MIL campaign in Ukraine

A report from UNESCO on media and information literacy (MIL) campaigns in Ukraine, which also encompass Critical Thinking Evenings: https://ukraine.un.org/en/291548-unescos-campaigns-media-and-information-literacy-empower-millions-ukraine-think-critically
Photo by Sheila Webber: Blackheath Pond edge, August 2025

Recent articles

From the priced journal Journal of Documentation, some information behaviour articles in the last 2 complete issues include:
- Chen, X., Lin, A. and Webber, S. (2025). "We do not always enjoy surprises”: investigating artificial serendipity in an online marketplace context. Journal of Documentation, 81(2), 403-422. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-01-2024-0011 Open access at https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/220256/
- Yerbury, H. and Henninger, M. (2025). Knowing and not knowing about algorithms. Journal of Documentation, 81(2), 301-312. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-04-2024-0076 "A practice-based study of university librarians and their role in the development of algorithmic literacy, using semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, showed that they had limited socio-technical knowledge of algorithms."
- Bogers, T., Gäde, M., Koolen, M., Petras, V. and Skov, M. (2025). Understanding complex casual leisure information needs: an analysis of search requests for books, games, movies and music. Journal of Documentation, 81(1), 168-194. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-03-2024-0070 "In this paper, we introduce the CRISPS (CRoss-domaIn relevance aSPects Scheme) coding scheme for complex information needs in the four leisure domains of books, games, movies and music. It categorizes the relevance aspects people consider when searching for these resources." Their codebook is here https://zenodo.org/records/11638932
- Benton, L. and Sexton, A. (2025). Long-term needs, long-term access? Major crime recordkeeping and the information needs of individuals bereaved by homicide. Journal of Documentation, 81(1), 86-106. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-04-2024-0075 "The findings indicate that the long-term information needs of homicide bereaved individuals are ill-served by the current police recordkeeping framework ... the research demonstrates a long term need for: (1) information access; (2) support for access; (3) a direct and personalised information access service and (4) trauma-informed and victim/survivor centred practice in police recordkeeping contexts."
- Du, X. and Costello, K.L. (2025). Information snowballing: information practices in the context of sustainable food practices. Journal of Documentation, 81(2), 469-490. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-08-2024-0200 "The findings identify three stages of information snowballing: (a) learning by lifelong exposure and serendipitous information encountering; (b) constructing information landscapes; and (c) snowballing or gradually accumulating information."
Photo by Sheila Webber; Magnolia blossoms, March 2025

Recent articles: disinformation, infodemics and COVID19; reporters' information practices; information encountering

First a few from the priced publication Online Information Review:
(Early online publication) Information sources, practices and barriers: a situated and context-bound model of Pakistani electronic media reporters by Tauseef Hussain, Syeda Hina Batool, Amara Malik, Syed Waqas Hussain, Khalid Mahmood https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-07-2020-0308
(Early online publication) A cross-national diagnosis of infodemics: comparing the topical and temporal features of misinformation around COVID-19 in China, India, the US, Germany and France by Jing Zeng, Chung-hong Chan https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-09-2020-0417
In the most recent "published" issue Online Information Review, Volume 45 Issue 1
- Research information encountering and keeping behaviour of post-graduate students of social sciences in an online environment by Waqar Ahmad Awan, Kanwal Ameen, Saira Hanif Soroya
- User motivation in fake news sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic: an application of the uses and gratification theory by Oberiri Destiny Apuke, Bahiyah Omar

In the open access journal Indonesian Journal of Science and Technology (vol. 5 issue 2): Students’ Intention to Share Information Via Social Media: A Case Study of Covid-19 Pandemic by Suhaizal Hashim, Alias Masek, Nurhanim Saadah Abdullah, Aini Nazura Paimin, Wan Hanim Nadrah Wan Muda https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/ijost/article/view/24586

Photo by Sheila Webber: broom in flower, February 2021

Recent articles: tutorials, curriculum mapping; AR game; conspiracy theories; transition; design for serendipity; COVID response

The latest issue of the Journal of Academic Librarianship (Volume 47 issue 1) includes (priced publication - though note a couple of articles, marked below, are open access) : 

- Redesigning an online information literacy tutorial for first-year undergraduate instruction by Kimberly Y. Franklin, Kendall Faulkner, Tiffanie Ford-Baxter, Sheree Fu (open access)
- Practicing information literacy: Practicum students negotiating information practice in workplace settings by Sara Sharun
- Using curriculum mapping to scaffold and equitably distribute information literacy instruction for graduate professional studies programs by Ladislava Khailova
- Comparative analysis of academic scientists, social scientists and humanists' scholarly information seeking habits by Alia Arshad, Kanwal Ameen
- Scaffolded research assignment analysis for a required first year course by Jennifer Saulnier, Corey M. Johnson, Kathleen Whalen
- Help first-year college students to learn their library through an augmented reality game by Yingqi Tang
- A call to action for librarians: Countering conspiracy theories in the age of QAnon by Stephanie Beene, Katie Greer
- The higher education environment driving academic library strategy: A political, economic, social and technological (PEST) analysis by John Cox (open access)
- Successes, challenges, and next steps in implementing outcome-based assessment: The case of Istanbul Bilgi University Library by Fatma Didin Sonmez, Sami Cuhadar, Mustafa Kerem Kahvecioglu
- Improv(is)ing research: Instructional design for serendipity in archival exploration by Jason Ezell, Lucy
- Uncovering the information literacy skills of first-generation and provisionally admitted students by Stephanie J. Graves, Sarah LeMire, Kathy Christie Anders
- Transitioning to college: Impact of high school librarians by Lesley S.J. Farmer, Skyler Phamle (open access)
- University libraries response to COVID-19 pandemic: A developing country perspective by Muhammad Rafiq, Syeda Hina Batool, Amna Farzand Ali, Midrar Ullah 

Go to https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/the-journal-of-academic-librarianship/vol/47/issue/1

Photo by Sheila Webber: vivid winter sky, January 2021

New articles: scoping reviews on: business information literacy; analsying the syllabus for information literacy

The latest issue of open access journal Evidence Based Library and Information Practice (vol 15 number 4) includes (picking out ones most relevant to this blog): 

- Syllabus Mining for Information Literacy Instruction: A Scoping Review by Kathleen Butler, Theresa Calcagno 

- Twenty Years of Business Information Literacy Research: A Scoping Review by Meggan A. Houlihan, Amanda B. Click, Claire Walker Wiley 

and evidence summaries, including 

- Graduate Assistants Trained in Reference May Not Consistently Apply Reference Interview and Instructional Strategies in Reference Interactions (summary by Sarah Bartlett Schroeder) 

- The Urgency and Importance of an Active Information Seeking Task Influence the Interruption of Information Encountering Episodes (summary by Barbara M. Wildemuth) 

- Information Horizons Mapping is Related to Other Measures of Health Literacy but Not Information Literacy (summary by Eugenia Opuda) 

- Students Value Asynchronous Instruction, Individual Projects and Frequent Communication with the Instructor in an Online Library Science Classroom (summary by Heather MacDonald) 

Contents at https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/eblip/index.php/EBLIP/issue/view/1954

Photo by Sheila Webber: farmers market, December 2020

Articles froom JDoc: resettlement IL framework; information encountering; information in schools

I was browsing back through issues of the Journal of Documentation and noticed some relevant articles I had missed previously:
Sayyad Abdi, E., Partridge, H., Bruce, C. & Watson, J. (2019). Skilled immigrants: a resettlement information literacy framework. Journal of Documentation, 75(4), 892-908. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-02-2019-0034 "The study uncovered six different themes of experiencing using information to learn among skilled immigrants. The themes, presented as a framework, explain skilled immigrants learn about their new life through: attending to shared stories by others; getting engaged; researching; comparing and contrasting past and present; being reflective; and being directly educated."

Lundh, A.H., Dolatkhah, M. & Limberg, L. (2018). From informational reading to information literacy: Change and continuity in document work in Swedish schools. Journal of Documentation, 74(5), 1042-1052. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-11-2017-0156

Erdelez, S. & Makri, S. (2020). Information encountering re-encountered: A conceptual re-examination of serendipity in the context of information acquisition. Journal of Documentation, 76(3), 731-751. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-08-2019-0151

Jiang, T., Fu, S.& Song, E. (2020). Toward a description framework of information encountering experiences: Guidance for diarists in story telling. Journal of Documentation, 76(4), 807-827. https://doi.org/10.1108/JD-07-2019-0131
Photo by Sheila Webber: more rosehips, July 2020

Information encountering and management in information literacy instruction of undergraduate students.

I have included information encountering in my infrmation literacy classes for many years, as it is an information behaviour that I think it is important for people to reflect on. If (like me) you are a "super encounterer" it is important to adapt your information management practices. Therefore I was interetsted in this new (priced) article:
Stewart, K. and Basic, J. (2014) Information encountering and management in information literacy instruction of undergraduate students. International Journal of Information Management, 34 (2), 74–79. Abstract: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268401213001321
Photo by Sheila Webber: Christmas tree ornament, 2013

Using Flickr for scientific discovery

Not sure whether this is information literacy, but it is an example of knowledge being extended and disseminated using the internet. It is also an example of the power of browsing and encountering as information behaviour strategies, as the taxonomist came across the new species because he randomly browses pictures of insects on Flickr.

Winterton, S., Ping Guek, H. and Brooks, S. (2012) "A charismatic new species of green lacewing discovered in Malaysia (Neuroptera, Chrysopidae): the confluence of citizen scientist, online image database and cybertaxonomy." ZooKeys, 214, 1–11.
In fact the title gives you the idea: a taxonomist spotted a picture of an insect on Flickr, thought it was a new species of green lacewing (though it must be said there are 1200 different species), contacted the photographer in Malaysia who was able to capture a specimen a year later and send it to the taxonomist, who verified that it was new. Also, the authors used Google Docs to write the article, and the journal this article is published in is open access. However, you have to pay to publish, a minimum of 300 Euro, with some discounts (but I will write about my opposition to the author-pays model of publishing another time...)
http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/3220/a-charismatic-new-species-of-green-lacewing-discovered-in-malaysia-neuroptera-chrysopidae-the-confluence-of-citizen-scie
The photo is by me, and is not a lacewing (the photographer does not alllow embedding or downloads) but a bee in my garden in Sheffield a week ago.