Public Libraries & Media Literacy

Web 2.0 Services and Strategies for Making Children & Other Citizens Information- and

Media-Literate CIL 2010 - Karolien Selhorst

Program workshop

• Introduction • The media literacy framework of the Public

Library of Vlissingen• How to develop a media literacy framework for

your community? • Tips • Evaluation • Questions

Introduction

THE MEDIA LITERACY FRAMEWORK IN VLISSINGEN

Public libraries and media literacy

Why media literacy?

• With an ever-increasing number of new digital media available in the 2.0 world, the enormous amount of information has become overwhelming for many people.

• At the same time, information has become an essential condition for citizens to be able to actively participate in society.

• ‘Digital natives’ grow up in a world of new media => they learn and live differently.

The Public Library of Vlissingen

• Vlissingen is situated in the heart of Zeeland (The Netherlands).

• Vlissingen is an important port and a popular haven for tourists with 44 500 inhabitants.

• The library has 14 500 customers (30% of the population).

• 45 people work at the library.• Apart from the main building, the library provides

services for the nearby situated village, the local hospital and several schools.

Library Mission

• “To develop people’s information and media literacy skills in order to participate actively in the knowledge society.”

• Strong focus on:

– ‘Media wisdom’ and reading promotion for various target groups

– Information function = providing tailor-made information to customers

Media wisdom = media literacy?

• The need to help children and other citizens to become information and media literate in the knowledge society is acknowledged by Dutch government and public libraries in the Netherlands. A number of policies and practices have been developed.

• New media literacy skills = ICT skills, information literacy skills and safe usage of media.

• Media wisdom = Dutch term

Opportunities for libraries

• Support citizens in developing information skills and, more broadly, media wisdom.

The fact that users increasingly play a central role in the distribution and organisation of content means the traditional guiding function of libraries is being pushed more to the background. Librarians can still use their expertise to help users become self-reliant in dealing with information and media. For many users, the sheer amount of information available makes it impossible to see the wood for the trees. For adult users, in particular, who can no longer be reached via mainstream education, there is a socially important task for libraries here.(< The future of the Dutch public library: ten years on, p.190)

Opportunities for libraries

• Although the role of the library as a gateway to knowledge and information is under pressure due to external competition, the traditional expertise of the library in searching for reliable sources still offers an opportunity in this era of excessive information. The library can help people find their way through this access, and boost their ‘media wisdom’.

• A ‘new’ form of library service is to support citizens in the development of ‘media wisdom’. Libraries have a tradition of helping in the instruction of information skills, but media wisdom is a broader concept than this, incorporating the knowledge, skills and mentality to deal with all content, not just informative content (cf. Raad voor Cultuur 2005; Verheijen & Van Driel 2007). (< The future of the Dutch public library: ten years on)

School libraries in primary schools

• The library wants to be where children are.

• Goal: one library in every primary school in Vlissingen.

• We already reach 600 children.

• Focus on:• Stimulating language skills

(vocabulary – reading comprehension skills) and information literacy skills

• Reading promotion (stimulating the joy of reading)

School libraries in primary schools: evaluation

• In general: high grade of satisfaction among teachers, children and parents.

• Children get more joy out of reading.

• Loans: 250 to 527% more loans than in the central library and branches.

School libraries in secondary schools

• One school library at Scheldemond College • We reach 1200 students.• Media coaches support students by means of

media classes.• Media classes: learn how to find and evaluate

information, safety on the net, digital identity, media and society etc..

• Future: more and better integration of media literacy in the school curriculum and closer collaboration with teachers.

Coaching and supporting teachers

• ‘11 Things for primary school teachers’• < 23 Things by Helene Blowers• Pilot project with 10 teachers • Goal: important groups in society (like teachers)

need to be aware of the pros and cons of new interactive tools – web2.0 - on the internet.

• 11 ‘Things’: blogs, RSS, Flickr, digital blackboards, social networks, wiki’s, Delicious, YouTube, chat.

• From April on: 23 Things

Coaching and supporting teachers

• ‘11 Things’ pilot project• Coaching by library media coaches: face to

face and virtual. • Results: 50% passed the course

successfully.• Barriers were: time, relevancy,

independent learning, insufficient knowledge of web1.0.

‘11 Things’ for primary school teachers

Coaching and supporting teachers

• Guest lectures about relevant media wisdom themes and subjects:– Collaboration (on the net)– Social networks– Chat– The use of photos on the internet – Gaming – Virtual learning tools

• Goal: to support teachers so that they can inform children.

Informing parents – creating awareness

• Parents’ nights focusing on relevant media wisdom themes:– Cyberpesting – The influence of media and advertising on children– Safe behaviour on the net– Internet addiction and violence on the net

• Goal: to inform parents so that they can support and coach their children.

• Start: fall 2010

Teaching and supporting children

• The development of ‘Things’ for children• Will be introduced in class + virtual coaching:

‘blended learning’ .• Goal: to make children aware of new media and give

them tools to learn more efficiently.• Themes or ‘things’:

– Collaboration on the net – Social networks– Chat– The use of photos on the internet– Gaming – Virtual learning tools

The library is the heart of the school

• Three certified mediacoaches work in our library.

• They help and support children together with other library workers.

• Children can apply for the function of library worker => involves them directly.

• Close collaboration with teachers and school board.

Reaching out to other target groups…

• Local city council: ‘15 Things’ for local city councillors = making them aware of web2.0 opportunities for citizen interaction.

• General audience: Web2.0 and ebooks workshops.

• Information about the digital library and media wisdom themes on our library blog.

• Library workers in Vlissingen: 23 Things, workshops, knowledge lunches, communities of practice etc..

Biebblog

‘15 Things’ for city councillors

Project ‘Wiki loves Bieb’

• Goal: to set up a close collaboration between Wikimedia and the sector of Dutch public libraries.

• Pilot project in the Library of Vlissingen• Strong focus on media wisdom:

– Gues lectures on the use of Wikipedia for students in secondary schools.

– Workshops on the use of Wikipedia in education for teachers.

– Workshops on Wikipedia for people in Vlissingen.

DEVELOP YOUR OWN FRAMEWORK

Public libraries and media literacy

Develop your own media literacy framework

• Step 1: Start with your library mission/vision in mind.

• Step 2: Get to know your community.• Step 3: Develop a media literacy vision. • Step 4: Develop a media literacy program.• Step 5: Test and evaluate. • Step 6: Prepare for implementation.• Step 7: Promote your program and create

awareness.

Step1: Start with your library mission

• What is your library mission/vision?

• What are your strategic goals?

• What is the link between the library mission and media literacy?

Step2: Get to know your community

• Who is your community?

• What are their needs? Do you know them? How do you meet them?

• On what groups will you focus?

Step 3: Develop a media literacy vision

• Develop a coherent media literacy vision.

• Link it with your library mission/vision.

• Involve others in the development process.

• Promote and communicate it!

Step 4: Develop a media literacy program

• Be creative!• Seek inspiration with

others: social networks, etc..

• Create alliances. • Involve enthousiastic

colleagues. • What are your

means?

Step 5: Test and evaluate

• Test your program/initiatives.

• Evaluate: what works and what doesn’t?

• Act upon evaluation results.

• Learn for the future.

Step 6: Prepare for implementation

• Draw up an action plan (who, when, what?)

• Sell your ideas and create internal awareness.

• Get management support.

• Implement.

Step 7: Promote and create awareness

• Build strategic alliances in your local community.• Visit schools/school boards and address them

personally.• Be prepared: who should you address? What are

the school’s needs? What community do they serve?

• Create awareness. • Offer tailor-made programs. • Be prepared for resistance.

TIPS Public libraries and media literacy

Tip 1: Be prepared for resistance

Tip 2: Learn from failure

• “If you are not failing now and again, it’s a sign that you’re not doing anything very innovative” (Woody Allen)

Tip 3: Build upon small successes

Tip 3: Seek support & create alliances

Tip 4: Media literacy is team work

Tip 5: Focus

REFERENCESPublic libraries and media literacy

References

• Frank Huysmans, Carlien Hillebrink The future of the Dutch public library: ten years on (2008): http://www.scp.nl/content.jsp?objectid=default:19315

• Library of Vlissingen blog: http://biebblog.openia.com/

• Library of Vlissingen website: http://www.vlissingen.nl/Bibliotheek-Vlissingen/Lenen-lezen.htm

Questions?

Karolien Selhorst – Digital Library & Knowledge Manager Public Library of Vlissingen

karosel64@gmail.com

www.karolienselhorst.be

http://twitter.com/kselhorst