Ms Briony Birdi (née Train)
BA (Hull), MA (Sheffield), MCLIP
Lecturer in Librarianship
Contact details
Email address: b.birdi@sheffield.ac.uk
Tel: 0114 2222653 (External) 22653 (Internal)
Fax: 0114 2780300
Room Location: Room 304, Third Floor, Regent Court
Professional standing
- Associate Editor, Library Review (2008-)
- Academic representative, CILIP Library & Information Update/Gazette Editorial Board (2009-)
- Editorial board member: New Review of Children’s Literature and Librarianship
- Reading research consultant to the British Council
- Standing Committee Member, IFLA Reading Section (since 2002-2011)
- Member, CILIP Diversity Group, SINTO Social Exclusion Group
- External Examiner, Liverpool John Moores University (2008-2011)
Research interests
Reading research and reader development; the reading and promotion of minority genre fiction; public libraries; social inclusion; children´s libraries and reading; the role of libraries in education; evaluation methodologies.
Teaching activities
Public libraries and librarianship, libraries and social inclusion, reading research and the promotion of literature and reading, public and school libraries for children and young people, the role of libraries in education.
Key publications
Birdi, B. and Syed, M. (2011) 'Exploring reader response to minority ethnic fiction', Library Review, 60(9), tbc.
Birdi, B. (2011) 'Investigating fiction reader characteristics using personal construct theory', Aslib Proceedings, 63(2/3), 275-294.
Birdi, B., Wilson, K. and Tso, H.M. (2009) `The nature and role of empathy in public librarianship´, The Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, vol. 41(2), 81-89.
Birdi, B., Wilson, K. and Cocker, J. (2009) `The public library, exclusion and empathy: a literature review´, Library Review, vol. 57(8), 576-592. Winner, 2009 Outstanding Paper Award, Emerald Literati Network.
Train, B. (2007) `Research on family reading: an international perspective´, Library Review, 56(4), 292-298.
Wilson, K. and Train, B. (2006) `The Lifelong Impact of Lifelong Learning´, Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 8(1), 14-26. http://www.staffs.ac.uk/journal/Volume81/contents.htm
Wilson, K. and Train, B. (2006) `Marketing Library Services to Children and Young People: the Role of Schools Library Services´, New Review of Children´s Literature and Librarianship, 12(2), 147-161.
Train, B. (2003) `Building up or breaking down barriers? The role of the library in adult basic skills education´, Library Review, 52(8), 394-402.
Elkin, J., Train, B. and Denham, D. (2003) Reading and reader development: the pleasure of reading, London, Facet Publishing, ISBN 185604467X.
Thebridge, S. and Train, B. (2002) `Promoting reading through partnerships: a ten-year literature overview´, New Library World, 103 (4/5), 131-40. Highly Commended Award, Literati Club, 2003
Train, B. and Elkin, J. (2001) `Measuring the unmeasurable: reader development and its impact on performance measurement in the public library sector´, Library Review, vol. 50 (6), 295-304. Winner, R.D. MacLeod Award for Excellence, Literati Club, 2002
Train, B. and Elkin, J. (2001) `Branching Out: a model for experiential learning in professional practice´, The Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, vol. 33 (2), 69-75.
Train, B. and Elkin, J. (2001) `Effecting change: reader development projects in public libraries,´ Library Management, 22 (8/9), 395-403.
Train, B., Dalton, P. and Elkin, J. (2000) 'Embracing inclusion: the critical role of the library', Library Management, 21(9), 483-90.
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