How can I help?
How can I help?

About

Debbie is the Digital Library Service Manager for Leeds Beckett University, looking after some of the key library and research systems our users access for their studies. She has been working on her PhD since 2021, looking at the evolution of physical and digital academic library spaces since the 2020 pandemic.  

Degrees

  • MSc
    Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom | September 2013 - June 2015

  • BA(hons)
    Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom | October 1990 - June 1993

  • PhD
    Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, United Kingdom | October 2021 - present

Certifications

  • FHEA
    Advance HE, York, United Kingdom | September 2016 - present
    Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

  • MCLIP
    Chartered Institue of Library and Information Professionals | April 2001 - present
    Chartered Librarian

Research interests

My research has evolved over time - from considering how we might build some form of presence into digital library spaces, to more hybrid questions (both pragmatic and philosophical) regarding how students are now using our libraries (or other places) to study, and how academic libraries can develop to support these changes in student study behaviours.  Data collection has primarily taken the form of 'walk & talk' interviews – prompting some revealing conversations about how Leeds Beckett Students are using and feel about our library spaces.

Publications (9)

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Journal article
Visible evidence
Featured May 2008 CILIP Library & Information Gazette CILIP
AuthorsMorris D, Everest K

By observing students at Leeds Metropolitan University, Katherine Everest, Debbie Morris and colleagues were able to provide library spaces for the way they actually work, not the way we think they ought to work.

Conference Contribution
Tuning up the Symphony
Featured 2017 COSI EMEA 2017 Liverpool
AuthorsFord M, Morris D

Is your Symphony in tune with changes to processes and procedures in the physical Library? Is it overloaded with redundant reports and dated data? Hear how fresh eyes on Leeds Beckett's system revealed the need for major configuration, extensive clean-ups, and rigorous new maintenance policies.

Conference Contribution
From Traditional Loans to Autorenewals
Featured 13 July 2018 COSI EMEA 2018 Bristol
AuthorsFord M, Morris D

In October 2017, Leeds Beckett University converted from traditional loans, renewals and holds to autorenewals and hold recalls. What was the background to this decision, what options were considered, and how has it benefited us and our users? What problems, pitfalls, and surprises have occurred?

Conference Contribution
Enterprise and EBSCO Discovery Service: implementing resource discovery the SirsiDynix way
Featured 14 July 2016 Customers of SirsiDynix International (EMEA) Conference Sheffield
AuthorsMorris D, Ford M, Milne R
Journal article
Leeds Met Library Facebook application
Featured 2010 SCONUL Focus48:23-24
AuthorsMorris D, Watson A

At the Leeds Met staff development festival in 2008 a library graduate trainee, Anna Hepworth, took part in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ event which saw staff propose new, innovative ideas to a panel of senior managers. Anna’s suggestion was to develop a Facebook application (or ‘app’) for the library and it was one of the competition winners. Anna’s initial proposal was to create a Leeds Met library catalogue application, but after discussions with members of the library’s ‘technologies for learning’ team it was decided to take the application a stage further, creating a mash-up using data from the library management system (Sirsi-Dynix Symphony). The Facebook application would send a library catalogue search box to a Facebook profile, but would also add value by delivering customised user data, including library record details such as number of issues, reservations and overdues. There would also be links to the library website and online self-service functions from the application.

Conference Contribution
In & out of the LibGuides box: developing the Leeds Beckett Library website
Featured 25 March 2015 Using Libguides: from simple online guides to complete library websites Dublin, Republic of Ireland Academic and National Library Training Co-operative (ANLTC)
AuthorsFord M, Loughran H, Morris D
Conference Contribution
COSUGI 2017 Academic Libraries Sharing Session - Leeds Beckett University Library
Featured 13 April 2017 SirsiDynix US User Group Conference (COSUGI) 2017 Salt Lake City Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
AuthorsMorris D, Watson A, Ford M, Becker BS

Presentation made at SirsiDynix US User Group Conference (COSUGI) 2017 to Academic Libraries Sharing Session, showcasing SirsiDynix library systems developments at Leeds Beckett University.

Conference Contribution
Embedding library account data in the VLE
Featured July 2015 COSI EMEA 2015 Newcastle Upon Tyne
AuthorsWatson A, Morris D, Becker BS, Ford M
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Debbie Morris
9696