Thursday, December 31, 2015

Goodbye 2015: celebrating 10 years of the Information Literacy Weblog

I missed marking 10 years of this blog (the anniversary was in September) so I'll take this opportunity to mention it. In fact, the original Information Literacy Weblog started a few years earlier, using a blog application on the server here at Sheffield, but that got hacked. Therefore we started again in 2005: to begin with Stuart Boon was my co-blogger, but as he moved to Strathclyde University, I became sole blogger soon after.
Apart from the photos, my aim is to make an information blog rather than a personal statement: however it obviously is personal in that I chose what to blog. I have decided to mark 10 years by changing the strapline. I thought I might as well embrace the current trend to call any activity that in some way involves selection "curation", so it's now "Curating information literacy stories from around the world since 2005".
Thanks to everyone who has continued to read the blog and I hope to continue to make it worth reading in 2016!
Photo by Sheila Webber: finishing 2015 with a cute cat: my friend Maggie's cat Eliza

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Pew internet: (US) Gamers, Broadband, Employment information

A number of interesting reports from Pew Research Center in the last month or so (all reports are free, and the research is generally based on robust samples of people in the USA):
- Gaming and gamers (report published December 12) "About half of American adults (49%) “ever play video games on a computer, TV, game console, or portable device like a cellphone,” and 10% consider themselves to be “gamers.” ... A nearly identical share of men and women report ever playing video games (50% of men and 48% of women). However, men are more than twice as likely as women to call themselves “gamers” (15% vs. 6%). And among those ages 18 to 29, 33% of men say the term “gamer” describes them well, more than three times the proportion of young women (9%) who say the same." There are variations according to ethnicity and gender in terms of whether people game, identify as gamers and also in terms of attitudes (e.g. as to whether respondents think gaming makes people violent, as to whether gaming is a waste of time). Gamers are more likely to have positive attitides to gaming. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/12/15/gaming-and-gamers/
- Searching for work (report published November 19) "Roughly one-third of Americans have looked for a new job in the last two years, and 79% of these job seekers utilized online resources in their most recent search for employment. That is higher than the proportion who made use of close personal connections (66%) or professional contacts (63%) and more than twice the proportion who utilized employment agencies, print advertisements, or jobs fairs and other events." (if you add the figures together, that still makes various kinds of personal and professional contact more important than the intenet, though) http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/11/19/searching-for-work-in-the-digital-era/
- (US) Home broadband 2015 (report published December 21). An interesting publication, which reports that home broadband is down slightly from 2013 (67% of Americans in 2015), but the number of smartphone-only households is increasing (in some cases people cancelling broadband because they think that a smartphone answers all their needs). However, use of smartphones-only causes some problems; also "Non-broadband users now show a strong appreciation of the importance of home service in ways they did not five years ago". http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/12/21/home-broadband-2015/
Photo by Sheila Webber: old Christmas bauble bought in Prague, December 2015

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Latest issue: virtual librarians, veterinary researchers, social media, IDEA model

The latest issue of the Journal of academic librarianship (volume 42 no. 1, 2016; this is a priced publication) includes
- Measuring the Effect of Virtual Librarian Intervention on Student Online Search (Pages 2-7) Chris Leeder, Chirag Shah
- Students as Co-designers of a Virtual Learning Commons: Results of a Collaborative Action Research Study (Pages 8-14) Ieda M. Santos, Nagla Ali, Anthony Hill
- Information Behavior and Expectations of Veterinary Researchers and Their Requirements for Academic Library Services (Pages 44-54) Marguerite A. Nel, Ina Fourie
- IDEA Model from Theory to Practice: Integrating Information Literacy in Academic Courses (Pages 55-64) Kimberly Mullins
- Use and Evaluation of Information From Social Media in the Academic Context: Analysis of Gap Between Students and Librarians (Pages 74-82) Kyung-Sun Kim, Sei-Ching Joanna Sin
- Research Consultation Assessment: Perceptions of Students and Librarians (Pages 83-86) Kathy Butler, Jason Byrd
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00991333/42/1
Photo by Sheila Webber: door wreaths of Lewes series, December 2015: I think this would have been more amusing if they had been real sprouts rather than paper ones

Monday, December 28, 2015

cfp Information and Artifactual Literacies: Engaging Minds in Libraries and Museums

There is a call for papers for the IFLA Information Literacy Section Satellite Preconference, Information and Artifactual Literacies: Engaging Minds in Libraries and Museums. It will be held at DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, USA, August 11-12th, 2016. The event is co-sponsored by Association of College and Research Libraries and DePaul University Library. "This satellite conference will feature both practice and theory on the myriad ways in which primary sources and museum collections can be integrated into instructional programs. We welcome proposals from library and museum practitioners, educators, and researchers from around the world. Topics of interest include (but are not limited to):
Instructional Design and Delivery; Active learning and class session design; Beyond the humanities: connecting with the sciences and social sciences; Visual literacy
Program Administration; Assessment and analytics; Mapping to learning outcomes and institutional mission; Programmatic, developmental approach vs. one size fits all
Resources; Traveling trunks and online teaching kits; Building online collections and using digital objects in instruction; Professional development/instructional design resources
Proposals must be submitted by February 1, 2016, using the Proposal Submission Form. There is more information at http://www.ala.org/acrl/iflasatelliteconference
Photo by Sheila Webber: door wreaths of Lewes series, December 2015

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Recent articles: engineering students, tutorials, reference chat, collaboration, assessment

The last 2015 issue of the Journal of academic librarianship (volume 41 no. 6; this is a priced publication) includes
- Comparison of Native Chinese-speaking and Native English-speaking Engineering Students' Information Literacy Challenges (Pages 712-724) Jennifer Congyan Zhao, Tara Mawhinney
- A Survey of Online Library Tutorials: Guiding Instructional Video Creation to Use in Flipped Classrooms (Pages 751-757) Alexandra Obradovich, Robin Canuel, Eamon P. Duffy
- Standing By to Help: Transforming Online Reference with a Proactive Chat System (Pages 764-770) Jan H. Kemp, Carolyn L. Ellis, Krisellen Maloney
- Equipping Academic Librarians to Integrate the Framework into Instructional Practices: A Theoretical Application (Pages 771-776) Amanda Nichols Hess
- Developing Information Literate Librarians: A Study of LIS Academics Pedagogical Approaches in the Development of Information Literacy Competencies (Pages 777-785) Maryam Derakhshan, Mohammad Hassanzadeh, Maryam Nazari
- Faculty and Librarians' Partnership: Designing a New Framework to Develop Information Fluent Future Doctors (Pages 821-838) Rachid Bendriss, Reya Saliba, Sally Birch
- Professional Development for Assessment: Lessons from Reflective Practice (Pages 850-852) Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe
Go to http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00991333/41/6
Photo by Sheila Webber: door wreaths of Lewes series, December 2015

Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas from the Information Literacy Weblog

A very merry Christmas to all readers of the information literacy weblog. I hope you have a great holiday season!
Photo by Sheila Webber: the holiday wreath I made this year (from offcuts of the Christmas tree), December 2015

Thursday, December 24, 2015

cfp Information Literacy in Music

There is a call for submissions for a forthcoming book, Information Literacy in Music: an Instructor’s Companion. I can't immediately find a page that describes this, so I'll include the full call. "This book is a compilation of information literacy assignments, along with explanations of underlying context and pedagogy, for music as a discipline. We welcome solo or joint submissions from librarians and/or faculty working with undergraduate or graduate courses that address any area of music and related sub-disciplines, including but not limited to: music history, ethnomusicology and world music, music education, popular music, music business, music therapy, etc."
"Successful submissions will feature creative, innovative or unique assignment ideas. They will outline the pedagogy behind an assignment, as well as the results of any completed assessment, whether formal or informal. Preference will be given to assignments designed to help students gain skills, competencies, etc., rather than those designed to teach students the mechanics of a research tool, such as citation management software or a database. In order to ensure a diverse range of contributions, the editors may consider external factors such as sub-discipline, institution type, etc. when evaluating submissions for inclusion."

To submit, state name(s), title(s), and institutional affiliation(s). A MS Word document of 1000 words or fewer should cover "a brief description of the course for which this assignment was created: its role within the music curriculum at your institution, course setting, etc.;Describe learning objectives for this assignment. What should students be able to do upon completion of this assignment? Why did you create this assignment? Is there a particular issue with student learning that this assignment is designed to address? If this assignment was created using national pedagogical standards or guidelines, such as the ‘Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education,’ from the Association of College and Research Libraries, please describe.; Provide a brief description of the assignment itself.; Include plans for assessment. Please describe any assessment of this assignment you have completed, whether formal or informal. How did you measure the success of this assignment? What did you learn as a result of this assessment? What ideas or suggestions do you have for others who would use; Please include a copy of the assignment itself as distributed to students."

Deadline for submission is January 29 2016. Send all materials via email attachment to editors Marian Ritter (marian.ritter@wwu.edu), Beth Christensen (christeb@stolaf.edu), and Erin Conor (econor@reed.edu).
Photo by Sheila Webber: door wreaths of Lewes series, December 2015

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Sponsored Place at the #LILAC16 Conference for Librarians in the North East of England

CILIP's Academic and Research Libraries Group North East are sponsoring a free place at the LILAC (information literacy) Conference for librarians living or working in the North East (this covers Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and the Tees valley areas). LILAC will be held 21-23 March 2016 at University College Dublin, Ireland. To be eligible you must be a personal member of CILIP or ARLG, be currently living, working or studying in the North East in an Further Education, Higher Education or research library and be a first time delegate to an LILAC conference (however, it is worth applying if you HAVE been before as these applications will be considered if no first-timers apply).
To apply please email Helen Ashton helen.ashton@ncl-coll.ac.uk "with approximately 200 words describing how your attendance at the conference will impact on your professional development and how you plan to share your conference experience with others, including the ARLG North East community. The successful applicant will have to write a short report on the conference for ARLG which will be used for publication. Please also include your CILIP membership number, your job title and the name of your institution. Applications must be received by midday on January 29th 2016 and applicants will be notified of the committee's decision by Friday February 5th 2016."
Photo by Sheila Webber: holiday wreaths of South London series (4), December 2015

Latest articles in Reference Services Review; game, research paper, flow, journalism techniques, bibliographies

The articles in the latest issue of Reference Services Review (Volume 43 Issue 4, priced publication) include:
- Library instruction and information literacy 2014 by Robert Detmering , Anna Marie Johnson , Claudene Sproles , Samantha McClellan , Rosalinda Hernandez Linares (pp. 533 - 642) - this is the invaluable annual annotated review of the literature, particularly North American
- Modifying an information literacy game for outreach events by Lisa Martin , Will Martin (pp. 643 - 655)
- Writing a research paper: students explain their process by Eleonora Dubicki (pp. 673 - 688)
- Can research “send me high?” Addressing flow theory by Sandy L Hudock (pp. 689 - 705)
- Case studies and pervasive instruction: Using journalism education techniques in the information literacy classroom by Jennifer Noe (pp. 706 - 721).
Go to http://www.emeraldinsight.com/toc/rsr/43/4

I will also add another item I came across (open access)
- Sanders, E. and Balius, A. (2015). Experiential Learning and Academic Libraries: An Annotated Bibliography. Codex: the Journal of the Louisiana Chapter of the ACRL, 3 ( 3), 49-74. http://acrlla.org/journal/index.php/codex/article/view/110/212
Photo by Sheila Webber: holiday wreaths of South London series (3), December 2015

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

ARLG South West Conference: DARTS5

The 5th Academic and Research Libraries Group (ARLG) South West Discover Academic Research Training and Support (DARTS) conference takes place 2-3 June 2016 at Dartington Hall, Devon, UK. It is aimed at library and information professionals supporting research. The main theme for the 2016 conference is around engendering a (digital) research culture. Confirmed speakers include:
- Sian Bayne (University of Edinburgh), Research methods training and how we embed this in different ways within the online, distance MSc in Digital Education
- Nazlin Bhimani (Institute of Education), A framework for an online InfoLit course for PhD students
- Frances Ryan (Edinburgh Napier University), The role of online information in personal reputation management
Full info and booking (book by 31 March 2016) are at https://arlgdarts.wordpress.com/ Closing date for applications is 31st March 2016.
Photo by Sheila Webber: holiday wreaths of South London series, December 2015

Webinar: Aligning to the Framework: An Assessment of Practices?

On January 26 at 3.00 - 4.30pm US Eastern Time (which is 8pm-9.30 UK time) the ACRL Instruction Section's 2016 Midwinter Virtual Discussion Forum will focus on: How can academic libraries align their existing instruction programs to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education? The discussion, Aligning to the Framework: An Assessment of Practices?, "will be led by Kenya Flash, Diversity Resident Librarian, and Kelly Tilton, Instruction Librarian, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Flash and Tilton will describe how the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries used the Framework as an operating philosophy to grow and improve their program amid the diminishing role of the older ACRL Standards." You need to register for the webinar at http://bit.ly/22b7ArC and there is more info here http://acrl.ala.org/IS/is-committees-2/committees-task-forces/discussion-group-steering/all-current-issue-discussion-digests/ala-midwinter-2016/
Photo by Sheila Webber: holiday wreaths of South London series, December 2015

Friday, December 18, 2015

Digital Literacy articles; policy, expectations and laptops

In the Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy (Jubileumsnummer/2015). Open access .
- Digital Literacy and Digital Literacies: - Policy, Pedagogy and Research Considerations for Education by Colin Lankshear and Michele Knobel
- Educating the Digital Generation - Exploring Media Literacy for the 21st Century by Ola Erstad
- Digital Literacy in Upper Secondary School – What Do Students Use Their Laptops for During Teacher Instruction? by Marte Blikstad-Balas
- Challenging educational expectations of the social web: a web 2.0 far? by Neil Selwyn. A quote from this: "For all its intuitive appeal, the widespread valorisation of informal learning and the individualised learner with current understandings of the social web in education dangerously depoliticises the act of learning (Gorman 2007). Such arguments present an overly simplistic view of successful education as relying merely on groups of like-minded disembodied individuals, whilst failing to consider the wider social, economic, political and cultural contexts of the societal act of schooling."
Go to https://www.idunn.no/dk/2015/Jubileumsnummer
Photo by Sheila Webber: taken in Second Life, December 2015

Mobile Information Literacy - course material

As part of their Information Strategies for Societies in Transition project (sponsored by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Microsoft Partners in Learning, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Tableau Foundation), the University of Washington has developed teaching materials for Mobile Information Literacy. It was developed for use in Myanmar. There are 6 short modules: Introduction to Mobile Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs); A Mobile Lens on the Internet; Basic Web Searching via Mobile Devices; Working Online and Using Information via Mobile Devices; Putting It All Together; Project Presentations. The materials are offered with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license.
"... research shows that in Myanmar (and many other countries) more people use Facebook than the internet. Mobile-specific practices, such as zero-rating, mean people are coming online much more frequently through a handful of “walled garden” applications without an understanding of and similar access to the broader internet. Also, some mobile applications and websites don’t offer the full functionality of their PC counterparts. The curriculum aims to address these differences and empower mobile internet users to be equal participants in the online world."
More information, and downloads of the materials (slides, course book etc.) at http://tascha.uw.edu/mobile-information-literacy-curriculum
Photo by Sheila Webber: more Xmas decorations at Loch Fyne restaurant, December 2015

Bibliothekskongress, Leipzig

The 6th Library Congress (Bibliothekskongress) takes place in Leipzig, Germany 14-17 March 2016 and includes some sessions (in German) on information literacy
Informationskompetenz - neue Ansätze - spezielle Aspekte (Information Literacy - new approaches - specialist aspects) which includes
Die Coffee Lectures – Kurzvorträge als neues Format zur Informationsvermittlung an der KIT-Bibliothek Diana M. Tangen (short presentations as a new way of conveying information at the KIT-library)
Informationskompetenzvermittlung Reloaded – Das Komplement „Statistical Literacy“ Dominik Schuh (Information Literacy reloaded - as complement - Statistical Literacy)
A second session includes: Informationskompetenz neu gestalten - Aufbau eines Informationskompetenz-Konzeptes an einer neu gegründeten Hochschule – Chancen, Möglichkeiten und Grenzen Ute Schlüter (Information Literacy reconstituted: development of an IL-concept in a newly founded college - opportunities, possibilities and boundaries)
Internationale Kooperation für Informationskompetenz: Die Special Interest Group Information Literacy der IATUL (International Association of University Libraries: SIG Information Literacy of IATUL) Caroline Leiß (International cooperation for IL)
http://www.bid-kongress-leipzig.de/t3/index.php?id=74
Photo by Sheila Webber: Englisher Garten, Munich, February 2006

Thursday, December 17, 2015

cfp on digital inclusion and developing digital literacies

The CILIP Information Literacy Group are collaborating with the Tinder Foundation on two events focused on digital inclusion and developing digital literacies. They will run on 4 February 2016 in London, UK, and on 11 February 2016 in Leeds, UK. "The events will bring together public library colleagues with IL practitioners in HE [Higher Education] and FE [Further Education] to share experience and knowledge around teaching digital literacies. ILG are inviting expressions of interest from individuals/teams based in HE and FE to share best practice, resources and initiatives which support the digital inclusion / digital literacy agenda. The events will be TeachMeet style and so contributions should take the form of short presentations (10-15 minutes). We would welcome people bringing along examples of resources and teaching sessions they have developed in this field."
To express interest in presenting, fill in the appropriate form:
London: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ycYVLLV9jadqvqOV2wivH8RXo4asGt-xRbQrb9sUA7g/viewform?usp=send_form
Leeds: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QOh5yy-36MjIK-c9vnw8OxmbqlPHAD30XYYVJNd4RcA/viewform?usp=send_form
There doesn't seem to be a deadline given, but people will be notified of whether they are successful by 11 January, so I imagine the deadline is before Christmas (but, as you see, I was too lazy to email and find out). Questions go to cmc@liv.ac.uk
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas decorations on the tree at Loch Fyne restaurant, December 2015

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Webcasts: Framing the Framework #acrlframework

ACRL (US Association for College and Research Libraries) is presenting a two-part webcast series,Framing the Framework, presented by the ACRL Framework Advisory Board, that "explores the convergence of information literacy and first-year writing instruction and the possibilities for collaboration. What common ground can we find in the pedagogical conversation and practice of writing program faculty and librarians that can strengthen our partnerships and enhance student learning?"
- Webcast One: Creating Collaborations through Connecting National Writing Guidelines to the Framework for Information Literacy
January 5, 2016, 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. US Central time (which is 7pm-8.30pm UK time)
"This webcast will introduce the professional academic library community to the Writing Program Administrators Outcomes Statement for First-Year Composition and the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing, with the goal of outlining how they align with the Framework for Information Literacy. Learn the ways that information literacy is already embedded in the writing instruction context, making campus writing programs and instructors promising collaborators in using the Framework for Information Literacy to transform classroom praxis."
- Webcast Two: Innovative Instructional Partnerships for Librarians and Writing Faculty
February 10, 2016, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. US Central time (which is 8pm-9.30pm UK time)
"This webcast will showcase examples of innovative partnerships developed by librarians and faculty to integrate information literacy into writing programs."
For more information, go to http://www.ala.org/acrl/framingtheframework Contact mconahan@ala.org with questions.
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas deco at Loch Fyne resaurant, December 2015

Information literacy events and webinars

I always tag events (conferences, seminars etc.) with the tag events, so you can find all the events I've listed by clicking on the events tag, which does this search http://information-literacy.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/events It shows them in reverse chronological order of when I posted about them, and not in calendar order of when they take place, but you still might find it useful when searching for information literacy events.
I have now started additionally adding the tag webinars to posts about online events, as there are increasing numbers of these and they are interesting internationally (they will be found with both the events and webinars tags). The webinars tag search is http://information-literacy.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/webinars
I have added these links to the "selected links" list on the right (you can also still find the tags in the long tag list, also on the right)

Sunday, December 13, 2015

PRIMO site of the month: Plagiarism 101

The latest Peer-Reviewed Instructional Materials Online (PRIMO) Site of the Month is Plagiarism 101, "a tutorial that covers the basics of plagiarism, including what it is, what the consequences are, and how to avoid it, in three separate sections that can be viewed separately or as a whole. " The tutorial is at http://library.albany.edu/infolit/plagiarism1 and the interview with creator Allison Hosier is at http://acrl.ala.org/IS/november-2015-site-ofthe-month/

Friday, December 11, 2015

cfp Creating Knowledge conference #CKVIII

Call for papers and registration are open for the 8th Creating Knowledge conference (CKVIII) to be held in Reykjavík, Iceland, 2-3 June, 2016. "Creating Knowledge conferences are a Nordic collaboration forum for information literacy arranged by NordINFOLIT. Creating Knowledge conferences provide an excellent opportunity to expand cooperation and to develop joint strategies for information literacy, that are viable for the future."
The main theme is Practices, Goals and Visions for Information Literacy in Higher Education, with four sub-themes: Implementation of information literacy into the curriculum – Keynote: Anneke Dirkx; Assessment of information literacy – Keynote: Alison Head; Information literacy and writing centres – Keynote: Maria-Carme Torras Calvo; New challenges for information literacy – Keynote: Lisa Hinchliffe. The deadline for abstract submission is January 15th 2016. More information at http://upplysing.is/ckviii

Wednesday, December 09, 2015

Design for Learning online course

For those in the USA (only): an opportunity to participate in a free online programme: Design for Learning: 21st Century Online Teaching and Learning Skills for Library Workers (D4L). This "is a three-year continuing education project. It is developed as a partnership among the South Central Regional Library Council, Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, and the NY 3Rs Association, Inc. It is funded as a three-year grant, by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The participants "will be able to: Successfully transfer face-to-face teaching and learning skills and pedagogy to the online environment; Evaluate and gain experience with various platforms and tools for online teaching and learning; Design and create online instruction and instructional materials; Practice teaching and learning online." They "invite participants from all types of libraries, subject specializations, diverse cultural backgrounds, and library experience levels. Prospective learners are current trainers, instructors, or other individuals who want to provide online training for library staff, library patrons, or other learner groups within a library context. An MLS (or equivalent) is NOT required!
Application deadline is December 11, 2015. More info at http://d4l.syr.edu/faq/
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn anemone, November 2015

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

cfp #ecil2016

There is a first call for papers for the 2016 European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL), to be held October 10-13 2016, in Prague, Czech Republic. Papers are welcomed on a wide variety of aspects of information literacy. The formats are: full papers (research and best practice), panels, workshops, pecha kucha, and posters. The deadline for proposals is 15 February 2016. Go to http://ecil2016.ilconf.org/
Photo by Sheila Webber: an information literate pigeon in Tallinn, site of the 2015 conference

cfp Digital dE-BiAsing Techniques for an Engaged Society

There is a call for papers for the Digital dE-BiAsing Techniques for an Engaged Society (Debates) conference to be held 18 May in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. Deadline for proposals is 19 February 2016. "The overall topic for the Debates conference is the issue of negative behaviours in online social media and how these can be analysed and addressed by the research community." Keynotes are: Annemaree Lloyd - Professor Swedish School of Library and Information Sciences, University of Boras, Sweden, Stephan Lewandowsky - Chair in Cognitive Psychology, University of Bristol, Heidi Julien - Professor of Library and Information Studies, University at Buffalo, USA, Carl Miller - Research Director, Centre for the Analysis of Social Media (CASM) at Demos. The structure involves focusing on particular themes, each around a keynote, and the call is for pecha kucha papers focusing on one of the following themes:
- "Psychology - we would especially welcome papers on the use of mis-information theory
- "Information behaviour - abstracts on everyday information seeking will be particularly welcome
- "Information literacy - especially those papers that have an information practice focus
- "Policy studies - in particular papers focussing on where interventions need to be (policing, legislation or the social media companies) and/or how to influence decision-makers"
For more information go to http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/debates
Photo by Sheila Webber: a few leaves left, November 2015

Monday, December 07, 2015

New articles @JInfoLit Minecraft, tutorials, connectivism, ethnography, librarians' self-perceptions

The latest issue of the open access Journal of Information Literacy (volume 9, issue 2) has just been published. Articles include:
- Can playing Minecraft improve teenagers' information literacy? Sandra Bebbington, Andre Vellino
- Using connectivism to guide information literacy instruction with tablets Andrea Wilcox Brooks
- Picking up the cool tools: working with strategic students to get bite-sized information literacy tutorials created, promoted, embedded, remembered and used Hazel Rothera
- Drop-in sessions as an effective format for teaching information literacy: a case study in the Medical and Dental Libraries at Queen Mary University of London Paula Funnell
- Ethnography as pedagogy in library orientations Angela Pashia, Jessica Critten
- Information literacy in LIS education: exploring the student view Charles Inskip [I'm pleased to see that "it seems clear from this analysis that there is a demand for explicit delivery of IL from students and, in their view, from employers as well as the wider research and professional community." since <advert alert> we (at the Sheffield University Information School) have had an information literacy module core to our MA Librarianship for some years, and it is also core to our new distance learning MA Library and Information Services Management]
- Are librarians teachers? Investigating academic librarians' perceptions of their own teaching skills Emily Wheeler, Pamela McKinney
http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL/issue/view/176
Photo by Sheila Webber autumn glory of beech leaves, November 2015

Sunday, December 06, 2015

cfp #QQML2016 Conference

There's a call for papers for the 8th Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries International Conference (QQML2016) to be held 24-27 May 2016, at theUniversity of London, UK. The focus of QQML 2016 International Conference is on Exploring Trends and Challenges on Building the Future Libraries. This is a multi-disciplinary conference that covers the Library and Information Science topics in conjunction to other disciplines (e.g. innovation and economics, management and marketing, statistics and data analysis, information technology, human resources, museums, archives, special librarianship, etc).... The emphasis is given to the models and the initiatives that run under the budget restrictions, such as the Information Management and the innovation, the crisis management, the long-term access, the synergies and partnership, the open access movement and technological development." Deadline for abstracts is 20 December 2015. There is more information at http://www.isast.org/qqml2016.html
Screenshot by Sheila Webber, from the Sheffield University webcam: peregrine spotted perching near the nest on St Georges church today: only a couple of months before the nesting season starts again

Saturday, December 05, 2015

My mother's Christmas pudding recipe

This is nothing to do with information literacy. However, every year I worry that I will lose the scrap of paper on which my mother wrote out the ingredients for her Christmas pudding recipe. I suddenly thought that this blog might be a safe place to put it - and this is the time of year to be making them (I did mine 2 weeks ago ;-).

Ingredients
4 oz breadcrumbs
4 oz suet (this is the only non-vegetarian part, but I do think suet is best unless you are vegetarian)
2 oz flour
2 oz mixed peel (or basically any type of nice quality candied peel or fruit, chopped up)
4 oz sultanas
4 oz raisins
2 oz currants (in fact I usually leave these out and add more sultanas or raisins, or chopped dates)
4 oz soft brown sugar
2 oz ground almonds
pinch salt
eighth oz cinnamon (heaped teaspoon)
eighth oz mixed spice
quarter of a grated nutmeg
1 grated carrot
1 grated apple
2 eggs, lightly beaten
half lemon (cut peel plus juice)
half wineglass brandy or armagnac
beer (not lager) - how much will depend on how dried up the dried fruit and breadcrumbs are.
I also usually put in some walnut pieces, preferably Californian ones

Put all the dry ingredients in (everything up to the eggs - I usually put the grated carrot and apple in last of the "dry" ingredients), and mix up well.
Then add the wet ingredients, starting with the eggs. The end product should be not too dry - the dried fruit will normally soak up part of the liquid in due course. Once mixed, ideally leave it overnight for the liquid to get soaked up, and stir again.
This is enough for 3 smallish puddings. Leave at least half an inch clear at the top of the bowl. I use pyrex (glass) or china bowls. I put a layer of greaseproof paper and tinfoil together, make a fold in the middle (so there is room for expansion when there is steam inside the bowl and tie the paper/tinfoil on with string (tinfoil on top, greaseproof next to the pudding).
Steam for 3 hours for a small pudding, 4 or 5 hours for larger ones. Then keep them til you want to eat them. They improve with keeping at least a week or two, and I've eaten one up to 9 months after cooking (it was still yummy) as long as you keep them somewhere dry and moderately cool.
When you want to eat them, steam for an hour (hour and a half for a larger one). You don't need to change the paper/tinfoil topping (unless it actually is more than a few months since you originally steamed it, in which case you may wish to double check it is still ok - you can tell from the top of the pudding).
The photo shows 2 of the three puddings I cooked with the above quantities, with my reading glasses there for scale purposes.

Friday, December 04, 2015

Webinar: Academic Search Engine Optimization of Web Documents for Google Scholar

On 9 December, 10 am US Eastern time (which is 3pm UK time) there is a free webinar: Academic Search Engine Optimization of Web Documents for Google Scholar
It is free for members of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T members) and $15 for non-members. "Academic search engine optimization, also known as ASEO, is the creation, publication, and modification of scholarly literature in a way that makes it easier for academic search engines to access, interpret, and rank scholarly documents... What do librarians, information architects, and academic professionals need to know about building search-engine friendly documents for Google Scholar and other academic search engines? In this webinar, SEO pioneer and veteran Shari Thurow will debunk some common myths and misconceptions about academic SEO and show you how to properly optimize different types of scholarly web documents ... This webinar includes real-time examples and a downloadable bibliography for academic SEO resources." Register at https://www.asist.org/events/webinars/academic-search-engine-optimization/
Photo by Sheila webber: autumn attacks St Georges, November 2015

#LILAC16 booking open

Booking for the 2016 (21-23 March) LILAC (information literacy) conference in Dublin is now open. You need to create an account on the site before you register: go to http://www.lilacconference.com/

Thursday, December 03, 2015

New articles from Communications in Information Literacy #acrlframework

The latest issue of Communications in Information Literacy (volume 9 issue 2, open access) has been published
Focus on the ACRL IL Framework "First thoughts on the framework"
- First Thoughts on Implementing the Framework for Information Literacy by Trudi E. Jacobson, Craig Gibson 102-110
- Seeking Social Justice in the ACRL Framework by Andrew Battista, Dave Ellenwood, Lua Gregory, Shana Higgins, Jeff Lilburn, Yasmin Sokkar Harker, Christopher Sweet 111-125
- Teaching Information Literacy Through "Un-Research" by Allison Hosier 126-135
- A Pedagogy of Inquiry by Nicole Pagowsky 136-144
- Ideology and Critical Self-Reflection in Information Literacy Instruction by Jessica Critten 145-156
- This is Really Happening: Criticality and Discussions of Context in ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy by Kevin Patrick Seeber 157-163
- Continuing the Conversation: Questions about the Framework by Megan E. Dempsey, Heather Dalal, Lynee R. Dokus, Leslin H. Charles, Davida Scharf 164-175
Other articles
- Evaluating a Pre-session Exercise in a Standalone Information Literacy Class by Joseph E. Goetz, Catherine R. Barber 176-185
- A Survey of Librarian Perceptions of Information Literacy Techniques by Simone L. Yearwood, Nancy M. Foasberg, Kenneth D. Rosenberg 186-197
- Colleges of Education Librarians in Nigeria: An Investigation into the Self-Perception of ICT-Related Information Literacy Skills by Ebikabowei Emmanuel Baro, Monica Eberechukwu Eze
Go to http://www.comminfolit.org/index.php?journal=cil&page=issue&op=view&path[]=18&path[]=showToc
Sheila Webber: glow of autumn, November 2015

Wednesday, December 02, 2015

Discussion: Using Poster Competitions to Teach Information Literacy Skills

There's an online discussion on December 15th, 2-3 PM US EST (7-8pm UK time) held in WebEx and hosted by the ACRL STS (Science and Technology) Information Literacy Chat sub-committee. Discussion on Using Poster Competitions to Teach Information Literacy Skills is led by Michael Goates (Life Sciences Librarian at Brigham Young University), Greg Nelson (Chemical and Life Sciences Librarian at Brigham Young University), and Meg Frost (Physiological Sciences Librarian at Brigham Young University). The following articles are optional advance reading:
Kinikin, J., & Hench, K. (2012). Poster presentations as an assessment tool in a third/college level information literacy course: An effective method of measuring student understanding of library research skills. Journal of Information Literacy, 6(2), 86-96. http://dx.doi.org/10.11645/6.2.1698
Waters, N. (2015). A poster assignment connects information literacy and writing skills. Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship, (80), 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.5062/F4K935JV
"Scholarly communication is at the heart of science. Poster sessions are a time honored method of presenting research results in a visually appealing, concise format. However, designing scientific posters that are both informative and easy to navigate can be a daunting task, even for the most experienced researcher. What role does the library play to help students learn the artful skill of conveying complex scientific results in a clear and succinct poster presentation? Librarians from Brigham Young University will share their experiences sponsoring an undergraduate student research poster competition."
System Requirements are at https://support.webex.com/MyAccountWeb/systemRequirement.do?root=Tools&parent=System
Go here for the discussion on the day https://acrl.webex.com/acrl/onstage/g.php?MTID=e168f905becc59313f997914e5f8d377a
Photo by Sheila Webber: bicycles at Sheffield University, October 2015

cfp Library Teachmeet Huddersfield

There is a call for contributions (5 minute presentations) to a Library TeachMeet to be held in Huddersfield, UK, 23 February 2016. It's free! More information and registration at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/library-teachmeet-huddersfield-2016-tickets-19599196725
Photo by Sheila Webber: the last apple on the tree, November 2015

Tuesday, December 01, 2015

Babel Fish bouillabaise @bfister

Lots of good stuff in this free book from Barbara Fister. "This lightly-edited, open access,, creative-commons-licensed collection of essays is drawn from the Library Babel Fish blog at Inside Higher Ed with additional material exploring online reading communities, mostly published at my personal blog" Dip in, share and discuss.
On the page linked below there is also a neat timeline of online reading communities.
Fister, B. (2015). Babel Fish bouillabaise. St Peter, MN: Gazornum. http://barbarafister.com/bouillabaisse.html
Photo by Sheila Webber: sea (you might just see a fish), Dubrovnik, October 2014