Webinar: New Voices in Information Literacy

On 18 November at 13.00-14.00 GMT the CILIP Information Literacy Group has organised a free webinar New Voices in Information Literacy featuring presentations from four new graduates from Masters programmes, on their dissertation research, two from the course I teach on (the Library and Information Services Management programme at the University of Sheffield School of Information, Journalism and Communication) and two from University Collge London. The speakers are: 
- Arielle Ben-Itzhak (University College London) Envisioning Multispecies Information Literacy.
- Vicki Clarke (University of Sheffield) Information literacy outreach provision: a case study of librarian and outreach officer perspectives at a collegiate university.
- Lisa Hough (University of Sheffield) Mature returners and information literacy support: A phenomenographic study of students 10+ years out of formal education.
- Jango Janigian (University College London) Roll for Information: Using Tabletop Role-Playing Games to Teach Information Literacy.
Register at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cilipinformationliteracygroup/2504478

New articles: Law students and databases; Tutorials; Inclusive infolit education; Career progression in North American libraries

The latest issue of College & Research Libraries News (Vol 87, No 9) (open access) includes:
- Toward Inclusive Library Instruction: Guidelines for Integrating Inclusive Practices by Kanu A. Nagra
- Finding the Power in Mini: Rethinking Library Tutorials with Microlearning by Kathryn Senn, Samantha Peter, Shannon M. Smith, Elena Payne, Aralynn Juarez
- The Ten Treasures: Structuring a Course Using Ten Primary Sources from Special Collections by Pamela A. Jackson
- Adapting to How Students Learn: Rethinking Information Literacy Instruction in the Age of Short-Form Content by Katie Heeren
- Rank, Promotion, and Tenure in the Library: How Criteria and Process (Still) Favor Reference and Instruction Work by Nina McHale
- From the Classroom to the Field: A Year of Exploring Why We Choose Librarianship by Tia Phillip, Caitlin Perkins, Daniel Burnett
Go to https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/issue/view/1703/showToc

Also, not recent & but interesting: Parkin, C. & Sehgal, A. (2024). Guiding Away from Google: Finding Ways to Engage Law Students with Academic Databases. Legal Information Management, 24(4). https://doi.org/10.1017/S1472669624000525 (accepted version open access here https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/11432/)
Photo by Sheila Webber: I think this is an Echinacea, but it might be a Rudbeckia, September 2026

Webinar: Student Citation Resources: Best Practices for Creating Online Citation Style Tutorials for Students

There is a LILi Show & Tell webinar on 10 November 13:30 US ET (18.30 GMT): Student Citation Resources: Best Practices for Creating Online Citation Style Tutorials for Students presented by Meli Taylor (Bowling Green State University, USA)
"After receiving requests each semester to teach citation styles as part of one-shot library instruction sessions, I spent this past summer creating self-paced citation style tutorials for APA Style, 7th ed. and MLA Style, 9th ed. (a tutorial on Chicago Style is forthcoming). These tutorials discuss why we cite sources, why different styles exist, and the unique elements of the style. The tutorials then feature sections on how to cite common source types, combining textual and visual instruction with the use of interactive screenshots to make the tutorials accessible to a wide variety of learners. Short “knowledge checks” are also included throughout the tutorials so that students can check their learning. The goal of the tutorials is to give students an interactive, self-paced method to learn citation styles that they can access whenever necessary. For my demonstration, I would discuss my process for creating the tutorials as well as best practices for creating online learning objects to teach citation styles, with an emphasis on accessibility and multimodal instruction.
Register at https://stonybrook.zoom.us/meeting/register/sWfHF8eKRUuUp-VqVVGdxg#/registration
Photo by Sheila Webber: fallen leaves, October 2026

Winners of UNESCO's 2026 Youth Hackathon on Media and Information Literacy

The winners of UNESCO's 2026 Youth Hackathon on Media and Information Literacy have been announced during Global MIL Week. The teams had to pitch designs for "practical solutions to strengthen critical thinking and media and information literacy" (they didn't have to implement them). The winning teams were:
- From a team from Benin – Lucide "an intergenerational platform helping older adults identify disinformation, AI-generated content and online scams."
- From a team from Indonesia – PEKA "an educational toolkit designed to help children aged 6 to 12 develop critical thinking skills."
- From a team from India – Beyond the Bubble "an interactive platform helping young people understand how social media algorithms influence the information they encounter online. "
- From an international team (Germany, Guatemala, Japan and Ecuador) – I Thought I Knew You "an interactive mystery game that helps teenagers recognize AI-manipulated content and prevent cyberbullying.|"
More information here: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/meet-winners-unescos-2026-youth-hackathon-media-and-information-literacy

Librarians we have lost

This is an initiative to document notable librarians who have died, mostly North American. It includes people who contributed to information literacy or information behaviour e.g. Ross Todd, Hannelore Busch Rader, Ilene F. Rockman, Patricia Senn Breivik and Elfreda Chatman. Patricia Senn Breivik is pictured (in the pink jacket) in the blurred photo I took at the Creating Knowledge conference in 2006.
Go to https://alair.ala.org/collections/1ea0f128-01ca-4ed8-a1ea-4f78734f7cad/search

UNESCO MIL Alliance Chapters announced!

UNESCO's Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Alliance dissolved its old structure, to form a new global board, and it has now announced the first 16 MILA Chapters, regional and thematic. "Conceived as a network of networks, the MIL Alliance aims to bring together organizations and individuals working to advance media and information literacy across the world. The new Chapters will help turn this vision into action by connecting members around shared geographical or thematic priorities, facilitating knowledge exchange, encouraging joint initiatives and strengthening cooperation across countries and sectors.
The regional chapters are:
- Australian Media Literacy Alliance (AMLA) Chapter
- East Africa MIL Chapter
- Europe & North America Research & Practice Chapter (MILENARPC)
- European Intersectoral Network Chapter for Digital and Media Literacy
- Francophone Africa Chapter
- Latin American Chapter
- South Asian Network for MIL Pedagogy, Resources and Assessment
The thematic chapters are
- Artificial Intelligence and Media and Information Literacy Chapter Conflict Resolution Chapter 
- DEMOCRAC-IAGen Chapter
- Impact Network for Media and Information Literacy
- MIL and Families Chapter
- MIL Cities Chapter
- MIL Diplomacy for Human Rights, Peace, Cultural Diversity and Sustainability Chapter
- School Media and Children's Communication Chapter
- Youth Engagement Chapter
The chapter list is here https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy/alliance/chapters-list 
An article about it is here: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-mil-alliance-announces-creation-16-chapters-strengthen-global-cooperation

Webinars: Information Literacy in the Age of AI #GlobalMILweek

JoVE (who produce educational videos and also a journal) has organised free webinars on the theme of Information Literacy in the Age of AI. 
Firstly there is a roundtable 28 October 2026 9.00-10.00 GMT with Chareen Mathope-Dasilva (Faculty Librarian, Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), South Africa; Michela Moratto (Reference and Information Literacy Librarian, University of Pavia, Italy); Emmanuel Mashonjowa (Researcher and Educator·University of Zimbabwe); Isaac Okiyai (University Librarian, Open Univresity of Kenya). 
Secondly there is a talk/discusion on 28 October 2026 at 14.00 GMT with Erich Purpur (Science and Engineering Research Librarian, Universuty of Virginia, USA) and finally 
a webinar on 29 October 2026 at 14:30 GMT with Elizabeth Killeen (Liaison Librarian: Life Sciences, Imperial College London, UK). 
Information and links to registration at https://info.jove.com/information-literacy-in-the-age-of-ai_webinar_upcoming-webinar-lp

Webinar: Think Critically, Act Sustainably: School Libraries at the Intersection of MIL and Climate Literacy #GlobalMILweek

Another Global Media and Information Literacy Week event (also celebrating International School Library Month) is on 29 October 2026 10.00-12.00 GMT, organised by IFLA’s Information Literacy Section & School Library Section: Think Critically, Act Sustainably: School Libraries at the Intersection of MIL and Climate Literacy. Speakers are:
- Hafijull Mondal (Library and Information Science, Netaji Subhas Open University, India) From Local Problems to Informed Action: Climate Information Literacy through School Libraries
- Dmitry Erokhin (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria) Culture Matters: Culturally Responsive Approaches to Climate Misinformation Literacy in School Libraries
- Peng Xiao (School of Information Management, Sun Yat-sen University, China) After the Book Closes: How Reading Shapes Greener Everyday Habits
- Antonija Lujanac (IASL, Osnovna skola Dobrise Cesarica Zagreb, Croatia) Green fingers and the SDG Education in School Libraries
More info at https://www.ifla.org/news/2026-ifla-ils-sls-global-mil-week-webinar-online-via-zoom-october-29th-2026/
Register (required) at https://ifla-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/k8uF9mmOQaC9LkeaP8xMcg

Bringing Media and Information Literacy into Everyday Urban Life

We have just embarked upon UNESCO's Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week (24-31 October) with events happening around the world, and also stretching after the official week itself.
A hybrid event on 3 November 2026 at 10.00-11.00 Dubrovnik time, 9.00-10.00 GMT, is part of Global MIL Week 2026 MIL Cities: Bringing Media and Information Literacy into Everyday Urban Life which you can register for on this page https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/global-mil-week-2026-mil-cities-bringing-media-and-information-literacy-everyday-urban-life, bringing together Al Rayyan, Qatar & Dubrovnik, Croatia.
That page also leads to information about the inperson events happening in some of the cities that have identified themselves as MIL Cities.

What works in Media Literacy research / training

On 22 October I attended an Ofcom Making sense of media webinar that had an excellent presentation with advice about carrying out media literacy research/ training/ initiatives in schools. These were also useful guidelines for information literacy initiatives.Two Ofcom publications that were mentioned were:
Shout Out UK. (2024). Media literacy training for professionals who work with children. Ofcom https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/making-sense-of-media/msom-trainer-report/ofcom-media-literacy---final-report-2024-souk.pdf?v=402811
Ofcom. (2024). What works in delivering media literacy activities. Ofcom. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/media-use-and-attitudes/media-literacy/research-what-works-in-media-literacy
Photo by Sheila Webber: library windows, Coatia, September 2026

Webinar: MILA Framework and revised #Infolit definition #GlobalMILweek

There is a free webinar on 29 October 2026 12noon-13.00 GMT to launch the New MILA Framework (MILA is the UK's Media and Information Literacy Alliance) and a chance to contribute to a revised CILIP definition of Information Literacy. If you are in North America, bear in mind that the time difference is less that week, as the UK has gone back to GMT, but the change hasn't happened in the USA/Canada yet. Facilitators are Jane Secker, Pam McKinney, Anne-Lise Robin-Harding, and Georgie Broad.
The new MILA framework provides an updated resource created around the five key media literacy aspirations. This webinar provides an opportunity for you to explore the new framework and hear from the people who created it. 
Also "The Information Literacy Group is working on an updated definition of Information Literacy, and we want to hear from our community. We will explain the process and reasoning for updating our definition and there will also be the opportunity to provide your own feedback and comments in breakout rooms on how we can make the definition work for you
. Register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cilipinformationliteracygroup/2482401
The webinar celebrates UNESCO's Global MIL Week (24th to 31st October) https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/global-media-and-information-literacy-week-2026?hub=66833

New articles: students' search in Bangladesh; Entrepreneurs' information behaviour; Access problems

Saha, M. & Zabed, S.M. (2026). Demographic and technological influences on students’ search self-efficacy and skills. IFLA Journal, 52(3), 617-631. Whole issue open access at https://repository.ifla.org/handle/20.500.14598/7452

Laavunen, T. (2026). Navigating the Digitalization Paradox Entrepreneurial Information-Seeking Behavior and Critical Literacy. (dissertation). Åbo Akademi University. This is based on four publications with a covering narrative.

York, J. (2026, October 8). When No ID Means No Internet: Age Verification and the Right to Access Information. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/10/when-no-id-means-no-internet-age-verification-and-right-access-information
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn ground, Botanic Gardens, October 2026

Call for proposals: #LOEX2027

There is a call for Breakout Session proposals for the LOEX 2027 Conference which will be held online 11-14 May 2027. LOEX is the USA's main information literacy conference. The theme is A Signature Blend: Brewing Better Information Literacy. Deadline for proposals is 30 November 2026.
"Successful proposals will showcase effective and innovative library instruction & information literacy practices, provide valuable information that participants can utilize at their libraries, support collaboration, and be applicable to a broad variety of academic institutions"
Breakout Session have a 40-45 minute presentation and 5-10 minutes of question and answer. The suggested sub-themes are:
Becoming the Best Barista: Mastering Skills & Techniques 
Creating a New Blend: Innovation, Technology and Scholarship 
Coffeehouse Culture: Collaboration & Outreach Running the Shop
Leading and Managing Taste Test: Checking for Quality Ingredients & Satisfied Customers 
The Third Space: Community & Care 
The Secret Menu: Proposals That Don’t Fit Elsewhere on the List 
More information at https://loexconference.org/proposals/breakout-proposals/
Photo by Sheila Webber: trees, Zagreb, Croatia, September 2026