PurposeSince Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004, migration from Poland to the UK has increased substantially. These migrants are generally young and highly educated, and are migrating for reasons of economic improvement and self-fulfilment. Many are women migrating independently, an emerging trend in migration in general. Information behaviour research around migration has tended to focus on populations such as refugees; less research has been done on the information behaviour of economic migrants. This paper, therefore, investigates the role of information in the migration experience of young Polish women in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThis study takes an interpretivist, constructionist perspective. An exploratory study was conducted, involving expert and pilot interviews and analysis of secondary data. In the main study, 21 participants were interviewed using a semi-structured technique. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsThe paper provides insights into the information behaviour and experience of this migrant group. They were found to be confident and successful information users, partly because their migration was planned, their language skills were high and cultural differences from their host country were not substantial. Weak ties were an important source of information. The paper contextualises these findings against previous research on migration in information science, and presents a model of the underlying factors shaping the relationship between migration and information behaviour.Originality/valueThe paper examines the migration experience of a relatively understudied group, drawing attention to a broader range of experience and demonstrating that a wider conceptualisation of migration is required in information behaviour. It presents a model of key factors shaping information behaviour around migration, which is relevant not only to the information field, but also to a wider range of areas. It also delivers practical recommendations for migrants and those working with them.

Despite its practical and symbolic importance, the role of space in higher education remains underresearched. This study develops an understanding of student experience of the campus as a learning landscape. It is based on 28 participatory walking interviews with students, including the hand drawing of a campus map. Participants tended to see learning as about individual study or working alongside others, and rarely mentioned lectures. The choice of space to study was often shaped by convenience, and appeared to be somewhat static and habitual. There was a lack of exploration and only a limited sense of the benefit of fitting the learning task to the space. Yet students felt a sense of ownership and safety on campus. They actively used the characteristics of space to manage their own attention through studying where there were visible cues to study and controlling distraction.

This study investigated whether the academic library sector in the UK could be in danger of experiencing a decline in workforce diversity following the Brexit vote. A web survey was distributed to academic libraries and LIS departments across the UK. Follow up email interviews were conducted with twelve individuals. Participants were very worried about effects of Brexit on their right to reside in the UK. Two years after the referendum they still felt a high degree of uncertainty about their future. Most participants wanted to stay in the UK. Whilst about a third considered leaving due to Brexit; 21% were undecided and 14% had made concrete plans to leave. However, reasons to leave ultimately lay mostly outside of the place of work or study. The findings suggest that the UK academic library sector could be in danger of experiencing a decline in workforce diversity as a result of Brexit.