Sheila Webber

BA (Kent at Canterbury), Dip Lib (London Metropolitan University), FCLIP, FHEA

School of Information, Journalism and Communication

Senior Lecturer

Sheila Webber
Profile picture of Sheila Webber
s.webber@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 2641
Room C236, The Wave

Full contact details

Sheila Webber
School of Information, Journalism and Communication
Room C236
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
Profile

My key areas for research and teaching are information literacy (IL) and information behaviour (IB). My career started with post in the Health and Safety Executive, followed by 13 years at the UKs national library, the British Library (BL). Starting with the BLs pioneering online service, BLAISE, I proceeded to become manager of BLAISE Online Services, and my final job there was Head of the BLs Business Information Service.

In 1992 I joined the Information Science department at Strathclyde University, Scotland, as a lecturer. Achievements included leading a funded project investigating small business use of information, and creating Business Information Sources on the Internet in 1994. In the late 1990s my focus shifted to information literacy, an interest which developed further after joining what was then the Information School at Sheffield in 2000.

As well as teaching, researching and publishing in this field, I maintain the popular . In 2015 I was recipient of the Jason Farradane Award for services to Information Science and in 2017 I was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information professionals.

University Responsibilities

  • Head of the Libraries and Information Society Research Group.
  • Director, Centre for Information Literacy Research.
  • Coordinator of Library and Information Services Management programmes (MA/PG Diploma/PG Certificate)
  • Module Coordinator: Information Literacy modules (INF6350; INF6553)
Research interests

My primary research interest is investigating information literacy and information behaviour in context. Contexts include different disciplines, different countries and cultures, different lifestages, and in the context of both physical and virtual environments. Examples include information behaviour in virtual worlds and in computer gaming, and information literacy of older people.

To do this, I favour qualitative methods, particularly phenomenography, case study approach and autoethnography. I think it is important to connect research and teaching, by engaging students as researchers and bringing research into the physical or virtual classroom. I also think it is important to make a connection between research and practice, and this is part of the mission of the Centre for Information Literacy Research which I direct.

I have been an invited keynote at doctoral forums and have run practitioner workshops on research methods (for example at the). I was a member of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Peer Review College 2010-2017. I have been external examiner for doctoral theses at Edinburgh University, Napier University, Aberystwyth University, Warwick University, Northumbria University, Loughborough University, Strathclyde University, the University of Middlesex, and Queensland University of Technology (Australia).

I am interested in supervising PhDs in any aspects of information literacy and information behaviour, and the use of technology (e.g. virtual worlds, computer gaming) in learning.

I am head of the Libraries and Information Society Research Group.

Publications

Journal articles

  • Chen X, Lin A & Webber S (2025) . Journal of Documentation, 81(2).
  • Webber S, AparacJelusic T & Pestana O (2023) . Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 60(1), 853-855.
  • Batool SH & Webber S (2019) . Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, 68(3), 164-176.
  • Batool SH & Webber S (2019) . Library & Information Science Research, 41(2), 123-131.
  • Madden AD, Webber S, Ford N & Crowder M (2018) . Journal of Documentation, 74(4), 692-721.
  • Wella K & Webber S (2018) . Library Trends, 66(4), 442-465.
  • Webber SA & Johnston B (2017) . Journal of Information Literacy, 11(1), 156-183.
  • Wella K, Webber SA & Levy P (2017) . Aslib Journal of Information Management, 69(3), 278-293.
  • Webber S & Johnston B (2014) , 15-30.
  • Batool SH & Webber S (2014) , 282-290.
  • Webber S (2013) Information literacy: A subject for the 21st century. Pakistan Journal of Library and Information Science(14), 1-2.
  • Nazari M & Webber S (2012) . Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 44(2), 97-107.
  • Lameras P, Levy P, Paraskakis I & Webber S (2012) . Instructional Science, 40(1), 141-157.
  • Webber S & Nahl D (2011) Sustaining learning for LIS through use of a virtual world. IFLA Journal, 37(1), 5-15.
  • Gumulak S & Webber S (2011) . Aslib Proceedings, 63(2-3), 241-255.
  • Nazari M & Webber S (2011) . Journal of Documentation, 67(2), 334-354.
  • Webber S (2010) . International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments, 1(3), 55-70.
  • Cox A, Levy P, Stordy P & Webber S (2008) . Italics, 7(1).
  • Mansourian Y, Ford N, Webber S & Madden A (2008) . Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, 42(4), 402-417.
  • Webber S & Zhu W (2007) . Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 39(4), 223-233.
  • Boon S, Johnston B & Webber S (2007) . Journal of Documentation, 63(2), 204-228.
  • Koontz C, Gupta D & Webber S (2006) Key publications in library marketing: a review. IFLA journal, 32(3), 224-231.
  • Johnston B & Webber S (2006) . Research Strategies, 20(3), 108-121.
  • Webber S, Boon S & Johnston B (2005) A comparison of UK academics conceptions of information literacy in two disciplines: English and Marketing. Library and Information Research, 29(93), 4-15.
  • Jay M & Webber S (2005) . Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, 39(1), 25-38.
  • Johnston B & Webber S (2004) . New Library World, 105(1/2), 12-20.
  • Levy P, Ford N, Foster J, Madden A, Miller D, Nunes MB, McPherson M & Webber S (2003) . Journal of Information Science, 29(4), 298-310.
  • Johnston B & Webber S (2003) . Studies in Higher Education, 28(3), 335-352.
  • Webber S (2003) . Journal of Information Science, 29(4), 311-330.
  • Webber S (2001) Marketing information and library services: are people learning about it?. Business Information Review, 18(4), 16-23.
  • Webber S (2001) The information specialist's guide to searching and researching on the Internet and the World Wide Web. Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, 35(3), 314-316.
  • Webber S (2000) . Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 26(4), 28-29.
  • Webber S & Johnston B (2000) . Journal of Information Science, 26(6), 381-397.
  • Webber S (1999) . Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 25(5), 27-29.
  • Webber S (1999) . Bulletin of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 26(1), 28-29.
  • Webber S (1998) . Business Information Review, 15(4), 229-237.
  • Webber SAE (1998) Pricing and marketing online information services. Annual Review of Information Science and Technology, 33, 39-83.
  • Webber S (1996) Library performance indicators and library management tools - Ward,S, Sumison,J, Fuegi,D, Bloor,I. Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, 30(4), 411-412.
  • Webber S (1995) . Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 27(1), 53-54.
  • Webber S (1994) The Changing Context of Information - An Introductory Analysis - McGarry, K.. Education for Information, 12(4), 474-475.
  • Webber S (1994) . Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 26(4), 232-233.
  • Webber S (1993) . Health Libraries Review, 10(4), 202-223.
  • Webber S (1993) Online Information-retrieval - An Introductory Manual to Principals and Practice, 4th Edition - Convey, J.. Program: Electronic Library and Information Systems, 27(4), 443-445.
  • Webber S (1993) The Best of CD-ROM Professional - Timeless Tips and Practical Advice - Herther, NK.. Online Information Review, 17(5), 329-329.
  • Webber S (1993) CD-ROM Information Products - The Evaluative Guide, Vol. 3 - Armstrong, CJ, Large, JA. Online Information Review, 17(4), 264-265.
  • Webber SAE (1990) . IFLA Journal, 16(2), 220-230.
  • Webber S & Johnston B () . Journal of Information Literacy, 13(2).

Book chapters

  • Webber S (2024) , Doing Phenomenography (pp. xii-xiv). Policy Press
  • Webber SA, Grace D, Nunn E, Elmore J, Chapman E & Andrews P (2017) Reflections on Running a critLIS Reading Group In Nicholson KP & Seale M (Ed.), The Politics of Theory and the Practice of Critical Librarianship (pp. 167-179). Sacramento: Library Juice Press.
  • (2012) , i in the Sky (pp. 197-202). Routledge
  • Webber S (2008) Educating Web 2.0 LIS students for information literacy In Godwin P & Parker J (Ed.), Information Literacy meets Library 2.0 (pp. 39-50). London: FACET.
  • (2006) In IFLA , Gupta DK, Koontz C, Massisimo A & Savard R (Ed.) Walter de Gruyter K. G. Saur
  • Webber S (2006) , Marketing Library and Information Services: International Perspectives (pp. 237-246). Walter de Gruyter K. G. Saur
  • Webber S & Johnston B (2006) , Information Literacy (pp. 42-53). Elsevier
  • Webber S () , Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of Virtual Learning Environments (pp. 184-200). IGI Global
  • Webber S () Teaching of marketing and quality management in schools of library and information science (LIS) in the UK: a review and report of findings In Savard R (Ed.), Education and Research for Marketing and Quality Management in Libraries: Satellite Meeting. Quebec, 14-16 August 2001 (pp. 43-65). Munich: KG Saur

Conference proceedings

  • Woods L, McKinney P & Webber S (2025) . 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings. Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 22 June 2025 - 22 June 2025.
  • Chen X, Lin A & Webber S (2024) (pp 28-45)
  • Webber SA & Batool SH (2017) Conceptions of school libraries and the role of school librarians: findings from case studies of primary schools in Lahore. Information Research, Vol. 22(1). Uppsala, Sweden
  • webber S, clough P & Bonne MA (2016) An exploratory study into the usability of online maths games. Proceedings of the European Conference on Games-based Learning
  • Nazari M & Webber S (2008) Conceptions Of Geospatial Information In Online Distance Learning Gis Programs.. e-Learning (pp 161-168)
  • Webber S (1998) The global electronic information industry: Squeezing out the middle ground?. Proceedings of the ASIS Annual Meeting, Vol. 35 (pp 179-189)
  • Webber S (1998) The global electronic information industry: Squeezing out the middle ground?. Proceedings of the 61st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science, Vol 35, 1998, Vol. 35 (pp 179-189)

Presentations

  • Webber S, Ford N, Madden A & Crowder M .
Teaching activities

INF6024 - Researching Social Media

INF6350 - Information Literacy

INF6553 - Information Literacy DL