JIL Editorial Team

Editor in chief: Dr Alison Hicks, Assistant Professor, University College London

Dr Alison E Hicks

Alison is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at the Department of Information Studies at UCL. In this role, she teaches on the Library and Information Science MA, including the information literacy module, and supervises MA and PhD research. Alison also maintains an active information literacy research agenda, which focuses on sociocultural approaches to information literacy within academic and everyday contexts.

Alison received her PhD from the Swedish School of Library and Information Science, Borås, Sweden and her MSIS from the United States, where she worked for over a decade as an academic librarian. During this time, Alison developed a strong interest in critical information literacy, particularly in relation to international and intercultural settings. Since then, her research interests have expanded to centre on the broader concept of transition as well as the application of qualitative research methods within information literacy research.

Alison is at her happiest when she is outside, either walking or playing netball. She also enjoys working as an inner-city Guide leader as well as volunteering at her local toy library. Her publications are almost entirely available OA and she can also be followed on Twitter.

Managing Editor: Dr Meg Westbury, University of Cambridge

Dr Meg Westbury

Meg is the Academic Services Librarian (Human and Social Sciences) for Cambridge University Libraries, where she has been involved in several information literacy initiatives, including developing a 10-month teacher librarian training course. She holds a PhD in E-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning (Lancaster University), MAs in Cultural Anthropology and Library and Information Science (both University of Washington), is a Fellow of Wolfson College (Cambridge) and is FHEA.

Meg’s research interests include collaborative and peer-supported writing processes and how research infrastructures spark new identities, agencies and communities. She is particularly interested in exploring creative approaches to peer review of academic literature and in creating fora for marginalized voices in information literacy studies.

Production Editor: Amber Edwards, Leeds Beckett University

Head shot of Amber Edwards

Amber Edwards was previously a Teacher-Librarian and a teacher of Theory of Knowledge at Malvern College Hong Kong, an IB World School. She also previously worked at an IB school in Rome and a variety of university libraries in the UK.

Book Reviews Editor: Gerry Delaney

Ulster University

Digital Communications Officer: Karen Butcher

University of Brighton

Statistician / Bibliometrician: Rebecca Wojturska

Rebecca Wojturska

Rebecca is the Open Access Publishing Officer at the University of Edinburgh, where she manages a journal and book hosting service for staff, students and external partners. Previously she has worked in academic publishing, at Edinburgh University Press and the Royal Society of Chemistry. Follow her on Twitter.

Copy editors:

Batul Alsaraji, London Borough of Hillingdon

Head shot of Batul Alsaraji

Batul is a library assistant at the London Borough of Hillingdon and a library science master’s student. She has previously worked as a content manager and translator. Her professional interests include information literacy in public libraries and supporting digital literacy in the community.


Nimisha Bhat, University of Cincinatti

Nimisha Bhat is a librarian at the University of Cincinnati where she supports research, instruction, and collection development for History, Anthropology, and Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies. She is a lead editor for The Librarian Parlor with research interests that include continuing education for library workers, the retention of librarians & students of color, and sustainability in academic libraries.


Lynsey Blandford, Canterbury Christ Church University

Lynsey is a Learning and Research Librarian for the School of Creative Arts and Industries. She has worked in academic and research libraries and enjoys exploring information literacy within the creative disciplines. Her research interests include gender studies within early modern literature and culture, the subject of her PhD thesis.


Tasha Cooper

Waseem Farooq, Aga Khan University

Sae Matsuno, Stuart Hall Library, Iniva [Institute of International Visual Arts]

Sae is an Assistant Librarian at Stuart Hall Library, Iniva. Previously she was a researcher in art and architectural history. Her interests include Critical Information Literacy, Oral History, and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion [EDI] education. Follow her on Twitter.


Andrea Wilcox Brooks, Northern Kentucky University

Heat shot of Andrea Wilcox Brooks

Andrea is part of the Education & Outreach Services team at Northern Kentucky University’s library where she focuses on assessment and pedagogy.  She works with her team to develop undergraduate and graduate information literacy curriculum and teaches credit-bearing information literacy courses.  She also leads a campus-wide initiative called GEARUP with Information Literacy that provides faculty development around information literacy teaching and assessment.


Editorial Board:

The Editorial Board is made up of the Editorial Team and in addition:

Chair: Geoff Walton – Manchester Metropolitan University

Geoff Walton

Geoff is Senior Lecturer in Information and Communications at Manchester Metropolitan University. His previous roles include Lecturer in Information Sciences at Northumbria University, Senior Researcher in the Institute for Applied Creative Thinking (I-ACT) in the Faculty of Arts and Creative Technologies, and Academic Skills Tutor Librarian (Information Services) at Staffordshire University.  He was SLA Europe Information Professional 2010.  His paper for the Journal of Documentation won an Emerald Literati Highly Commended Award in 2012. Geoff is interested in the ways in which young people make judgements about information, misinformation and fake news, and is working on a number of projects to investigate these through the lenses of information literacy theory and research.


Veronica Arellano Douglas – University of Houston, USA

Veronica Arellano Douglas

Veronica Arellano Douglas is the Instruction Coordinator at the University of Houston Libraries, where she leads a team of teaching librarians and works with faculty and students to incorporate information literacy into the undergraduate curriculum. Veronica received her MLS from the University of North Texas and a BA in English from Rice University. Her research interests include critical information literacy, critically reflective pedagogy, relational-cultural theory and its application to feminist library work, and constructions of librarian identity in higher education. Veronica is a proud alumnus of the ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program and is currently a facilitator for the ACRL Immersion Program, an intensive teaching-focused learning experience for librarians.


Emmanuel E. Baro – Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Emmanuel E. Baro

Emmanuel (DLS, BLS, M.Sc. (CLN)) holds a Masters in Library and Information Science from Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. He is currently pursuing a PhD, also in Library and Information studies, at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Akwa, Anambra State, Nigeria. He works as Principal Librarian/Senior Lecturer at the Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Nigeria and is presently the Head of the Serial Section. Since 2012, he has been lecturing on the ‘Use of Library’ course, generally known as the information literacy course, to all new students. He has published over 62 articles in local and international journals in Librarianship.


Dr Noora Hirvonen – University of Oulu in Finland

Noora Hirvonen

Dr Noora Hirvonen is an assistant professor in AI literacies at the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Oulu in Finland and also holds the title of docent (adjunct professor) in health communication at the Faculty of Medicine at the same university. Her research focuses on information (literacy) practices in everyday life, specifically in health-related settings, and currently centers the ways artificial intelligence technologies mediate such practices. Most of her research has been cross-disciplinary and she is familiar with both quantitative and qualitative research approaches.


Prof Annemaree Lloyd – Professor (Chair) Department of Information Studies, University College London

Professor Annemaree Lloyd

Annemaree has extensive research interests in information literacy and information practice in theoretical and applied settings.  Annemaree’s research has focused on theorizing information literacy as a socially enacted practice. Her current research program explores the role of information literacy practice in transition and resettlement of refugees and social inclusion; the role of information literacy in transition to work; information practices and the intersection of knowledge domains in the health care sector;  health information literacy and information use by patients with chronic illness.


Dr Laura Saunders – Simmons University School of Library and Information Science, USA

Laura Saunders

Laura Saunders is a Professor at Simmons University School of Library and Information Science. She teaches and conducts research in
the areas of user services, information literacy, and intellectual freedom.  She has a strong interest in the connections between information literacy and social justice issues, as well as in the impact of mis- and disinformation.

She is the co-author, along with Melissa Wong, of the open access textbook Instruction in Libraries and Information Settings: An Introduction. Laura has a PhD and a Master of Library and Information Science, both from Simmons College, and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Boston University. She is the 2019 recipient of Simmons University’s Provost Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching.


Dr Lauren Smith – Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh

Lauren Smith

Dr Lauren Smith is Senior Liaison Librarian at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, where she provides subject support for Psychology, Sociology, Mad Studies, Education, Media, Communication and Performing Arts. In this role she also leads a postgraduate module in Digital Literacies. Lauren’s doctoral research at the University of Strathclyde focused on young people’s political information engagement and the role of information literacy. She has continued her research agenda in areas relating to access, equity and inclusion using critical and evidence informed approaches in a range of areas including widening participation, social care and services, online learning and self-censorship.


Previous Editors:

  • Susie Andretta, London Metropolitan University (Vol. 3, No. 1 2009 to Vol. 5, No. 2 2011)
  • Emma Coonan, Anglia Ruskin University (Vol 9. No 2 2015 to Vol 14. No 1 2020)
  • Ronan O’Beirne, Bradford College (Vol.1, No. 3 2007  to Vol. 2, No. 1 2008)
  • Jane Secker, LSE (Vol. 6, No.2 2012 to Vol. 9, No. 1 2015)
  • Sheila Webber, Sheffield University (Vol. 1, No. 1 2007)

Guest Editors:

  • Alison Ahearn (Vol. 1, No. 2 2007)
  • Cathie Jackson (Vol. 2, No. 2 2008 and Vol. 6, No. 1 2012)
  • Jane Secker and Ruth Stubbings (Vol. 1, No. 2 2007)

Previous Managing Editors:

  • Cathie Jackson
  • Michelle O’Connell

Previous Copy Editors:

  • Helen Bader
  • Amber Edwards
  • Anne-Lise Harding
  • Lisa Hutchins
  • Sharon Lawler
  • Claire Loake
  • Kirsten McCormick
  • Thomas Peach
  • Steffani Sams
  • Lizzie Seals
  • Sarah Wolfenden
  • Rebecca Wray
  • Jennifer Yellin

Previous Book Review Editor:

  • Ian Hunter
  • Martin Wolf

Previous Production Editor:

  • Harriet David

Previous Digital Communications Officers:

  • Heather Johnston
  • Elizabeth McCarthy

Previous members of Editorial Board:

  • Debbi Boden-Angell
  • Michelle Bond
  • Phil Candy
  • Mark Hepworth
  • Claire McGuinness
  • Jane Secker
  • Ruth Stubbings
  • Ross Todd
  • Prof. Dorothy-Williams

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