Through this e-book we have taken the opportunity to present a collection of articles that are illustrative of the research currently being conducted in the Department of Information and Communications at the Manchester Metropolitan University. Two key factors shape and influence our contribution; we have sought to reflect these in our selection of papers for this e-book. The first of these factors is our context within Manchester Metropolitan University, and, beyond that, within the "e;city region"e; of Manchester. The second is our commitment to wrestle the challenges of interdisciplinarity, the prerogative for which within the information discipline is becoming ever more pressing.