This introduction to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) was given as a contribution to the ELISA Open Forum 2009. The theme of the Forum was "Libraries and Learning in the e-Environment". Paul gave an overview of the Parliament's information service in the e-environment.

1. 21st century digital services
for parliamentarians
Paul Cannon
Information Assistant, SPICe
11 June 2009

2. SPICe
Scottish Parliament Information Centre
 Who are we?
 What do we do?
 Who do we do it for?

3. Who are we?
Over 50 people, recruited as
specialists:
 Half are research subject
experts
 Half are information specialists
 …and office management

4. What does SPICe do?
 Facts, analysis, briefings
 Research
 Impartial expertise
 News and current affairs

5. Information strategy
 Need well-informed citizens to
contribute to the democratic
process
 Need well-informed MSPs to
help govern Scotland

6. Who for?
 MSPs and their staff
 Parliament committees
 Parliament staff
 The public - indirectly

7. SPICe services
We provide an internal service to:
 The Scottish Parliament
Corporate Body
 Senior management
 All Parliamentary offices

8. How?
 Confidential enquiry service for
MSPs
 Longer briefings – on bills, hot
topics
 Work for committees
 On-line services
 Making parliament information
available to the public (website,
partner libraries)

9. Material for Debates

10. SPICe Insight

11. Podcasts

12. Access to the e-environment
Some of the challenges we face:
 Complex inquiries
 …with short deadlines
 Keeping publications up-to-date
 …and information current
 Technology
 Training and inductions for staff
 Awareness of services and products