Social Annotation Tools

The latest in the ACRL Tips and Trends series is Social Annotation Tools (which "facilitate the collaborative markup and discussion of digital documents or web based content by a group of individuals") and as usual it consists of a few pages which concisely define the topic, discuss applications and drawbacks, and give useful links.  Download it at https://acrl.ala.org/IS/wp-content/uploads/Tips-and-Trends-Fall-2022.pdf
Photo by Sheila Webber: colourful cauliflowers, November 2022

California Conference on Library Instruction : call for for proposals extended

The Call for Proposals for the in-person conference California Conference on Library Instruction, to be held on 2 June 2023 at the University of San Francisco, USA, has been extended to 12 December 2022. The theme is Power and Empowerment: Labor, Agency, and Dynamic Relationships in Academic Libraries. "In our 50th anniversary of the California Conference on Library Instruction, we seek to examine the many power structures that influence the work of library instruction. Our work exists within structures that experience tensions between labor and power. We have the responsibility to recognize our power/authority in our space, yet we acknowledge challenges. We are constrained by budgets, lack of power, existing power structures, understaffing, and expectations to do with what we are given. We have the ability to empower students with information literacy and instruction through careful thought and understanding of their needs. We engage in work that challenges conventional wisdom, but we have constraints. Many other power dynamics impact our work as well. We are interested in how you have empowered yourself, your colleagues, your students, your campus, and your community".
More information at http://www.cclibinstruction.org/cfp-2023

Recent articles: deference behaviour; blended and flipped; Pandemic Information Access Challenges; digital humanities pedagogy; instruction for an engineering design

The latest complete issue of the Journal of Academic Librarianship (a priced publication), Volume 48 issue 6 (2022) includes the following: 

- Manifestations of deference behavior in teaching-focused academic librarians by Lyda Fontes McCartin, Raquel Wright-Mair
- A silver lining for pandemic-weary libraries: How blended and flipped instructional programs have improved upon pre-pandemic norms by Kevin W. Walker
- Factors that influence librarian definitions of information literacy by Logan Rath
- Pandemic Information Access Challenges and Expectations about the Post-Covid Era: A Survey of Pakistan Students' Opinion Regarding Academic Libraries' Services and Staff by Syeda Hina Batool, Amara Malik, Muhammad Safdar, Amna Farzand Ali
- Prepare to be unprepared? LIS curriculum and academic liaison preparation by Kawanna M. Bright, Mónica Colón-Aguirre
- Online health information seeking and digital health literacy among information and learning resources undergraduate students by Esra Abdoh
- What contributes to a qualified digital humanities librarian and ideal digital humanities pedagogy? An exploratory qualitative study by Wuyan Yao, Peng Xiao
- Rapidly going virtual without sacrificing quality: Adapting instruction for an engineering design course by Brianna Buljung, Lisa Nickum, Patricia Andersen, Gyasi Evans
Go to https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/the-journal-of-academic-librarianship/vol/48/issue/6
Photo by Sheila Webber: winter skyline, November 2022

Free webinars: Best Practices of School Librarians

IFLA has organised webinars "for those who are interested in programs, services, collection development, and management of school libraries for building high-performing schools. Different IFLA school library-related guidelines will be introduced by IFLA Professional Division Committee Chair (Division F) in addition to speakers’ presentations of the best practices of school libraries in their home countries."
The first one on IFLA School Library Manifesto (2021) & Best Practices of School Librarians in Croatia (speaker: Dr. Zcjezdana Dukic) was held on 26 November 2022, and the recording is here The others are:
- IFLA School Library Guidelines: Best Practices of Teacher-Librarians in France. 4 February 2023, 4.30-5.30pm Hong Kong Time (10.30 am-11.30 am CET; 9.30-10.30 UK time)
- IFLA Educational Technologies and Student Data Briefing: Best Practices of Teacher-Librarians in Croatia. 8 April 2023, 4.30-5.30pm HKT (10.30 am-11.30 am CET)
- IFLA Media and Information Literacy & Best Practices of Teacher-Librarians in Singapore. 3 June 2023, 4.30-5.30pm HKT
Details at https://www.ifla.org/events/webinar-series-high-performing-schools-with-effective-school-libraries/ and registration at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V3M22kVHQ_qljPLW0fZ8Jg
Photo by Sheila Webber: Squash and onions, November, 2022

Call for papers: Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization: Information, Disinformation, and Polarization & Digital Media and Younger Audiences

There are calls for papers for the journal Media and Commuication, for a special issue on Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization: Information, Disinformation, and Polarization, edited by Julia Metag, Florian Wintterlin and Kira Klinger; and for a special issue on Digital Media and Younger Audiences: Communication Targeted at Children and Adolescents, edited by Olga Kolotouchkina, Celia Rangel, and Patricia Núñez Gómez. The deadline for abstracts for both is 1-15 December 2022 and deadline for articles is 15-30 April 2023. More details here

Call for proposals: #FanLIS2023

There is a call for proposals for FanLIS2023, currently scheduled online for 18/19 May 2023, with the theme Halliday Journals and holodecks: audiences and information in sci-fi fandoms. "FanLIS 2023 is a CityLIS symposium to explore the intersection between fandom, fan studies, and library and information science.... All are welcome to submit, from fans, librarians, infopros, acafen and independent researchers. Email us if you have ideas but aren’t sure if they fit – we’re open to suggestions!" "Themes can include, but are not limited to, the following:
-The information behaviour and practices of sci-fi fans.
- The information behaviour and practices of fans of certain sci-fi franchises (e.g. Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Mass Effect, Quantum Leap, Ghost in the Shell, etc.).
- The history of sci-fi fandoms.
- Sci-fi fanzines and other amateur/small press publications.
- Representations of libraries, archives, museums and galleries in sci-fi worlds or franchises.
- Information technologies in sci-fi worlds or franchises.
- Fan-to-fan communications within sci-fi fandoms.
- Languages and language use in sci-fi.
- Fans as writers and readers of sci-fi and popular science.
- Copyright issues in sci-fi fandom.
- Sci-fi wikis, encyclopaedias, and other compendiums, whether online or offlin
- How fans research science and technology during the process of creating fanworks.
Send your 500 word proposals to both Ludi Price at Ludovica.Price@city.ac.uk and Lyn Robinson at lyn@city.ac.uk by midnight GMT on 31 December 2022
More info at https://blogs.city.ac.uk/fanlis/fanlis-symposia/fanlis-2023/call-for-presentations/
Photo by Sheila Webber, taken in Second Life and featuring some of DRD's New Xantis builds

New articles: Information behaviour of farmers; Health Literacy; AI and information; Personal Information Management; Information & visual disability

The latest issue of IFLA Journal (Volume 48, No. 4, 2022) is published open access at https://repository.ifla.org/handle/123456789/2317 There are lots of interesting articles, covering library issues in many different countries, but picking out ones more relevant to this blog:
- An assessment of health information literacy among women in rural Lake Zone, Tanzania by Mohamed Kassim and Faraja Ndumbaro
- Knowledge mapping and visualization of personal information management literature, 1988–2020 by Williams Ezinwa Nwagwu and Chidiebube Blossom Williams
- A model of access to information among Nigerian rice farmers by Ugonna Benedette Fidelugwuowo
- Information needs and delivery channels: Experimental evidence from Cambodian smallholders by Selina Bruns, Oliver Mußhoff and Pascal Ströhlein
- Factors influencing the use of agricultural information by Vietnamese farmers by Hung Gia Hoang, Duc Van Nguyen and Douglas Drysdale
- Framework for the provision of information to the visually impaired in academic libraries in compliance with the Marrakesh Treaty by Samuel Macharia Were, Japhet N. Otike and Emily K. Bosire
Photo by Sheila Webber: lovely autumn beech tree, November 2022

Online: Identifying online scams, phishing, fraudulent websites and messages workshop

There is a free online workshop on 29 November at 15.45 UK time (GMT) on Identifying online scams, phishing, fraudulent websites and messages. This is related to the Maddie is Online series developed by Dr Konstantina Martzoukou at Robert Gordon University, Scotland.
"As part of this free online session, Maria Bell from Mesomorphic will offer an overview of the 4th theme of our new series of Maddie is Online: ethics of online safety and security" They will be reviewing the toolkit they have developed, which can be found here: https://online.visual-paradigm.com/community/bookshelf/default-1444l1ntn9
They'll explore the concepts: "How to recognise messages, websites or e-mails where the sender/owner appears to be different from who they are; Understand why it is important to know how to recover a device or account if it gets compromised / hacked; To create awareness of whom to contact if you find that your account has been hacked, if embarrassing images of you are being shared, or if you experience something else that is really unpleasant."
"We have created an imaginative story ('To donate or not to donate?'). Maddie, the central character of our series, receives an email from her school, reminding her class that it is the last day for donating money to the school nominated charity, ‘Strong Family Corners’, before it gets collected and sent to the charity. In the email, there is a bank account to make the payment with the logo of the charity and the email has been sent by a teacher. Maddie decides to donate to the charity. However, the next day, when she goes to school, she realises that the charity name is not the same and that the email of the teacher was hacked. Someone had used his email details to send this message to all the school and several children had followed the link to make the payment, exactly like Maddie. How could Maddie have protected herself? Should she avoid giving to any charities once and for all?"
Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/identifying-online-scams-phishing-fraudulent-websites-and-messages-tickets-470954125467

Call for proposals: Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Information Science /l’Association canadienne des sciences de l’information

There is a call for proposals for the 51st Annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Information Science /l’Association canadienne des sciences de l’information (CAIS/ACSI) which will take place on 6-9 June 2023, online, and free of charge. The deadline for proposals is 31 January 2023 and the theme is Imagining Information. Proposals may be submitted in English or French. Proposals can be for: Papers; Lightning Talks; Panels. There is also a Student Research Forum.
"We meet and structure the world through Imagination. The act of imagining enables inner and outer transformation. It assists in the construction of ourselves, our societies, and even our reality, it helps us to envision and to realize what is possible but it also limits. Collective imagining figures into forming hopes and strategies for the future, but also constructs the past.
"Imagination can be speculative, but imagination coupled with action can also be resistant and a powerful method toward moving toward liberation. Imagination has a strong connection to imagining, whether imagining new theoretical pathways, reflecting on the past, constructing or utilizing imagining as methodology. Imagination, while sometimes devalued, is a creative and resourceful force. For the 51st annual conference of the Canadian Association for Information Science, we invite attendees to consider imagining in its many senses and forms, from imagining potential futures for the field and our society, to the nature and function of imagination in information experiences and phenomena."
"Submissions may cover, but are not limited to, the following: Conceptions of information or documents as imagined or imaginary objects; Imagining and Indigenous ways of knowing/methodologies; LIS’ intersection with theories and theologies of mind; Imagining otherwise: information and social imaginaries, liberation, and Imagination as resistant; Conceptualizations of time: structuring the past through imagination, and a time “before”; Theoretical Speculations of the future; Restrictions and control of knowledge through imagined structures; Re-imagining the future of scholarly communication; Envisioning the future of information societies and professions; Virtual reality, technologies, and information spaces; Imagined communities (Nations, Readers, Lovers); Dreaming as information experience."
Full details at https://www.cais2022.ca/ and submissions (you have to create an account) at https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=caisacsi2023

Photo by Sheila Webber: Imagined future: taken in the 3D virtual worlds Second Life, November 2022

Farewell, Searcher

Another stalwart of the online era is retiring - the magazine Online Searcher, which used to be a go-to reference point for tips on advanced searching. Most of it is priced only, but there are some free tidbits online, including in the final issue:
Badke, W. (2022). Trust the Science? Implications for Online Research. Online Searcher, 46(6).
and a couple of ones from other recent issues
Lasda, E.M. (2022). What’s in a Citation? Motivation and Classification of Citing References. Online Searcher, 46(5).
Badke, W. (2022). Should We Give Up on Information Literacy? Online Searcher, 46(3). (fortunately the answer is no!)
Price, G. (2022) Saving the Web for Posterity. Online Searcher, 46(2)

Recording: Untold Stories ... Continued! Information practices in Bangladesh, and in the US-Mexico borderlands

A webinar held on 28 October 2022, co-organised by ASIS&T European Chapter and the Information School, University of Sheffield, UK. Dr Viviane Hessami presented her research: The Use of Notebooks by Bangladeshi Village Women to Backup Digital Data and Dr Sara Vannini presented on The information practices and politics of migrant-aid work in the US-Mexico borderlands. The webinar was chaired by Dr Andrea Jimenez, Information School, University of Sheffield. The recording is embedded below and the link to it is here. The event also celebrated Global Media and Information Literacy Week 2022.
Dr Hessami is a Lecturer and Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow in the Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Australia https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/viviane-hessami Dr Vannini is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield Information School http://www.saravannini.com/wordpress/

Call for proposals: Health Literacy and Libraries

This is a call for chapter authors for a forthcoming book Health Literacy and Libraries, to be published by Medical Library Association (MLA) Books, in cooperation with Rowman & Littlefield.
"The new book aims to be a practical and engaging resource for information professionals. The book will provide a compilation of relevant research and evidence-based practices for health literacy work in libraries, including instruction, programming, and outreach for a range of diverse communities."
Invited authors will be contacted and sent chapter guidelines in early 2023. Full chapters are expected to be in English, between 4,000 to 6,000 words, and submitted by April 1, 2023.
Proposals should be submitted on this Google Form by 15 December 2022 https://forms.gle/Lu7pF1Px6YnpwTj8A
Photo by Sheila Webber: late autumn pollarded tree, November 2022

Online course: Supercharge Your Search - Power Hour

Search expert Phil Bradley is again running his online training session Supercharge Your Search - Power Hour – the information professionals guide to the world of internet search! on 24 November 2022 12noon-13.00 UK time. Cost is £35.
"Do you ever get dissatisfied with the search results that you get from Google? Are you sure that the information is out there, but you can’t quite locate it? Do you wish there was an alternative to the seemingly ubiquitous Google? You’ll be pleased to know that there is a solution to your frustrations! There are a great many other search engines available for the savvy searcher to use. This session will look at direct competitors to Google, and will examine how good they are, and why you may decide to use them to run better searches. However you’ll also look at directory based engines, multi and meta search engines, similarity search, which multimedia search engines you can use, and some unique and valuable search engines that give you material that you simply cannot find using Google."
Registration and more information at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/supercharge-your-search-power-hour-tickets-439656282777
Photo by Sheila Webber: flowers at the farmers market, August 2022

Recent articles: Teaching IL virtually; IL as an advernture; IL & humanities; Collaboration

There is a special issue of The Nordic Journal of Information Literacy in Higher Education (NORIL) (volume 13, number 1, 2022) , focused on the 10th Creating Knowledge Conference, a Nordic conference which concentrates on information literacy and learning. The articles are:
- What if becoming information literate were an adventure? by Tove I. Dahl
- Innovative teaching in a new normal: creating new ways to deliver virtual information literacy and research support training by Keziah Gibbs, Hannah Crago
- Preparing students for an evidence-based health service – a collaboration between the University Library and faculty by Kari Kalland, Lilja Marlen Johannessen
- Library-faculty collaboration in the light of a business administration bachelor’s program: ‘The Scientific Wave’ by Elisabeth Näverå, Anna Karin Olsson
- Teaching information literacy in the humanities: Engaging students with primary sources and cultural heritage material by Karin Pettersson
- How librarian involvement enhances students’ information literacy by Jessica Thorn
- Creating Knowledge X: Evaluation report by Helene N. Andreassen
Go to https://noril.uib.no/issue/view/5
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn branches, November 2022

STAK - lessons plans and resources

"The STAK Project is a Danish national project that has produced a framework and tools to help educators develop the academic digital literacies, skills, and competencies of their students. STAK and OneHE are working together to translate these resources and make them freely available to all under Creative Commons."
The producers are librarians in Danish universities, and the materials are focused around traditional information literacy topics such as searching and referencing. Go to https://onehe.org/stak/

Photo by Sheila Webber: peppers and lettuce at Framers Market, November 2022

Recordings: the Future of Libraries

Recordings from the October 2022 Pacific Library Partnership conference, The Future of Libraries 2022: Expanding Your Toolbox for a Changing World, have been published.
It includes the presentation by Frieda Afary (an Iranian American librarian, translator and writer) on Confronting Disinformation and Book Bans by Cultivating Critical Thinking and Empathy.
Go to  https://www.plpinfo.org/fall-conference-archive/

Recent articles: Epistemic curiosity; Spotting misinformation; LibGuides for indigenous studies; Students' data practices

The latest issue of open access journal College & Research Libraries (Vol 83, No 6, 2022) has been published. It includes:

- Investigating Nontraditional First-Year Students’ Epistemic Curiosity During the Research Process: An Exploratory, Mixed-Methods Study by Michelle Keba Knecht
- Diving Deep into Dissertations: Analyzing Graduate Students’ Methodology and Data Practices to Inform Research Data Services and Subject Liaison Librarian Support by Mandy Swygart-Hobaugh, Raeda Anderson, Denise George, Joel Glogowski
- Preparing College Students for a Digital Age: A Survey of Instructional Approaches to Spotting Misinformation by Nadav Ziv, Emma Bene
- From Pathfinder to Indigenized: An Assessment of LibGuides for Indigenous Studies by ARL Member Institutions by Kristen J. Nyitray, Dana Reijerkerk
Go to https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/issue/view/1627/showToc
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves on the bench, October 2022

Teaching in a digital age: Open Pedagogy

An open access textbook which is available for reuse under a Creative Commons License is:
Bates, A.W. (2022). Teaching in a Digital Age.Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (3rd. Ed). Pressbooks. https://pressbooks.pub/teachinginadigitalagev3m/
In particular I will highlight the section which outlines what open pedagogy is, with definitions, diagrams and examples:  https://pressbooks.pub/teachinginadigitalagev3m/chapter/11-4-open-pedagogy/

New: The data literacy cookbook

A new book is: Getz, K. and Brodsky, M. (2022). The data literacy cookbook. ACRL. https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/data-literacy-cookbook "Sixty-five recipes are organized into nine sections based on learning outcomes: 1. Interpreting Polls and Surveys 2. Finding and Evaluating Data 3. Data Manipulation and Transformation 4. Data Visualization 5. Data Management and Sharing 6. Geospatial Data 7. Data in the Disciplines 8. Data Literacy Outreach and Engagement 9. Data Literacy Programs and Curricula. To be honest, I'm not keen on a recipe/cookbook approach to educating for literacies, but it looks as the the chapters address some interesting aspects.

Photo by Sheila Webber: recipe books in Second Life, November 2022

Webinar: Routes and experiences of doing a LIS PhD

On 18 November 2022 at 13.00-16.00 UK time (GMT) there is a webinar Routes and experiences of doing a LIS PhD, organised by CILIP LIRG (Library and Information Research Group). The cost is £20 (inclusive of VAT) for both CILIP and non-CILIP members, with complimentary tickets for all students, the unwaged and underrepresented minorities who can contact ebony.burke@kcl.ac.uk to receive the waiver code.
"This half-day online event is designed to introduce participants to different routes to pursuing a LIS PhD whilst working as LIS practitioners. The event will comprise of several current LIS practitioners from around the globe talking about and sharing their personal experiences of the undertaking and completing a PhD. There will also be a presentation introducing participants to the different ways that you can do a PhD whilst working, and also what supervising a part-time PhD entails."
Speakers are: Alison Brettle, Professor in Health Information and Evidence Based Practice and Director Centre for Social and Health Research, University of Salford; Gustavo Grandal-Montero, Library Collections and Engagement Manager, Tate Britain; Laura Woods, Subject Librarian, University of Huddersfield; George MacGregor, Institutional Repository Manager, Strathclyde University; Kirsty Wallis, Head of Research Liaison, University College London; Denise Lafitte, Associate University Librarian, University of Alberta; Hazel Hall, Professor of Social Informatics, Edinburgh Napier University.
To register, go to to https://www.cilip.org.uk/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=1680749&group=

Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn bench, October 2022

Bursary places for #LILAC23

The LILAC (UK information literacy) conference (which takes place 19-21 April 2023 in Cambridge, UK) is offering 5 free places. Deadline for applications is 30 November 2022 17.00 UK time (GMT). The bursaries are for people from/ working in the following under-represented communities and sectors in the UK: Ethnic minority backgrounds; Further Education; Health (e.g., NHS – librarians working in Higher Education who support health subjects are not eligible to apply); Public; Schools. The bursary includes 3 days attendance of all LILAC sessions and social events. Travel and accommodation expenses up to the value of £225 are also available if required.
"To be eligible for a place you must be a librarian, volunteer, or information professional working in or from the above-mentioned sectors/communities in the UK. You will have to show your commitment to information literacy by writing a short personal statement explaining how attending the conference will be of benefit to you, demonstrating your commitment to information literacy and detailing how you will disseminate knowledge gained from the conference."
More details at https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2023/bursaries

Webinar: The Changing Role of the Education Librarian

There is a free webinar on 11 November 2022, at 13.30 US EST (which is, e.g., 18.30 UK time): The Changing Role of the Education Librarian. It is organised by the SLA and ACRL. "This presentation will provide an overview of the findings of a pre-COVID-19 survey on the job roles and responsibilities of Education librarians. These findings give insight into the diverse educational backgrounds and varied responsibilities of Education librarians related to instruction and instructional design, reference, embedded librarianship, outreach, collaboration, and collection development.”
Presenters (all based in the USA) are: Katherine Donaldson (Social Sciences/Education Librarian at the University of Oregon Libraries; Laura Bonella (Professor and the Academic Services Department Head at Kansas State University; Lisa Becksford (Head of Learning Design Initiatives at the University Libraries at Virginia Tech; Josette Kubicki (Reference and Instruction Librarian at Augusta University, Reese Library, in Georgia; Sarah Parramore (Director of Teaching, Learning and Research Support at Occidental College and Education Librarian at California State University, Fullerton).
Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvceqtpzwsHtDYWS_rchrX5m7G3s7BG3DS
Photo by Sheila Webber: Teddy, September 2022

Call for proposals #WILU2023

There is a call for proposals for the WILU Conference (the Canadian information literacy conference). The conference will be held at McGill University in Montreal, Québec, Canada, May 16-19,- 2023, and the deadline for the proposals is 5 December 2022. You can propose papers, workshops or panels, in English or French. The theme is Carte Blanche. "As information professionals, our roles continue to change as the definition of information literacy grows to include a diverse range of skills. We thrive in an environment that promotes and values innovation and experimentation. To respond to the evolving needs of users, we must embrace spontaneity and risk-taking. Librarians are often described as intellectually agile, with the ability to adapt quickly to new technologies or philosophies. How do we adjust traditional teaching practices to reach our users? How do we decide which topics and teaching styles to use? We invite proposals that consider what it means to have “carte blanche” to design and deliver timely, relevant library instruction sessions with the freedom to try new things, experiment with novel ideas, and start fresh." More information at https://wilu-conference.github.io/en/call-for-proposals/

Webinar: Libraries and Learning Analytics: The Future is Now

There is a free ACRL webcast Libraries and Learning Analytics: The Future is Now on 17 November 2022 at 12.30-14.00 US Central time (18.30-20.00 UK time). Presenters are Megan Oakleaf, Ken Varnum, and Becky Croxton. "Learning analytics offers a new tool in the library assessment toolbox, one that closes gaps left by other assessment methods but requires different ways of framing assessment questions, innovative strategies for using or connecting data, and strengthening collaborations with campus partners. This webcast, sponsored by the ACRL Value of Academic Libraries Committee, is designed to help librarians take the next step in learning analytics preparedness by guiding them through a series of activities designed to support them in thinking through decisions, data, and conversations necessary for ethical, effective, and engaging learning analytics work at their institutions. Register at https://ala-events.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0rduiqpj4jH9aV83eois-nuBevucc_Y_KY

Photo by Sheila Webber: more autumn leaves, October 2022

Global Media and Information Literacy Week final day #GlobalMILweek

Today's main events included a virtual conference featuring voices of young people from around the world, with the theme Global Media and Information Literacy Week meets World Cities Day (Youth). You can find the full recording on Facebook at https://fb.watch/gw1pWNopyF/ on the MILCLICKS Facebook page.

Projects for media literacy funded

The United Kingdom's Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has celebrated Global Media and Information Literacy Week by announcing funding for 17 organisations to fund media literacy projects. The focus is on combatting misinformation and it is "part of the government’s Online Media Literacy Strategy to help people be safe online". You can find the details at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/help-for-vulnerable-people-to-spot-disinformation-and-boost-online-safety

Abuja Declaration on Financing Media and Information Literacy #GlobalMILWeek #MILclicks

Yesterday in the Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) week feature conference they released the Abuja Declaration on Financing Media and Information Literacy. At the moment there seems to be just the draft available. This includes exhortations to governements to fund MIL education, especially for young people.
“We urge ... Governments around the world to articulate national media and information literacy policies that will serve as a comprehensive guide in articulating the implementation of media and information literacy initiatives across all levels of governance.”
“We further call upon governments from national to city level, as well as intergovernmental organizations to ... Allocate specific budgets to the developing of Media and Information Literacy programs, with respect to the educational laws or any other regulatory framework that guides the workings of its national/regional/local education systems...”
Find it at https://www.unesco.org/sites/default/files/medias/fichiers/2022/10/abuja_declaration_financing_mil_drafting_committee_21oct2022.pdf

Webinar: Untold Stories: Information practices #ICT4D #GlobalMILweek

A free webinar on 28 October 2022 at 10.00-11.00 BST (UK time: see https://tinyurl.com/28Oct22time for times elsewhere).
Dr Viviane Hessami (Monash University, Australia) will present her research: The Use of Notebooks by Bangladeshi Village Women to Backup Digital Data and
Dr Sara Vannini (University of Sheffield, UK) will present on The information practices and politics of migrant-aid work in the US-Mexico borderlands.
The webinar is chaired by Dr Andrea Jimenez (Information School, University of Sheffield, UK).
The webinar is organised by ASIS&T’s European Chapter & The Information School, University of Sheffield. It also celebrates Global Media and Information Literacy Week (24-31 October 2022).
The Zoom link for the session is given in this flyer: https://tinyurl.com/28Oct22flyer  

About Dr Viviane Hessami:
Dr Hessami is a Lecturer and Australian Research Council DECRA Fellow in the Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Australia. She is researching the information access and information preservation needs and preferences of marginalised rural communities with the aim to design a framework for culturally-sensitive and gender-sensitive information dissemination and information preservation. Viviane has multidisciplinary expertise in archival science, political science, Asian studies and community informatics. https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/viviane-hessami
Hessami's presentation will highlight the importance of planning for the sustainability of information and supporting grassroots initiatives to preserve information when working with marginalized communities. The presentation will bring up untold stories of marginalized communities who used simple analogue technologies to backup information provided to them in digital form in an ICT4D project in rural Bangladesh. This will illustrate the importance of information sustainability for marginalized communities who have limited access to information and the need to use methods that are culturally-sensitive when providing information to marginalized communities.
About Dr Sara Vannini:
Dr Vannini is a Lecturer/Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield Information School, UK. Her research is at the intersection of critical studies of technology and society, information and communication technologies and social change, and information ethics. In particular,she focuses on social appropriation of technologies, information privacy in the context of migration, the role of public access to information in mis/dis-information, online learning, and participatory and visual methodologies of inquiry. http://www.saravannini.com/wordpress/
In her presentation, Vannini will address the issue of information sharing in a situation where there are strong privacy and confidentiality issues.Organizers and volunteers work across organizational boundaries to provide humanitarian aid to undocumented migrants along the US-Mexico border and share information informally. However, resistance to information-sharing between organizations (and to the public), especially through technologically mediated means, is common, because of the need to protect the privacy and confidentiality of migrants. Vannini will discuss the strategies employed and underlying issues.

Global Media and Information Literacy Week: panels on libraries & education #GlobalMILweek

We are on day 2 of Global Media and Information Literacy week, and it is still possible to register for the online feature conference.
On Wednesday 26th October, the sessions include a panel on Global conversations – Media and Information Literacy, libraries and trust (at 10.00 Paris time) and at 11.30 Paris time Global conversation with teachers on Media and Information Literacy and trust with speakers: Ramon R. Tuazon, President, Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), Philippines; Cheung Chi Kim, Professor & Author, Media Literacy Education, China; Paulette A Kerr, Lecturer, University of the West Indies, Member, Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue University Network, Jamaica; Andrew Whitworth, Director of Teaching and Learning Strategy, Manchester Institute of Education, United Kingdom; Dinara Sagatova, Media and Information Literacy Teacher, Nazarbayev Intellectual School, Kazakhstan.
Go to https://www.unesco.org/en/media-information-literacy-week

Free webinar: New Voices in Information Literacy: #GlobalMILWeek

The Forum on Information Literacy (FOIL: of which I am a member) has orgainsed a free webinar as part of Global Media and Information Literacy Week, which starts today.
Date: Thursday 27th October 2022; 16.00-17.00 UK time.
Title: New Voices in Information Literacy.
"An online webinar introducing five early researchers from Masters and PhD study in the UK. This event celebrates the breadth of research in information literacy in the UK, from school librarians in Kuwait to the use of Wikipedia in higher education, Instagram, and infographics, to emotion in information literacy in research and climate change and misinformation. The speakers are students in UK at University of Sheffield, Manchester Metropolitan University and UCL and will be speaking about their dissertation and thesis work."
Chair: Dr Pamela McKinney (University of Sheffield Information School), presenters are:
- Reham Alhuraiti (University College London UCL)  Information Literacy Perspectives and practices of Kuwait’s Government Intermediate School Librarians
- Delphine Doucet (University of Sunderland/ University of Sheffield) Authority of historical knowledge: Wikipedia and Higher education
- Alex Hewitt (University College London UCL)  What Role Can Affect And Emotion Play In Academic And Research Information Literacy Practices?
- Lawrence Brannon (Manchester Metropolitan University) Researching Gamification within Immersive Journalism and i-docs.
- Ella Burrows (University College London UCL) Sharing in the echo chamber: Examining Instagram users’ engagement with infographics through the frame of digital literacy
Register here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/new-voices-in-information-literacy-tickets-443934679577

Webinar: Media literacy activities and resources for librarians

A free webinar on 24 November 2022 14.15-15.00 UK time (GMT) is Media literacy activities and resources for librarians, with presentation by the Behind the Headlines iniative "The Guardian Foundation’s NewsWise and Behind the Headlines have a range of fun and engaging activities and resources that can be used to support young people aged 7-18 in a variety of different contexts and environments. In this special session for librarians we will share structured activities that you can adapt and replicate with families and young people as well as ready-to-go individual resources and ideas. " Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/media-literacy-activities-and-resources-for-librarians-tickets-435658776127

Photo by Sheila Webber: Lost owl plush, September 2022. Part of the lost item series.

Call for proposals: #ECIL2023

There has been a first Call for Papers for the 8th European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL) which will be held 9-12 October 2023 in Krakow, Poland. It is co-organised by the Department of Information Management of Hacettepe University (Turkey), Department of Information and Communication Sciences of Zagreb University (Croatia), the Information Literacy Association and the hosts, Jagiellonian University (Poland). The main theme is  Experiencing Information and Information Literacy. The conference management system opens in November 2022 and the submission deadline is 22 January 2023.
"ECIL aims to bring together researchers, information professionals, media specialists, educators, policy makers and all other related parties from around the world to exchange knowledge and experience and discuss recent developments and current challenges in both theory and practice." You can make a proposal for:  full papers, posters, PechaKucha, best practices, workshops, panels, invited talks, and doctoral forum. Essentially, any topic connected with information literacy is relevant to the conference. There is more detail on the conference website:  http://ecil2023.ilconf.org/

Social justice; Citations in marketing assignments

A couple of recent articles:
- Bussmann, J. D., Altamirano, I. M., Hansen, S., Johnson, N. E., & Keer, G. (2022). Science librarianship and social justice: Part four capstone concepts. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, 100. https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/istl/index.php/istl/article/view/2697/2711 The concepts summarised here include Social Justice Pedagogies and Universal Design. (open access)

 - Gil, E.L. (2022). A citation analysis of MBA bibliographies: A case study. Journal of Business & Finance Librarianship [early online publication] https://doi.org/10.1080/08963568.2022.2129275
"This research was initiated to identify the type of sources that online MBA students in a required marketing class cited in their final papers. It also sought to discover whether they included any of the Libraries’ subscription databases in their bibliographies, especially IBISWorld and ReferenceUSA, which were the focus of two asynchronous video tutorials that were created for this course. The author used citation analysis to do this. Results showed that students overwhelmingly used Company websites."

#LOEX2023 call for proposals

There is a call for proposals for the major USA information literacy conference, LOEX, which will be held 11-13 May, 2023 in Harrisburg, USA. The deadline for submissions is 28 November 2022. You can submit 2 types of proposal
- "Presentation: A 50-minute session that includes time for a 40-45 minute presentation and 5-10 minutes of question and answer. Most feature a successful program, practice or key issue related to instruction or information literacy. Presenter(s) should include in the proposal a description of the topic and an outline of the presentation. Based on past experience, sessions can have as few as 25 people or as many as 125.
- "Interactive Workshops: A 50-minute session where the presenter facilitates a learning experience in which attendees develop or explore teaching and/or research techniques. Presenters are expected to facilitate a well-planned and interactive session. Proposals should include a description of the topic and details on how the presenter will make this session a "hands-on" experience for attendees. Workshops are intended for an audience typically of 30-60 people, but can be as high as 90"
More information at https://www.loexconference.org/breakout-proposals/

Call for proposals: Panel of Universal Design for Learning

The American Library Association (ALA) Library Instruction Round Table (LIRT) is seeking panelists for the LIRT Conference Program at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, USA (physical conference) which will be held 22-27 June 2023. The session title is Universal design for learning: planning for all learners, and "Proposals received by Thursday, December 1st will receive first priority".
"Universal design for learning is an educational framework that optimizes teaching to accommodate all learners through multiple means of representation, expression, and action & engagement. By creating accessible, inclusive learning experiences, libraries of all types can provide more equitable library services and support for learners through intentional, proactive, and reflective practices. In this session, participants will learn how librarians from different library types are incorporating universal design for learning into their instruction, whether in-person and/or online, to help reduce barriers and encourage learning."
Registration form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdp_str3ohUmRMYzu-g2FqiwMmnpiK-DsRa97enGoQHQNeUaA/viewform
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn leaves, October 2022

Five ways media and journalists can support climate action while tackling misinformation

A recent story on the United Nations site is: Five ways media and journalists can support climate action while tackling misinformation https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129162
The 5 ways (explained in more detail in the article) are:
1. Stop being so (overly) dramatic
2. A climate change story goes beyond (the) climate
3. Get local and think more about climate justice
4. Build trust and engagement that can combat dis/misinformation
5. Be guided by science
It also cite the UN Climate communication guidelines at https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/communicating-climate-change
Photo by Sheila Webber: oak leaves, October 2022

Call for papers: place of teaching in academic librarians' work

The Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship (CJAL) wants submissions for a special issue on the place of teaching in academic librarians' work. CJAL is open access and peer-reviewed, published by the Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians (CAPAL). Initially they are calling for abstracts of proposed papers, deadline 20 December 2022.
"Librarians teach. It might not be what we planned to do when we entered the profession, or it may have been our secret hope all along. Either way, we teach. (Oakleaf et al. 2012, 6) Teaching has become a core activity in academic libraries over the last decades, but librarians may find their teaching role to be a complicated one. Formal instruction largely began in the 1960s and 1970s as a grassroots movement led by librarians rather than library administrators or library schools (Mellon 1987), and some librarians still feel their library administrations do not understand or value their teaching.
"New librarians may still feel their education has left them unprepared for teaching. At the same time, some administrations are now creating dedicated teaching units and high-level administrative positions focused on teaching and learning, as well as providing greater support for learning to teach. Many librarians identify as teachers or educators as well as librarians, but may not consider themselves as teachers in the same way as faculty, and may not consistently define their work as teaching (Davis, Lundstrom, and Martin 2011).
"Some may feel anxious or ambiguous about the role (Lundstrom, Fagerheim, and Van Geen 2021; Mattson, Kirker, Oberlies, and Byrd 2017). We invite authors to contribute to these ongoing conversations by submitting proposals for inclusion in this special issue of CJAL. Both big picture and narrow focus on specific contexts/topics are welcome, including conceptual pieces, empirical studies, and case studies of practice. "
Proposals (maximum 800 words plus references) should be sent as email attachments to can.j.acad.lib@gmail.com by December 20, 2022.More information at https://cjal.ca/index.php/capal/announcement/view/872.
Photo by Sheila Webber: more scattered birch leaves, October 2022

PRIMO seeks information literacy tutorials

The Peer Reviewed Instructional Materials Online (PRIMO) Committee of the ACRL Instruction Section invites people to submit their "online information literacy tutorial, virtual tour, or other online library instruction project for review and possible inclusion in PRIMO: Peer-Reviewed Instructional Materials Online." The deadline for nominations is 31 October 2022. You can nominate your own work or some other site. If you get selected you are interviewed and featured on the ACRL Instruction Section website. There is more information at https://acrl.ala.org/IS/instruction-tools-resources-2/pedagogy/primo-peer-reviewed-instruction-materials-online/

Webinar: Fighting back the Infodemic: CPD opportunities and initiatives for LIS professionals #GlobalMILweek

A free webinar on 25 October 2022 at 10.00 UK time is Fighting back the Infodemic: CPD opportunities and initiatives for LIS professionals "In this webinar you will learn more about infodemic as a concept and how we went from fake news to infodemic in the last five years; about training initiatives at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the ASEAN-USAID PROSPECT in Jakarta, Indonesia. You will also hear the clarion call on the role of the librarian in advocacy and the skills needed to fight infodemic and infobesity. "
This webinar is organized by IFLA Continuing Professional Development and Workforce Learning (CPDWL) Section in support of the Global Media and Information Literacy Week (Oct 24–31). 
Register at  https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WK8l3FeYQUmRtMakzE_sbg#/registration More information at ifla.org/jD70t

Call for papers #LILAC23

The call for proposals for LILAC 2023, the UK's The Information Literacy Conference, is now open. LILAC will take place 19-21 April 2023, and is a physical conference at the University of Cambridge, UK. The deadline for proposals is 17.00 UK time 16 November 2022 (and they are strict!)
They welcome "proposals which address information literacy from all sectors and contexts. In 2023 we invite you to present on any aspect of information literacy, there are no specific themes. 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 submit: short or long presentations; workshops; panel discussions; "wildcards" (a format different from what they have suggested), and there will also be TeachMeet & poster presentations. There is a 'Writing a conference presentation abstract for LILAC 2023' workshop on Friday 14th October, 2-3pm BST (online). "This workshop will explore the different types of presentations you can submit and what proposals for these should include. We will be showing some "best practice" guidance as well as answering pre-submitted questions from attendees."
For details go to https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2023/call-for-presentations

Google Search Power Hour

An online workshop from search expert Phil Bradley on 20 October 12 noon - 13.00 UK time is Google Search Power Hour. The cost is £35.
"Are you getting as much out of Google as you possibly can? Google offers many different search options which are not automatically obvious, and if you don’t know what and where are they, you are condemned to a life of poor searching!"
"In this Zoom run online Power Hour you will learn not only the basics of constructing an effective Google search, but you’ll also have the opportunity to see the advanced search functionality that Google offers." "Why attend? At the end of the hour you will have learned how to streamline your search techniques, leading to faster and more effective results. You’ll save time when searching and you’ll be able to trust the results that you’re getting!
"What’s a Power Hour? Power Hour training is designed to give you exactly 60 minutes of high-value content. Delegates may ask questions in the chat log, and if I can answer them directly I will, but if not the questions andanswers will be addressed via email to all delegates after the session. Delegates will also receive a copy of the PowerPoint presentation used as the basis of the session. If delegates wish to record the session for their own personal use later they are welcome to do so."
Register and pay via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com/e/google-search-power-hour-tickets-412737297367 Questions to informationtrainingteam@gmail.com

Photo by Sheila Webber: birch leaves, October 2022

New articles: Information behaviour in HCI; Social networking & HIV/AIDS; Information resources in Nigerian libraries

There is a new issue of the open access journal Information Research (volume 27 issue 3). It includes:
- Harriet U. Igbo, Ijeoma J. Ibegbulam, Brendan E. Asogwa, and Nwabuisi T. Imo. Provision of digital information resources in Nigerian university libraries
- Hamid R. Jamali and Majid Nabavi. The use of information behaviour research in human-computer interactionThe use of information behaviour research in human-computer interaction
- Azam Bazrafshani, Sirous Panahi, Hamid Sharifi, and Effat Merghati-Khoei. Drivers and barriers of using online social networking technologies among people living with HIV/AIDS in Iran
- Bradley Wade Bishop and Hannah R. Collier. Fitness for use of data: scientists' heuristics of discovery and reuse behaviour framed by the FAIR Data Principles
Go to http://informationr.net/ir/27-3/infres273.html
Photo by Sheila Webber: "Lost item" series: lost plush owl, October 2022

Webinar: Being Present, Supporting Presence: Ideas for Online Teaching and Facilitation

There is a free webinar organised by the ACRL Contemplative Pedagogy Interest Group on 13 October 13 2022 at 2pm US Eastern time (which is, e.g., 7pm UK time): Being Present, Supporting Presence: Ideas for Online Teaching and Facilitation. It is presented by Rebecca French and Jody Fagan (James Madison University Libraries, USA) "Although many campuses are returning to in-person classes and meetings, plenty of libraries are still holding events online. How can you as a facilitator or teacher be more fully present when leading or teaching online? How can you support attendees' ability to be present themselves, and for all to find human-to-human connection in virtual spaces?
"This program will cover: Planning and preparation work to support your presence as a facilitator and the needs of the group, considering the learning objectives or meeting goals; Activities for opening and closing online events in a way that invites presence and connection; Practices for maintaining presence throughout the meeting or class; Challenges and potential pitfalls that can arise when opening up opportunities to be present with one another.
"Attendees can expect interaction and reflection throughout this session, as well as the opportunity to share and learn from colleagues' experiences with bringing more presence to online meetings, classes, and other gatherings. The speakers will draw from their experience in academic libraries, but content may be adaptable for other postsecondary education contexts." The zoom link is given at https://connect.ala.org/acrl/discussion/new-zoom-information-for-cpig-program-on-1013-being-present-supporting-presence-ideas-for-online-teaching-and-facilitation
Photo by Sheila Webber: autumn cosmos, September 2022

Indigenous voices informing academic information literacy

An interesting full text Masters thesis I just noticed:
Ford, J.T. (2022). Indigenous voices informing academic information literacy: critical discourses, relationality, and indigeneity for the good of the whole. (MLIS thesis) University of Hawai'i at Manoa.
Abstract "Instructional librarianship in public post-secondary institutions requires that librarians be responsive to a diversity of paradigms and student needs, including Indigenous contexts. Although constrained by institutional infrastructures, Indigenous research methodologies and epistemologies provide frameworks for Indigenous librarians and students to practice and support inquiry in ways that are responsive to their culturally-specific needs. Currently, research in the field of library and information science about how Indigenous research methodologies and epistemologies can support academic librarianship is limited, especially concerning how Indigenous voices can inform information literacy as a whole. For this study, 4 Indigenous LIS and academic professionals and an Apache-Comanche Elder were interviewed. These semi-structured interviews were then analyzed to better understand how Indigenous voices can inform information literacy in the public academy. Responses were coded using thematic analysis. Results demonstrate that Indigenous voices can inform information literacy in consideration of relevancy, value neutrality, positionality, through being critical of hegemonic infrastructures including technology, prioritizing native voices, braiding knowledge systems, and centering relationality. These results hold implications for strategic planning, curriculum development, and informing social paradigms that support Indigenous people in post-secondary education while addressing issues in modernity for the good of the whole."
https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/6f65acc4-e195-44e2-92cc-68f81671c2f1/content
Photo by Sheila Webber: the first apples picked from my tree (red devils), September 2022

Call for papers: Library and information studies in the climate crisis

There is a call from the  Nordic Journal of Library and Information Studies (NJLIS), for articles on the theme of Library and information studies in the climate crisis. The deadline for full papers is 28 February, 2023.
"As people and institutions struggle to make sense of new ecological realities, LIS scholars can make an important contribution to addressing these ongoing crises by contributing to a conceptually informed understanding of how people in different roles and various social actors create, engage with, make sense of, implement or reject environmental information. What kind of environmental information practices are prevalent among different social groups and why? How do people interact with information with regards to climate-related issues? How do libraries as institutions transform their practices in the wake of the climate crisis? To what extent can we speak of emerging environmental literacies? What is the role of search engines in highlighting environment-related search queries?" There are a lot of suggested themes including: Search engines and environmental information;  Environmental information practices; Environmental literacy; The role of algorithmic platforms in shaping environmental information;  Information avoidance and climate chang.
For more information go to https://tidsskrift.dk/njlis/announcement/view/1020
Photo by Sheila Webber: squirrel in search of autumn nuts, September 2022

#aWomansWork photos

The Centre for Ageing Better has added new images to its age-friendly free-to-use image database. These new photos are images of older women at work. You will see they are in a variety of work situations and have various body types etc. The Centre publicised this by encouraging older women to tweet a photo of themselves at work with the hashtag #awomanswork [I think drawing on the motto "A woman's work is never done"] so I have illustrated this post with the picture I tweeted (taken by me) rather than one of theirs. 

I do use their image database already, and I encourage others to do this as well. When you search on "older person" on general-purpose free image databases, you tend to come up with either the awful wrinkly-hand images or impossibly aspirational pictures. Part of media and information literacy is being aware of the impact these images have on the people concerned.

The database is at  https://ageing-better.org.uk/news/image-library-contributions-invisible-older-women-work

#LISPedagogyChat

The schedule for the next LIS Pedagogy sessions is available. "LIS Pedagogy Chat is a community of practice for faculty and practitioners who teach in library and information science." These online sessions are on Fridays at 2pm US Eastern time (which is normally 7pm UK time - exceptions are when the clocks go back/forward at different times in the USA and other countries)
The next webinar is on 7 October 2022, Teaching Source Evaluation with the ACT UP Method, led by Dawn Stahura (Simmons University) "The ACT UP model combines source evaluation with grassroots activism. We’ll chat about using this model with students and how it opens up opportunities for conversations about information, privilege, and critical approaches to information."
Future sessions are on: Preparing Students to be Intellectual Freedom and Information Policy Advocates; Connecting the Classroom to the Real World: Pedagogical Approaches to Prepare New Archivists; The Emotional Labor of Teaching.
To register (free) and to access the archives (slides and discussion notes from previous sessions) go to https://www.lispedagogychat.org/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Feast for squirrels, September 2022