Research

Research Centres and Groups

We are the only department in the United Kingdom with programmes in library and information studies, information science, archives and records management, publishing, and digital humanities. As well as topics within these specific areas, we can offer unparalleled opportunities for cross-domain research, for example in user studies and usability, metadata, the management of electronic resources, and XML technologies for the humanities.

DIS research is organised around the above five research centres and groups. These facilitate interaction between established researchers, and offer research training and career development opportunities for early stage researchers and research students. Importantly, they provide coherence and a critical mass of researchers in key areas.

The School has strong links with organizations such as the National Archives and the British Museum, and is close to the British Library and other major research libraries. Our location in central London makes it easy for collaborative work with other institutions and groups. UCL Department of Information Studies is a leading centre for research in librarianship, archives and records management, digital humanities, publishing, knowledge organization and knowledge representation, especially in the areas of research evaluation, scholarly communication, user studies, electronic records, digital technologies for the humanities, preservation management and the history of the book.

DIS Research seminars

DIS offers a supportive environment within which research across different disciplines can take place. Most researchers focus their work in one of our research groups, but in addition, we offer some whole-Department research activities, including a series of lunchtime seminars at which faculty, doctoral students and visiting speakers can give informal papers and lead discussions.