Dr Allen Foster
BA, MSc, PhD, PGCTHE, FHEA
Reader - DIS
Department of Information Studies
Contact Details
- Email: aef@aber.ac.uk
- ORCID: 0000-0002-1086-8837
- Office:3.20 Penbryn Building 5
- Phone: +44 (0) 1970 628412
- Research Portal Profile (https://research.aber.ac.uk/en/persons/e3392e8a-f751-449e-ad1d-892c76b6e9a2)
I am a Reader in Information Science at Aberystwyth University with expertise in information management and information behaviour. My academic background includes degrees in Social History and Information Management, and I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I have supervised many research students at MPhil, PhD, and DProf level, and many more at master’s level, across topics including information access and behaviour, technology adoption, serendipity, institutional repositories, health and justice systems, and knowledge management and systems. My contributions to university life include leadership and governance roles such as Senior Tutor, Investigative Officer, Chair of Degree Viva Voce Examinations, Head of Department, Director of Postgraduate Studies, Postgraduate Research Coordinator, Deputy Dean of Social Science, Senate Member and Representative, Online Coordinator, and membership of multiple steering groups. I have also served as an external examiner for research and taught degrees at several universities. Beyond the university, I am actively engaged in the wider academic and professional community. I serve as Joint Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Information Science and as an Editorial Board Member for ASLIB: Journal of Information Management, with previous service on the editorial board of The Electronic Library. I participate in international advisory boards such as the Chilean Comité Científico for Revista Ciencias de la Documentación, and have contributed to research funding panels for the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), including as a member of its Peer Review College. Additionally, I review for the Higher Education Academy, act as a consultant for libraries and related organisations, and serve on UK and international conference committees. I am a regular peer reviewer for leading journals in information science, information studies, and related fields. Alongside my academic work I have professional experience in database and systems design, administrative control, and legal practice support, as well as experience in general management within the arts and education sector, and as a company board member, chair and strategy advisor.
Coordinator for Postgraduate Research Student and Postgraduate Research Student Admissions
Personal Tutor and Higher Degree Supervisor
Investigative Officer, Registry
Module Coordinator
Office hours - in addition to my office hours I run term time virtual drop-in sessions on Teams as well, usually Teams will be on and receiving calls from 4pm to 5pm on Thursdays (Not week of 6th November).
If the matter is urgent send me an email and we can arrange a suitable appointment either online or at the office.
- ABA Information Retrieval (DS31620)
- ABA Information Literacy (DS34020)
- ABA Knowledge and Information Architecture (DS35720)
- ABA Management of Organisations (DS36520)
- ABA Digital Information Literacy (DSM3220)
- ABA Information Services: Planning for Delivery (DSM5420)
- ABA Knowledge and Information Architecture (DSM6820)
- ABA Studies in Management (DSM7430)
- ABA Studies in Management (DSM7720)
- ABA Information Organisation and Retrieval (DSM7820)
- AB2 Digital Information Literacy (ILM3220)
- AB2 Studies in Management (ILM5220)
- AB1 Information Organisation and Retrieval (ILM5320)
- AB1 Information Services: Planning for Delivery (ILM5420)
Module Coordinator
- AB1 Abroad Year Credits (ILS0060)
- AB1 Access, outreach and advocacy (ILM2020)
- AB2 Archives and Records – Practical Project (ILM2410)
- AB2 Collection Management (ILM8220)
- AB1 Collection Management and Development in Heritage Organisations (IL30120)
- AB2 Collections Care (ILM2120)
- AB2 Digital Collection Development (ILM2220)
- AB2 Digital Information Literacy (ILM3220)
- AB1 Dissertation (IL30340)
- AB2 Effective Communication (IL10520)
- AB1 Foundations of Information Studies (IL10120)
- AB1 Information Organisation and Retrieval (ILM5320)
- AB1 Information Services: Planning for Delivery (ILM5420)
- AB1 Information and Society (ILM5120)
- AB1 Information in a Changing World (IL20220)
- AB2 Local Studies and Community Heritage (IL33920)
- AB1 Medieval and Post -Medieval Palaeography and Diplomatic (ILM1820)
- AB1 Museums in the 21st Century (IL20320)
- AB1 Post Medieval Palaeography and Diplomatic (ILM4120)
- AB2 Rare Books and Special Collections (ILM8120)
- AB1 Recordkeeping Process and Practice (ILM2520)
- AB1 Recordkeeping Theories and Contexts (ILM2610)
- AB2 Research Methodology (IL20720)
- AB2 Resource Discovery and Digital Information Management (IL20620)
- AB2 Studies in Management (ILM5220)
- AB2 The Archival Inheritance (IL11120)
- AB1 The Cultural Heritage Landscape (IL10320)
Lecturer
- Wednesday 12pm-1pm
Areas of interest include Human Information Behaviour, Information Needs, Information Seeking and Searching Behaviour, Serendipity, Interdisciplinarity, Information Literacy and Information Skills, Knowledge Management, Technology and Communication, Mediated Communication, Information Problems, Service development and User Experience modelling. With an interdisciplinary background and wide knowledge of research methods, modelling and theory I may be able to help with a project, a PhD, or other research endeavour. Always happy to talk about ideas and help develop topics.
In: Journal of Documentation, Vol. 81, No. 1, 02.01.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
In: Journal of Documentation, Vol. 81, No. 1, 02.01.2025, p. 195-210.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
In: Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 50, No. 2, 102853, 31.03.2024.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
In: ABTAPL Bulletin, Vol. Spring 2023, 01.05.2023.
Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Handbook of Research on Digital Transformation Management and Tools. ed. / Richard Pettinger; Brij B. Gupta; Alexandru Roja; Diana Cozmiuc. Vol. A volume in the Advances in Logistics, Operations, and Management Science (ALOMS) 1. ed. Hershey PA, USA 17033: IGI Global, 2022. p. 117-143.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter