the library. Another similar incident occurredwhen Tonya suggested that I seek an interview with Cailey,the Children and Youth Services Librarian, as to useTonya’s words, ‘she is a huge advocate for the young andteenage people who visit the library’. Both of theseacknowledgments from executive and upper managementwere shared as part of general conversation. They were notforced or contrived as something for my benefit.Affirmative evidence as part of conversation is an everydayoccurrence among all levels of staff.

Feedback as affirmative evidence to staff can also be moreformal. I interviewed Maggie who works within theLearning Engagement programmes. She shared a range ofevidence strategies most relating to customer satisfaction.She is aware of the face-to-face feedback that occurs at thepoint of contact with customers and supervisors and seesthis as an affirmation of practice and acknowledgment ofthe efforts she puts into meeting customer requests andneeds. Additionally, Maggie values the direct feedback shereceives from her supervisor when achievement plans arerequired to be completed. The meetings between Maggieand Karen (her supervisor) are collegial and non-threatening. Maggie explains,

A general chat, I love that. …. Because somany times you can just work and workand work and your supervisor will just saynothing and you're thinking am I - what amI doing, you know? But my supervisor isvery, very good like that. If I'm doing agood job she'll tell me I'm doing a good job.They’ve - that just prompts me to do evenbetter, you know?

This response is an indication that Maggie accepts this asevidence that she is performing effectively in her role. Thepositive feedback led her to a raised awareness on whichaspects of her role are effective. The consequences areincreased productivity and a developed sense of well-beingand affirmation that she is performing well.

The examples of Kiah, Cailey, and Maggie are indicationsthat staff value and respond to the face-to-face feedbackthat occurs at the point of contact with customers and

supervisors. They see these as evidence affirming practiceand self-improvement as well as acknowledgment of effortthey put into meeting customer requests and needs. Aculture of valuing and openly acknowledging theachievements and efforts of staff enables evidence-basedpractice to flourish in many less formal settings.

A culture of being

Evidence-based practice may not be an obvious andconscious activity in the day-to-day practice of libraryprofessionals. In professional practice it can be so subtle asto be indiscernible. It becomes part of being a professional,working to improve individual practice and provide thebest possible service to customers. The following examplerelates my own experience as an observer and researcherwhere I began to see the subtle ways in which evidence wasused to inform and change practice among the staff of theLocal History Collection of Summertown Library.

In the early stages of my visits to Summertown Library, Istruggled to see how evidence-based practice wasoccurring in the daily activities of the library staff. Theearly visits were quite confusing to me as an observer. I feltmy own experiences of evidence-based practice as aresearcher should have placed me in a position to seeclearly how this organization went about the business ofevidence-based practice, but I was confused. I could notsee evidence-based practice at all. I knew I had to bemissing something or doing something wrong, but couldnot put my finger on what it was. I came to realise that theevidence is more subtle. So subtle that library staff reactand respond to evidence as it presents itself in a mannerwhich is intrinsic to their daily practice. It is so subtle andembedded into daily practice that responses are madewithout effort or conscious thought. They are blissfullyunaware that they are undertaking evidence-basedpractice. Over time, I came to understand that there is anunderstanding and a collective vision among the staffacross many levels of the library organization and amongthe different operational sections of the library. Many ofthe responses that staff make are based on intuitivelydiscerning appropriate evidence. There is an attitude ofcontinual improvement of their own practice to meet theneeds of their customers. The Local History Collection of

Summertown library and the staff who manage it providean example of this.

Over many years, the Local History Collection has grownin response to the community's desire to keep records andlearn more about its local history. Camilla indicates thatthe collection ‘grew from nothing really' and it seems thatin the early stages there was no clear plan to build such acollection. That is, there was not a plan to target particularitems for the collection, or to put parameters around whatshould or should not be included. The collection evolvedrather than being deliberately curated. Much of thecollection came from donations. It contains many items ofmemorabilia, newspapers and photographs and as such itis an archive which tells the story of Summertown's past.As the collection has grown, it has become highly valuedand supported by Summertown Council, so much so thatrenovations were undertaken to accommodate thecollection in climate controlled rooms. Additionally, therewas support to apply for a funding grant to purchasespecialised equipment to digitise some of the collection. Asa result, much of the collection is now available online.

As a direct response to growing customer requests andcustomer feedback, the collection has grown. The staff inthe Local History Collection have a lot of direct contactwith library customers, many of whom visit the libraryregularly and are well known to staff. Many are searchingfamily history and using the facilities to digitise their ownartefacts. Much of the feedback the staff receive is at thepoint of contact with the customer. Camilla is aware thatword of mouth encourages many new customers to ventureinto the archives of the local history collection. 'I think afair number of our customers say that they've talked tosomebody who's had information from us and come, soobviously they've had a good report on us and havedecided to use the service themselves.' Camilla valuesfeedback from customers and says,

…in my case, I think I receive e-mails backpretty regularly almost all the time withpeople thanking me and saying that it wasjust what they wanted and they're happywith what was found and it's helped themget their family tree together or do the

display they wanted or whatever.

Mostly these e-mails are the only documented evidenceand there seems to be a relationship with the customersand active response to their requests. Camilla describes thefeedback she receives as providing her with a 'sense ofwell-being' which relates to her performance and therelationships she has with customers.

Formal reporting in the form of customer satisfaction andevidence of meeting targets is more of a concern for Bettyas the manager of the Local History Collection. She is ableto demonstrate that the section is meeting targets anddemonstrating improved performance in relation toworkshops, their quality and the increased number beingundertaken. However, there is a lot of unrecorded andundocumented evidence from direct contact with librarycustomers that Betty takes into account when planning thefuture direction of the Local History Collection.

For Betty, there is a real sense of self-improvement, ofupskilling herself and her staff to meet customer needs.The staff are gaining in confidence in their new skills andare able to share these to guide their customers. Rachel,the third staff member assigned to the Local HistoryCollection, did most of the digitisation for the library andtaught customers how to use the equipment. Hers was asteep learning curve and she enjoyed sharing her newskills. When I asked Camilla in interview, what indicationsshe had that she was delivering a quality service, sheresponded with, 'Well apart from knowing that you are'.This response is an indication that there is a general senseof well-being and the evidence here could be a sense ofknowing that comes from shared visions and working as acollective.

A culture of learning

Summertown Library's multi-layered approach to alearning culture is demonstrated in the way in which skillsand experiences are shared from frontline managers tooperational staff. As staff at Summertown Library growand learn in their roles they are seeking affirmation andguidance on how to do their jobs better. A culture ofcontinuous improvement guided by organizational

objectives and measured with customer satisfactionsurveys, personal achievement plans and the like, drivesthe impetus for improvement. In striving for best practice,staff at all levels of the library seek clarification of themeaning of evidence-based practice and ask questionsabout how evidence-based practice could assist them.

In a culture of continuous improvement and where peopleare valued, learning is integral to work life. Peoplecontinue to learn; from their supervisors and from eachother in shared experiences. In Summertown Library,sharing is part of the culture; staff have a way of workingout how to get things done. They rely upon and draw onthe practical knowledge and experiences of colleagues. Forthe staff at Summertown Library, evidence-based practiceis a way that they can improve and something they want tolearn more about. The following perceptions of evidence-based practice are taken from interviews at SummertownLibrary. At the beginning of the interviews participantswere asked, 'What does the phrase "evidence-basedpractice"mean to you in this library service?' Nadia,Betty, Xavier and Karen are managers of different sectionsof the library and their responses follow.

Nadia's perception of evidence-based practice aligns withSummertown Library’s culture of learning. She expresses itas a lifelong and embedded practice; as something that isso familiar that it is difficult to discern.

So I would say that it’s (evidence-basedpractice) definitely something that we needto focus more time on and I can see too thatevidence-based practice, it’s somethingthat… it’s not just something that you do fora project, it actually needs to be aneveryday practice. So it becomes a habit,similar to what we have in terms of, youknow, continuous improvement and oursmart service. It actually needs to becomepart of the culture.

Betty's perception of evidence-based practice is morepractical and relates to the evidence which is gatheredfrom evaluation forms and customer surveys. Yet in Betty'sexplanation, there is a sense that she is looking for more,but is unsure how to apply it to her context.

I do try to, to get people to tell me what theywant. But, I don’t know – people just seemto respond to what you put out there. Theygo or they don’t go rather than… you know,it’s more of the same. I don’t know. More ofthe same is usually… like we have abouteight likes on the evaluation form. And I sayto people “The evaluation form is there tomake sure that we can improve or put onevents that you’d be more interested in ormore of the same” or… that sort of stuff. Butthat… that’s sort of never worked. That’s it.See, we, we don’t really have a lot ofevidence… I sort of go with the flow, Isuppose.

Xavier experiences a raised consciousness of evidencewhich goes beyond the formal responses and surveys suchas that which is required of the organization. He states thatevidence could include customer experience.

I hadn't really thought about the customer -or the customer experience, what evidencecan we get from the customers bothformally and informally. Yeah, I think thatI - that's certainly started the conversationthinking it's what other libraries or otherpeople other institutions have done outsideof ours. I didn't really think about, yeah, thecustomer part probably broadly.

Karen's view of evidence gathering is that it could provideshort term indicators of programme effectiveness, but isaware that evidence gathered over longer periods would beuseful. She has difficulty in obtaining concrete evidence asshe terms it. Karen expresses a frustration in explainingand communicating with other departments within thecouncil to understand the types of evidence that would behelpful.

I guess it is, in terms of what I do and myteam does, it’s about talking to thecommunity, finding out what their needsare and delivering programmes that meetthose needs and then evaluating thoseprogrammes to see whether that hasworked. I guess what we don’t do enough of

is maybe that longitudinal evaluation ofthose programmes, so we don’t, forexample, we have a number of book clubsbut we don’t look at the impact of thoseclubs in a historical way I suppose – we justcontinue to deliver them. So I guessevidence-based practice with book clubsmight be that we evaluate those and seehow they’ve impacted upon participantsand upon their lives, I suppose.

I guess what I would like to add to that isthat we would like to find out what otherpeople think of the library and what we do.Some concrete evidence rather than just thehearsay, which is nice, but… I guessCommunity Development (a departmentwithin Summertown Council) have talkedabout doing a community wellbeingindicator – developing something like that.And I had spoken to them about maybe wecan be one of the things that’s measured inthat. And that’s a longitudinal thing and ifthat happens that would be great. But oftenwhen I say that to people they don’tunderstand.

Tracy is new to the organization and is still finding herway. In recognition of her skills and 'can do' attitude herrole had been expanded. She is not a manager, but her roleinvolves writing and scoping the learning programmes. Itcould be that her newness to Summertown Library guidesher insightful observations and perception of evidence-based practice.

I first considered that evidence-basedpractice wasn't used a lot but now I can seethat looking at what we're doing andassessing and building on it so - so that wedon't keep doing what we've always doneand we find better and smarter ways towork. I think we do do it now that - I guessthat when you threw up the term evidence-based practice you don't - you think of statsand ... All of that sort of thing. You don'tthink of all the little things, like we've beendiscussing. It is something that we do butit's unconscious.

Finally, Tonya the Executive Manager of SummertownLibrary provides her perceptions. She expresses evidencegathering as a quest to find evidence that goes beyondbeing superficial.

Evidence-based practice means makingdecisions based on evidence rather thanwhat you think you know or what you feel,….Because I do think, I do think that’s one ofthe potential failures of libraries is that theythink they know. You know, we think weknow what people want to read. We thinkwe know what they want in theinformation, what the information inquiryis going to be about, we think we knowwhat it is they want to learn about but ifyou get that wrong, then ... Yeah, you’resecond guess…, we’re always and that is areal trap. And I’m sure there are lots oflibraries who know… they can think theyknow their communities so well that theydon’t need any …, they don’t need thatevidence. They don’t seek it out, so I thinkthat’s a danger. It is a danger because youjust become then distant, separated fromthe actual community needs and wants.

A culture of leading

Leadership in Summertown Library operates within a one-organization ethos where a synergy exists between the twodimensions of leadership and a one-organization ethos. Itis like a cycle of leadership building the ethos, with theethos in turn, building or enabling leaders. Thedimensions of leadership and of a one-organization ethoswill be explored in this section. First, an explanation of theone-organization ethos will be given to set the scene.Following this will be the dimension of leadership,concluding with how these two dimensions work togetherto enable evidence-based practice to be experienced withinthe context of Summertown Library.

Despite being situated in three locations, Summertown'sLibrary Service has a one-organization ethos. Theorganization is people focused; people are valued andsupported. There is no hesitation among staff to assist a

customer or another staff member. It is a happy andproductive workplace, where staff get on with the job. Thismeans that it is the type of workplace where goals areclearly set and everyone just works out how to meet them.They accommodate each other and make adjustmentswhere necessary. One section of the library which has ahigh level of interaction with the public is CustomerServices and Operations. This division of SummertownLibrary is the front-of-house face of the library service.Nadia, as the Customer Services and Operations manager,and Fay, who works face-to-face in operating the mobilevan, will be highlighted.

Nadia's responsibilities as Manager of Customer Servicesand Operations are the three main branches and themobile services. These are the physical libraryenvironments, rather than the virtual. Nadia's role placesher at the forefront of customer service and this coincideswith Summertown Council's focus on delivering qualitycustomer service. With this focus, a purpose for evidencegathering has been identified and the feedback formsgenerated by the council for all service departments, beinggeneric in nature, have a high emphasis on customerservice. However, Nadia has identified additional areaswhere evidence could be used for purposes other thanmeasuring customer satisfaction. Nadia considers thatother useful evidence could include evidence as anindicator of change or as an indicator of issues which mayneed to be addressed or for new programmes to beintroduced.

I think definitely the types of evidence that'suseful are those that indicate where changeis happening and where there are gaps…because at the end of the day, it's aboutgathering evidence to show that not onlywhat the community trends are, but what isthe difference that we are actually makingin the communities, so that we can invest inthat further and improve it.

Gathering and presenting evidence helps in decision-making and Nadia indicates that over time their strategieshave evolved and incorporated a range of evidence sources.Nadia explains,

Something I have noticed is that in terms ofstatistics and what we gather, we definitelydo gather more and when we makedecisions - because the library offers such avariety of experiences and because peopleare coming into the library for much morevaried reasons now that means that we’veneeded to develop our statistics. So forexample, for decisions where in the past youknow say five or more years ago you’d go“Oh let’s just look at the loan statistics” ...And whereas now you wouldn’t do that.Now you you’d end up looking at your loanstatistics, your internet usage...

I also think too that more and more, we’regaining an understanding of, you know, thedifference that we do make in thecommunity and what it really means. Andwe’re actually gaining more of anunderstanding of the reason for a long-term vision and you know looking at thelong-term impact of, of what we do out inthe community. So yeah, whereas before Ithink, I think many, many years ago, itwould have been fine to be short range.

Nadia indicates that statistical data from various sourcesare heavily relied upon as evidence, yet there are other'softer' types of evidence that are informing decision-making and practice. Nadia states that... ‘feedback’sdefinitely important’ and considers that staff should bemore aware of feedback to advocate for and promote whatthey do. Evidence used for advocacy as benchmarks for theways in which a programme and those involved in itsdelivery have been successful indicate that Nadia has apeople-focused view of evidence-based practice. Sheexplains that 'a lot of what you do is still gut instinct…because we are humans'. Intuition is something that isdeveloped over time using a variety of sources to assist thelibrary professional to come to conclusions, 'all of thosethings build a picture of what is happening'. Many factorscontribute to the evidence picture; although Nadia callsthese 'gut instinct', it is a combination of intuition,professional knowledge, feedback from customers, andcolleagues working together to build a picture.

One of the service delivery operations, which is part of theCustomer Services and Operations section, is the mobilelibrary service. I spent a day in the company of Fay as wetravelled to outlying communities.

Fay is a qualified librarian and takes great pride in herwork. Driving the mobile van is only one aspect of her roleand she is responsible for rotating the materials for loanand keeping the stock relevant to her customers. Sheknows most of her customers by name and takes the timeto listen to them. In the confined space of the mobile van,she ensures that there is a good selection of materials forher customers to choose from. She selects items to meettheir requests and requirements, and at times predictswhat materials could be of interest. Many of the customersare retired or elderly or young mothers with smallchildren. Fay rotates the stock every two to three weeksand observes what is being borrowed, what has beenborrowed a lot and could be 'read out' as she terms it.

It is evident that Fay shares Nadia's people-focused view ofevidence, but there are no structured evidence strategies inplace for Fay to draw upon. Her interactions andobservations guided by her intuition and professionaljudgement ensure that she is able to maintain a collectionrelevant to her customers. The high number of regularcustomers and high borrowing statistics associated withthe mobile van could be seen as evidence of this. Examplesfrom the Learning Services and Customer Services andOperations sections of the library highlight that evidence-based practice is a professional habit of the staff atSummertown Library. However, evidence-based practice isexperienced within the organizational culture withmanagers, operational staff and executive staff all workingat different levels of leadership. The following section willexplore evidence-based practice in relation to aspects ofleadership within the organization’s culture.

There is a belief in some organizations that being at the topor at the executive levels of an organization automaticallymakes a person the leader. The following paragraphsillustrate how leadership within the organizational culturecontributes to the way in which staff at SummertownLibrary experience evidence-based practice.

Tonya is the Executive Manager of Summertown Library.Within Summertown Council there are many executivemanagers and it is possible that any executive managercould head any of the departments at any time. I had manyinformal chats with Tonya on my visits to Summertown. Ilearned that the library is considered to be the 'shiningbeacon of the Council' in regard to management andcustomer service delivery. My observations and immersionin the culture of Summertown Library allowed me towitness Tonya's influence and guidance.

Tonya is guided by intuition but uses statistical data asdetermined by Summertown Council and State Library toreport on the success of the library’s activities. Sheconsiders that, 'evidence-based practice means makingdecisions based on evidence rather than what you thinkyou know or what you feel'. In practice though Tonyaexperiences evidence-based practice on many levels. In herrole as the executive manager of the library Tonya needs tohave a bigger picture of how the library aligns with theparent organization and complies with its requirements.Tonya actively seeks information or evidence from withincouncil for demographic information, population trendsand from further afield, community needs in a changingeconomic environment.

Statistical data are gathered to meet specific purposes.Data support decision-making in particular to enhancecustomer experience. Key Performance Indicators inconjunction with statistical data assist the reviewprocesses, budgets and programmes. A particular focus forthe coming year is to review the acquisitions model. Thiswill draw upon a range of evidence sources including datafrom community engagement, surveys, focus groups andstatistical data.

I witnessed many incidents where Tonya activelyexperienced and gathered evidence firsthand. She spendstime on the library floor every week with the purpose ofseeing for herself what is happening and getting a feel ofwork flows and observing staff responding directly tocustomer requests. When she is on the floor, customers donot realise that she is the executive manager and Tonyaresponds to customers as any of the operational levellibrary staff would. Face-to-face engagement with

customers allows Tonya to model the behaviour sheexpects from all staff. At the same time she is gatheringuseful evidence from the customer perspective and theways in which the library is being used. While on the floorshe is gathering incidental evidence by observing workflows and staff interactions with customers.

Tonya's actions of modelling behaviour and acknowledgingsuccess are ways in which she can build her influence.Leadership at many levels of Summertown Library inconjunction with a one-organization ethos enable theexperiences of evidence-based practice to buildmomentum.

Discussion

A great deal has been written about evidence-basedpractice relating to library contexts and generally itdescribes evidence-based practice as a process ofevaluating research as it is presented in the literature(Booth, 2002, 2007; Eldredge, 2000). This paper presentsand highlights evidence-based practice as an experience inthe everyday work lives of library practitioners. Hence, thismay place an emphasis on practitioner-observed and user-reported evidence sources. Yet, there were incidents wherestaff reported the use of research-derived evidence,especially in decision-making at executive andmanagement levels and in setting long term aspirationalgoals. For instance, Cailey who works in the Children’sServices section relates an incident where floor staffwished to remove the book spinners used to display booksin the teen and junior sections of the library. The bookspinners were considered untidy and made locating bookdifficult. Cailey was able to bring to a managementmeeting literature which supported the use of bookspinners especially for junior and teenage customers. Inlight of this evidence from the literature, the book spinnersstayed and were subsequently moved to more prominentplaces in the library.

Another incident highlights how research literature isconsulted to inform future planning. Xavier, the managerof the technological and digital presence of the library usesresearch literature to gain further insights into projects heis considering to enhance digital delivery and presence. In

strategic planning meetings decisions are made for theshort and long term that utilise a combination of researchliterature, environmental scans, incidental observationsand customer feedback. Evidence from many sources areconsidered in the decision-making process. For instance,at operational levels much of the contextual evidence is inface-to-face interactions and observations; whereas atmanagement and executive levels evidence can be drawn,although not exclusively, from the more structured andformal sources of feedback forms and statistical datainterpretations. It does not seem to be the case that onetype of evidence holds prominence over another.

The research about evidence-based practice as anexperience reveals that there is no one way to be anevidence-based practitioner (Gillespie, 2014; Partridge,Edwards and Thorpe, 2010). The findings from this studyreveal that evidence-based practice in a public library ishighly nuanced and multi-layered. Staff at all levels of theorganization are drawing on evidence related to their owncontexts to inform practice. These are their first-handexperiences of evidence-based practice. All of these layersof evidence when shared can be used to build a uniquepicture of Summertown Library.

Implications of a culture of valuing

In a culture which openly acknowledges the positiveimpact of the actions of staff, observations and face-to-facefeedback are highly valued as evidence. Consequently,those at the operational levels, such as Maggie, Kiah andCailey can be disadvantaged in the ways in which they cancollect meaningful evidence. Without documentedevidence it places them in a follower capacity. Due to thesystematic way in which feedback forms are generated andused as a means to demonstrate the meeting oforganizational goals, it is difficult for Maggie to gainacknowledgement of her effectiveness when she is workingin supporting roles and on call roles where she fills inwhere necessary. Her effectiveness and the positive impactshe has made in responding to customer face-to-facefeedback is unrecognised in the customer feedback formsand can only be acknowledged through supervisors whomay observe or have the information relayed to them byword of mouth or e-mail.

Implications of a culture of being

A shared vision among the staff guides responses toincidental evidence. These responses are embedded andsubtle and are second nature. Staff are not consciouslyaware that they are being evidence-based practitioners.Part of staff members' professional identity or reason forbeing is to meet the needs of their customers. Staff are ableto do this by directly engaging with customers, finding outwhat they need and then responding by assisting them toaccess the best information. There are immediateresponses requested by customers in a face-to-facesituation, as well as planning for long term ease of access.In responding to the changing focus of the collection, Bettyis aware that her role has changed. She has moved frompurchasing a vacuum cleaner and eight litres of vinegar tocombat dust and mould, to working to build a direction forthe collection. Betty's closing comments in her intervieware, '….I sort of go with the flow I suppose.' If going withthe flow means keeping an open mind, responding to whatcustomers say, being brave enough to try something newand take the staff who work closely with you on thejourney, the evidence must be everywhere.

Implications of a culture of learning

Learning is intrinsic to being human. Every new day is anopportunity to learn something new. Learning whichoccurs in everyday working life is mostly informal andthere is a close connection between informal learning andworking. Cohen (2013) considers that informal learning inthe workplace is hands-on and contextual; it is implicit orsubconscious. Additionally, it is the characteristics orculture of the organization and its frontline managers orsupervisors that will enable or hinder learning. Cohenconsiders that many frontline managers perceived theirroles 'to be one which is concerned with the promotionand facilitation of employee learning so that theiremployees are able to perform better in their current role'(Cohen, 2013, p. 515). Karen, the Learning EngagementManager was aware that learning in the library was bothformal and informal.

I guess learning is really one of those

things. And often people think of learning interms of the formal stuff, whereas often theinformal stuff leads to the formal stuff. Oreven the informal stuff helps buildsconfidence that makes you a better personliving in the community.

Learning at Summertown Library is multi-layered. At alllevels of the library - operations, programme delivery andmanagement, staff are learning and growing. In a collegialenvironment, working and learning are closely linked. Inmuch the same way, evidence-based practice could bedescribed as an aspect of learning.

Implications of a culture of leading

The findings presented leadership and a one-organizational ethos as dimensions working in synergy,each supporting the other. It is like a cycle of leadershipbuilding the one-organization ethos, with the ethos, inturn, building or enabling leaders. Maxwell (2005, p. 1)considers that 'Ninety-nine per cent of all leadershipoccurs not from the top but from the middle of anorganization'. Those situated as middle managers (Nadia)and at operations (Fay) are clear about their functions andlines of responsibility. Yet they demonstrate a certainindependence to make changes where necessary to theprogrammes they deliver; their involvement is more thanjust delivering programmes to a prescribed format. Thiscould relate to professional engagement or passion, but itcould be deeper than that. Staff at all levels are constantlyinterpreting the events evolving from their surroundings toensure that the programmes maintain an alignment withthe overall strategic direction of the library. It is unstated,but there seems to be an element of trust in professionalrelationships, between executive, management andoperational levels.

An ancient proverb attributed to the Turks, 'A fish stinksfirst at the head' with the modern variant 'a fish stinks (orrots) from the head down' is metaphorical rather thanbiologically correct, but the meaning is clear, being that'when an organization or state fails, it is the leadershipthat is the root cause' (Martin, 1996). From this, it couldbe inferred that the opposite could also apply, that an

organization that functions well could be attributed to itsleadership. A further premise within organizations is thatbeing at the top or at the executive levels of anorganization automatically makes that person the leader.Taking an alternative view, Maxwell (2005, p. 7) states that'position has little to do with genuine leadership' and thatpeople can lead from any position within an organization.

Maxwell provides some insights regarding trustrelationships in organizations. He considers thatempowerment is not an avenue to promote self-interest;that when empowering staff with authority, it works neverto serve their own interests. 'Trust is built one block at atime and builds a faithfulness to serve the people whogave you that authority' (Maxwell, 2005, p. 32). There isan element of empowerment and confidence in manysections and operations of Summertown Library. Anexample provided in this paper is where Fay demonstratesthat she draws on evidence sources around her,communicating and taking the initiative to ensurealignment with the overall strategic direction. Leaders canbe in any or all parts of an organization. Maxwell (2005, p.29) considers that good leaders at the top of theorganization will break ground for their people. In doingso, they create momentum for the entire organization.Tonya's ways of interaction, sharing, encouragement,modelling and acknowledgment are actions which bring tolife an organization's shared vision and belief in its leader.

Cultural tensions: barriers and the glassceiling

In today's economic climate there are many instances oflibraries being under threat, yet this does not seem to bethe case in Summertown Library. This could be due in partto the high approval ratings collated from proformafeedback forms and customer surveys which reflectSummertown Council's focus on customer service. Thelibrary maintains a consistently high customer serviceapproval rating of 95 per cent. In some respectsSummertown Library has reached a glass ceiling andactions for constant improvement in customer service willmake little impact on this rating. Yet, the library executiveand managers are constantly seeking evidence, which

could inform them to better meet the needs of theircustomers; the proforma feedback mechanisms are notable to provide them with this information. A dilemma forlibrary staff is a sense that evidence gained fromobservations, interactions, intuition and professionalknowledge could be discounted by senior management orthose in authority in the council as not being valid ortrustworthy. Tonya as Executive Manager is aware that thelibrary is able to produce a range of statistical data, andthese data are used in relation to meeting standards inlibrary service delivery. There are many unansweredquestions in regard to the types of evidence and strategiesfor collecting it.

In taking longer term views, Karen as Manager of LearningEngagement and Nadia as Manager of Customer Serviceand Operations have identified other types of evidencewhich might assist them, but which they are unable toaccess. Karen expresses this evidence tension from theperspective of her Learning Engagement team:

I guess in terms of what I do and my teamdoes, it's about talking to the communityand finding out what their needs are anddelivering programmes that meet thoseneeds and then evaluating the programmesto see that has worked.

Karen raised the issue of being able to build data over timein longitudinal studies and how they could measure thelong term impact of the programmes they are delivering.

Nadia in her role as Manager of Customer Services andOperations identifies areas of evidence gathering thatwould be useful for future planning. 'I think that definitelythe types of evidence that's useful are those that indicatewhere change is happening and where there are gaps…'Nadia indicates that the library has access to quantitativedata, which they are able to gather, but there is a problem,that the statistics are quite general, 'they're (the data) notspecific and they're not dealing in why communitymembers are choosing to do what they do'. AdditionallyNadia can see a need for data gathering and interpretationthat could be used for long term planning; as a predictorfor future community needs. 'We need to look at evidenceof how things are going to be within five or ten years… for

instance what customers are coming into the library forand why…that kind of layering of data'. Nadia alsoechoed Karen's concerns regarding the library's impact inthe whole learning community, 'How do you prove thatlibraries have an impact within that learning?… that isthe type of evidence that we actually need to gather andlibraries don't do it'.

The interview excerpts reveal a growing awareness that theorganization-prescribed evidence cannot provide the typesof evidence which can guide longer term planning andmeasure how the library impacts on its community.Tensions are evident between evidence, which isprescribed in predefined formats, and evidence, which isgathered in incidental encounters. In not acknowledgingand documenting evidence gained through observations,face-to-face feedback, customer interactions andprofessional knowledge the unique story of SummertownLibrary cannot be told.

Karen and Nadia as managers have expressed a big pictureview of evidence. They are able to provide the evidencerequired by the council to meet predefined formats,achievement plans and requirements relating to strategicdirection. Yet they are aware that these types of evidenceare not able to provide information about the impact ofcurrent programmes, or inform long term planning anddirection setting. They are aware too that this type ofevidence could be gained from outside sources, beyond thecouncil and there are obstacles to gaining evidence of thistype. However, the types of evidence that Karen and Nadiahave identified that would assist them in providing the bigpicture would not be unique to Summertown Library andare things that perhaps library associations would bebetter placed to access. In expressing these concerns Karenand Nadia are forward thinking in the ways in which theycan use evidence.

Conclusion

Making comparisons between how the literature describesevidence-based practice as opposed to the livedexperiences of library professionals which this studyreveals is akin to describing procedural approaches toevaluating evidence versus opening the potential to reveal

many types of nuanced evidence which are part ofeveryday work life. This difference in approach mayexplain the apparent confusion among library practitionersabout how to be evidence-based.

In Summertown Library there are many examples ofevidence being gathered to make changes to better meetcustomer needs and to inform professional practice. Muchof this evidence is incidental and not recorded, butcombined with intuition and professional knowledgeinforms future direction. Staff are recognised andencouraged to be guided by their professional knowledgeto meet the challenges of the programmes they aredelivering. They feel empowered to make adjustmentswhere necessary guided by evidence that is presented tothem. In this way, all levels of the organization arefunctioning to meet predefined goals and momentum ismaintained for continued improvement.

This paper presents the findings from a study thatexplored the lived experiences of library and informationprofessionals in one Australian public library at aparticular point in time. In doing so the study has providednew insights into the realities of how evidence-basedpractice is understood, experienced and enacted for onegroup of library and information professionals. Moreresearch is needed to further develop our understandingsof how evidence-based practice is actually understood andexperienced by library and information professionals indifferent contexts and over a longer period of time.

Acknowledgements

This research forms part of a three year AustralianResearch Council (ARC) Discovery Project entitledBuilding the basis for evidence-based library andinformation practice: a qualitative study (ARC DP130102710). The authors would like to thank the“Summertime Public Library” who generously contributedtheir time and thoughts to this research project.

About the authors

Ann Gillespie (now retired) was a postdoctoral researchfellow within the Information Studies Group of

Queensland University of Technology. Her 2013 doctoralthesis, Untangling the evidence: teacher librarians andevidence based practice investigated evidence-basedpractice in primary schools. Her thesis and earlier papersare athttp://eprints.qut.edu.au/view/person/Gillespie,_Ann.html

Helen Partridge is Professor and Pro Vice-Chancellor(Scholarly Information and Learning Services) at theUniversity of Southern Queensland, West Street,Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia. In this role she hasoversight of Library Services, Office for the Advancementof Learning and Teaching and the Digital Life Lab. Helen’sresearch focuses on the interplay between information,learning and technology. She has been a visiting at theOxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford (2011) andthe Berkman Center for Internet and Society and Society,Harvard University (2014). She can be contacted athelen.partridge@usq.edu.auChristine Bruce is Professor in the Information SystemsSchool at the Queensland University of Technology,Queensland University of Technology, GPO Box 2434,Brisbane, QLD 4001. Australia. with a focus on qualitativeand information research, especially information literacy.Christine is also Director, Research Training for theScience and Engineering Faculty and Convenor of theuniversity's Higher Education Research Network. She is aPrincipal Fellow of the U.K. Higher Education Academy.She can be contacted at c.bruce@qut.edu.auAlisa Howlett is an information professional in highereducation, currently coordinating projects related toimproving library services and student learningexperiences in the Queensland University of Technology, 2George Street , Brisbane, QLD, 4000, Australia. She haspreviously published research findings related to EBLIP inInformation Research. Alisa has a Bachelor of Businessfrom Queensland University of Technology and receivedher Master of Information Technology (Library andInformation Science) in 2013 She can be contacted atalisa.howlett@qut.edu.au.

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How to cite this paper

Gillespie, A., Partridge, H., Bruce, C. & Howlett, A. (2016).The experience of evidence-based practice in an Australianpublic library: an ethnography.Information Research, 21(4),

paper 730. Retrieved from http://InformationR.net/ir/21-4/paper730.html (Archived by WebCite® athttp://www.webcitation.org/6m5HJfG6K)

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