Host organisation: National Library of Scotland
Project title: Information Literacy Training and the National Library of Scotland
Project description

The National Library of Scotland's existing programme of reader workshops helps participants to use and to navigate collections, and highlights entry points into specific research topics. To date, the Library has not offered more broad information literacy training, for example on topics such as Media Literacy, copyright, or on Artificial Intelligence. We have identified that we have the collections and expertise to offer such sessions and are starting to create them in-house for staff development. The purpose of this internship is to undertake research to help us understand whether similar sessions would appeal to the library's current and target public audiences and, if so, what topics we should prioritise, what methods are best for its delivery, and how does what we might offer fit in with what's available in the wider sector.

Outputs

We would like the researcher to produce a report with prioritised recommendations for what information literacy training might look like for the National Library of Scotland including suggestions for topics which we can deliver that meet user needs and fill a gap in existing provision, and what frequency and format (in person or online) best suits target audiences.

Location
Mostly in person, but with occasional remote working.

Shared office space will be available at the Library’s George IV Building and hot-desk space can be made available at the Library’s sites in Causewayside, Edinburgh and Kelvin Hall, Glasgow.
Benefits to the researcher

The intern would grow their report-writing, user research and presentation skills through the duration of the project and in the dissemination of the project findings. They would benefit from access to experienced professionals with specific knowledge of some of the potential topics, such as copyright and the ethics of AI. They would benefit from a wider understanding of the work of the National Library, a closer look at what happens behind the scenes, and a better understanding of the various pathways that working in such a sector can take.

Key relationships

The researcher would be based in the Reader Services division, who manage our enquiry and reading room services as well as run our existing workshop programme alongside other outreach activities, such as Doors Open Day, Family History Fair and forthcoming MapFest.

The researcher would work closely with Head of Reader Services, Digital Scholarship Librarian and Provenance and Rights Officer, with regular crossover with the wider Collections, Access and Research department.

Meeting teams across the library, they would be interacting with Librarian, archivist, conservation, website and public engagement professionals at a variety of career stages.

The researcher would also have access to the library’s well-established network of organisations, including other UK libraries, professional organisations such as SLIC and CILIPS, and access to international best practice via CENL and IFLA.

Timescale

Start date (or must start by): Flexible

End date (or must end by): Flexible

Work structure: Preference for anywhere between one day a week and three days a week consecutively, but can be flexible

Subject areas

This opportunity would be relevant to all subject areas within the Arts & Humanties.

Person specification

A1. Knowledge Base
  • Essential: Information literacy and management.
A2. Cognitive Abilities
  • Essential: Critical thinking; Evaluating.
A3. Creativity
  • Essential: Intellectual insight.
B1. Personal qualities
  • Essential: Responsibility.
B2. Self management
  • Essential: Preparation and prioritisation; Time management.
C1. Professional conduct
  • Essential: Ethics, principles and sustainability; IPR and copyright.
C2. Research management
  • Essential:  Project planning and delivery.
D1. Working with others
  • Essential: Collegiality; Team working; Collaboration.
D2. Communication & dissemination
  • Essential: Communication methods.
D3. Engagement & impact
  • Essential: Public engagement; Society and culture.

First published: 9 October 2025

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