Speaking at #GlobalMILweek

Today I was excited to speak in the session of the UNESCO Global Media and Information Literacy Week Feature Conference that focused on: World Cities Day meets Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2021: MIL Cities to address climate misinformation. The other speakers were: Dr. Alton Grizzle (Programme Specialist, Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO) who is the leading light in UNESCO's MIL campaign; Hussein Orekoya (Civil Engineer, Future of Cities in Africa, Nigeria); Dr. Felipe Chibás Ortiz (Associate Professor, University of São Paulo); Muhammad Radwan (The Glass Room Project Lead, Tactical Tech). I was too focused on the session to liveblog, but some links are:
- The MIL Cities framework and the MIL CLICKS campaign ("Think critically, click wisely"!) highlighted by Dr Alton Grizzle
- The online Glass Room Misinformation exhibition https://theglassroom.org/misinformation-edition/ which was presented by Muhammad Radwan of Tactical Tech " In this exhibition you can explore how social media and the web have changed the way we read information and react to it.... All exhibits are presented through a series of animations, visualisations and apps that can be experienced on desktop and mobile". The Glass Room has also been a physical exhibition aimed at creating critical engagement with digital technology.
- The MIL Cities Network, which was presented by Dr. Felipe Chibás Ortiz. There is a book just published which I will feature in a separate post, but here I will highlight a recent journal article on UNESCO MIL Cities Network As Opportunity for Development in Africa which was published a couple of months ago and the MIL Cities Network on Facebook, where they offer webinars etc.
- The Climathon - an ideathon running this week and "a city-based programme ... that offers a clear pathway to action and interaction - an opportunity for cities and citizens to co-create local ideas to shared climate challenges" mentioned by Hussein Orekoya who also talked about his work with a number of other youth organisations he is involved with.

My own presentation focused on the need to see older people as active and creative agents in the Media and Information Literate city. It is embedded below 

Older people as active, creative agents in the Media and Information Literate city from Sheila Webber

Webinar: Full Title: A look at the ‘Media and Information Literacy Alliance (MILA)’ and the ’Maddie is Online’ Digital Literacy project #GlobalMILweek

On Friday 29 October 2021 there is a free webinar: Celebrating UNESCO Global MIL Week 2021 in Scotland: A look at the ‘Media and Information Literacy Alliance (MILA)’ and the ’Maddie is Online’ Digital Literacy project at (UK time) 15:00 – 16:00. Presenters are Jacqueline Geekie and Dr Dina Martzoukou. To register go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrating-mil-week-tickets-191683308937

Also a reminder that the 2nd FOIL webinar is also on 29 October, 10-11.00 UK time: FOIL Masters: Emerging Voices in Media & Information Literacy Research. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foil-masters-emerging-voices-in-media-information-literacy-research-tickets-187490096927

A treasure trove of resources for #GlobalMILweek @Infoschoolsheff - MIL for the public good

To celebrate Global Media and Information Literacy Week, students in the Information Literacy classes in the Information School, University of Sheffield, UK, have curated a set of annotated links to resources to do with Media and Information Literacy for the public good, the theme of this year's Global MIL Week. Here is the link to the resource: https://padlet.com/s_webber/globalmilweek21

The resources are conveniently listed on a padlet, and are in three key topic areas: MIL for those in crisis situations; Public Libraries supporting MIL; MIL combatting mis/disinformation in the pandemic.  Information Literacy is a core module, which I coordinate, on both our  MA Library and Information Services Management and MA Librarianship programmes.

Celebrate #GlobalMILweek with videos from #ECIL2021 !

There is a bounty of video recordings presented at the European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL) in September 2021. These are the prerecorded videos (not videos of the sessions) so they are mostly 20 minutes long. Browse them here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb2mDRVfxpW5oTOneSj77SQ/videos - I will highlight a few of them individually in posts after Global MIL week.

Webinars: Information literacy as a continuum for a successful transition to higher education; Educators’ Education and Training on Information Literacy

The IFLA School Libraries and Information Literacy Sections have organised two free webinars "exploring perspectives on the role of information literacy education in fostering a smooth transition throughout a learner’s formal education journey from pre-Kindergarten to 20 and beyond". They both take place during Global Media and Information Literacy week on Zoom. For both, register before 25 October 2021 

- Information literacy as a continuum for a successful transition to higher education. 27 October 2021, 14.00-16.00 (CEST). Speakers are: Elisabeth Burns (Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA) on PK-20 Information Literacy Standards: Perspectives on Implementation in the US; Kapil Vasudev, Amanda Folk, Jane Hammons, and Ann Hidal (The Ohio State University Libraries, USA) on Building Connections Between School and Academic Librarians in Columbus; Lim Bee Ang (Ngee Ann Polytechnic Library, Singapore), and Lim Hwa Shan (Nanyang Polytechnic Library, Singapore) on Towards a Digital Life@PolysTM Framework: Transformation of Digital & Media Literacy in the Polytechnic Libraries in Singapore. More info at https://www.ifla.org/events/information-literacy-as-a-continuum-for-a-successful-transition-to-higher-education/ 

- Educators’ Education and Training on Information Literacy. 28 October 2021 18.00-20.00 (CEST). Speakers are: Lesley Farmer (California State University, Long Beach, CA, USA) on Fake News as a Fulcrum for Lifelong Information Literacy Education; Amy Wong (St Peter’s School, York, UK) on Empower yourself, empower your learners: Building a network to support the development of your teaching practice; Durga Murari and Varsha Varma (SNDT Women’s University College of Education, Pune, India) on Teaching student teachers to teach information literacy. More info at https://www.ifla.org/events/educators-education-and-training-on-information-literacy/

Proposals sought for online symposium: Business Reference in Academic Libraries

The Business Reference in Academic Libraries Committee wants proposals for presentations for an online symposium (via Zoom) on 14 December 14 2021, at 12noon-17.00 US Eastern Time (which is, for example, 17.00-22.00 UK time). Deadline for proposals is 2 November 2021.
"We welcome interactive proposals that discuss and address professional change and we encourage materials that attendees can take-away in such topics as: Instruction: Designing effective instruction and new teaching techniques and content; Research: Planning and/or fulfilling research projects and grants; Outreach: Building sustainable liaison relationships and collaborations; Professional development: Navigating the new terrain of connecting, networking, and engaging for learning and growing; Services: Expanding service offerings as an information professional"
Proposals should be for a 45-minute session (30 minutes for presentation with 15 minutes for facilitated discussion and/or question-and-answer) that relates to an aspect of applied academic business librarianship. ... "Suggested topics should fall under the broad heading of lessons learned from the experience of living and working during an ongoing global pandemic."
Include in your proposal: Title (50 words or less): Interesting and descriptive Abstract (250 words or less - a summary of your presentation); Session outcomes (2-3 outcomes - describe what participants will learn during your session that they can apply at their library or in their role as a business librarian);  Long Description (Describe how you will engage participants in an online session and make your presentation interactive); Detail the practical components of your presentation (what will you teach attendees that will enrich their professional practice?) 

Submit proposals at https://forms.gle/TfgfoC5fwGgiagd29 to submit proposals. They advise looking at the BRASS webinar best practices guide for tips: https://brass.libguides.com/webinar_best_practices

I will also highlight this group's twice yearly publication with short articles, including ones focused on information literacy https://www.ala.org/rusa/sections/brass/publications/academicbrass
Photo by Sheila Webber: more Michaelmas daisies (and butterfly), October 2021

Webinar: the UK's Media and Information Literacy Alliance

CILIP & the CILIP Information Literacy Group have organised a free webinar on 28 October 2021 at 12 noon-13.00 UK time (as part of Global Media and Information Literacy week), in which Nick Poole, CEO of CILIP, Dr Jane Secker, Chair of the Information Literacy Group and Anne-Lise Harding, Deputy Chair of the Information Literacy Group will introduce and discuss the UK's Media and Information Literacy Alliance (MILA), which was set up over the summer. Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-media-and-information-literacy-alliance-a-timely-webinar-tickets-190224726277?

Webinars: Paths, nodes and edges of information literacy research; Emerging Voices in MIL research #MILCLICKS

FOIL (The Forum on Information Literacy) is celebrating Global Media and Information Literacy week with two free webinars. As a FOIL member I'm excited to be presenting in the first one, as is my colleague Pam McKinney. The events are on Zoom, so please register in advance.

- The paths, nodes and edges of information literacy research. 28 October 2021, 10am-11am UK time. Speakers: Dr Alison Hicks, Dr Charlie Inskip, Prof. Annemaree Lloyd, Dr Pam McKinney, Dr Geoff Walton, Sheila Webber, Dr Drew Whitworth. "This event will provide tantalising insight into information literacy research that is currently being carried out by members of FOIL (Forum on Information lIteracy). Celebrating Global Media and Information Literacy Week, the event will be of interest to researchers, practitioners and students who are engaged with Information Literacy, and also to people who are interested in carrying out information literacy research themselves. Talks will include a focus on information literacy and older people [that's my bit!]; bibliometric studies of information literacy, psycho-physiology and information literacy, the UK information literacy research agenda, internet access and information literacy, and a presentation of the recent Facet title, The Qualitative Landscape of Information Literacy Research. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-paths-nodes-and-edges-of-information-literacy-research-tickets-187487729847 

- FOIL Masters: Emerging Voices in Media & Information Literacy Research. 29 October 2021, 10-11am UK time. "This one-hour session, organised by FOIL (the Forum On Information Literacy), presents the work of outstanding Masters' students whose 2021 dissertations focused on an aspect of media and information literacy. Speakers include:
Maud Cooper (University College London): Emerging artists in transition: What role does information play in understanding success and failure?;
Jo Lapham (University of Sheffield): The value of librarian-led information literacy lessons for Higher Education students in the Further Education college environment;
Antony Njuguna (University College London): They are essential workers: how the information literacy librarians kept international students engaged during the pandemic lockdown." Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/foil-masters-emerging-voices-in-media-information-literacy-research-tickets-187490096927

World Evidence-Based Healthcare Day - resources & webinar #WorldEBHCday

The 20th October is World evidence based healthcare day https://worldebhcday.org/, with the theme The role of evidence in an infodemic. Their website includes a blog (you can submit a blog post also, the link is at the top of the page) and links to some articles, reports etc. 

The Health and Biosciences (HBS) Section and the Evidence for Global and Disaster Health (E4GDH) Special Interest Group (of IFLA) have organised a free webinar Librarians Lead in Times of Crisis: Specialised Evidence-Based Information Services Support Infodemic Management on 20 October 2021 at 14.00-15.00 CEST (which is, e.g., 13.00-14.00 UK time).
"This session will explore how society today expects libraries to be not just information service providers, but to also serve as catalysts for community engagement. The mission of librarians is to improve society through facilitating knowledge creation, preservation, and dissemination. When the pandemic hit the nation, the majority of libraries had to close their doors. Libraries nationwide took the opportunity to transform their service to various types of formats and continue the provision of essential information services to their user communities. Various types of innovative and virtual information services have been developed and implemented. Libraries have been providing specialized evidence-based information services in health-related environments and to the general public."
"Presenter Feili Tu-Keefner, PhD, Associate Professor, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina, will discuss how librarians have stepped up to being leaders to the communities they serve, especially focusing on how librarians have gone far and beyond to provide non-traditional library services to their communities." This talk draws on "three situation-specific studies on the provision of disaster health-information services by public libraries. The significance of creating diversified workforces in libraries, as well as how to integrate equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the libraries’ strategic plans will be also addressed."
"Presenter Caroline De Brún, DipLIS, Knowledge and Evidence Specialist – South West, Knowledge and Library Services, UK Health Security Agency, will provide practical examples of how the UK Health Security Agency (formerly Public Health England) Knowledge and Library Services and the IFLA Evidence for Global and Disaster Specialist Interest Group have supported library users and librarians during the pandemic."
Registration at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MLRsS48UROqXCtSSRPj9lg

Call for #LOEX2022 Conference proposals

There is a call for proposals for the major North American Information Literacy conference, LOEX 2022 which will be a physical-world conference on 5-7 May 2022, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. The theme is We Can Do It!: Retooling Library Instruction for Today's Learning Environments and the deadline for proposals is 29 November 2021. You can propose 50-minute long presentations and interactive workshops. This year’s tracks are:
- Pedagogy: Instructional Nuts and Bolts
- Assessment: Building in Quality Control
- Innovation: R&D in Information Literacy Instruction
- Leadership: Stepping Up to the Line
- Failures and Problem-Solving: Overhauling and Reinventing
- Collaboration and Outreach: Assembling Diverse Production Teams
More details at http://www.loexconference.org/breakout-proposals/

Webinar: Learning to Teach in MLIS Programs: Research, Experiences, & Ways Forward

Project Information Literacy has organised a free webinar Learning to Teach in MLIS Programs: Research, Experiences, & Ways Forward on 29 October 2021, at 10.00-11.00 US Pacific time (which is, e.g. 18.00-19.00 UK time) It is a follow up to the Provocations essay by Kirsten Hostetler "Drawing on the experiences she heard from librarians in her research, Dr. Hostetler lays out four recommendations, and highlights existing models, including UArizona’s Graduate Certificate in Instruction and Teaching for Librarians and Information Professionals." "In this conversation moderated by Nicole Pagowsky, we will also hear from Monica Lourenco and Sarah O’Hare, two recent UArizona graduates, about their experiences in the transition from MLIS programs to teaching roles. Yvonne Mery will provide additional insights on the development of UArizona’s model program, and how it is evolving to serve the profession." There is information at https://projectinfolit.org/virtualchat-learning-to-teach/ and you register at Register in advance for this meeting here https://arizona.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkc-ippjkvGNHdyciggih8LAXxHdH-iaXd

Photo by Sheila Webber: Michaelmas daisies, October 2021

Call for proposals: #LILAC22 Conference

There is a call for proposals for the LILAC (Information Literacy) conference taking place 11-13 April 2022 in Manchester, UK. The theme is Moving Forward. The deadline for proposals is 9 November 2021, 5pm UK time on the dot (which is, e.g. 12 noon US Eastern time). The current plan is for this to be a physical-world conference.
"We welcome proposals which address information literacy from all sectors and contexts. ... What are you going to do as we continue to work through, and hopefully move past, the pandemic? The last 18 months have presented many challenges to our practice but how is information literacy evolving within your sector and what will we continue to do? We ask that your presentation makes explicit reference to your innovative practice or research in information literacy. LILAC is committed to encouraging diversity at the conference and we would specifically like to encourage proposals from members of the BAME community and other under-represented communities and sectors."
You can propose a workshop, short or long presentation, panel, or some other format.
There is more information at https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2022/call-for-presentations

Webinars: copyright and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

There is a series of free webinars, hosted by the Association of Learning Technology (ALT), on copyright and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The webinars are free to all and aimed at those interested in talking about copyright challenges at the current time and how we can address them. We have published a page full of resources and the original blog post that led to us starting this series on Copyright, Fair Dealing and Online Teaching in a time of Crisis." You don't need to register, and they are held in a Blackboard Collaborate classroom and are listed on the ALT website. Forthcoming webinars are:
- Report on a survey on the Copyright and Online Learning webinars by Irene Barranco Garcia University of Greenwich/Drill Hall Library and a discussion on the future of the webinar series: 11.00-12.00 noon UK time (so it starts, e.g., 6am US Eastern time, 12 noon Paris time), 15 October 2021.
- Becoming a copyright specialist. Presentations and discussions with institutional copyright specialists reflecting on their experiences and opportunities for supporting the community: 11.00-12.00 noon UK time, 12 November 2021.
More information at https://copyrightliteracy.org/upcoming-events/webinars-copyright-and-online-learning/
Recordings of previous webinars are here https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxoWy14N6f8tSHes4OhkB6YAzIc6U0U85

Photo by Sheila Webber: Spider lilies, October 2021

Call for proposals: California Conference on Library Instruction

There is a call for proposals for the California Conference on Library Instruction, taking place online on 13 May 2022. The deadline for proposals is 12 November 2021. The theme is Engaging in Speculative Pedagogy: Reimagining Library Futures with Creative Foresight. "CCLI invites presenters to share the ways their instruction work imagined or adapted something new in their setting and/or the ways their current work explores and contains the groundwork for a future vision. The push by some librarians to resist dominant structures and policies by imagining something different has opened the door to new possibilities. The possibilities latent in library work, in openness and universal access, require that librarians change, demolish and build. Emerging instruction pedagogies and practices based on these possibilities are humanizing librarians and our users, as well as creating visibility through greater representation. Possibilities for deconstruction of the dominant paradigm arise from librarians seeking out nontraditional publication formats and challenging long held conventions and practices (e.g., controlled vocabularies) that no longer hold up. When librarians see students’ realities, we are catalyzed toward not only radical creation of new programs, policies, collections, and spaces; but also new approaches to instruction. Putting the traditional and safe aside — allowing ourselves to engage in the speculative — has the power to propel our imaginations and dream the impossible."
Proposals can be for: Online synchronous 60-minute presentation or panel, with active learning to engage attendees and opportunities for discussion; Online synchronous 75-minute active learning workshop ; Online synchronous 10 minute lightning talk.
More information at https://www.cclibinstruction.org/call-for-speaker-proposals-2022/

Call for nominations: Global Media and Information Literacy Alliance Awards 2021

There is a call from the International Steering Committee of the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Alliance for nominations for the Global Media and Information Literacy Alliance Awards 2021. "The Awards recognize excellence and leadership in the field of media and information literacy and are presented annually... The Global Media and Information Literacy Awards will recognize information/library, media and technology specialists, educators, artists, activists, researchers, policy makers, NGOs, associations and other groups integrating MIL in an exemplary and innovative way in their work and related activities. Specifically, the awards will recognize excellence and leadership in six sectors: Education, Research, Policy, Advocacy, Media and Communication, and Information sectors." Deadline for submissions is 20 October 2021. Go to https://en.unesco.org/globalmilweek/2021/globalmilwards/nomination for more information and the nomination form

Webinar: Children online: from findings to frameworks

There is a webinar on 9 October 2021 at 14.00-17.00 UK time Children online: from findings to frameworks (AoIR) which is part of a project (CO:RE - Children Online Research and Evidence) about research into questions to do with children's engagement with technology. This webinar is part of an effort to enable people to engage with, and create, theory. "We would like to invite you to join an interactive discussion on how to move beyond empirical findings and think about theoretical approaches that can inform the current debates on children and digital technologies. What is theory good for and how can it be done well? What tools can we use to help us structure what we know?"
Register (free) at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/children-online-from-findings-to-frameworks-aoir-tickets-170129617265 There is also their "theory toolkit" which is developing here: https://core-evidence.eu/children-online-from-findings-to-frameworks/
Photo by Sheila Webber: boskoop apple from a neighbour's tree, October 2021

The Qualitative Landscape of Information Literacy Research

Another new book from Facet Publishing, of great interest to information literacy researchers!
Lloyd, L. (2021). The Qualitative Landscape of Information Literacy Research: Perspectives, Methods and Techniques. Facet Publishing. ISBN: 9781783304059 Price £50. "It introduces and describes the key approaches taken by qualitative researchers, identifying core and specialist methods, techniques and theories. In each chapter, examples will illustrate how theory, types of pedagogical frameworks, methods and tools have been used. Coverage includes: theory and key concepts of information literacy; social theory framework and their application to information literacy research; exploration of the pedagogical frameworks that inform information literacy; a range of qualitative methods that shape information literacy research; data collection techniques research design." More information at https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/the-qualitative-landscape-of-information-literacy-research/?k=9781783304059

Playing Games in the School Library

A new book is: Pavey, S. (2021). Playing Games in the School Library: Developing Game-Based Lessons and Using Gamification Concepts. Facet Publishing. ISBN 9781783305339. Price £45. A "resource for those looking to explore the use of game-based learning and gamification in the library setting. It illustrates how game play can be developed through applying learning theory to practice, exemplified by case studies taken from a variety of international contexts." There are more details and the introduction at https://www.facetpublishing.co.uk/page/detail/playing-games-in-the-school-library/?K=9781783305339

UK National #librariesweek

This week is National Libraries Week in the UK. The website is here http://librariesweek.org.uk/ and tweets can be found here https://twitter.com/hashtag/LibrariesWeek?src=hashtag_click

New articles; Needs of dissertation students; Evaluating IL teaching; Evaluating Baidu Scholar

Final catch-up with issues of the Journal of Academic Librarianship (a priced publication), this time Volume 47 issue 5 (September 2021) which includes the following:
- Skills, support networks, and socialization: Needs of dissertating graduate students by Carl A. Lehnen https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102430
- Assessing library instruction: A study of the relationship between attendance, retention, and student success by Laura B. Wright https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102431
- Construction and analysis of the user satisfaction evaluation system for Baidu Scholar by Kun Zhang, Yuxing Qian, Jianping He, Fenfang Cao https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2021.102435

Photo by Sheila Webber: Butterfly (just seen) on michaelmas daisies, September 2021