Using the Living Dead To Teach Information Literacy

This is really cool. This is one of the best recent efforts I have seen for information literacy instruction. Teach it with zombies!

Using the Living Dead To Teach Information Literacy by Michael Kelley has details. He writes, "The staff at McPherson College's Miller Library in Kansas has come up with a unique information literacy tool: zombie attack. The library has just released an online 23-page library guide in graphic novel format called Library of the Living Dead that features students taking cover in the library from zombies run amok on campus, and the flight to safety becomes a point of departure for a blood-stained lesson, replete with decapitations, in the Dewey Decimal system and other library tools."

The comic can be found at http://blogs.mcpherson.edu/library/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Library-of-the-Living-Dead-Online-Edition.pdf.

Enjoy!

Google’s New Algorithm Cuts Off Content Farmers at the Knees

Google's new attept to kill spam and content farmers from good search results is paying off and getting good reviews. The New York Times has the article Google’s New Algorithm Cuts Off Content Farmers at the Knees.

The article points out:

Here's what you can expect to see a lot less off on your results page: "sites that copy others’ content and sites with low levels of original content." This takes aim at scrapers — the types of sites that pull content from other sources typically by pulling from an RSS feed without permission. And content farmers — the types of sites that churn out articles like "How to Create a Start-Up Floppy Disk" in order to sell advertising for questionable profit. This announcement follows another anti-spam measure: Google's recently released personal blocklist, which lets users who are browsing on Chrome specify what unsavory sites they don't want showing up.


Good for Google. Real content should be at the top of the search results. Plagiarized or contrived articles shouldn't be.

Reframing Information Literacy as a Metaliteracy

Thomas P. Mackey and Trudi E. Jacobson have a new article titled Reframing Information Literacy as a Metaliteracy. It is in the January 2011 College & Research Libraries, vol. 72 no. 162-78.

From the abstract:

Social media environments and online communities are innovative collaborative technologies that challenge traditional definitions of information literacy. Metaliteracy is an overarching and self-referential framework that integrates emerging technologies and unifies multiple literacy types. This redefinition of information literacy expands the scope of generally understood information competencies and places a particular emphasis on producing and sharing information in participatory digital environments.

‘Tree octopus’ is latest evidence the internet is making kids dumb, says group

The Tree Octopus site is old. I really doubt it fools many students anymore. Yet, it is still getting publicity. See ‘Tree octopus’ is latest evidence the internet is making kids dumb, says group. I much prefer the Fresh Water Whales.

From the site:

Pearson's release explained that the Department of Education funded the study and that it was administered by Dr. Donald Leu, a former teacher and "national authority on integrating technology into instruction." Leu's study highlighted fallacious reports on the fate of the "tree octopus" -- an allegedly endangered species roaming the treetops of the Pacific Northwest -- as a key illustration of this baleful trend.



Researchers on Leu's team asked a group of students to hunt down information on the critter, which of course does not exist. But the same researchers pulled a bit of trickery on the students -- they directed them to a website dedicated to saving the mythical tree octopus from extinction. And presto: the kids taking part in the study fell for the hoax and even continued to believe in the tree octopus after the study's leaders explained that there was no such thing.

This I Believe…All Libraries Should Be Teaching Libraries

There is a noteworthy article titled This I Believe…All Libraries Should Be Teaching Libraries. It is from portal: Libraries and the Academy - Volume 11, Number 1, January 2011, pp. 575-582. The author is Catherine Palmer.

Here is the abstract:

In this article, I imagine a library that prioritizes teaching users how to find, evaluate, and use information over the traditional library public service activities of collection development, access to materials, and reference services. If I ran the library, all services would support end-user education.

Position Announcement: Diversity Resident Librarian (Western Washington University)

Diversity Resident Librarian


The Western Washington University Library seeks a creative and innovative person to serve as Diversity Resident Librarian. The objective of the residency is two-fold: 1) to attract and set the foundation for a recent graduate in a challenging and rewarding career as an academic librarian and 2) to improve Western Washington Libraries efforts to reach out to and engage students, faculty, and community members from diverse backgrounds. The person in this position will report to the Assistant Dean for Public Services and provide support to reference, instruction, and outreach efforts, working in these areas to engage library users.

The successful applicant will have the following: strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a demonstrated understanding of multi-cultural competency; demonstrated ability to effectively interact with diverse student, faculty, and staff populations; demonstrated ability to relate to and address the needs and challenges of minority students on a predominately white campus, as well as the needs of students from other diverse groups, including LGBT students and students with disabilities; ability to foster a collaborative work environment in the Library that emphasizes inclusion.

Based on the interest of the successful candidate and the needs of the library, other areas of librarianship may also be explored. The Resident will be expected to participate in diversity outreach initiatives and will receive support to do so. An important component of this position will be collaboration with other librarians and inclusion on library committees. The successful candidate will bring vision and energy to serving students, faculty and staff at an outstanding comprehensive public institution.

This is a full time, one year (limited term) position. Salary is $43,000. Deadline for applications is August 27th, 2010. The position will be available October 1, 2010.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide support at library public services points, including Instruction and Research Services: on-site and virtual reference service points and library instruction program; Circulation: the media desk, and reserves to serve the public and learn about different aspects of library public service.

• Serve on committees with other library staff.

• Contribute to an environment of collegiality, inclusion, trust, and teamwork that enables library staff to participate and contribute to the goals of the organization, particularly as they relate to valuing diversity.

• Foster effective working relationships within the public service unit, with other library departments, and the University community.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS (Candidates must be able to demonstrate the following requirements)

• An MLS or MLIS from an ALA-accredited program that was awarded after June 2008.

• Demonstrated skills in interpersonal and written communication, and creative problem-solving.

• Demonstrated experience working with diverse students, faculty and staff.

• Demonstrated cross-cultural communication skills and multi-cultural competency skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Previous experience working on diversity outreach projects in or outside of libraries.

• Previous instruction experience. Instruction experience from practicums and internships is sufficient.
Application Instructions and Requested Documents: Please log in on the link below and submit your application via WWU’s Electronic System for Employment (EASE). Note: You will need to be using Internet Explorer to utilize our online application system. A letter of application detailing your qualifications, a curriculum vitae, and a list of three references is required. You can upload or cut and paste your materials as noted on the EASE application.

https://jobs.wwu.edu/JobPosting.aspx?JPID=1864

For further information, please contact Ms. Connie Mallison, Search Committee Coordinator, by email at Connie.Mallison at wwu.edu.

WWU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. For disability accommodation, call (360) 640-3774 or (360) 650-7696 (TTY). All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU.

Research in Cryptozoology

I have always found talking about crytozoological issues (monsters) a fun way to teach critical thinking skills and library research skills to college students. It doesn't matter if Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, etc. exist or not to be successful in doing this. I hope they do exist but regardless I can use examples from this field to teach web evaluation, database searching, and how to use multiple sources to search an interdisciplinary topic. As such, I put up a new LibGuide today Research in Cryptozoology. I hope others find it helpful.