Freee online conference: Teaching for Change: Reframing Information Literacy through Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Antiracism

Registration is open for the 11th Annual Connecticut Information Literacy Conference, an online conference, on 10 June 2022: Teaching for Change: Reframing Information Literacy through Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Antiracism The timing is 08.30-13.30 US Eastern time (e.g. this is 13.30-18.30 UK time). The conference is free.
The programme is here: https://libguides.southernct.edu/cilc/2022/programinfo
The home page with link to registration is here: https://libguides.southernct.edu/cilc/2022
Photo by Sheila Webber: rhododendron, May 2022

Online short course: Critical Concepts in LIS: Research, Teaching, and Practice

Forthcoming Library Juice Academy short courses include Critical Concepts in LIS: Research, Teaching, and Practice; US $300.00; Dates: June 6 - July 17. Tutor: Jamillah R. Gabriel. Full information at https://libraryjuiceacademy.com/shop/course/265-critical-concepts-in-lis-research-teaching-and-practice/

#CoronaVirusFacts

There are 2 projects - one completed, one ongoing, using the name #CoronaVirusFacts 

Firstly, and ongoing, there is a database of stories about COVID19 that have been detected as misleading by the CoronaVirusFacts/DatosCoronaVirus Alliance which includes factchecking agencies "in more than 70 countries and [the database] includes articles published in at least 40 languages." https://www.poynter.org/ifcn-covid-19-misinformation/ You can also search the database in Spanish or Portuguese.
For example this post from a Brazilian factchecker identifies a false rumour about Queen Elizabeth II taking a particular drug (it turns out that an Australian TV channel showed packaging of the drug when talking about her her getting COVID, just to illustrate "COVID treatment" with a picture, and this sparked the rumour). 

Secondly there was an UNESCO-sponsored international project #CoronaVirusFacts that ran April 2020 - 14 October 2021. The outcomes were: Portal check - A resource for educating people to avoid disinformation, aimed at people in Latin America and the Caribbean; a webinar in multiple languages aimed at journalists; A Massive Open Online course (MOOC), Disinformation & Fact-Checking in Times of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean, in Spanish, Portuguese and Guaraní; events; lists of relevant resources. The homepage of #CoronaVirusFacts is here https://en.unesco.org/covid19/disinfodemic/coronavirusfacts
Photo: NIH (2020, February 18) Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Public domain image. https://flic.kr/p/2iCRVSJ

Recording & HIFA Strategy: Access to Health as a Human Right

The recording of a session on health information, presented at the at the World Library and Information Congress in August 2021, is available. Access to Health as a Human Right: A Global Call to Action and Practical Steps. It includes a contribution from Dr Neil Pakenham-Walsh. coordinator of HIFA (Health Information for All). The recording is at https://youtu.be/lIRsekLiyqg and the introduction here https://www.ifla.org/news/health-information-by-right-making-the-case-for-ensuring-access-to-reliable-information/ 

It is also worth mentioning the HIFA Strategy Accelerating progress towards universal access to reliable healthcare information https://www.hifa.org/news/press-release-healthcare-information-all-hifa-launches-new-strategy-accelerate-progress-towards

Photo by Sheila Webber: Apple blossom, May 2022

UKeIG events: Using social media & altmetrics; AI for infopros; Communicating research

The UKeiG group has a number of online half-day training courses, priced at £50 for UKeIG or CILIP members and £80 for non-members (plus VAT in the UK). They include:
- 21 June 2022 Communicating and tracking research using social media, blogging and altmetrics
- 22 June 2022: Artificial intelligence for information professionals
- 30 June 2022: Making your research stand out from the crowd using video, animation, infographics
Go to https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/event_list.asp?show=&group=201314
Photo by Sheila Webber: Spring colour, May 2022

Webinar: Chatbots, COVID-19 and clarity: How tech enabled access to trusted information in local languages

There is a WHO EPI-WIN Webinar 25th May at 13.00-14.00 CEST Chatbots, COVID-19 and clarity: How tech enabled access to trusted information in local languages "we will hear from Translators Without Borders and WHO/UNICEF about the development and country implementation of chatbots to provide trusted information on COVID-19 to users in their own language. In addition, WHO will launch its compilation of innovative concepts to communicate science during the COVID-19 pandemic. Speakers
- Aimee Ansari, Translators Without Borders
- Usman Ali Manguno, Translators Without Borders Nigeria
- Simon van Woerden, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
- Nabiha Faruqui, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia
- Kimberly Rambaud, World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe
Registration is here: https://who-e.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OjePcV0cRxO-qVV-ST0k5g

Photo by Sheila Webber: Apple blossom in bud, April 2022

New book: Your Craft as a Teaching Librarian

ACRL has published Your Craft as a Teaching Librarian: Using Acting Skills to Create a Dynamic Presence by Jeff Sundquist, Julie Artman, and Douglas R. Dechow. It is available as a print or e-book.This is a revised and expanded edition of ACRL’s 2016 The Craft of Librarian Instruction. The three sections are:
- Prepare and Rehearse: Centering yourself, physical and vocal preparation, mindfulness, and avoiding stage fright
- Perform and Connect: Role playing, identity, action/reaction, and information literacy
- Reflect and Sharpen: Assessment and adaptation
"Chapters feature exercises to explore on your own or with a colleague, question and answer sections to help you identify potential challenges and solutions, and tips on deepening your teaching skills. A glossary of acting terms and a “learn more about it” bibliography provide additional context for the methods and techniques presented. Your Craft as a Teaching Librarian can help you personalize and characterize your teaching presence and help those with little to no teaching experience, instructors dealing with shyness or stage fright, and more experienced librarians in need of a refreshed perspective, adding an undeniable star quality to your instructional performance."
More information at https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/your-craft-teaching-librarian-using-acting-skills-create-dynamic-presence
Photo by Sheila Webber: Apple blossom, May 2022

Webinar: Pillars for the International Media and Information Literacy Institute: Futures of Literacy

The final of 3 panels on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) at the World Higher Education Conference (WHEC) is Pillars for the International Media and Information Literacy Institute: Futures of Literacy. It is online on 20 May, 12.00-14.00 CEST (so, 11.00-13.00 UK time).
"In response to the overarching need to raise awareness of media and information literacy, UNESCO and NORDICOM commissioned a feasibility study into the establishment of an International Media and Information Literacy Institute. The International Media and Information Literacy Institute is being established within the UNESCO-UNAOC Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network framework. Universities from different world regions have agreed to deepen academic cooperation on media and information literacy.
The purpose of this event is, thus, to present the rationale behind the establishment of this Media and Information Literacy Institute, its functions, and objectives. Moreover, the event will discuss the role of the Media and Information Literacy Institute in increasing awareness and access to media and information literacy, evidence-based monitoring of media and information literacy development while fostering intercultural dialogue. Speakers from various partner universities will present their activities in media and information literacy and their contributions to the International Media and Information Literacy Institute."
It is moderated by Dr Samy Tayie (Professor, Cairo University, Egypt).
Opening speakers are: Dr Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO; Dr Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Honorable Minister of Information and Culture, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Nigeria; Dr José Manuel Tornero, President of Spanish Radio and Television Corporation, Spain
Speakers are:
- Dr Manuel Pinto, Professor, Minho University, Portugal
- Dr Sara Pereira, Professor, Minho University, Portugal
- Dr Suraj Olunifesi, Lecturer, University of Lagos, Nigeria
- Dr Carolyn Wilson, Executive Director, McLuhan Foundation, Canada
- Dr Sally Tayie, Coordinator, International Media and Information Literacy Institute, Egypt
- Dr Santiago Tejedor, Professor, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
- Dr Felipe Chibas Ortiz, Professor, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Dr Jun Sakamoto, Professor, Hosei University, Japan
Information at https://events.unesco.org/event?id=1605196806&lang=1033 and register here

Webinar: Communicating Media and Information Literacy Research to Wider Audiences: From Research to Policy and Impact

The second of 3 panels on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) at the World Higher Education Conference (WHEC) is Communicating Media and Information Literacy Research to Wider Audiences: From Research to Policy and Impact, on 19 May 2022 at 15.30-17.30 CEST (which is an hour earlier in the UK).
"The research on media and information literacy (MIL) forms an area of knowledge that touches upon the lives of children, parents, teachers, and media practitioners, among many others. Insights that are important for policy development are also generated within research communities. There is thus a major need to strengthen the reach of the MIL research. The research findings and insights must reach key stakeholders outside academia to exert a long-term social impact and contribute to the futures of higher education and further promote international cooperation to enhance synergies—concept and themes put under spotlight of the UNESCO World Higher Education Conference 2022. Creating public engagement and conversations around important MIL recommendations is essential. The event will also include a presentation of the MILID Yearbook 2021."
Opening Session speakers are: Dr Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO; Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Punjab, India; Dr Auksė Balčytienė, Professor and member and Co-founder, UNESCO Chair on Media and Information Literacy for Inclusive Knowledge Societies, Vytautas Magnus University Council, Lithuania
Speakers are:
Dr Maarit Jaakkola, Co-Director, Centre for Nordic Media Research (Nordicom), University of Gothenburg, Co-Lead, UNESCO Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, Sweden
Dr Bosire Onyancha, Associate Professor, University of South Africa, South Africa
Dr Tomás Durán-Becerra, National Director of Research UNIMINUTO University in Colombia, Head of research at the Social Innovation Scientific Park, member of the UNESCO University Network for Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue, Colombia
Dr Kristine Stewart, Information Literacy Coordinator, library and & Learning Commons, Zayed University, UAE
Mr Victor Ejechi, Journalist, The Cable Newspaper, Library and information professional, Nigeria
Moderator is Dr Manisha Pathak-Shelat, Professor, Communication and Digital Platforms & Strategies, Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad (MICA)
Information at https://events.unesco.org/event?id=1244680241- you need to register.

Webinar: Integrating Media and Information Literacy in Higher Education Curricula: Realities, Challenges, and Prospects: High-Level International Panel

The first of 3 panels on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) at the World Higher Education Conference (WHEC) is Integrating Media and Information Literacy in Higher Education Curricula: Realities, Challenges, and Prospects: High-Level International Panel on 18 May 15.00-17.00 CEST (so, one hour earlier in the UK).
"The panel aims to show the substantial role of the UNESCO-UNAOC-UNITWIN University Network on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue and to share the experiences of key members of this international university network, addressing both best practices and challenges."
In the opening session are: Dr Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO; Dr Hassane Sahbi, President of Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, Morocco; Dr Mohammed Larouz, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Moulay Ismail University, Morocco.
Speakers are:
Dr Paulette A Kerr, Lecturer, University of the West Indies, Member, Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, Jamaica
Dr Esther Imperio Hamburger, Professor, University of Sao Paulo, Member, Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, Brazil
Dr Sherri Hope Culver, Associate Professor, Temple University, Member, Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, USA
Dr Abdelhamid Nfissi, Professor, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Member, Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, Morocco
Dr Jagtar Singh, Former Dean, Faculty of Education and Information Science, Punjabi University, Patiala; Member, Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, India Co-Moderators are Dr Drissia Chouit, Professor, Moulay Ismail University and Dr Alton Grizzle, Programme Specialist, Section for Media and Information Literacy and Media Development, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO Information here: https://events.unesco.org/event?id=1706238245&lang=1033 you need to register

Call for abstracts (deadline 23 May 2022): Information Science Trends: Untold Stories #IST22

An exciting conference (co-organised by me) which will take place online 15-17 June.  

The basics!
Conference date: June 17-19, 2022, 14.00-17.00pm (BST/ Dublin time: which is, e.g., 9.00-12.00 US EST - see https://tinyurl.com/bdetwf8x for 14.00 BST in your time zone).
Deadline for submitting proposals (abstract of 400-750 words): 23rd May 2022.
Organisers: The European Chapter (EC) & European Student Chapter (ESC) of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T)
Submissions: At https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ist22 including uploading a completed abstract template https://tinyurl.com/IST22cfp
Registration: https://tinyurl.com/IST22reg
Fees: ASIS&T members: no charge (but registration still required). Student non-members: US $10; Other non-members: US $25. 

We invite researchers, practitioners and students to submit abstracts for talks (15 minutes presentation + discussion time). Students can also submit proposals for posters (10 minute presentation of their poster). We welcome proposals both from ASIS&T members, and from non-members.
We interpret Information Science broadly to include all kinds of information experience and information behaviour, information retrieval, data science, information literacy, information organisation, and ways of knowing. 

This event focuses on Untold Stories in Information Science and accepts submissions within information science/studies covering research (completed or in progress), practical projects or examples, and conceptual work. 

Confirmed keynotes: Professor Tom Boellstorff (Department of Anthropology, University of California, Irvine, USA) and Dr Crystal Fulton (School of Information and Communication Studies, University College Dublin, Ireland). 

 "Untold stories" may refer to a story that simply has not been told before (a new research question or problem), or to stories from voices, cultures and places that have been neglected or suppressed. It is a theme open to your interpretation, but this gives some ideas about what we have in mind:
- Research methods for untold stories. Discussion of approaches & methods for discovering and exploring unknown stories (e.g. ethnography; autoethnography; participative & collaborative approaches; mixed methods; data mining). This can include: Scholarly discussion of challenges and possibilities of specific data collection & analysis methods; Engagement with ethical and practical issues; Methodologies used in specific research projects
- Places where untold stories unfold. Are untold stories in hidden or hard- to-access places (e.g. in the dark web, in conflict zones, in people's heads, buried in big data) or are they hidden in plain sight? You may want to tell us where and how you discovered an untold story, and issues around that discovery
- The people in the untold story. Who were the people who featured or guided your research? What did you discover and how were they involved in that discovery? What do you know about how they feel about their story and how it is told?
- Telling the untold story. Discussion of how one can disseminate: e.g. experience of using multimodal presentation of results, what channels you use to tell the story, challenges and possibilities
- The researcher and the untold story. Discussion of researcher positionality & impact; reflection on personal research journeys 

For more information: https://www.asist.org/2022/05/11/ist22-cfp/ We are happy to answer any questions you might have regarding this event. Please send an email to: asist.europeanchapter@gmail.com or the IST conference co-chairs Sheila Webber (me!), s.webber@sheffield.ac.uk Dr Sophie Rutter, s.rutter@sheffield.ac.uk Dr Jesse Dinneen, jesse.dinneen@hu-berlin.de

Call for proposals: #Icepops22

There is a call for proposals for the 2022 International Copyright-Literacy Event with Playful Opportunities for Practitioners and Scholars (Icepops), to be held as a physical event on 8 September 2022 in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford, UK. Keynote speakers are Dr Emily Hudson (Kings College London, UK), Dr Andrea Wallace (University of Exeter, UK) and Douglas McCarthy (Europeana Foundation). The deadline for proposals is 6 June 2022.
The conference themes are: Copyright literacy in a time of transition – lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic; Copyright education in the cultural heritage sector; Engaging and creative approaches to copyright education including using games, video, music and performance; Copyright education as part of digital and information literacy initiatives; Teaching copyright as part of scholarly and open practices; Copyright and open educational resources.
More details at https://copyrightliteracy.org/icepops-international-copyright-literacy-event-with-playful-opportunities-for-practitioners-and-scholars Photo by Sheila Webber: produce at farmers market, April 2022

e-forum discussion: Making the Most of One-shot Instruction

The next Core e-forum discussion (a discussion via email) is Giving the One-shot Your Best Shot: Making the Most of One-shot Instruction which takes place May 17-18, 2022. It will be moderated by Jennifer Batson, Kelly Williams, Michelle Shea, and Margaret Dawson. Each day the discussion begins and ends at US Pacific: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. (which is, e.g. 3pm - 11pm UK time)
"In spite of the increasing complexity of the information landscape and the importance of learning how to navigate it effectively, one-shot sessions continue to be the primary format for teaching information literacy classes. Librarians must consider how to integrate faculty expectations and the expansive core concepts of the Framework for Information Literacy into a single, limited time period. It can feel like a struggle to create engaging and effective lessons.
In spite of the difficulties, librarians have found innovative ways to address the one-shot's constraints. In this e-forum, participants will discuss options and share effective and inventive ways to maximize the effect of the infamous one-shot."
In order to participate, you have to "register your email address with the list, and then you will receive messages and communicate with other participants through an email discussion." Once you've registered you will get the messages from all subsequent e-forums (unless you unsubscibe, obviously), but they are limited time and only happen about once a month, so if you set your alerts to having a daily digest, it isn't too much spam even if not all the topics are of interest (I signed up when there was an information literacy one some months ago). For more information and to register go to http://www.ala.org/core/e-forums. Photo by Sheila Webber: Greeenwich Park, lost scooter, April 2022

New articles: teacher librarians' identity; Data literacy; Information behaviour of artists; Impact of library use on learning

The latest issue of open access journal College & Research Libraries (Vol 83, No 3, 2022) has been published at https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/issue/view/1617/showToc. Articles include:
- Teacher, Librarian, or Both? A Quantitative Investigation of Instruction Librarians’ Teacher Identity by Lisa Becksford
- “Looking for Pictures of Clouds”: Defining the Unique Research Needs of Creative Communities by Laura Dimmit Smyth, Ian Moore, Kodi Saylor
- Data Literacy Practices of Students Conducting Undergraduate Research by Theresa Burress
- Impact of Undergraduate Students’ Library Use on Their Learning beyond GPA: Mixed-Methods Approach by Jung Mi Scoulas, Sandra L. De Groote.
Photo by Sheila Webber: cherry blossom in the park, April 2022