With a background in computer science (bachelor’s level), I have extensive experiences of work with Library Management Systems (LMS) in different capacities. I have held positions such as: systems librarian; systems manager; product support and information analyst for a leading LMS provider; and educator in the topic. I have also had my own firm helping libraries with LMS related technical issues. Furthermore my PhD research was a substantial study of the process of decision making in relation to LMS selections.

A main area of interest in my thesis work related to the relationship between Macro-Social structures and Micro-Social processes. By adopting a critical “from the outside” stance, I was able to question many "taken for granted" issues and argued that the main goal and outcome of a decision making process does not necessarily need to be a choice; a seemingly rational decision making process does not necessarily lead to an optimal selection; and indeed in complex situations there may not exist an optimal choice. In the thesis, through four extensive case studies construction of social and conceptual orders were examined.

My interest in critical analysis of social phenomena continues and in my more recent research I pursue various applications of this in different contexts and practices. Issues of inclusion, accessibility, participation and equal opportunities for all have been at the core of my recent research activities, where effort has been placed on further development of the topic of Inclusive Information Practices.

Awards

"Emerald/EFMD Outstanding Doctoral Research Awards - Highly Commended Award 2011" in the Information Science category.
[Olson, N. (2010). Taken for Granted - The Construction of Order in the Process of Library Management System Decision Making (Vol. 45). Göteborg / Borås: Valfrid publishing.]

"Best Paper Award - International Academy, Research, and Industry" for the full paper presented at the SEMAPRO 2019 Conference.
[Darányi, S., Olson, N., Riga, M., Kontopoulos, E., & Kompatsiaris, I. (2019). Static and Dynamic Haptograms to Communicate Semantic Content: Towards Enabling Face-to-Face Communication for People with Deafblindness. presented at The Thirteenth International Conference on Advances in Semantic Processing, Porto, September 22-26, 2019., Porto, Portugal.]

"Best Paper Award - ISIC 2020" for the full paper presented at the ISIC 2020 Conference. 
[Olson, N., & Maceviciute, E. (2020). Information worlds of people with deafblindness. In Proceedings of ISIC, the Information Behaviour Conference, Pretoria, South Africa, 28 Sept 1 Oct: Part 1. Information Research, 25(4), paper isic xxxx.]

Assignments

Current Research: 

• Coordinator of the EU-funded Horizon Europe Research and Innovation (RIA) project MuseIT
• HB team leader in the H2020 project SILVANUS
• Director of the research centre Include - Centre for Inclusive Studies

Earlier Projects/Assignments:

• Coordinator of the EU-funded H2020 research and innovation project SUITCEYES
• Co-leader of the Social Media Studies research programme
• Leader of research project TACIT
• Member of the research project PET
• Samordnare för samverkan, innovation och nyttiggörande - A3 (Faculty's coordinator of third mission/collaboration, innovation and research utility)
• Member of Innovationsrådet (University's Innovation Board)
• Leader of WP7 (training) in the EU-funded four-year project of Pericles.
• Member of NYFORSK (a project working with Research Utility beyond scholarly publications)
• Co-leader of a Master Program in LIS
• Member of the board of education (among others responsible for ensuring quality of  educational programmes)
• Member of KGU – Quality Group for Thesis Examination
• Member of PAG – Pedagogical Task Group
• Student representative in Research Education Board (FUN)

Researcher's publications in DiVA (Digitala Vetenskapliga Arkivet)

Doctoral thesis title

Taken for Granted - The Construction of Order in the Process of Library Management System Decision Making