Making Public Information Meaningfullibraries and democratic engagement in the digital age

Lauren SmithPhD Research Student

University of Strathclyde Glasgow Scotland

laurennsmithstrathacuktwitter walkyouhome

BOBCATSSS Conference Amsterdam23rd - 25th January 2012

Considerations Citizenship and Democratic Engagement

Online Information

Political Information-Seeking

Online Engagement

Impacts and Barriers

Solutions Interventions

Citizenship Citizen ldquoone who has a share in both the ruling and being ruledrdquo

(Aristotle)

Status + Rights + Duties

ldquoCitizenship describes the relationship between the citizen and the state and the need for citizens to understand the political and economic processes institutions laws rights and responsibilities of our democratic systemrdquo (Institute for Citizenship 2012)

ldquoA good democratic system attempts to ensure informed and reflective decisionsrdquo (Sunstein 2001)

Democratic Engagement ldquoindividual and collective actions designed to identify and address

issues of public concernrdquo (Tapia amp Ortiz 2010)

ldquoindividual and collection involvement in public affairsrdquo (Norris 2001 in Tapia amp Ortiz 2010)

Synonyms

political participation citizen participation citizen involvement popular participation public involvement citizen engagement Indicators of Democratic Engagement

(Canadian Index of Wellbeing 2010)

Democratic Political Civic Engagement

Voting in elections Signing petitions Donating money to campaigning

organisations Taking part in a protest or

demonstration Joining a campaigning organisation Joining a political party Donating money to a political party

Democratic Deficit

Democratic deficit in UK (Demos 2008) and worldwide (Hill

2009 Print 2007)

Democratic engagement low and in decline (Hansard

Society 2009 Demos 2008 Coleman 2005)

2010 general election turnout 651 of the eligible voter

population

Importance of Engagement Address democratic deficit

Democratic engagement and participation fundamental to successful

democratic societies (Uitermark amp Duyvendak 2008)

People more likely to discuss with peer groups and others

Increased hetereogeneity

Increased understanding of others points of view

More realistic view of politics ndash disenchantment less likely (Hay 2003)

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Citizenship Citizen ldquoone who has a share in both the ruling and being ruledrdquo

(Aristotle)

Status + Rights + Duties

ldquoCitizenship describes the relationship between the citizen and the state and the need for citizens to understand the political and economic processes institutions laws rights and responsibilities of our democratic systemrdquo (Institute for Citizenship 2012)

ldquoA good democratic system attempts to ensure informed and reflective decisionsrdquo (Sunstein 2001)

Democratic Engagement ldquoindividual and collective actions designed to identify and address

issues of public concernrdquo (Tapia amp Ortiz 2010)

ldquoindividual and collection involvement in public affairsrdquo (Norris 2001 in Tapia amp Ortiz 2010)

Synonyms

political participation citizen participation citizen involvement popular participation public involvement citizen engagement Indicators of Democratic Engagement

(Canadian Index of Wellbeing 2010)

Democratic Political Civic Engagement

Voting in elections Signing petitions Donating money to campaigning

organisations Taking part in a protest or

demonstration Joining a campaigning organisation Joining a political party Donating money to a political party

Democratic Deficit

Democratic deficit in UK (Demos 2008) and worldwide (Hill

2009 Print 2007)

Democratic engagement low and in decline (Hansard

Society 2009 Demos 2008 Coleman 2005)

2010 general election turnout 651 of the eligible voter

population

Importance of Engagement Address democratic deficit

Democratic engagement and participation fundamental to successful

democratic societies (Uitermark amp Duyvendak 2008)

People more likely to discuss with peer groups and others

Increased hetereogeneity

Increased understanding of others points of view

More realistic view of politics ndash disenchantment less likely (Hay 2003)

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Democratic Engagement ldquoindividual and collective actions designed to identify and address

issues of public concernrdquo (Tapia amp Ortiz 2010)

ldquoindividual and collection involvement in public affairsrdquo (Norris 2001 in Tapia amp Ortiz 2010)

Synonyms

political participation citizen participation citizen involvement popular participation public involvement citizen engagement Indicators of Democratic Engagement

(Canadian Index of Wellbeing 2010)

Democratic Political Civic Engagement

Voting in elections Signing petitions Donating money to campaigning

organisations Taking part in a protest or

demonstration Joining a campaigning organisation Joining a political party Donating money to a political party

Democratic Deficit

Democratic deficit in UK (Demos 2008) and worldwide (Hill

2009 Print 2007)

Democratic engagement low and in decline (Hansard

Society 2009 Demos 2008 Coleman 2005)

2010 general election turnout 651 of the eligible voter

population

Importance of Engagement Address democratic deficit

Democratic engagement and participation fundamental to successful

democratic societies (Uitermark amp Duyvendak 2008)

People more likely to discuss with peer groups and others

Increased hetereogeneity

Increased understanding of others points of view

More realistic view of politics ndash disenchantment less likely (Hay 2003)

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Democratic Political Civic Engagement

Voting in elections Signing petitions Donating money to campaigning

organisations Taking part in a protest or

demonstration Joining a campaigning organisation Joining a political party Donating money to a political party

Democratic Deficit

Democratic deficit in UK (Demos 2008) and worldwide (Hill

2009 Print 2007)

Democratic engagement low and in decline (Hansard

Society 2009 Demos 2008 Coleman 2005)

2010 general election turnout 651 of the eligible voter

population

Importance of Engagement Address democratic deficit

Democratic engagement and participation fundamental to successful

democratic societies (Uitermark amp Duyvendak 2008)

People more likely to discuss with peer groups and others

Increased hetereogeneity

Increased understanding of others points of view

More realistic view of politics ndash disenchantment less likely (Hay 2003)

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Democratic Deficit

Democratic deficit in UK (Demos 2008) and worldwide (Hill

2009 Print 2007)

Democratic engagement low and in decline (Hansard

Society 2009 Demos 2008 Coleman 2005)

2010 general election turnout 651 of the eligible voter

population

Importance of Engagement Address democratic deficit

Democratic engagement and participation fundamental to successful

democratic societies (Uitermark amp Duyvendak 2008)

People more likely to discuss with peer groups and others

Increased hetereogeneity

Increased understanding of others points of view

More realistic view of politics ndash disenchantment less likely (Hay 2003)

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Importance of Engagement Address democratic deficit

Democratic engagement and participation fundamental to successful

democratic societies (Uitermark amp Duyvendak 2008)

People more likely to discuss with peer groups and others

Increased hetereogeneity

Increased understanding of others points of view

More realistic view of politics ndash disenchantment less likely (Hay 2003)

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Digital By Default

ldquoSimplifying the user experience of digital public services by making all of governmentrsquos transactional services available through Directgovrdquo (Cabinet Office)

Citizens Advice Bureau warns against ldquopremature withdrawal of non-digital channelsrdquo (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Risk of ldquodissuading those who are not computer literate from being tax compliantrdquo House of Commonsrsquo Treasury Sub-Committee 2011 in Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Citizenship InformationType A (First-Principle Justiciable)

1 Electoral information

2 Legal (statutory) information

3 Etc (essential health information)

Type B (Second-Principle Justiciable)1 Domestic political news 2 Foreign political news 3 STM information (scientific technical medical)4 Etc

Type C (Nonjusticiable) 1 Soft news 2 Entertainment 3 Etc

(Steele 1998 in Duff 2011)

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Political Information-Seeking

40 of Internet users have looked for political news and information on the Web (Cornfield amp Rainie 2003)

Using internet because newspapers and television not sufficient

Finding out where and

when to vote

Contributing money to a candidate

Taking part in political

conversations

Finding out about a

candidates voting history

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Online Engagement

70 of respondents agree that the internet makes it easier for them to participate in civic and political activities

49 agree that they would generally prefer to use the internet to participate in civic and political activitiesHansard Society (2010)

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Benefits of Online Engagement Increased access to information and discussion fora

More convenient

Privacy ()

Exposure to political difference

People better able to explain reasons for political opinions People have increased tolerance understanding of othersrsquo views People have better idea of distribution of public opinion ndash sense

of legitimacy for democratic outcomes

(Duff 2011)

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Benefits of Online Discussion

Anonymity testing out new identities (Borgida amp Stark 2004)

Discussion aids construction of self community culture (Turkle 1997)

Greater willingness to express less socially desirable opinions (Evans et al 2003)

Political discussion results in better informed decisions changed positions (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Increased social trust and community participation (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Problems With Online Engagement Risk of selective exposure ldquoTrue democracy thrives when people seek

out new information and ideas rather than information that only

bolsters their current beliefs and attitudesrdquo (Sunstein 2001 in

Borgida amp Stark 2004)

However little evidence that people are using the Internet to

actively seek or avoid political difference (Brundidge 2010)

People with high levels of knowledgeengagement more likely to

participate (Price amp Cappella 2001)

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Online vs Offline

Just a ldquonew way of doing old thingsrdquo (Tyler 2002)

Does the internet defy what we know about real life

psychological amp social structures (Brundige 2010)

Political psychology doesnt alter between onlineoffline

ldquoAn inclusive information society essentially is a society where

everyone has the information that they need digital or otherwiserdquo

(Duff 2011)

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Political Discussion Network Heterogeneity

Geographical Space

Communicative Space

ldquoPoliticalrdquo Space

Private Public Space

Brundidge (2010)

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Information Literacy Information-seeking competence as a sociopolitical skill

Critically scrutinizing questions

Who produces what print and electronic publications and for whom

Which institutions corporations and individuals are supporting publishing in terms of financial and political support

Who takes part in the process of information decontextualization relocation and recontextualization

(Pawley 2003)

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Information-Seeking Behaviour How do people look for information

about political issues

What forms does the information take

Newspapers Television Radio Blog posts forums Discussion with peers Formal education (citizenship)

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Barriers to Access Digital divide(s) (Barzilai-Nahon 2006 in Duff 2011 Sunstein 2001)

Library closures and funding cuts

Library policy ndash unwillingness to get involved in political issues

Information poverty

Information literacy

Age disability health medical conditions lack of skills or not being

able to afford access (Citizens Advice Bureau 2011)

Social inequalities may be magnified (Jensen et al 2007)

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Rawls-Tawney Theorem Reinforcement of public library systems Reversal of attrition in the status and conditions of

reference librarians More generously funded

information and media literacy programs in schools at all levels

New models of news-information institutions

(Duff 2011)

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Public Libraries ldquoPurveyors of factrdquo (Museums Libraries amp

Archives Council 2010) Physical and electronic information resources

Providing access to the internet

Providing a neutral space for online and offline political discussion with diverse groups

Encouraging serendipitous discovery

Encouraging tolerance of different views

ldquoLibrary as democratic hothouserdquo(Madsen 2009)

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Democracy Hubs Community democracy hubs (Power Inquiry 2010)

Public library as community commons

Citizens learn how to ldquofind evaluate and use the information essential for making decisions that affect the way we live learn work and govern ourselvesrdquo (Kranich 2001)

ldquoI helped a person who can barely read register to vote Without me they couldnt have participated in our democracy I hold sessions for people to give their views on local amp national government consultations because libraries are one of the few places that hold copies of physical documents and also have computers to submit an online response The library is a meeting space for the local walking group and Neighbourhood Forum meetings as well as out of hours computer training Its also the venue for our local councillor drop in service as well as our PCSOs and MPrdquo (Librarian commenting on Guardian website 2010)

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

References Andersen J (2006) ldquoThe public sphere and discursive activities information literacy as

sociopolitical skillsrdquo Journal of Documentation 62(2) 213-228

Borgida E amp Stark E (2004) ldquoNew media and politics some insights from social and political psychologyrdquo American Behavioral Scientist 48 (4) 467-478 httpproxylibstrathacukloginurl=httpsearchproquestcomdocview57120252accountid=14116

Brundidge J (2010) ldquoEncountering ldquoDifferencerdquo in the Contemporary Public Sphere The Contribution of the Internet to the Heterogeneity of Political Discussion Networksrdquo Journal of Communication 60 (4) 680-700

Cabinet Office (2010) The Coalition our programme for government London Crown Copyright httpwwwcabinetofficegovukmedia409088pfg_coalitionpdf

Canadian Index of Wellbeing (2010) Indicators of Democratic Engagement Toronto Canadian Index of Wellbeing httpwwwciwcaenTheCanadianIndexOfWellbeingDomainsOfWellbeingDemocraticEngagementaspx

Coleman S (2005) ldquoe-Democracy whats the big ideardquo Manchester British Council httpwwwbritishcouncilorgbc-edemocracy-2doc

Demos (2008) Democratising Engagementrdquo London Demos httpwwwdemoscoukfilesDemocratising_Engagement-webpdf

Duff A (2011) ldquoThe Rawls-Tawney Theorem and the Digital Divide in Postindustrial Societyrdquo Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 62 (3) 604-612

Hansard Society (2009) Audit of Political Engagement 6 Political Engagement Indicators London Hansard Society httpwwwhansardsocietyorgukfilesfolders1755downloadaspx

Hill C (2009) ldquoInside outside amp onlinerdquo American Libraries 40 (3) 38-42

Institute for Citizenship (2012) ldquoWhat is Citizenshiprdquo httpcitizenorgukWhat_is_Citizenshiphtm

Jensen M Danziger JN amp Venkatesh A (2007) ldquoCivil society and cyber society the role of the internet in community associations and democratic politicsrdquo The Information Society 23 39-50

Madsen MC (2009) The library as democratic hothouse Scandinavian Public Library Quarterly 42 (1) 10-11

Moy P amp Gastil J (2006) ldquoPredicting deliberative conversation the impact of discussion networks media use and political cognitionrdquo Political Communication 23 443-460

Museums Libraries and Archives Council (2008) Generic Social Outcomes httpinspiringlearningforallgovuktoolstemplatesgenericsocial

Print M (2007) Citizenship education and youth participation in democracy British Journal of Educational Studies 55 (3) 325-345 httpwww3intersciencewileycomeresourcesshefacukcgi-binfulltext118492668PDFSTART

Sunstein C (2001) republiccom Princeton NJ Princeton University Press

Tapia A H amp Ortiz J A (2010) Network Hopes Municipalities Deploying Wireless internet to Increase Civic Engagement Social Science Computer Review 28 (1) 93-117 httpsscsagepubcomcgicontentabstract28193

Uitermark J amp Duyvendak J W (2008) Citizen participation in a mediated age neighbourhood governance in The Netherlands International Journal of Urban and Regional Research 32 (1) 114-134 httpwww3intersciencewileycomeresourcesshefacukcgi-binfulltext119403656PDFSTART

Images Library polling station by makelessnoise on Flickr

Public library computer by sillygwailo on Flickr

Global village communications by Combined Media on Flickr

Scales of Justice by Citizensheep on Flickr

Fox News by FastFashn on Flickr

All images creative commons attribution licensed