Bibliotaxonomy: Definition, Scope and Implication for LIS Scholarship
The paper introduces bibliotaxonomy as a generic name for those aspects of Library and Information Science (LIS) scholarship that deal with the processing and organization of books, documents and other information materials. It traces the origin of, and inspiration for bibliotaxonomy to different taxonomic practices in various communities, societies, as well as earlier philosophical and botanical classifications. Read More
The Evolving Institutional Repository Landscape – A Choice White Paper
With this study, “The Evolving Institutional Repository Landscape,” Choice is inaugurating a series of research papers designed to provide actionable intelligence around
topics of importance to the academic library community. Researched and written by industry experts and published with underwriting from academic publishers and other
parties, these papers are part of a continuing effort by Choice to extend its services to a broad cross-section of library related professions. This White Paper is based on market research that includes interviews with academic librarians and industry leaders in addition to an open survey with more than 150 responses. Read More
Special Issue: Visualizing the (Data) Future
As libraries and academic institutions evolve into “data-driven” organizations, they are looking for meaningful ways in which to convey their data to funding and regulatory agencies, licensing and accreditation boards, and institutional students, faculty and staff. This data-driven culture is being integrated into all facets of library operations, and data visualization services is emerging as a distinct library research and service development area. Read More
Information Literacy in the Digital Age: Myths and Principles of Digital Literacy
Librarians have traditionally served as the champions of information literacy, adopting it as a core principle of the profession and creating a movement that tries to facilitate fair, equal access to knowledge and its creation. There are plenty of publications on this topic, but as the Information Age has become the Digital Age, there also needs to be a discussion of how information literacy is evolving. More specifically, librarians are now finding themselves shouldering the responsibilities of digital literacy alongside traditional approaches to information literacy, especially considering how more and more information needs can only be met via digital resources. This paper serves to add to this discussion by examining the different elements of the two literacies, the myths that surround them, and provide some basic principles of information literacy learning and instruction in the digital age. Read More
Understanding the implications of Open Citations – how far along are we?
In recent years, we have seen the launch of many innovative discovery search engines, such as Yewno, Semantic Scholar, Meta, Open Knowledge Maps. But in terms of citation indexes, we see the offical launch of 2 new comprehensive citation indexes – Microsoft’s Academic and Digital Science’s Dimensions taking their places along side the big 3 namely Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. Read More
Before information literacy [Or, Who Am I, as a subject-of-(information)-need?]
The subject-of-(information)-need, or the “user,” is the bedrock notion of the subject in information retrieval, but it is constructed by the information environment it finds itself within. If the user cannot judge this environment before using it, then information literacy cannot be of enough help. Read More
Facebook’s new Messenger Kids app could be good for digital literacy
Facebook is trialling a new Messenger Kids app in the United States. The standalone app is aimed at under-13s, who aren’t currently eligible for a normal Facebook account. Parents are responsible for setting up the account and approving any contacts their children add. Kids can then use the app to video chat – both one-on-one or in a group – and send photos, videos and text messages. Read More
4 Things to Consider When Teaching Digital Literacy to College Students
In higher education, I think it is imperative that we teach our learners and peers about what it means to participate and interact in digital spaces and places. How can our institutions help students, staff, and faculty “be” online and consider how both information and digital environments impact knowledge sharing and learning. Read More
Collaborative Digital Literacy Practices among Adult Learners: Levels of Confidence and Perceptions of Importance
Technology has transformed learning at the postsecondary level and significantly increased the prevalence of digital learning environments. As adult educators approach instructional design, they must consider how to apply research-based practices that preserve the quality of instruction and provide adult learners with technology-based instruction that is relevant. One approach, the use of collaborative digital literacy practices, has been highlighted as a highly effective method. Read More
ISU professor helping lead effort to expand digital literacy in Iowa
AMES, Iowa – Access to digital technology has far outpaced the availability of educational resources to promote responsible use. Douglas Gentile, a professor of psychology at Iowa State University, fears what the consequences might be if that trend is not reversed. Read More