Alfabetización informacional y la integridad académica

There is a recording of the online conference that took place earlier this month on Alfabetización informacional y la integridad académica [Information Literacy and academic integrity]
- Dr. Serap Kurbanoglu (Information Science department, Hacettepe, Turkey) spoke (in English) on Disinformation literacy: is it time to reconfigure IL instruction?
- Dr. Jesús Lau (Profesor/investigador, Universidad Veracruzana, México) spoke (in Spanish) on Plagio, info-habilidades y integridad académica [Plagiarism, info-skills and academic integrity]
- Camilo Ayala Ochoa (Jefe del Departamento de Contenidos Electrónicos y Proyectos Especiales, Dirección General de Publicaciones y Fomento Editorial, UNAM, México) spoke (in Spanish) on Alfabetismos aumentados y editores disminuidos [Augmented literacy and diminished editors]
- Dr. Estela Morales Campos (Investigadora del Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliotecológicas y de la Información, UNAM, México) spoke on (in Spanish) Informacion, etica y el binomio biblioteca-escuela [Information, ethics and the library-school binomial - I think this was about how the library could also be a school, rather than about "library schools"]
- Dr. Daniel Márquez Gómez (Director General de Estudios de Legislación Universitaria, UNAM, México) also spoke. Recording (5 hours, though it does include a break) is at https://www.facebook.com/100064816655687/videos/965214094465015 reports in Spanish here and here
Photo by Sheila Webber: freesias at the market, February 2023

Webinar recording: Teaching and Assessment of Metacognition

The recording for the Carterette Series Webinar Teaching and Assessment of Metacognition presented by Erin McCoy (Coordinator of Library Services at Massasoit Community College in Brockton, Massachusetts, USA) on 15 February 2023 is available at https://gla.georgialibraries.org/carterette-series-webinars-archives/ - or directly at https://vimeo.com/799228588 "This presentation is the result of a research inquiry examining the relationship between metacognition and information literacy." It discussed "how the concept of metacognition intersects with information literacy, why making that connection explicit is essential to the library’s mission, and how we as librarians can incorporate specific metacognitive strategies into the library classroom"

Webinar: Promoting Equity in Information Literacy Instruction Through Universal Design for Learning

Organised by the Georgia Library Association and Carterette on 29 March 2023 at 14.00 US Eastern time (which is e.g. 19.00 UK time) there is a free webinar: Promoting Equity in Information Literacy Instruction Through Universal Design for Learning.
"To make information literacy instruction accessible to our users, it is important to practice inclusive and equitable pedagogy wherever possible. One effective and manageable way is by incorporating the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) into one-shots, learning objects, asynchronous instruction, embedded instruction, general presentation skills, and more. UDL helps account for visible and invisible disabilities, neurodiversity, preferred learning modalities, and different communication styles to provide equitable access to information in any learning environment. This webinar will outline the principles of UDL and demonstrate how to translate them into tangible options for equitable information literacy instruction in a variety of modalities." Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oSKzt6UFQXaNJPSFfyyAAg
Photo by Sheila Webber: tulips at the market, February 2023

Research methods in information behaviour

Priced journal Library & Information Science Research (Volume 45, Issue 1, 2023) has a special issue focusing on research methods in information behaviour. It includes:
- A methodological framework for studying visual information practices Zack Lischer-Katz
- Toward community-engaged information behavior research: A methodological framework Jia Tina Du, Clara M. Chu
- Documenting the fun: Studying artistic information-creating behavior using research diaries Lo Lee, Melissa G. Ocepek
- The hidden, manipulated, and secret information world of gambling addiction: Maximizing use of in-depth, narrative interviews to understand social impact Crystal Fulton
- What is next for information world mapping? International and multidisciplinary approaches to understanding information behaviors/practices in context Vanessa L. Kitzie, Tien-I Tsai, Konstantina Martzoukou, Millicent N. Mabi, Devon Greyson
- Thinking like a bricoleur: New forms of rigor in research on information experience Martin I. Nord
- Companion animal representation and voice in information behavior research Niloofar Solhjoo, Anne Goulding, Maja Krtalić
- Examining nonsuicidal self-injury content creation on TikTok through qualitative content analysis Valerie Lookingbill
- Hiker on trail: Information practices in the wild. A mixed methods approach to investigate real-time mobile technology use by long-distance backpackers Perla Innocenti, Ed Hyatt, Morgan Harvey
Go to https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/library-and-information-science-research/special-issue/10JPQNXKN72
Photo by Sheila Webber: catkins, February 2023

Internet for Trust #InternetForTrust #MILclicks

Today is the third day of the UNESCO Internet for Trust conference. It is streaming at the moment here http://webcast.unesco.org/events/2023-02-IFT/# (select 23rd February, and the language).
This page https://www.unesco.org/en/internet-conference has the draft guidelines that are open for comment until 8 March 2023, and the conference programme.
The opening session was recorded here in English, here in French and here in Spanish. This page has campaign materials for Internet for Trust (visuals, a few videos etc.) https://trello.com/b/TvhyxTvH/internet-for-trust and this is one of the campaign videos

https://www.youtube.com/@UNESCO

Call for proposals: #QQML2023

The call for proposals has been extended to 28 February 2023 for the QQML2023 (15th Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries International Conference) to be held in hybrid form, online and in Heraklion, Crete, Greece 30 May -3 June 2023. The conference theme is Library as a promoter of democracy and active citizenship. You can submit Special and Contributed Sessions, Oral Papers, Best Practices, Workshops or Posters see http://www.qqml.org/description-of-the-contribution/
The invited Speakers are: Jeffrey JK Kelly; Professor Heidi Julien; Qianxiu Liu; Professor Nikos Panagiotou; Mark Pompelia.
"The target group and the audience are library professionals in a more general sense: professors, researchers, students, administrators, stakeholders, technologists, museum scientists, archivists, decision makers and managers, information scientists, librarians, records managers, web developers, IT specialists, taxonomists, statisticians, marketing managers, philologist, subject and reference librarians et al."
More details (of subthemes, contribution types etc.) at http://www.qqml.org/call-of-proposals/
Photo by Sheila Webber: tulips, February 2023

The national searching guidance @NHSKFH

A very useful document is The national searching guidance, which has been updated this month (February 2023) and is scheduled to be reviewed regularly. It is produced by library and knowledge workers in the UK's National Health Service (NHS). 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 (since it is "intended for Knowledge and Library Services (KLS) staff tasked with searching the evidence on behalf of NHS staff.") 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. They follow the same structure of planning-execution-results. Some types of search (e.g. Evidence Searching for Commissioning) are specific to the NHS, but others (e.g. Evidence Searching for Coursework/Study or Evidence Searching for a Business Case) provide a useful framework for other subject areas/sectors as well.
The planning-execution-results format is very useful, for example, in the Evidence Searching for Patient Information: Creating Information Resources for Patients section, where the Results section includes links to good-quality guidance on how to write for non-specialists. Go to  https://sites.google.com/site/healthliteraturesearchers/the-national-searching-guidance
This document is embedded in the Searching and Training Forums Wiki, again maintained by library and information professionals in the NHS which has other useful sections e.g. to do with search tools. https://sites.google.com/site/healthliteraturesearchers/Home
Photo by Sheila Webber: street trees at dusk, February 2023

Webinar: Information Literacy barriers, enablers and measuring tools for Higher Education

The CILIP Information Literacy Group (ILG) has organised a webinar on 21 February 2023 at 12.00 noon UK time (GMT) (tomorrow!, sorry, only just spotted it) Information Literacy barriers, enablers and measuring tools for Higher Education
"In this webinar, Ellen Nierenberg, Librarian at Inland Norway University is planning to discuss various barriers and enablers to IL development and to recommend practices for librarians and other educators. She will share some of her PhD-research results on the development of students as information literate individuals in higher education and present the tools she devised to measure this. "
Cost is: CILIP ILG members £3.00; Non members £5.00; Recording only £1.50 Book at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/information-literacy-barriers-enablers-and-measuring-tools-for-he-tickets-516714967377

Call for proposals: 10th Annual Virtual LILi (Lifelong Information Literacy) Conference

There is a call for proposals for the 10th Annual Virtual LILi (Lifelong Information Literacy) Conference which will be held 27 July 2023, 12:30 - 15:30 US Pacific time (PDT) and 28 July 2023 9:30 - 13:30 US Pacific time. Proposal Deadline is 1 April 2023 and the conference theme is Small Victories in Information Literacy! The conference is online.
"LILi (Lifelong Information Literacy) is accepting proposals for lightning talks, presentations, and poster sessions relating to this year’s virtual conference theme, Small Victories in Information Literacy! We are celebrating small victories in information literacy that others can adapt or model. We recognize that not all wins are on a grand scale and not everyone is in a position to change a program completely or start something big. Small scale victories (and even failures!) can offer clues and data to support new or even updated initiatives. And, upon reflection some of our greatest successes arise from a series of small experiments and victories!"
For the full call and ideas for proposals go here https://lili.libguides.com/lili2023
and there is an FAQ here https://lili.libguides.com/lili2023/faq
Proposals must include a title, abstract of up to 300 words, and 1-3 main learning objectives/takeaways for the audience. Presenters must also agree that sessions will be recorded and publicly posted online following the conference.
Submit proposals here https://tinyurl.com/yfvxvhvn For questions, contact Esther Grassian, esthergrassian@gmail.com, or April Sheppard, asheppard@astate.edu

Making Sense of Media’s Evaluation Toolkit

Ofcom's media literacy effort (Badged as Making Sense of Media) has commissioned and launched a guide to evaluating media literacy initiatives: a guide which can also be useful for evaluation of information literacy teaching and projects. This is Making Sense of Media’s Evaluation Toolkit "a series of how-to guides for planning and carrying out an evaluation of a media literacy intervention."
Accompanying the main document are: a glossary; an evaluation framework template; some "Top tips: Interviews and focus groups" and "Top tips: Surveys and quizzes"; as well as an annotated list of media literacy research articles and reports (2019-to date) and list of "Media literacy initiatives". What is lacking is reference to ML/IL initiatives from libraries, and I assume that they will welcome further suggestions.
Go to https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/media-literacy-research/approach/evaluate/toolkit

Photo by Sheila Webber: winter fare at the farmers' market, February 2023

New Articles: Improv; Misinformation; Pedagogical approaches

The latest issue of LOEX Quarterly (vol. 48 issue 4, 2022) includes the following. You have to be a LOEX member to access the articles (though it may be worth contacting the authors): - Perceived Authority, Real Consequences: Research-Informed Practices to Teaching Students about Authority & Misinformation by Camille Abdeljawad https://commons.emich.edu/loexquarterly/vol48/iss4/3/ (there is a paragraph about this work in this LOEX conference report) and their presentation is here - Pedagogical Approaches to Undergraduate Research Experiences in LIS by Hailley M. Fargo and Rosalinda Hernandez Linares-Gray https://commons.emich.edu/loexquarterly/vol48/iss4/4/ - Yes-And/Or/Not: Information Literacy and Instruction Through an Improvisational Lens by Jay A. Edwards. https://commons.emich.edu/loexquarterly/vol48/iss4/5/ The presentation from the LOEX conference is here (Thanks to Esther Grassian for alerting me)
Photo by Sheila Webber, taken in the 3D VW Second Life, February 2023

Information literacy impact framework

Last year a report on a literature review and analysis by Dr Peter Cruickshank, Dr Bruce Ryan, and Marina Milosheva (Edinburgh Napier University, Scotland) was published: Information literacy impact framework. The report describes their search approach and the information they extracted from the research papers that they selected. The general lessons they drew from it were that components of impactful IL interventions are: evaluation should be around effectiveness and outcomes; choice of clear frameworks and structures to measure impact; ensuring integration and relevance of the intervention; collaboration between stakeholders; design of content and delivery methods; repetition and follow-up; management buy-in and budget. The report is here: https://infolit.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/IL-impact-framework-final-report.pdf

For some reason missed from this report is a substantial report by my colleague Dr Pam McKinney:
McKinney, P. (2014). Information literacy and inquiry-based learning: Evaluation of a five-year programme of curriculum development. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 46(2), 148-166. (Open access copy at https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/78126/) "This paper reports on the evaluation of a selection of curriculum development projects undertaken at a UK University that implemented inquiry-based learning and information literacy development. Data was collected using a “Theory of Change” evaluation methodology and analysed using a qualitative thematic approach. It was found that educators need to make explicit to students the need to develop information literacy to support their inquiries, and that dedicated approaches to facilitation from peers, librarians and academics are helpful when designing inquiry-based learning."
Photo by Sheila Webber: winter sky, December 2022

Addition to Ageing Better photo library

The Centre for Ageing Better has collaborated with Independent Age to add about 700 photos to its database of Age-Friendly images, that are free to use. "The new photos illustrate the experiences of people who are often underrepresented – those who live on low incomes, identify as LGBTQ+ or are aged 70 and above. ... This project hopes to both amplify participants’ voices and increase the visibility of the underrepresented communities involved." https://ageing-better.org.uk/diversifying-ageing-fresh-perspectives-image-library

Photo: Caminada, A. (2022). Women socialising. https://ageingbetter.resourcespace.com/?r=14120&k=08a1de8880 CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0)

Courses: Techniques for student engagement; Librarians as OER & textbook leaders

Online courses from Library Juice Academy starting in March:
Librarians as OER [Open Educational Resource] & Textbook Affordability Leaders. Cost US $200.00, Runs March 6 - April 2 2023. Course leader: Colleen Sanders . "By the end of this course, you will be able to: Consider your library’s current and potential roles in institutional course materials delivery systems and policies; Critically examine the current landscape of commercial textbook affordability strategies, including bookstore outsourcing, inclusive access, and OER-based products; Explore how values of access, equity, academic freedom, and student data privacy intersect with course materials delivery systems and policies; Develop advocacy strategies that advance learner-centric academic freedom in OER & textbook affordability efforts" https://libraryjuiceacademy.com/shop/course/314-librarians-as-oer-textbook-affordability-leaders/

Techniques for Student Engagement in Library Instruction. Cost US $200.00, Runs March 6 - April 2 2023. Course leader: Kristin Ziska Strange. "In this workshop we will examine a variety of student engagement techniques, focusing on Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning, problem solving, and metacognition. Over the course of four weeks we will examine up to 10 of these techniques and how they can be applied in traditional, blended, and online classes." https://libraryjuiceacademy.com/shop/course/078-techniques-student-engagement-library-instruction/
Photo by Sheila Webber: produce from the farmers' market (there are apples in the bag), January 2023

Information literacy/ confirmation bias

A blog post on the UK academic/scholarship blog The Conversation, authored by a political science Professor based in Canada, identifies the need for information literacy:
Wittebols, J. (2023, January 15). Information literacy courses can help students tackle confirmation bias and misinformation [blog post]. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/information-literacy-courses-can-help-students-tackle-confirmation-bias-and-misinformation-197489
Also some interesting discussion in the comments

Deadline extended for submissions: #ECIL2023

The deadline for the European Conference on Information Literacy 2023 has been extended to 15 February 20123 (from the original of 1st February) so there are still a few days to get in your proposals! The call for papers is here https://ecil2023.ilconf.org/

LILAC programme available

 The draft programme is now available for the LILAC conference, which takes place in Cambridge, UK, 19-21 April 2023 at https://www.lilacconference.com/lilac-2023/conference-programme

I will definitely be there on the Thursday, since I am taking part in a panel, Information Literacy as a Practice for Survival, together with FOIL (Forum on Information Literacy) colleagues Andrew Whitworth, Pam Mckinney, Alison Hicks and Geoff Walton.
I will also highlight some other contributions from University of Sheffield colleagues and graduates:
Delphine Doucet who presents findings from her MA LISM dissertation on Authority of knowledge: historians on Wikipedia in higher education;
Pam McKinney, Corin Peacock and Andrew Cox present on The information literacy practices of LGBTQ+ students’ self-tracking: attitudes to data collection, data privacy and data sharing; and
Laura Woods presents some early insights from her current PhD studies Reading between the lines: Information literacy in engineering education standards

International standards for information literacy

An article in the latest issue of Liber Quarterly is:
Sanches, T., Antunes, M. L., & Lopes, C. (2022). International standards for information literacy: the inspiration for national practices. LIBER Quarterly: The Journal of the Association of European Research Libraries, 32(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.53377/lq.11131
It includes a perspective on IL development, and has a table drawing out specific features of various information literacy frameworks (from the ACRL Standards (2000) to the ACRL Frameowork (2016). Their discussion leads on to presentation of the Portuguese Recommendations for Academic Libraries (2020–2022) which have 4 dimensions
- "Teaching and learning support, specifically in the promotion of IL skills and in fostering digital fluency and user empowerment.
- "Research and scientific publication support, especially in the context of Open Science.
-"Professional and organisational development places the librarian at the centre of the process and the institutions as synergy aggregators for continuous improvement actions.
- "Design and provision of services and partnerships that facilitate and enhance the creation of networks for cultural expression, including the preservation and dissemination of documentary heritage"
Photo by Sheila Webber: Aberystwyth beach, again, January 2023

The Joy of Information

Library Trends (Volume 70, Number 4: priced publication) has a special issue on the Joy of Information.It includes haiku composed by information science students and these are some of the articles:
- Love Is a Lens: Locating Love in Library and Information Studies by Mary Greenshields, Sarah  Polkinghorne
- Finding Joy in Uncertainty by Amanda S. Hovious
- A Return to the Stone Age: Rock Art as Joyful Information Practice during COVID-19 by Bonnie J. Tulloch
- Aftercare, Not an Afterthought: Providing Access to Records to Adults Formerly in Care by Camille Moret, Abigail Wallace
- Pleasure and the Practice of Classification by Amanda Belantara, Emily Drabinski
- Taking Flight with Document Diffraction by Alex Urban
- PLATO Lessons: Rediscovering the Joy of Information in an Innovation Age by Paul F. Marty
- Manifestations of Joy of Information in Everyday Information Behavior Research by Reijo Savolainen
It is badged as "Spring 2022" but is the latest issue. Go to https://muse.jhu.edu/issue/49935
Photo by Sheila Webber: joyful rocks and shingle on Aberystwyth beach, January 2023

Microsoft and information literacy

Last month, there was a post on the Microsoft site:
Badanes, G. (2023, January 25). In the digital age, democracy depends on information literacy [blog post]. https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2023/01/25/information-literacy-national-news-literacy-week/
As you can see from the URL, it was commemorating news literacy week, but I found it interesting that they badged it as "Information literacy", although the examples they give are mostly focused on misinformation and media literacy.
It was authored by someone from their Democracy Forward inititiative, which as you can guess from the title is particularly focused on combatting misinformation that could undermine the democratic process. Of course the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation has been a strong supporter of libraries.
Photo by Sheila Webber: on Aberystwyth beach, January 2023

Connected and Critical Methodologies

It's not too late to join the Connected and Critical Methodologies NOOC (Niche Open Online Course) offered free by the project Erasmus + European network in D-flexible teaching (ENID-Teach). It started on 19 January and lasts a month. "The main goal of this project is to provide digital training to university lecturers around online teaching and engage them in building a distributed yet cohesive cooperation network for the exchange of good practices and digital transformation...... Learning goals: To train participants in the interpersonal and critical use of digital tools and social networks in educational scenarios; To master connected learning, connectivism, with a focus on hyperconnection, networking and collaboration; To appropriate methodologies for implementing connected and critical learning online and/or in class based on criteria for universal accessibility and design learning; To explore the uses and practices of technology in education in collaboration with colleagues, learners and educational engineers and other stakeholders; To develop critical and reflective thinking through the exploration of existing practices and the construction of individual and collaborative projects." It is in French and English.
Go to https://hub8.eco-learning.eu/course/connected-and-critical-learning-it01/
Photo by Sheila Webber@: Aberystwyth beach again, January 2023

Webinar: Copyright Law and AI

The next Copyright webinar is Literacy Copyright Law and AI on 10 February 2023 at 11.00 UK time (GMT), where the expert guest is Margaritha Windisch " Her current research projects are related to copyrights and Artificial Intelligence, where she explores, among others, the question of authorship for AI-generated artworks." (I have seen discussions on library fora about how to cite AI-authored work, and journals have started to make statements about how AI collaboration should be acknowledged). You can find more information and the link to Blackboard Collaborate (not registration needed) here https://copyrightliteracy.org/2023/02/01/webinar-58-copyright-law-and-ai/.

Picture by Sheila Webber/Midjourney with the prompt copyright literacy intellectual property primary colours

New articles: Embedded libriarians; Academic integrity; Teaching competencies; Online IL

From the last 2 issues of priced journal portal: Libraries and the Academy
- Hammons, J. (2023). A Profile of Teaching and Learning Departments in ARL Libraries. portal: Libraries and the Academy 23(1), 111-144. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2023.0001
- Ferguson, J.S. (2023). Flipping the (COVID-19) Classroom: Redesigning a First-Year Information Literacy Program during a Pandemic. portal: Libraries and the Academy 23(1), 145-168. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2023.0002
- Miyaoka, M., Toolsidass, R., & Magee, M. (2023). Embedded Librarians and Scaffolding for Remote Learning. portal: Libraries and the Academy 23(1), 169-195. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2023.0010
- Daines, J.G., III, Kopp, M.G., & Skeem, D.M. (2022). Bridging the Gap: Competencies for Teaching with Primary Sources. portal: Libraries and the Academy 22(4), 855-878. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2022.0045
- Ma, L.F.H., Horban, Y., & Skachenko, O. (2022). Enhancing Academic Integrity in Academic Libraries: The Experience in Hong Kong and Ukraine. portal: Libraries and the Academy 22(4), 797-810. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2022.0042

Photo by Sheila Webber: Fresh produce, January 2023

#UKMedLibs chat

The next tweet chat at #UKMedLibs https://twitter.com/UKMedLibs is on 21 February 2023 at 12.30-13.30 UK time (GMT) and the topic is grey literature. Look out for further details at https://ukmedlibs.wordpress.com/

Webinar: Video Games in Scotland: Risks, Opportunities & Myths

Today 30 January at 13.15 UK time (sorry for the late announcement!) there is a free webinar: Careers/Skills Talk: Video Games in Scotland: Risks, Opportunities & Myths. This talk is offered as part of the project 'Maddie is Online': A creative path to the Ethics of online Safety and Security for young people'
Dr Matthew Barr, Senior Lecturer & Programme Director at University of Glasgow, will highlight the relationships between video games and mental health, video games and violence, and online games and gambling. Dr. Barr recently published a case study on Video Games in Scotland in a new report published by the Scottish Government on ‘’ Building Trust in the Digital Era
Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/careersskills-talk-video-games-in-scotland-risks-opportunities-myths-tickets-522543380317 A recording will be provided to all registered participants.
Maddie is Online "is a project funded by the Scottish Government and supported by Digital Xtra Fund. Our purpose is to engage schools with the concepts of an Ethical Digital Nation: 'Growing as an ethical digital nation and developing trust in the way we use data and apply digital technology is a collective responsibility' (Scottish Government Ethical Digital Nation). ”

Call for Chapters: Critical Information Literacy Applications in Libraries

There is a call for chapters for a book to be published by the American Library Association; working title Critical Information Literacy Applications in Libraries. It will be edited by Lauren S. Kehoe (Accessibility & Accommodations Librarian, New York University, USA) and Julie N. Hornick (Senior Instructional Services Librarian, Florida Southern College, USA).
Proposals (maximum 300 words) must be submitted by 10 March 2023. Questions to CILApplicationsInLibraries@gmail.com
The submission form, which has more information, is here: https://forms.gle/94RCjN58hHoSCb7A8
"Critical information literacy asks that librarians work with learners to question and challenge the oppressive systems behind the creation, production, and dissemination of information. This difficult work is happening across all types of libraries, and encompasses (among other topics) questions of neutrality in the resources libraries provide, the algorithms that provide search results, the voices that are absent or present from our collections, and the accessibility of those resources.
This edited book will focus on Critical Information Literacy applications for academic, public, school, and special libraries and was inspired by the LIRT President’s Program of the same name at ALA Annual in June, 2022 (see pps. 5-6 of this PDF: https://www.ala.org/rt/sites/ala.org.rt/files/content/archive/2022sep.pdf)"
Photo by Sheila Webber: Aberystwyth sky, January 2023

Large Language Models like ChatGPT say The Darnedest Things

As the threats and opportunities of ChatGPT are being discussed, here is a blog post on the ACM website, highlighting types of mistake (e.g. in arithmetic) made by ChatGTP https://cacm.acm.org/blogs/blog-cacm/268575-large-language-models-like-chatgpt-say-the-darnedest-things/fulltext. In this post they mention a database they are compiling (ChatGPT/LLM Errors Tracker) of the prompts and erroneous responses that people have got from ChatGPT, which can be found at https://researchrabbit.typeform.com/llmerrors?typeform-source=garymarcus.substack.com

Photo by Midjourney/Sheila Webber, created with the prompt mistakes errors sadness computers chatgpt

Teaching Critical Reading Skills: Strategies for Academic Librarians

A new book from ACRL is: Teaching Critical Reading Skills: Strategies for Academic Librarians, edited by Hannah Gascho Rempel and Rachel Hamelers. It is a 2-Volume set: Volume 1 consists of Reading in the Disciplines and Reading for Specific Populations. Volume 2 has main sections: Reading Beyond Scholarly Texts; Reading to Evaluate; and Reading in the World.
It costs US $120.00 (ALA Member $108.00) and its ISBN is 978-0-8389-3961-1
More information here https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/teaching-critical-reading-skills-strategies-academic-librarians-2-volume-set
Photo by Sheila Webber: Aberystwyth, January 2023

Basic Introduction to using lego

A priced online course from library game expert Andrew Walsh is Basic Introduction to using Lego in Adult Teaching/ Support on 20 February 2023, 13.00-16.30 GMT (UK time), cost is £75 a person (including Lego - you get to keep the lego!).
"We will introduce briefly the concept of Lego® Serious Play® (LSP) and carry out some exercises based upon it, from warm-ups to some more involved builds . We'll talk about the equipment you need to take this approach and where you might source it from. It isn't an in-depth, "everything you ever need to know" workshop - it's a quick introduction to some practical basics of the approach."
Bookings will close either when the course is full (only 10 remaining at time of writing!), or a week before the workshop.
Register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/basic-introduction-to-using-lego-in-adult-teaching-support-tickets-523489931477

Photo by Sheila Webber: box of serious lego, 2018

Webinars: Slido; ChatGP

Upcoming LiLi Lifelong Information Literacy webinars in the free Show and Tell series. Homepage at https://lili.libguides.com/showandtell/home
- Using Slido to Engage & Entertain: Getting Students Involved During One-Shot Sessions. 8 February 2023, 10.00-11.00 US Pacific time (which is e.g. 18.00-19.00 UK time) Presenter: Kristin Peace. "Slido is an easy-to-implement, easy-to-use interactive tool for Google Slides presentations which can be especially impactful during one-shot library instruction classes. In this presentation, we’ll review how to incorporate Slido.com into your in-person and online classes plus share ideas on how to use the tool to engage students during the one-shot." Registration will open January 25
- Using ChatGPT to Engage in Library Instruction? Challenges and Opportunities. 22 February 2023, 10.00-11.00 US Pacific time (which is e.g. 18.00-19.00 UK time). Presenter: Ray Pun. "Arriving in November 2022, ChatGPT is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot that has emerged as a tool to create stories, essays, lists, questions, and more on almost any topic. Its impact on learning and society as a whole is still unclear but at this moment, more and more schools are banning the use of ChatGPT. This Free Show & Tell Webinar will look at ChatGPT and how this tool may be aligned to support library instruction. The session will also be an open discussion on how we can mitigate its deleterious effects on learning. (Please note: this description was not created by ChatGPT.)" Registration will open February 8

Call for proposals: Distance and Online Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session

The ACRL Distance and Online Learning Section Instruction Committee (DOLS-IC) invites proposal to the fifth annual Distance and Online Library Instruction Virtual Poster Session, taking place free online 24-28 April 2023. Proposals are due 31 January 2023. "The term "poster" is used very loosely. The intent is to keep the spirit of the traditional poster session while allowing for creativity in the format used. As in traditional poster sessions, virtual presenters will create short, asynchronous presentations of their work and be available to answer questions during the week of the poster session. While an image or PDF that matches the traditional poster format is welcome, the sky's the limit! Interactive and multimedia formats that are accessible are especially encouraged.... During the poster session week, presenters will asynchronously engage with attendees throughout the week. Viewers can ask questions about your work through commenting functionality and engage in conversation with you about your topic. After the poster session week has concluded, the posters will be archived on the DOLS website so that they can continue to be viewed indefinitely."
Themes are:
- Accessibility and Inclusivity: How do you ensure that your online courses and learning objects are accessible for all? How do you intentionally create inclusive online spaces and content for diverse audiences?
- Assessment: How do you assess your online instruction (including qualitative and affective assessment)? - Creative Approaches: How have you used creativity in your design, collaboration, or engagement strategies within online library instruction?
- Instructional Collaborations: How do you effectively build relationships and collaborate with faculty, instructional designers, and others to instruct distance and online students?
- Project Planning & Management: How do you efficiently manage the "behind the scenes" work of planning, developing, reviewing, and updating online courses and learning objects?
Full details are here. Poster guidelines are here https://docs.google.com/document/d/1a0Ua7SfEzYhYpwkGuDy5k47aR63XbXW5wKSx360Z9aw/preview and the submission form is here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8GG3pYqX6rztTRep58u2SMXPiBj3H4oM4a6ee8T879kynIQ/viewform

Photo by Sheila Webber: Flowers at the farmers market, September 2023

Ross Todd Award for research: Vote now!

The Journal of Information Literacy is offering the Ross Todd Award for Research. There are two awards; one for Best Research Paper, published in the Journal of Information Literacy, 2021-2022, and one for Best Project Report, published in the Journal of Information Literacy, 2021-2022. "These awards will be informed by a public vote, and the final decision will be made by a panel from the Journal of Information Literacy Editorial Board. The award results will be announced at LILAC and awardees will receive a certificate outlining their achievement."
The award commemorates the information literacy expert Ross Todd
There is a link to the papers here https://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/JIL/issue/archive
You should vote for one research paper and one project report by 2 March 2023: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=_oivH5ipW0yTySEKEdmlwpBcfAuEFn9Ovup1JJpeZOJURFVLODRHUjhZSkFJRzU4V1MzN0EyUEY4Ny4u 

Webinar: IFLA School Library Guidelines; Best Practices of Teacher-Librarians in France

The next in the series of webinars High-Performing Schools with Effective School Libraries (organised by IFLA Division F with speakers from different countries) is IFLA School Library Guidelines; Best Practices of Teacher-Librarians in France on 4 February 2023 10.30-11.30 (CET - that is e.g. 9.30-10.30 UK time, 16.30-17.30 HKT). The speaker is Valarie Glass (IFLA Chair of School Library Section, France) "The webinars are tailored-made for those who are interested in programs, services, collection development, and management of school libraries for building high-performing schools. The event aims to prompt thinking on how those who work in school libraries might integrate IFLA guidelines and standards into their work to enhance students’ learning outcomes. It should also suit anyone who would like to learn more about the relationship between international guidelines and running effective school libraries for high-performing schools."
Registration at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6XPiUVCGTi6g8IGOepF-9gPhoto by Sheila Webber: lake in the park, Lyon, France, August 2014

Call for proposals: Library Instruction Together

The Library Instruction Together (formerly Library Instruction Tennessee) will be held in person on 19 May 2023 at Nashville Public Library, USA, and on 24 May 2023 online. The theme is better together. There is a proposal submission form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIskxg5cRGXlsQbqzX37ZiMuA2A0EyTmPvI-Fr9N2WhzqV-w/viewform and the website at https://libraryinstructiontogether.org/

Webinars: AI search engines; Librarian's guide to TikTok; Google search

AI search engines – a Power Hour with Phil Bradley is on 27 January 2023. Cost £35
"AI has exploded in the last month and it will have a huge impact on the way in which information professionals work. In this Power Hour you will learn about the latest developments in AI and how it's being used with search engines to improve the accuracy and relevance of search results. You will also learn about the key challenges and ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI with search, and how this can be addressed. This course will get you up to speed on AI and ensure you can stay ahead of the curve."
More info and registration https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-search-engines-a-power-hour-with-phil-bradley-tickets-501850286717 

A librarian’s guide to TikTok – a Power Hour with Phil Bradley on 16 February 2023. Cost £35
"TikTok is swiftly supplanting Facebook as the social media network to use. This Power Hour will address many of the questions you may have regarding it. By the end of the session, you will have learned: • What is TikTok? • Who uses it (demographics, usage and growth statistics) • How it is used • How authors, publishers and libraries are using TikTok Please note; this is not a 'how to create TikTok content" but an overview of the platform"
More info and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/librarians-guide-to-tiktok-a-power-hour-with-phil-bradley-tickets-501875602437 

Google search – a Power Hour with Phil Bradley 21 February 2023. Cost £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 search results and hours of wasted time!"
More info and registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/librarians-guide-to-tiktok-a-power-hour-with-phil-bradley-tickets-50187560243

Illustrated by images from Midjourney, from the prompt ai bot search engine searching information powerful librarian time - you will notice that there was no mention of "book" in the prompt, but - the librarian/library stereotype is alive and well and perpetuated by AI

LILAC student bursaries and IL award

Applications for LILAC’s Information Literacy Award and Student Award are now open. Closing date for both awards is 17 February 2023, 17.00 GMT (UK time).  

Information Literacy Award. This award is sponsored by the CILIP Information Literacy Group and the Information School, University of Sheffield. It is "for achievement in the field of information literacy (IL), 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 and we welcome nominations for individuals as well as for groups/teams."
More info at https://www.lilacconference.com/awards/information-literacy-award 

Rowena Macrae-Gibson Student Award. "The Rowena Macrae-Gibson Student Award provides a sponsored place at LILAC for two students registered on a UK study programme. The award includes a full conference place, including social events, and UK travel and accommodation expenses up to the value of £225. It is not essential that applicants are current members of CILIP or its Information Literacy Group."
More info at https://www.lilacconference.com/awards/student-sponsored-places

Webinar: Changing Roles: Impacting Student Achievement through Faculty Development

There is a free online webinar: Changing Roles: Impacting Student Achievement through Faculty Development, on 27 February 2023 at 13.00 US CT (whiich is, eg., 19.00 UK time). It is organised by the ACRL ULS Professional Development Committee and presented by Jane Hammons, Amanda Folk, Michael Flierl.
"Faculty development provides librarians the opportunity to use our considerable expertise to develop scalable and sustainable programs that support teaching and learning-making a significant, demonstrable impact to the educational missions of our institutions. ... In this interactive panel discussion, three librarians with significant experience leading faculty development initiatives will discuss how librarians can impact student outcomes by adopting a faculty developer role. Panelists will discuss key issues, including: How does faculty development support librarians' teaching and learning goals? What factors support librarians' ability to act as faculty developers? How does faculty development align with the traditional role and identity of librarians? How can librarians develop their capacity to act as faculty developers? Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and share comments via Padlet. They will leave with an enhanced understanding of the faculty developer role and actionable steps for integrating faculty development into their practice."
Register at: https://ala-events.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_b1lkL3U8RRKCKuMedFn5aA
Photo by Sheila Webber: discarded Christmas tree, January 2023

Critical Approaches to Libraries Conference #CALC23

The first stage of the Call for Papers for the Critical Approaches to Libraries Conference 2023 is open. It will be online and likely to be in the week commencing 22nd May 2023 [updated - originally I didn't have a date].
"The first stage is reserved for speakers from groups who are underrepresented and/or marginalised in academia, librarianship and traditional conference programmes. These include People of Colour/BAME/Non-White, English is an additional language, LGBTQIA+, Disabled people, Neurodivergent people, Deaf presenters and those from Working Class backgrounds"
Deadline for Stage 1 of the CfP is 5 February 2023 at 23.59 GMT (UK time).
More details at https://sites.google.com/view/calcconference/call-for-papers
Proposals for sessions can be submitted using this Google Form.
Additional information on the Call for Papers on their online guide. This page explains what is meant by Critical Library Practice https://sites.google.com/view/calcconference/about/what-is-critical-library-practice
You can find recordings of some previous conference sessions on their Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqB_9b3mgcJ0yu8cHK9kIoQ

Webinar: now: Copyright Education and Information Literacy

The Copyright and Online Learning ALT Special Interest Group has organised a free webinar 13 January 2023 at 11am UK time (which means - very shortly - apologies for not picking his up sooner!). It is an interview with Chris Morrison and Jane Secker, about their chapter on Copyright Education and Information Literacy in the new IFLA Open Access book Navigating Copyright for Libraries.
Further information at https://copyrightliteracy.org/2023/01/10/webinar-57-copyright-education-and-information-literacy/.
This is the direct link to the Blackboard Collaborate classroom https://eu.bbcollab.com/guest/b0ed6c888307480ba897751a57f93713.

New articles: Impact of infolit on - ability to use library resources - student retention; virtual learning; evaluatiing preprints

The latest issue (vol 84 issue 1, 2023) of the open-access College & Research Libraries includes:
- The Effect of Information Literacy Training on Graduate Students’ Ability to Use Library Resources by Shuzhen Zhao, Rong Luo, Christine Sabina, Karen Pillon
- Conducting a User Needs Assessment through the Consortia: Pooling Resources to Examine Student and Faculty Habits by Ruth Szpunar, Eric Bradley
- Correlation Between Library Instruction and Student Retention: Methods and Implications by Mary K. O’Kelly, Jon Jeffryes, Maya Hobscheid, Rachael Passarelli
- The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Rapid Shift to an Exclusively Online Format: Tracking Online Instructors’ Utilization of Library Services Over a Year of Virtual Learning at the University of Memphis by Jessica McClure
- Students’ Perceptions of Preprints Discovered in Google: A Window into Recognition And Evaluation by Tara Tobin Cataldo, Ixchel M. Faniel, Amy G. Buhler, Brittany Brannon, Lynn Silipigni Connaway, Samuel Putnam
Go to https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/issue/view/1631/showToc
Photo by Sheila Webber: discarded Christmas tree waiting for collection, January 2023

Call for chapter proposals: Teaching Information Literacy by Discipline

There is a call for chapter proposals for a new edited collection on adapting the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy in Higher Education to specific disciplines, provisionally entitled Teaching Information Literacy by Discipline: Using and Creating Adaptations of the Framework, to be published by the Association of College & Research Libraries in 2024. "Proposals can reference uses of the ACRL's official Framework companion documents or other disciplinary adaptations created and used by the author(s)."
Proposals (250 to 500 words long) should be sent to Scott Libson (scott.libson@yale.edu) and Malia Willey (willeyme@jmu.edu) by 13 February 2023 accompanied by a CV. Proposals should make connections between the Framework and applications to a discipline. First drafts of chapters (approximately 2,500 words will be due on 10 July 2023.
"The book will be divided into sections based on broad subject areas. Within each section, chapters will focus on a particular discipline. The tentative outline is as follows:
"- Section 1: Arts (Chapter 1: Art, Architecture, and Design - Can include work based on the The Framework for Visual Literacy in Higher Education; Chapter 2: Music; Chapter 3: Theatre; Proposals on other art disciplines are encouraged!)
"- Section 2: Humanities (Chapter 4: History - Can include work based on the Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy; Chapter 5: Journalism - Can include work based on the Journalism companion document; Chapter 6: English - Can include work based on the Research Competencies in Writing and Literature companion document; Chapter 7: Women's and Gender Studies- Can include work based on the Women's and Gender Studies companion document; Proposals on other humanities disciplines are encouraged!)
"- Section 3: Professional Studies (Chapter 8: Social Work- Can include work based on the Social Work companion document; Chapter 9: Business; Chapter 10: Education; Chapter 11: Health; Proposals on other professional disciplines are encouraged!)
"- Section 4: Social Sciences (Chapter 12: Political Science - Can include work based on the Politics, Policy, and International Relations companion document; Chapter 13: Sociology- Can include work based on the Sociology companion document; Chapter 14: Psychology - Can include work based on the Psychology companion document; Proposals on other social science disciplines are encouraged!)
"- Section 5: Sciences - Can include work based on the STEM companion document (Chapter 15: Biology; Chapter 16: Engineering; Chapter 17: Environmental Science; Chapter 18: Geology; Proposals on other science disciplines are encouraged!)"
Photo by Sheila Webber: last in the Christmas wreaths of South London series, December 2022

New articles: Tech tools; Infolit in international masters students; Sharing partisan news

- Rybin Koob, A., Ibacache Oliva, K. S., Williamson, M., Lamont-Manfre, M., Hugen, A., & Dickerson, A. (2022). Tech Tools in Pandemic-Transformed Information Literacy Instruction. Information Technology and Libraries, 41(4). https://doi.org/10.6017/ital.v41i4.15383 "... this paper examines the digital accessibility of five tech tools used in information literacy sessions, specifically for students who use assistive technologies such as screen readers. The tools are Kahoot!, Mentimeter, Padlet, Jamboard, and Poll Everywhere." It goes through the problems in detail - a useful practical article if you are using these tools.
- Černý, J. & Potančok, M. (2023). Information literacy in international masters students: A competitive and business intelligence course perspective. Cogent Education, 10(1), 2161701. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2022.2161701 This investigates "the information literacy of international master’s students [at a Czech university], focusing on the evaluation of their information-seeking behaviour during competitive and business intelligence processes, together with the subsequent verification methods they use once the desired information is found. During this research, 207 students received a test with questions related to business information literacy, with either one or more options or free-text answers. The results showed a significant lack of information literacy in the use of information sources, including knowledge about their existence and consequent search habits, but they did at least also show a fundamental awareness of verification methods. The students also demonstrated awareness of the significance of data visualisation needs when reporting the contexts found in business intelligence process data.
- Lee, E-J. & Jang, J-W. (2023). How Political Identity and Misinformation Priming Affect Truth Judgments and Sharing Intention of Partisan News. Digital Journalism, [early online publication]. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2022.2163413 "The current research investigated (a) if political identity predicts perceived truthfulness of and the intention to share partisan news, and (b) if a media literacy video that warns of misinformation (priming-video) mitigates the partisan bias by enhancing truth discernment. ... Two web-based experiments were conducted in South Korea.... Collectively, our findings demonstrate the robust operation of partisan bias in the processing and sharing of partisan news. Misinformation priming aided in the detection of falsehood, but it also induced distrust in reliable information, posing a challenge in fighting misinformation"

Photo by Sheila Webber: wreath of Central London, December 2022

Webinar: Top 10 global tech trends to watch in education for 2023

A free webinar hosted by the Special Library Association Academic & Education Community and ACRL's EBSS Education Committee is at 13.30 US EST (which is, e.g., 18.30 UK time) on 13 January 2023 on Top 10 global tech trends to watch in education for 2023. The speaker is Matt Leger, a Research Manager on IDC’s Government Insights team responsible for the Worldwide Education Digital Strategies research practice.
"Mr. Leger’s research focuses on key education IT and digital transformation trends, as well as emerging solutions impacting how primary, secondary and higher education and related services are delivered. Mr. Leger will discuss his top 10 global tech trends to watch in education for 2023. The presentation is split into three sections: The first section covers the top 5 trends in teaching and learning; the second section covers the top 5 trends in administration and operations; and the third section highlights the leading challenges facing education institutions that will significantly influence the trajectory of these trends over the next 12–18 months."
You need to register: go to https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvceqtpzwsHtDYWS_rchrX5m7G3s7BG3DS

Photo by Sheila Webber: an interested observer, January 2023

New articles: One-shots; Accessibility

A couple of relevant items from the latest issue of the open-access College & Research Libraries News:
- Benjes-Small, C. (2023). There’s a baby in the bath water: In defense of one-shots. College & Research Libraries News, 84(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.84.1.12
- Frazier, D. (2023). Shifting from reactive to proactive: An accessibility review and revision project. College & Research Libraries News, 84(1), 27. https://doi.org/10.5860/crln.84.1.27

Webinar: Effectively Embedding Blended Learning

There is a free (registration required) webinar: Effectively Embedding Blended Learning, on 10 February 2023 at 13.00 UK time (GMT), organised by  UKSG in their Further Education series.The speaker is Amy Hollier (Director of Blended & Online Learning at Heart of Worcestershire College and the Blended Learning Consortium). "This session will share experiences of how Heart of Worcestershire College introduced an institution-wide blended learning strategy over 10 years ago and has since incepted the National Blended Learning Consortium of over 160 member colleges. The session will also focus on how further education institutions can expand blended learning and the options available for extending this type of learning to become an integral part of the curriculum".
Register at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7496745583974285151
Photo by Sheila Webber: wreaths of South London, December 2022

Interview with Alison Head @ProjectInfoLit

Following on from yesterday's post, in December the Circulating Ideas podcast had an interview (39 minutes) with Dr Alison Head, who leads Project Information Literacy. Interviewer Troy Swanson Asked her about "PIL’s early days, PIL’s unique place in the information literacy research field, the importance of student and information agency, and what’s next for the PIL group!" Go to https://circulatingideas.com/2022/12/01/230-project-information-literacy-with-dr-alison-j-head/ - there is also a transcript for those who prefer reading to listening.
Photo by Sheila Webber: Xmas wreaths of South London, December 2022

Project Information Literacy retrospective @ProjectInfoLit

I will start my blog posts for 2023 with a retrospective: the report that was posted at the close of the College studies phase of the valuable Project Information Literacy, in October 2022 [apologies, I first put that it was the close of PIL, which isn't the case!]. You can download it in pdf, but the online version https://projectinfolit.org/pubs/retrospective/ is useful in providing easy access to individual PIL reports and other material. It is in the four parts:
1. A brief introduction to the project
2. A handy list of the PIL research reports - each has a band of "sample notes" (with an at-a-glance view of their methods of data collection), the link to the report, and then a short paragraph summarising the results.
3. An interactive data visualisation of citations to the PIL reports, so you can track citations by year, and see from which disciplinary journals the citations are coming, and which countries the research was carried out in, with a discussion of the research's impact. There is a User Guide for Project Information Literacy’s Retrospective Citation Analysis Dataset and you can download the dataset in CSV format.
4. "How we did it" talking about methods and in particular stressing the collaborative approach.
Section 4 includes a table "lessons learned" [for IL research in a higher education context], namely: Start with students; Think long term; Widen the lens (i.e. beyond the immediate academic need); Develop students’ agency (through IL education/research); Foster a collaborative culture.
 

The page with links to all the material is:
Alison J. Head, Barbara Fister, Steven Geofrey, and Margy MacMillan, The Project Information Literacy Retrospective: Insights from more than a decade of information literacy research, 2008-2022 (12 October 2022), Project Information Research Institute, https://projectinfolit.org/publications/retrospective