Ohio State University (USA) University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department, has a series of free information literacy workshops. The ones coming up in February are:
- Do Students Really Need to Learn That? Controversial Research Notions
February 12, 2026 at 12.00-13.00 USA Eastern time (which is 17.00-18.00 GMT/UK time)
To register go to https://go.osu.edu/sp26controversial
"Do first year students need to be using peer-reviewed journal articles? Should students spend time learning how to use Boolean operators? How important is it for students to be able to create perfect APA or MLA citations? Is plagiarism really theft? Research and information literacy instruction often centers around teaching students how to conduct research in the same way as disciplinary experts. ... This presentation will outline several controversial notions related to how we teach research and information literacy. Participants will be encouraged to consider these notions in light of their own teaching practices and consider potential alternative approaches for teaching research and information literacy. This workshop is being offered by the University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department, and the University of New Mexico Libraries"
- Teaching Research Practices: The Impact of Prior Knowledge on Students’ Research Performance
February 19, 2026 at 12.00-13.00 USA Eastern time (which is 17.00-18.00 GMT/UK time)
To register go to
https://go.osu.edu/sp26priorknowledge
"Students come into our classes with prior understandings about what it means to do research or how to perform specific research practices or tasks. While this prior knowledge can sometimes be useful, when it is inaccurate or inappropriate, prior knowledge can also cause students to struggle with research assignments or projects. This workshop will explore the relationship between prior knowledge, research, and information literacy. The presenter will share practical ideas for how to identify, activate, and, when needed, correct students’ prior knowledge in order to support improved performance on research assignments. This workshop is being offered by the University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department"
- Teaching Research Practices with Small Teaching
February 26, 2026 at 12.00-13.00 USA Eastern time (which is 17.00-18.00 GMT/UK time)
To register go to
https://go.osu.edu/sp26smallteaching
"James Lang uses research on how we learn to provide guidance for small changes that instructors can make in order to support student learning. This workshop will provide an overview of the Small Teaching approach and consider how instructors can use this approach to help students develop key understandings and skills related to research and information literacy. The presentation will use Small Teaching to highlight activities and strategies that instructors can incorporate into their classes that do not require a significant amount of time or a major course redesign.
"
The whole series is listed at https://u.osu.edu/teachinginfolit/teaching-information-literacy-workshops/virtual-workshop-series/
Photo by Sheila Webber: a January King cabbage being king of the shopping basket, January 2026
The Information Literacy Group New Professionals sub-committee is organising "a Randomised Coffee Trial for new professionals to meet and share Information Literacy experiences. This is available for any current students or recent graduates of library courses, apprenticeships or anyone new to a Library job (less than 5 years experience) in all library sectors."
"You'll be matched with someone else from a different sector to arrange a virtual catch up at a time to suit you both. We'll provide some 'conversation starters' and some guidance but you can discuss whatever you want - the point is to share experiences, views on information literacy and get to know each other better."
This can be a good way to meet up with another person who is starting out in the profession
"You can share experiences, learn about different sectors and receive support. People who have attended a Randomised Coffee Trial before have enjoyed meeting new people and have been able to share ideas and best practices that they can take back to their organisation."
Fill in this form to be matched with a partner https://forms.gle/wECdN1d7CPNn56oy6
Photo by Sheila Webber: this is actually a cup of hot chocolate, but I think it's in the right spirit; Krakow, October 2023
Safer Internet Day 2026 will take place on February 10 with the theme of Smart Tech, safe choices - exploring the safe and responsible use of AI.
The Safer Internet Centre has some education resources. https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2026
- Shahid, S.H. & Sinnamon, L. (2026). A meta-ethnographic synthesis of researchers' views on scholarly misconduct in the health sciences. Library & Information Science Research, 48(1), Article 101399.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2026.101399 ("Complimentary access" which I think is free access for a limited period)
"the three forms of misconduct of most concern to researchers are fabrication and falsification, plagiarism, and unethical authorship, while emerging issues include power manipulation and failure to report integrity concerns." Although the focus is health sciences, I would think the findings are of interest/concern in other subjects too.
- Ahmadinia, H. (2026). Belonging through information: Mapping immigrant integration needs in Nordic societies. Library & Information Science Research, 48(1), Article 101400 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2026.101400 (Open access)
"The findings show that difficulties in locating reliable information, limited access to familiar languages, and fragmented institutional communication constrain participation across daily life. Participants often relied on informal networks to compensate for unclear or inaccessible official information."
Photo by Sheila Webber: snow, a few weeks ago, January 2026
The draft conference programme for LILAC 2026 (taking place 30 March - 1 April 2026) has been published and you can download it from https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2026/conference-programme-1
Also, if you want to attend, the Early Bird conference rate ends tomorrow (6 February).
My own University, Sheffield, is hosting the conference and we have a nice amount of participation on a wide variety of topics (from mushrooms to makerspaces!) from colleagues and students in my department (School of Information, Journalism and Communication), and from colleagues in the library.
Next month I will be featuring blog posts from my colleagues, to give tasters of what to expect! Our contributions will be:
- Laura Woods: “Let them be louder, I’ll just be smarter”: gendered information experiences in undergraduate engineering education
- Laura Williams: Breaking through the noise: exploring the role of social media content creators for fitness information literacies and ‘All mushrooms are edible but some only once’: rethinking information literacy in leisure contexts through hobbyist mycology
- Pam McKinney and Laura Woods: Digital literacy through arts and culture activities: supporting older adults
- Vicky Grant, Amanda Bellenger (University of Western Australia) and Mara De Brasdefer: Supercharged by AI: the power of global collaboration in facilitating critical AI literacy
- Graham Mclearney, Rosa Sadler and Vicky Grant: Making, makerspaces and the role of information literacy
- Pam McKinney, Sheila Webber, Pete Holdridge and students from our Librarianship programmes: Reflections from the next generation of IL educators
- Sheila Webber (me!): keynote talk! (current working title Reflecting on Information Literacy in a time of polycrisis and cherry blossom)
A practical blog post on dealing with the topic of AI:
Ball, E. (2026, January 22). Let’s Discuss: How Should We Handle AI in One-Shots? ACRLog. https://acrlog.org/2026/01/22/lets-discuss-how-should-we-handle-ai-in-one-shots/
Photo by Sheila Webber: snowmen on the melt a couple of weeks ago, January 2026
On 26 February 2026 at 13.00 US Eastern time (18.00 GMT) there is a free webinar sponsored by Springer Nature: Harnessing AI as a Collaborative Partner for Ethical Research & Writing. The speakers are librarians Yulia Sevrygina (University of Michigan , USA) and Helen Bischoff (University of Kentucky, USA) "who have developed meaningful best practices and tactics for integrating AI responsibly into writing and research. Learn how they’ve developed practical approaches which empower researchers and learners while navigating the AI challenges of bias, credibility, and ethics."
Information and registration at: https://www.choice360.org/webinars/harnessing-ai-as-a-collaborative-partner-for-ethical-research-writing/
Photo by Sheila Webber: shadows on the snow a couple of weeks ago, January 2026
You can enroll for free in the Contemporary Approaches to University Teaching MOOC which runs 16 February 2026 – 28 June 2026. "The course is presented under the auspices of the Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching (CAULLT) and is led by Professor Agnes Bosanquet (Torrens University, Australia) and A/Prof Marina Harvey (Macquarie University, Australia)."
It is aimed at anyone who teaches in Higher Education (including librarians!), and there is a choice of 24 "two hour" modules. The MOOC content is also available to universities to share and adapt under a Creative Commons license.
Register at https://canvas.instructure.com/enroll/DGJ4KE
There is a blog post that links to more information about of the modules at https://theslowacademic.com/contemporary-approaches-to-university-teaching/
Photo by Sheila Webber: spot the squirrel, December 2025
The Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists have produced their 2026 Doomsday Clock Statement, and it is pretty grim reading, as they assess that "It is now 85 seconds to midnight". They summarise all the awful and threatening things going on in the world very concisely.
This includes threats concerning information "... the AI revolution has the potential to accelerate the existing chaos and dysfunction in the world’s information ecosystem, supercharging mis- and disinformation campaigns and undermining the fact-based public discussions required to address urgent major threats like nuclear war, pandemics, and climate change."
As background "Founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists created the Doomsday Clock two years later, using the imagery of apocalypse (midnight) and the contemporary idiom of nuclear explosion (countdown to zero) to convey threats to humanity and the planet." Their website seems to have interesting material on various serious/alarming world issues e.g. this item (mainly a video) on the impact of US healthcare policy.
The Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. (2026, January 27). 2026 Doomsday Clock Statement: It is now 85 seconds to midnight.
https://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/2026-statement/
Photo copyright Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, January 2026
On 28 January 2026 at 11:00 am US Pacific (19.00 GMT)is a free webinar from LIli AI Applications for Improving Library Research and Student Support. The presenter is Stephanie Garrett (Catholic International University, USA)
"This presentation will explore how two powerful AI tools, Perplexity.ai and NotebookLM, can enhance the work of librarians, instructors, and students. We'll begin by examining Perplexity.ai, an AI trained on academic sources, and discuss effective prompting strategies that help research and reference librarians expand their access to high-quality, subject-specific materials from both open and academic web sources. Then, we'll turn to NotebookLM, a free tool for personal and academic use, focusing on how instructors can use it to increase student engagement with sources and leverage multiple modalities to improve learning outcomes. "
The Zoom link is https://uci.zoom.us/j/9498248706. A recording will be available on the LILi Show & Tell webpage after the session.
There is a recording (57 minutes) of the 21 January 206 webinar in the Institute for Information Literacy at Purdue's ID:EALS series: Medieval Information Literacy: Research Into Practice.
Speakers were Dr. Andrew (Drew) Whitworth of the University of Manchester and Dr. Kristin Browning Leaman of Purdue University, who explored "how scholars created and employed systems of information literacy to navigate the information spaces of the medieval period. While information literacy may be new as an organized and independent discipline, these scholars' work points to it being a longstanding concept in human engagement with knowledge."
Go to https://youtu.be/VqFvDxP1AZ0?si=QrwfFEwMGS37rH4l
There is very little detail, but this half day event held last week "Hosted by the University Assessment and Program Review Committee, University Libraries and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning" at the University of Toledo, USA, sounds an interesting collaboration and event for faculty, staff and graduate students. Badged as Artificial Intelligence and Information Literacy Assessment Day 2026: Guiding Students Through the Noise, it had "focused sessions on classroom practices, assessment approaches, and responsible use of AI tools" and covered "topics such as: What is Information Literacy and What Does It Look Like in the Classroom?
How to Assess Information Literacy; AI and Information Literacy in the Classroom.
I found the brief information here: https://news.utoledo.edu/index.php/01_21_2026/utoledo-hosting-artificial-intelligence-and-information-literacy-assessment-day-on-thursday
Image created by Sheila Webber using Midjourney AI.
The University of North Texas is running a Data Literacy in Action Webinar Series on 4, 11 and 18 February 2026 at 12noon-13.00 US Central time (which is 18.00-19.00 GMT). This is "a set of three free webinars exploring practical strategies, tools, and teaching approaches for integrating data literacy into instruction and research support" in US community colleges (I think somewhat like Further Education in the UK). "The series is organized around three core topics from a data literacy toolkit (https://data-literacy-toolkit.github.io/) developed through our IMLS-funded project."
Register at https://bit.ly/dlccwebinar. More information at https://ci.unt.edu/dlcc
There have also been some interesting publications from this project https://ci.unt.edu/dlcc/research-output/publications.html
Photo by Sheila Webber: misty trees, December 2025
As part of CILIP members Fest there is a free webinar Using Special Collections in Teaching on 4 March 2026
Wednesday 4 March 2026, 12.30 - 13.30 GMT.
"Are you interested in using special collections for teaching sessions? Have you been asked to deliver learning activities based on your collections but don’t know where to start? Do you already deliver or support learning sessions and want to connect with others in the sector or be inspired by new approaches? Join our expert panel for a discussion on teaching with special collections. Discover practical approaches, new methods, and ways to enhance learning experiences." Speakers are: Angela Newton & Thomas Campbell (University of Leeds, UK); Joanna Baines (University College London, UK); Chloe Dennis (British Library, UK) and Katie Birkwood (Royal College of Physicians, UK).
More information at https://www.cilip.org.uk/event/membersfest26_specialcollections
This is Health Information Week in the UK. The Patient Information Forum has celebrated the week by releasing 5 new PIF TICK collections of trusted health information, produced in collaboration with the NHS Knowledge and Library Services team and endorsed by NHS England (PIF TICK is a mark for information that meets key criteria for trusted and accessible health information).
The collections are here https://piftick.org.uk/collections/ and you can search or browse all the triusted sources here https://piftick.org.uk/health-topics/
You can also find translated versions of the leaflets - today's theme for HIW is translated patient information.
The second call for proposals for the 2026 Critical Approaches to Libraries Conference (CALC) (taking place online during the week beginning 11 May 2026) has been announced.
This is the open call for proposals. The closing date for proposals is 6 February 2026 at 23.59 GMT (UK time).
"We welcome research, discussions, exchanges of experience and project
reports. If you or your library have work or perspectives to share
around equity, decolonisation, critical information literacy, working
with underrepresented or marginalised communities or anything else
relating to critical practice". The first keynote to be announced is Rodney Freeman. Among other things, he is founder of Remenisce Preservation.
There is more information at https://sites.google.com/view/calcconference/call-for-papers including a guide to writing proposals and the form to submit session proposals.
There is a short explanation about the scope of the conference at https://sites.google.com/view/calcconference/about/what-is-critical-library-practice
Questions or queries can go to calcconference@gmail.com
The National Searching Guidance for NHS/healthcare libarians has been updated and the January 2026 edition is available. As with previous editions, it starts with guidance for each stage of an evidence search (i.e.
planning, execution, results). Although the focus is on searches related
to health, these general guidelines and prompts are more
widely useful. Following general guidance on each stage of a search are sections with detailed guidance for specific types of search.
It can be accessed freely on the Searching and Training Forums' wiki at https://sites.google.com/site/healthliteraturesearchers/Home
Photo by Sheila Webber: misty day, December 2025
- Chomintra, M., & Pascuzzi, P. E. (2025). GIS Librarians’ Involvement in Critical Information Literacy Instruction. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 112. https://doi.org/10.29173/istl2923 [GIS = Geographic information systems] (open access)
- Matthews, D. J., Wheeler, A., Insley, H. A., & Mackintosh, D. C. (2025). Promoting the Ethical and Appropriate Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in STEM Subjects at a University: An Opportunity for Increased Classroom Collaboration Between Lecturers and Librarians? Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 112. https://doi.org/10.29173/istl2935 (open access)
Photo by Sheila Webber: Edinburgh, December 2025
People who are intending to attend the LILAC (information literacy) conference in Sheffield, UK, 30 March - 1 April 2026, can sign up for a new initiative: LILAC Learning sets. The idea is that " attendees who take part will be grouped together with colleagues from diverse organisations, geographical locations, and career stages, and supported to maintain contact throughout the 12 months following the conference. More info at https://infolit.org.uk/keep-that-lilac-buzz-going-with-lilac-learning-sets/ and the expressions of interest form is here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecHHgtFzB7_Enf8QnuSbYQr5YRNxzn_zU8qvpF51v87PZpkw/viewform
Nominations for the Information Literacy Award and Student Award are now open. The closing date for both awards is 6 February 2026 at 17:00 GMT sharp.
- Information Literacy Award. This is sponsored by the CILIP Information Literacy Group and the UCL Department of Information.
"The award is open to all practitioners, researchers and academics working in the IL field within the UK. Nominations must demonstrate impact, innovation, initiative, and originality in one or more of the following areas: Raising the profile of IL within an organisation/ community or sector; Initiating or contributing to national, regional, or local projects/ initiatives which enhance IL skills for an identified client group(s); Developing a digital resource (e.g., online course, service, product, or app) which develops and enhances IL skills; Undertaking original research in the field of IL and making a significant contribution to the literature"
Nominations may be from any sector, from individuals or teams, and you can self-nominate or nominate others.
More info at https://www.lilacconference.com/awards/information-literacy-award.
- Rowena Macrae-Gibson Student Award. This provides a sponsored place at the LILAC conference for two students registered on a UK study programme. The award includes a full conference place, including social events, and reasonable UK travel and accommodation expenses up to the value of £250. Full-time or part-time students (including distance-learners) can apply, providing they are registered for a UK-based first degree or taught postgraduate qualification in information/ library studies or information literacy (IL).
More info at https://www.lilacconference.com/awards/student-sponsored-places.
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas tree thrown out, no. 3 (hiding behind the lavender bush), January 2026
LILi's first free Show and Tell webinar for 2026 is Opportunity for Change: Turning First-Year Oneshots into Workshops on 14 January 2026 at 11.00 US Pacific time (19.00 GMT/UK time).
The presenter is Kaitlyn Goss-Peirce.
"Tredway Library at Augustana College, like many academic libraries, is doing too much. It is evident in nearly every aspect of our work, but the instruction overload in particular can be unwieldy: our team teaches an average of 200-220 library sessions each academic year. ... This presentation will overview our process of change by outlining the tensions that prompted the need for change and the conversations from our development stages, before concluding with some practical tips and lessons learned for other librarians who are also looking for ways to do differently instead of doing more."
More information and Zoom link are here https://lili.libguides.com/showandtell/home
ACRL has a Libguide related to the USA's and Canada's National Survey of Student Engagement (administered to undergraduate students): "this guide provides resources, ideas, and tools related to the “Experiences with Information Literacy” topical module on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). There are resources for librarians, administrators, and campus partners." It includes a list of the relevant questions asked on the NSSE.
Go to https://acrl.libguides.com/c.php?g=1438979&p=10685793
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas tree thrown out, no. 2, January 2026
Ohio State University (USA) University Libraries Teaching & Learning Department, has a series of free information literacy workshops. The ones coming up in January are:
- Teaching AI Fluency with Authenticity and Vulnerability. 15 January 2026 at 12.00-13.00 USA Eastern time (which is 17.00-18.00 GMT/UK time) "In this workshop, two educators with varying levels of expertise with AI will discuss how educators, even those who may not have a great deal of experience using AI tools, can approach teaching with or talking about AI in an authentic manner." To register go to https://go.osu.edu/sp26aifluency
- Information Literacy: Definitions and Core Concepts. 22 January 2026 at 12.00-13.00 USA Eastern time (which is 17.00-18.00 GMT/UK time). "In this workshop, participants will learn about several definitions of information literacy and develop an understanding of the key concepts, skills, and dispositions associated with information literacy. In addition, participants will learn why explicit information literacy instruction is crucial to students’ academic and professional success and consider what their role in supporting students’ information literacy development might be." To register go to https://go.osu.edu/sp26ildefinitions
- Teaching Information Literacy: Strategies and Resources. 29 January 2026 at 12.00-13.00 USA Eastern time (which is 17.00-18.00 GMT/UK time). "In this workshop, participants will learn more about strategies and activities that they can use to teach information literacy in a variety of contexts. In addition, participants will become familiar with multiple resources available to help them integrate information literacy into their teaching practices." To register go to https://go.osu.edu/sp26ilstrategies
The whole series is listed at https://u.osu.edu/teachinginfolit/teaching-information-literacy-workshops/virtual-workshop-series/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas tree thrown out no. 1, January 2026
Happy new year! I'll start the year with another UNESCO co-publication, an 8 page guide for media organisations in Malaysia:
Loh, B.Y.H. (2025, December) Media and Information Literacy Training Toolkit for Malaysian Newsrooms. Malaysiakini & UNESCO.
There is information about Malaysiakini here. "This toolkit seeks to furnish Malaysian media with suggestions and guides on how they can implement MIL into their newsrooms to better engage with youths."
Go to https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Hl-Jp21sEBRWS2Pq2bNqu0kHXIfwK2LE/view
Photo by Sheila Webber: misty day, December 2025
