Bio
Sanna Talja is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Information Studies at the University of Tampere, Finland. She holds a PhD from the University of Tampere, and was awarded a docentship in information science in 2003. During 2003-2004, she worked as a visiting Research Fellow at the Centre of Advanced Study (UTACAS), located at the Research Institute for Social Sciences, University of Tampere. Dr. Talja's work focuses on in the interaction between new technologies and scholarly communities' information and collaboration practices. She is interested in theories, approaches, and empirical studies related to the use and shaping of ICTs in scholarly communities. Her teaching areas include social informatics, user-centered digital library design and evaluation, organizational learning, and knowledge management. Her other research interests include epistemic issues within information science, and discourse analysis. She has written and co-edited four books, and contributed articles to a number of journals, including Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, Journal of Documentation, Information Processing and Management, Library and Information Science Research, Information Research, and The New Review of Information Behavior Research .
Academic posts and positions
Docent, information science, from 1.1.2003. University of Tampere, Department of Information Studies. (In the Finnish university system, a docentship is awarded for established scholars through a formal assessment of publications).
Lecturer, knowledge organization and knowledge management (permanent position), 2003-
Senior assistant professor (acting), 2002-2005
Visiting research fellow, 2003-2004, University of Tampere, Centre for Advanced Study, The Research Unit of Social Sciences (UTACAS).
Researcher, The Research Program of Media Culture, Academy of Finland, 2000-2002
Assistant professor, 1997-1999
Senior assistant professor (acting), 1996-1997
Researcher, graduate school 1995-1996
Researcher, 1991-1995.
Education
PhD, Doctor of Social Sciences, Information Studies, University of Tampere, Finland, 1998
Licenciate of Sociel Sciences, Information Studies, UTA, 1992
MA, Master of Social Sciences, Information Studies, UTA, 1990
Courses
INFOP1 Introduction to Information Studies (with others), 2004-
INFOP3 Introduction to knowledge organization and document representation (with others), 2004-
INFOA12 Introduction to knowledge organization (lit exam)
INFOA52 Knowledge management (lit exam) 2003-
INFOS31 Organizational learning and knowledge management in contexts 2004-
INFOS32 Strategic information management (lit exam) 2004-
INFOS33 User-centered design and evaluation of information architechtures 2004-
INFOS91 Research methods in Information Studies, seminar, 2004-
INFOS93 Graduate seminar and supervision of masters theses, 2003-
INFOA9 Proseminar and supervision of bachelor's theses, Department of Information Studies, UTA, 1996-1998, 2003
Music librarianship, Department of Information studies (1990-1994), Department of Extension Studies, UTA (1992)
Reception of literary exams (P4, P5 The basics of information studies I and II, Citizens’ information needs, Information society) Department of Information Studies, UTA, International School of Social Sciences, UTA, Summer University, University of Jyväskylä; 1996-1998, 2003.
Duties as scientific expert
Referee, Annual Meeting of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIST), 2005
Referee, Journal of Documentation, 2005
Referee, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2005
Referee, Knowledge Organization, 2003, 2004
Referee and member of the Program Committee for CoLIS 5: The Fifth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science, 2005, Glasgow, UK
Referee and member of Program Committee for ISIC 2004: Information seeking in Context: The Fourth International Conference on Information Needs, Seeking and Use in Different Contexts, Dublin, Ireland
Referee and member of Program Committee for ISIC 2002: Information seeking in Context: The Fourth International Conference on Information Needs, Seeking and Use in Different Contexts, Lisbon, Portugal.
Referee and member of the Program Committee for CoLIS 4: The Fourth Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science, 2002, Seattle, USA.
Supervised academic theses
Expert statements, PhD thesis: Jarkko Kari, 2001
Principal supervisor of doctoral dissertations in progress: Irma Reijonen
Co-supervisor of doctoral/licenciate theses: Eija Poteri, Viivi Kataja-Peltonen
M.Soc. Sci theses supervised: Hanni Maula (2002) Heidi Häivälä, 2004 (co-supervisor), Kati Syvälahti (2004), Mirja Romppanen (2004), Virpi Launonen (2005), Irma Reijonen (2005).
Supervisor of 4 masters' theses in progress
Invited talks, lectures and panels
Davenport, E., Bergeron, P., Ginman, M., Marcoux, Y., Sonnewald, D., Talja, S., Vatanen, I. (2004). The Concept of the Source in a World of Multiple Channels. In: ASIST 2004. Proceedings of the 67th ASIST Annual Meeting, Vol. 41. Medford , NJ.: Information Today.
"Researchers' appropriation of computing expertise" Invited presentation, Knowledge management seminar, University of Tampere, 30.1 2003.
“Discourse analysis in information studies.” Invited presentation at the NordIS-NET Workshop on IS research methodology, The Royal School of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, 2.-5.11.2000.
"Dialogical and discourse analytic approaches", University College of Borås, 13.3. 2001.
"Discourse analysis", University College of Borås, 7.5. 2002.
Most important positions of trust held
Jury (Department board) member, Department of Information Studies, 2002-2003
Board member, Tampere University’s Assistant Professors’ Association (1997-1999)
Board member and vice board member, The Finnish Association of Information Science (1991-1993)
Member, The Finnish Association of Music Libraries’ Publishing Committee (1991-1993)
Board member, The Finnish Association of Music Libraries (1990-1992)
Committee member, the Ministry of Education (1992)
Leaves
Maternity leave 1999-2000
Partial maternity leave 2000-2001
Publications in English
Books
Talja, S. (2001): Music, culture, and the library: an analysis of discourses. Lanham. Md.: Scarecrow Press.
Refereed journal articles
Tuominen, K., Savolainen, R. & Talja, S. (2006) Information Literacy as a Socio-technical Practice. Library Quarterly (forthcoming).
Talja, S., Tuominen, K. & Savolainen, R. (2005) "Isms" in information science: Constructivism, collectivism and constructionism. Journal of Documentation, 61(1), 79-101.
Talja, S. (2005) The Social and Discursive Construction of Computing Skills. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 56(1), 13-22.
Talja, S., Savolainen, R. & Maula, H. (2004). Field differences in the use and perceived usefulness of scholarly mailing lists. Information Research 10 (October 2004).
Talja, S. & Maula, H. (2003). Reasons for the use and non-use of electronic journals and databases: a domain analytic study in four scholarly disciplines. Journal of Documentation 59(6), 673-691.
Tuominen, K., Talja, S. & Savolainen, R. (2003). Multiperspective digital libraries: The implications of constructionism for the development of digital libraries. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 54(6), 561-569.
Talja, S. (2003): Information sharing in academic communities: Types and levels of collaboration in information seeking and use. New Review of Information Behavior Research 3, 143-159.
Talja, S. (1999): Analyzing qualitative interview data: The discourse analytic method. Library & Information Science Research 21 (4):459-477.
Talja, S. & Keso, H. & Pietiläinen, T. (1999): The production of context in information seeking research: A metatheoretical view . Information Processing and Management 35, 751-763.
Talja, S., Heinisuo, R., Kasesniemi, E-L, Kemppainen, H, Luukkainen,S, Pispa, K. & Järvelin, K. (1998): Discourse analysis of user requests. Communications of the ACM 41(4): 93-94.
Articles in refereed international edited volumes and refereed conference proceedings
Talja, S. & Hansen, P. (forthcoming). Information sharing. In A. Spink & C. Cole (Eds.): New Directions in Human Information Behavior. Correct: Springer.
Talja, S. (forthcoming) The domain analytic approach to the study of scholars' information practices. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, and L. McKechnie (Eds) Theories of information behavior: A researcher's guide. Medford, NJ. Information Today.
Tuominen, K., Talja, S, & Savolainen, R. (forthcoming) The social constructionist viewpoint on information practices. In K. Fisher, S. Erdelez, and L. McKechnie (Eds) Theories of information behavior: A researcher's guide. Medford, NJ. Information Today.
Talja, S (2005). Users' library discourses. In C-G Johannsen & L. Kajberg (Eds.) New Frontiers in Public Library Research. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Fry, J. & Talja, S (2004) The cultural shaping of scholarly communication: Explaining e-journal use within and across academic fields. In: ASIST 2004: Proceedings of the 67th ASIST Annual Meeting, Vol. 41. Medford, NJ.: Information Today.
Talja, S (2003). Supporting scholars' collaboration in document seeking, retrieval and filtering. Proceedings of the Workshop on Computer Supported Scientific Collaboration, Eight European Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Helsinki, Finland, September 2003. Ed. H. Karasti, K. Baker, G. Bowker. Oulu: University of Oulu, Department of Information Processing Science, Research papers A34. 49-55.
Tuominen, K & Talja, S & Savolainen, R (2002). Discourse, cognition and reality: Towards a social constructionist metatheory for library and information science. - Emerging frameworks and methods: Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS4), Seattle, WA, July 21-25. Toim. Raya Fidel, Harry Bruce, Peter Ingwersen & Pertti Vakkari. Greenwood Village, Co.: Libraries Unlimited, 271-283.
Talja, S (1997). Constituting "information" and "user" as research objects. A theory of knowledge formations as an alternative to the information man -theory. In: Vakkari, P., Savolainen, R. & Dervin, B. (eds.) Information Seeking in Context. London: Taylor Graham. 67-80.
Talja, S., Heinisuo, R., Pispa K., Luukkainen, S. & Järvelin, K. (1997). Discourse analysis in the development of a regional information service. In Beaulieu, M., Davenport, E. & Pors, N.O. (eds.) LIS Research and Professional Practice. Proceedings of the 2nd British-Nordic Conference on Library and Information Studies, Edinburgh, March 24 - 26. London: Taylor Graham. 109-128.
Publications in Finnish
Books
Talja, S. & Tuuva, S. (2003) (Eds.) Tietotekniikkasuhteet: Kulttuurinen näkökulma. Helsinki: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura.
Talja, S (1998): Musiikki, kulttuuri, kirjasto: Diskurssien analyysi .Tampere: TAJU.
Karttunen, S (1992): Musiikki kulttuurisessa tietoisuudessa .Jyväskylä: Jyväskylän yliopisto, Nykykulttuurin tutkimusyksikönjulkaisuja 35. (Refereed)
Karttunen, S (1990): Musiikkikirjastonhoitajien musiikillinen maailmankuva. Helsinki: Suomen Musiikkikirjastoyhdistys. (Refereed)
Refereed journal articles
Talja, S. (2003): Tietotekniikan omaksumisen sosiaaliset ja kulttuuriset käytännöt yliopistoyhteisössä. Informaatiotutkimus 22(1), 2-14.
Talja, S. & Maula, H. (2002): Virtuaalikirjastojen rooli tutkijoiden tiedonhankintakäytännöissä. Informaatiotutkimus 21(2): 35-50.
Kasesniemi, E-L & Talja, S (1997): Sisälle kirjastosysteemiin : Kirjastonkäytön noviisiongelmat ja käyttäjäkoulutuksen merkitys. Informaatiotutkimus 16(3): 75-84.
Talja, S (1995): "Tiedon" ja "tiedonhankkijan" konstituointi tutkimuskohteena.Tietomuodostelmien teoria vaihtoehtona information man -teorialle. Kirjastotiedeja informatiikka 14(2), 48-60.
Karttunen, S (1993): Kvalitatiivisen haastatteluaineiston luonteesta ja analyysistä . Diskurssianalyyttinen metodi. Kirjastotiede ja informatiikka 12(3), 83-94.
Book articles
Talja, S. (2003): Tietotekniikkaminuus - miten se rakentuu? In Talja, S. & Tuuva, S. (Eds.) Tietotekniikkasuhteet: Kulttuurinen näkökulma. Helsinki: SKS.
Talja, S. & Tuuva, S. (2003): Alkusanat. In Talja, S. & Tuuva, S. (Eds.) Tietotekniikkasuhteet: Kulttuurinen näkökulma. Helsinki: SKS.
Karttunen, S (1994): Musiikkikirjaston tulkintarepertuaarit . In Karttunen, S (ed.) Kirjastot musiikkitarjonnanverkostossa: Tutkimuksia käyttäjän musiikkikirjastosta. Helsinki: Suomen Musiikkikirjastoyhdistyksen julkaisusarja 29. 58-88
Karttunen, S (1990): Musiikillisen maailmankuvan rakenneja tyypit musiikkikirjastonhoitajilla. In Kurkela, Vesa & Pekkilä,Erkki (eds.) Etnomusikologian vuosikirja 1989-90 . Helsinki: Suomen Etnomusikologinen seura. 38-58. (Refereed)
Karttunen, S (1990): Perinteinen musiikkikykynäkemysja musiikkikirjastotoiminnan tavoitteenasettelu. In Kalinen, Harri et al(eds) Tartu hetkeen - 90-luvun haasteita kirjastoille . UDK:n tieteellinenjulkaisusarja, 16. Tampere: UDK ry. 23-34.
Articles in professional and popular science journals
Talja, S. (2001): Kuinka tutkijat hankkivat tietoteknistä asiantuntemusta?Tietoyhteys 3/2001, 29-30.
Talja S (1998): Mitä kirjastonhoitajan pitää tietää? Kirjastolehti1998: 5 , 182-183.
Published scientific abstracts and presentations in scientific conferences and seminars
Talja, S., Savolainen, R. & Maula, H. "Field differences in the use and perceived usefulness of scholarly mailing lists." ISIC 2004, Dublin, Ireland.
Talja, S. (2004) "The social shaping of computing expertise", Traditions and challenges of Science and Technology Studies, Helsinki, 11.-12. 2004.
Talja, S. (2003) "This field is not based on technical searching: Field differences in scholars' use of e-journals and databases" Digilib 2003: Toward a user-centered approach to digital libraries, Espoo.
Talja, S (2003) "Supporting scholars' collaboration in document seeking, retrieval and filtering". Workshop on Computer Supported Scientific Collaboration, Eight European Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, Helsinki, Finland, September 2003
Talja, S. (2002). "Information sharing in academic communities: Types and levels of collaboration in information seeking and use." Paper presented at the Fourth International Conference Information Seeking in Context, Universidade Lusiada, Lisbon, 11-13 September.
Tuominen, K., Talja, S. & Savolainen R. (2002) "Discourse, cognition and reality: Towards a social constructionist metatheory for library and information science." Paper presented (by Sanna Talja) in The Fourth International Conference on Conceptions of Library and Information Science (CoLIS4), Seattle, WA, July 21-25.
Talja, S. (2002):" Tietotekniikkaminuus - miten se rakentuu?" Sosiologipäivät 15.3. 2002, Tampere; also presented in: Tulkintoja mediasta, teknologiasta ja sukupuolesta -seminaari 24.-25.10.2002, Joensuu.
Tuominen, K., Talja, S. & Savolainen, R. (2001). Multiperspective digital libraries: The implications of constructionism for the developmentof digital libraries. Paper presented at the Nordic and International Colloquiumon Social and Cultural Awareness and Responsibility in Library, Informationand Documentation Studies (SCARLID) , 13-14 December 2001, Oulu, Finland.
Talja, S. (2001) "Users' views of public libraries' social and cultural role." Nordic Seminar on Public Library Research, Copenhagen 10-11 December 2001. Copenhagen: Royal School of Library and Information Science. (Refereed)
Talja, S. (2001): "Living closer to the machine: Researchers' interpretations of the impacts and implications of ICT's." Paper presented at the 5th Conferenceof the European Sociological Association, "Visions and Divisions," August 28-September 1, 2001, Helsinki, Finland.
Talja. S. (2001): "Kaikki on siinä suossa välillä":Tutkijat, tietotekniikka ja arjen selviytymisstrategiat. Tietotekniikan yhteiskunnallinen ja kulttuurinen tutkimus - seminaari, Turku 25.1. 2001.
Talja, S. (2001): Tutkijat ja elektroniset tietoresurssit: Miten informaatioympäristön muutosta merkityksellistetään? Teknologian yhteiskunnallinen ja kulttuurinen tutkimus -seminaari 7.3.2001, Kuluttajatutkimuskeskus, Helsinki
Talja, S (1998): The critical repertoire in everyday culture discussion. Paper presented at The Crossroads of Cultural Studies conference, June28-July 1, 1998, Tampere, Finland.
Book reviews
Talja, S (1995): Diskurssianalyysin suuntaukset (Trends in discourseanalysis). A review of Jokinen, Arja & Juhila, Kirsi & Suoninen,Eero (1993). Diskurssianalyysin aakkoset. Kirjastotiede ja informatiikka 14(1),29-30.
Unpublished theses
Karttunen, S (1992): Kirjallisuuden tulkinta ja kulttuuriset tietorakenteet.(The interpretation of literature and cultural knowledge structures). Universityof Tampere: Department of Comparative Literature, minor subject's masters thesis. (105 p.)
Research funding and scholarships
• 1990 H. Weijola Foundation 10 000 FIM
• 1990 Finnish Academy 54 400 FIM
• 1990 The Foundation for Finnish Culture 30 000 FIM
• 1991 University of Tampere 75 000 FIM
• 1992 University of Tampere 43 750 FIM
• 1993 The Support Foundation of the University of Tampere 10 000 FIM
• 1994 The Finnish Konkordia-Association 8 000 FIM
• 1994 University of Tampere 12 000 FIM
• 1995 Finnish Academy, 5 000 FIM
• 1996 Emil Aaltonen's Foundation, 20 000 FIM
• 1998 Librarians' Foundation, 10 000 FIM
• 2000-2002 The Research Program of Media Culture, Academy of Finland
• 2003-2004 IRDIRS