Media and Information Literacy Training Toolkit for Malaysian Newsrooms

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

New articles: AI and information literacy; Norwegian network; Strategic partnership

The latest IFLA Information Literacy Section Newsletter (Winter 2024) is available. It includes short articles from contributors in USA, Switzerland, Vietnam, Malaysia and Norway, all of which are interesting. Several of them discuss initiatives to do with AI e.g. Coffee Lecture: Critical Evaluation of AI-generated Information by Lukas Tschopp.
Also there is an article about NANUB: The National Network for Information Literacy Instruction in Academic Libraries in Norway (that website is in Norwegian, obviously).
Go here for the newsletter https://repository.ifla.org/handle/20.500.14598/3636
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn, reflected, October 2024

Information Literacy in Malaysia, China, USA

The IFLA Information Literacy Section newsletter, Summer 2023, is published. It contains four articles:
- The Action Plan on Improving Digital Literacy and Skills of the Whole People in China: To Build a Digital Inclusion Society by Qiong Tang and Yufan Wu
- NILA: Malaysia’s National Information Literacy Agenda by Nor Edzan Che Nasir
- Information Literacy at an Independent High School by Sarah Hernandez (USA)
- A Visual Arts Competition to Celebrate and Share Undergraduate Research by Merinda Kaye Hensley (USA)
Go to https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/2662

Nasir provides the definitions agreed for Information Literacy and an information literate individual in Malaysia
"Information literacy is the ability that empowers individuals to identify, evaluate, manage, create and disseminate the needed information in various mediums and formats ethically to support lifelong learning."
"An information literate individual has the ability to:
i. Identify information for current needs
ii. Build an effective and efficient information searching strategy
iii. Evaluate critically the information obtained in order to retrieve quality information
iv. Manage information in various mediums and formats systematically
v. Use information ethically by understanding the issues related to the use of the information
vi. Create new knowledge based on the information obtained to support lifelong learning
vii .Disseminate and share information responsibly with other individuals and the civil society through various mediums and formats
Image created by Sheila Webber with Midjourney AI, July 2023

Recent articles: Science literacy; Copyright literacy; Imposter syndrome; Students sharing info during COVID19

Howell, E.L., & Brossard, D. (2021) (Mis)informed about what? What it means to be a science-literate citizen in a digital world. PNAS, 118 (15) e1912436117. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1912436117 Another literacy - though "science literacy" has been a concept for a while. The authors say that these abilities include: "1) Understanding how science is produced, and what that means for how science relates to broader society, or “civic science literacy”; 2) understanding how science information appears and moves through media systems, or “digital media science literacy”; and 3) understanding how people interpret science information when they come across it, or “cognitive science literacy.”" 

Adams, K. (2021, February 10). Combatting Imposter Syndrome with Comradery and Critical Pedagogy [blog post]. https://acrlog.org/2021/02/10/combatting-imposter-syndrome-with-comradery-and-critical-pedagogy/

The latest issue of the open access IFLA journal (Volume 47 Number 1 March 2021) includes:
- Information-seeking behaviour of science and technology researchers in Nigeria: A survey of the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi by Olayinka Babayemi Makinde, Glenrose Velile Jiyane and Tinashe Mugwisi
- Copyright literacy of library and information science professionals in Bangladesh by Zakir Hossain ("The results of this study suggest that librarians overall are at least somewhat familiar with a wide range of copyright issues and topics. The findings suggest that in Bangladesh there is a need for improvement."
Download the whole-issue pdf at http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/hq/publications/ifla-journal/ifla-journal-47-1_2021.pdf

Hashim, L. et al. (2020). Students’ Intention to Share Information Via Social Media: A Case Study of Covid-19 Pandemic. Indonesian Journal of Science & Technology,  5(2), 236-245. https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/ijost/article/view/24586
Photo by Sheila Webber: hawthorn blossom, May 2021

Recent articles: infolit and information behaviour of nurses; adolescents; students in Malaysia and South Africa

- Mohammed, A., & Haliru, Z. A. (2019). Exploring the postgraduate students’ perceptions, usefulness and effectiveness of information literacy skills at University of Malaya library. International Journal of Library and Information Science, 11(4), 23-34. https://doi.org/10.5897/IJLIS2016.0735 (open access)
- Kwafoa, P. N. Y., Anhwere, B. K., & Manu, A. E. (2019). Use of electronic resources by postgraduate students in University of Cape Coast. International Journal of Library and Information Science, 11(2), 7-13. https://doi.org/10.5897/IJLIS2018.0829 (open access)
- Lee, A., Alving, B. E., Horup, M. B., & Thrysoee, L. (2019). Information retrieval as a part of evidence-based practice: Retrieval skills, behavior and needs among nurses at a large university hospital. Nordic Journal of Nursing Research.(early publication) https://doi.org/10.1177/2057158519866612 (I think this is priced) - results of a survey of nurses in Denmark "The most used electronic resources for retrieval of healthcare information were the local intra-net and Google, while bibliographic databases were used to a lesser extent.... Significant differences in competences and use of bibliographic databases were found between nurses who had graduated before and after an educational reform in 2011."
- Park, E., Kwon, M., Gaughn, M., Livingston, J. and Chang, Y-P. (2019). Listening to adolescents: Their perceptions and information sources about e-cigarettes. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 48, 82-91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2019.07.010 "adolescents receive information about e-cigarettes from advertisements, family members, their peers, social media, and internet." (priced)
Photo by Sheila Webber: Darling Harbour, Sydney, July 2019

Papers from #wlic2018 : Green literacy; social networking; Refugees; infolit for rural communities

I won't be attending the World Library and Information Conference (WLIC, the IFLA conference) this year, but as usual I, and everyone else, can make use of the valuable library of full-text papers from the conference. Also as usual, most of them are already uploaded and available. The conference covers a huge range of librarianship and information subjects, from around the world. I will present links to the full text papers related to information literacy and information behaviour in two blog posts: here are the first items. If you are going to WLIC - 24 to 30 August 2018 - you will of course be able to attend the talks themselves.
- WIOROGÓRSKA, Zuzanna (2018) Information literacy of undergraduate Vietnamese students viewed from the perspective of cultural context. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 116 - Library Theory and Research with Information Literacy. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2153
- HAUKE, Petra (2018) From Information Literacy to Green Literacy: Training Librarians as Trainers for Sustainability Literacy. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 116 - Library Theory and Research with Information Literacy. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2147
- OBODORUKU, Benedicta (2018) Refugees’ Information Seeking in Nyarugusu Camp, Tanzania. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 137 - Africa. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2139
- IBRAHIM, Yazid and AB. RASHID, Zuliana (2018) Making This World A Better Place through Information Literacy: In4skill Campaign for Rural Communities. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 116 - Library Theory and Research with Information Literacy. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2148
- FADELINA, Raisa (2018) Instagram as a media to get information: a case study at Grhatama Pustaka Special Region of Yogyakarta. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 126 - Joint Division I and Division IV. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2119
- MUNSHI, Shamim Aktar (2018) Social Networking Sites, the Lifeline among the Students and Librarians: Information Needs, Marketing and Promotion. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 126 - Joint Division I and Division IV. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2125
- WALSH, Benjamin (2018) Public library and private space: Homeless queer youth navigating information access and identity in Toronto. Paper presented at: IFLA WLIC 2018 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Transform Libraries, Transform Societies in Session 114 - Metropolitan Libraries. http://library.ifla.org/id/eprint/2144
Photo by Sheila Webber: Palace Pier, Brighton, July 2018

New Libri

There's a new issue of Libri (2012, Volume 62 issue 1). Articles include:
- Keller, A. "In Print or On Screen? Investigating the Reading Habits of Undergraduate Students Using Photo-Diaries and Photo-Interviews" (pp 1-18)
- Bankole, O. M., Oshinaike, A. B.and Banwo, C. O. "HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes and Sources of Information among Librarians in Southwestern Nigeria (pp 41-51)
- Tan, S., Gorman, G. and Singh, D. "Information Literacy Competencies among School Librarians in Malaysia" (pp 98-107)
The Libri website is at http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/libr (priced journal).
Photo by Sheila Webber: Daffodils, Botanic Gardens, Sheffield, April 2012.

News snippets: Malaysia; Dilgital illiteracies; Social media literacies

Firstly, several places have picked up a news release today on Bernama.com, which announced that The National Library Malaysia has launched a Malaysia Information Literacy Module "in an effort to enhance information searching skill more effectively, accurately and correctly. The launching ceremony was performed by Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Senator Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz at Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Luit" "Speaking to reporters later, Maglin said the module was an effort by the National Library to provide guidance to the public in terms of skill in searching and choosing information to be read. It is important because it will determine the quality of information to be stored in our mind." http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=636151

Secondly, I noticed a short item about the need for digital literacy (and also, mentioned in passing, information literacy) in those teaching English as a second language:
Dudeney, G. (2011) "No place in class for digital illiterates." Guardian weekly, 6 December. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/dec/06/teaching-digital-literacy

Finally, there is a guest blog post on the Scientific American site. A researcher discusses what the digital divide might consist of now in the 21st century; as well as social inequalities she describes various skills in using information and social media (i.e. saying that it is not just about access to technology/internet).
Radovanovic, D. (2011) "Digital Divide and Social Media: Connectivity Doesn’t End the Digital Divide, Skills Do." Scientific American blogs, 14 December. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/2011/12/14/digital-divide-and-social-media-connectivity-doesnt-end-the-digital-divide-skills-do/

Photo by Sheila Webber: Mistletoe, December 2011

Libri

There is a new issue of Libri, which contains an article on information literacy:
Edzan, N. (2008) "Information Literacy Development in Malaysia: a Review." Libri, 58 (4).
The current issue is only available to subscribers, though anyone can see the abstracts at:
http://www.librijournal.org/2008-4toc.html
Once Libri issues are a year old they are free. Newly free online is vol 57 (4), which includes:
Austria, J. (2007) "Developing Evaluation Criteria for Podcasts." Libri, 57 (4), 179-272. "The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not evaluation criteria used to assess print material transfer to podcasts. The author surveyed eleven library graduate school students and one library graduate professor over a four-week period. Respondents listened to either Nature Podcast or Science Talk and filled out a two-part questionnaire. Analysis of the data demonstrated respondents experienced difficulty in assessing audience, bias/point of view, scope/coverage, and accuracy in podcasts using print evaluation criteria. The results of this study indicate additional research is needed to clearly define evaluation criteria for podcasts. "
http://www.librijournal.org/pdf/2007-4pp179-207.pdf
Photo by Sheila Webber: Festive doors, Blackheath, January 2009