Hazel Hall (information scientist)

Hall was born in Edinburgh in 1963, the daughter of veterinary surgeon Paul Guy Hall (1938-2018{{Cite journal|last=Hall|first=Hazel|date=2019-03-16|title=Paul Guy Hall|url=https://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/184/11/357|journal=Veterinary Record|language=en|volume=184|issue=11|pages=357|doi=10.1136/vr.l1193|issn=0042-4900|pmid=30872449|doi-access=free}}) and school teacher Marianne Hall (née Toulmin, through whom she is related to economist Camilla Toulmin, Olympian Nick Toulmin, and philosopher Stephen Toulmin). Much of her childhood was spent in the north of England. She studied French language and literature at the Sorbonne, the Université de Nantes and the University of Birmingham,{{Cite web|url=https://hazelhall.org/about/|title=About Hazel Hall|date=2012-11-05|website=Hazel Hall|language=en|access-date=2018-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001030910/https://hazelhall.org/about/|archive-date=2017-10-01|url-status=live}} from where she graduated with a BA (Special Honours) in 1986.{{Cite web|url=http://napierconnect.org/inspiring-womeninstem/professor-hazel-hall-professor-school-of-computing/|title=Professor Hazel Hall - Professor, School of Computing|website=Edinburgh Napier Connect|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-18}} After working in the libraries of both the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Polytechnic during the late 1980s, she was awarded her MA in Library and Information Studies from the University of Central England in 1993.

In 1989, Hall took up a post as lecturer within the Department of Communication and Information Studies at Queen Margaret College, Edinburgh. During this time, as well as completing her master's degree, she also contributed to a number of journals and conferences, with subjects reflecting her interest in the increasing importance of computers and internet technologies, the gender gap within computing and the role of information science within the workplace amongst others.

Hall joined the teaching staff of the School of Computing at Napier University in 1999, becoming a Senior Lecturer in 2000. Continuing her earlier research, in 2004 she was awarded a PhD by Napier University for her thesis “The knowledge trap: an intranet implementation in a corporate environment” which had been sponsored by KPMG.{{Cite web|url=https://www.napier.ac.uk:443/research-and-innovation/research-search/phds/the-knowledge-trap-an-intranet-implementation-in-a-corporate-environment/|title=The knowledge trap an intranet implementation in a corporate environment|website=Napier|language=en|access-date=2018-12-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007092923/http://www.napier.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-search/phds/the-knowledge-trap-an-intranet-implementation-in-a-corporate-environment|archive-date=2017-10-07|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://hazelhall.org/publications/phd-the-knowledge-trap-an-intranet-implementation-in-a-corporate-environment/|title=PhD – The knowledge trap: an intranet implementation in a corporate environment|date=2013-01-04|website=Hazel Hall|language=en|access-date=2018-12-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930225007/https://hazelhall.org/publications/phd-the-knowledge-trap-an-intranet-implementation-in-a-corporate-environment/|archive-date=2017-09-30|url-status=live}}

A Royal Academy of Engineering grant allowed Hall to undertake a six-month industrial placement with TFPL Limited, before being made Reader in Social Informatics in 2007, and Director of the Centre for Social Informatics in 2009.

Between 2009 and 2012, Hall led the work of the Library and Information Science Research Coalition,{{Cite web|url=https://www.napier.ac.uk:443/research-and-innovation/research-search/projects/library-and-information-science-research-coalition/|title=Library and Information Science Research Coalition|website=Napier|language=en|access-date=2018-12-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008130121/http://www.napier.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-search/projects/library-and-information-science-research-coalition|archive-date=2017-10-08|url-status=live}} a UK-wide project to facilitate a co-ordinated and strategic approach to research in the field, becoming Professor of Social Informatics at the renamed Edinburgh Napier University in 2010.

A particular focus of the coalition was to develop librarians as practitioner-researchers, and Hall led the creation of a UK-wide formal UK-wide network of Library and information science (LIS) researchers called DREaM (Developing Research Excellence and Methods) receiving funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council to launch the network during 2011 and 2012.{{Cite book|title=Enhancing library and information research skills : a guide for academic librarians|last1=Luo|first1=Lili|last2=Brancolini|first2=Kristine|last3=Kennedy|first3=Marie R|publisher=Libraries Unlimited|others=Brancolini, Kristine,, Kennedy, Marie R.|year=2017|isbn=9781440841729|location=Santa Barbara, California|pages=171|oclc=973920792}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.napier.ac.uk:443/research-and-innovation/research-search/projects/developing-research-excellence-and-methods-dream/|title=Developing Research Excellence and Methods DREaM|website=Napier|language=en|access-date=2018-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012110841/http://www.napier.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-search/projects/developing-research-excellence-and-methods-dream|archive-date=2017-10-12|url-status=live}} At the same time, Hall led two pieces of work looking at how the influence on practice of funded research in the LIS field might be enhanced. The first of the RiLIES projects (Research in Librarianship - Impact Evaluation Study) formed part of Hall's keynote presentation at the 6th International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Conference held at the University of Salford in 2011.{{Cite journal|last1=Eldredge|first1=Jonathan|last2=Kaalvik|first2=Hilde|last3=Lewis|first3=Suzanne|last4=Gardois|first4=Paolo|last5=Dalziel|first5=Katrina|last6=Fraser|first6=Katie|last7=Grant|first7=Maria|last8=Brettle|first8=Alison|date=2011-12-15|title=The 6th International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Conference (EBLIP6): Conference Report and Reflections|journal=Evidence Based Library and Information Practice|language=en|volume=6|issue=4|pages=30–40|doi=10.18438/B8JW3T|issn=1715-720X|doi-access=free|hdl=1854/LU-8564633|hdl-access=free}}

Hall was appointed as Docent in Information Studies within the Faculty of Social Sciences, Business and Economics, at Åbo Akademi University, Finland in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.napier.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/research-search/news/professor-hazel-hall-appointed-docent-at-%C3%A5bo-akademi-university|title=Professor Hazel Hall appointed Docent at Åbo Akademi University|website=Edinburgh Napier University|access-date=2018-12-16}}

In 2014, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and Archives and Records Association (ARA) commissioned Hall and a team from Edinburgh Napier University to assist the sector they represent by conducting a study into the nature of the Information workforce in the United Kingdom. On the release of the full report in 2018, CILIP/ARA described the work as "the most extensive study of its kind anywhere in the world to date."{{Cite web|url=https://www.cilip.org.uk/page/Workforcesurvey|title=UK-based Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) and the Archives and Records Association (UK & Ireland) (ARA) have today released the full report on the 2015 UK information workforce survey|website=CILIP website|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717202351/https://www.cilip.org.uk/page/Workforcesurvey|archive-date=2018-07-17|url-status=live|access-date=2018-12-18}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.archives.org.uk/publications/workforce.html|title=Workforce|website=ARA UK & Ireland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322004102/http://www.archives.org.uk/publications/workforce.html|archive-date=2018-03-22|url-status=live|access-date=2018-12-18}}

Hall's research has been acknowledged within a review of worldwide social informatics research published in the Journal of Information Science in 2016; her main research contributions relate to information sharing in online environments.{{Cite journal|last=Smutny|first=Zdenek|date=October 2016|title=Social informatics as a concept: Widening the discourse|journal=Journal of Information Science|volume=42|issue=5|pages=681–710|doi=10.1177/0165551515608731|s2cid=9355999}} These have led to the development of knowledge and understanding across a range of themes including: power relations in knowledge management; the agency of non-human actors in technology implementations; co-operation and collaboration in online communities; knowledge creation processes and innovation; and knowledge management as management innovation.{{fact|date=May 2022}}

Hall was made Emeritus Professor in 2022.

Hall has been recognised by a number of awards and fellowships including:

• Clarivate Analytics Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award 2019{{Cite web|url=https://www.asist.org/2019/07/12/hall-to-receive-clarivate-analytics-outstanding-information-science-teacher-award/|title=Hall to Receive Clarivate Analytics Outstanding Information Science Teacher Award|last=Middleton|first=Lydia|date=2019-07-12|website=Association for Information Science and Technology {{!}} ASIS&T|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-12}} from the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T)
• Elsevier/LIRG Research Award 2005{{Cite journal|date=Summer 2005|title=Elsevier/LIRG Research Award and LIRG Postgraduate Prize|url=https://archive.cilip.org.uk/sites/default/files/documents/eLucidate2-4.pdf|journal=ELucidate|volume=2|issue=4|pages=37–38}}
• Information Professional of the Year 2009{{Cite web|url=https://lisresearch.org/2009/12/03/hazel-hall-named-information-professional-of-the-year-2009/|title=Hazel Hall named Information Professional of the Year 2009|date=2009-12-03|website=LIS Research Coalition|language=en|access-date=2018-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806141047/https://lisresearch.org/2009/12/03/hazel-hall-named-information-professional-of-the-year-2009/|archive-date=2016-08-06|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.infotodayblog.com/2009/12/02/iwr-awards/|title=IWR Awards {{!}} Infotoday Blog Archive|access-date=2018-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906171205/http://www.infotodayblog.com/2009/12/02/iwr-awards/|archive-date=2015-09-06|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/inthroughtheoutfield/2009/12/hazel-hall-wins-information-world-review-information-professional-of-the-year-2009-.html|title=Hazel Hall wins Information World Review Information Professional of the Year 2009|last=Infield|first=Neil|website=In through the outfield (the blog of Neil Infield of the British Library)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160426025822/http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/inthroughtheoutfield/2009/12/hazel-hall-wins-information-world-review-information-professional-of-the-year-2009-.html|archive-date=2016-04-26|url-status=live|access-date=2018-12-15}}
• Special Libraries Association Europe Information Professional Award (SLA Europe IP 2011){{Cite web|url=http://www.sla-europe.org/2011/04/12/information-professional-award-2011-winner-announced/|title=Information Professional Award 2011 – winner announced|date=2011-04-12|website=SLA Europe|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818191601/http://www.sla-europe.org/2011/04/12/information-professional-award-2011-winner-announced/|archive-date=2016-08-18|url-status=live}}
• Jason Farradane Award 2016{{Cite web|url=https://archive.cilip.org.uk/uk-einformation-group/awards-bursaries/jason-farradane-award/jason-farradane-award-winners/2016-award-winner|title=Jason Farradane Award 2016 Winner|date=2016-09-28|website=CILIP The library and information association|access-date=2018-12-15|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131191910/https://archive.cilip.org.uk/uk-einformation-group/awards-bursaries/jason-farradane-award/jason-farradane-award-winners/2016-award-winner}}
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh{{Cite web|url=https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/hazel-hall/|title=Professor Hazel Jane Read Hall FRSE|date=2017-05-19|website=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170810213927/https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/hazel-hall/|archive-date=2017-08-10|url-status=live}}
• She served on the Research Councils UK Digital Economy Programme Advisory Board from 2014, chairing the Board from 2015 until the end of her term in 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/events/depabmeetingjun2015/|title=Digital Economy Programme Advisory Board meeting June 2015 – EPSRC website|website=epsrc.ukri.org|access-date=2018-12-18}}{{Cite web|url=https://epsrc.ukri.org/newsevents/events/depabmeetingnov2017/|title=Digital Economy Programme Advisory Board meeting November 2017 – EPSRC website|website=epsrc.ukri.org|access-date=2018-12-18}}
• She is a member of sub-panel 34 of the UK Research Excellence Framework 2021{{Cite web|url=https://www.ref.ac.uk/media/1402/all-panel-members-v29-100720b.pdf|title=REF 2021 Panel Members|website=www.ref.ac.uk|access-date=2020-11-12}}

Hall is married to Tim Read, a UK computer scientist.{{Cite web|url=https://www.informit.com/authors/bio/02442619-ccbe-4aa0-9e71-ba9ec8a0cb57|title=READ {{!}} InformIT|website=www.informit.com|access-date=2018-12-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204182738/http://www.informit.com/authors/bio/02442619-ccbe-4aa0-9e71-ba9ec8a0cb57|archive-date=2018-02-04|url-status=live}}

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Category:Living people

Category:1963 births

Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham

Category:Academics of Edinburgh Napier University

Category:Academic staff of Åbo Akademi University

Category:Information scientists

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh

Category:Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals

Category:Fellows of the Higher Education Academy

Category:21st-century Scottish scientists

Category:21st-century British women scientists