As an aspiring academic librarian I am guilty of neglecting the role public libraries fill when it comes to information literacy. Rachel Hall points out in Public Library Quarterly that I’m not the only one. The Public Library Association (PLA), a division of ALA, neglects to mention even plain old information literacy anywhere in their 30 year strategic plan, she also notes there have been few publications on information literacy in public libraries when compared to academic ones. The progressive theories of John Dewey and Paolo Freire that inform critical information literacy are helpful in reminding us that information literacy isn’t just something that happens in the traditional academic research process, and therefore shouldn’t be confined to schools. Hall points out that for our learners to truly be life-long learners they need to also have a support structure that fosters information literacy beyond an academic institution. Critical information literacy is conscious of power dynamics and social status and should not be something that is only available for those who are in a position to attend college. Since public libraries don’t support a specific institutions teaching and learning goals they may have more freedom to offer workshops on evaluation, technology courses, and panels on community issues than an academic library may have. However, the other side to that equation is that public libraries will have to argue that critical information literacy is a goal worth pursuing. Hall argues that critical information literacy is vital to supporting engaged citizens but also for the libraries themselves. Moving from the information hoarder model of libraries to a public library that is actively involved in the content creation may be the key to establishing libraries as current and important, even in rough economic times. As academic librarians, how can we partner with our public counterparts to support information literacy in and out of the “ivory tower”? How can public libraries implement critical information literacy initiatives outside of the instruction session model?
Gretchen Kreer, reminds us that public libraries aren’t the only place where critical information literacy can be pushed up to the forefront. Community colleges are also in a unique position not afforded to all colleges because they look, “toward the student’s future as a community member, family member, and independent thinker” (p.150). She elaborates that community colleges are heavily focused on practice and act as a bridge between the public and the so-called “ivory tower” and are therefore in a position to apply critical information literacy to their goals. These authors provide an important reminder that critical information literacy is not just confined to academic libraries and institution. To truly harness the social justice mission of critical information literacy it must be taken outside of institution walls. As I’ve discussed previously, information is not neutral, the first step is to move beyond our neutral perceptions of information literacy. After we climb over that monumental hump we can forge partnerships across institutional lines to truly encourage life-long learning. How do you think we can accomplish this?
Gretchen Kreer, reminds us that public libraries aren’t the only place where critical information literacy can be pushed up to the forefront. Community colleges are also in a unique position not afforded to all colleges because they look, “toward the student’s future as a community member, family member, and independent thinker” (p.150). She elaborates that community colleges are heavily focused on practice and act as a bridge between the public and the so-called “ivory tower” and are therefore in a position to apply critical information literacy to their goals. These authors provide an important reminder that critical information literacy is not just confined to academic libraries and institution. To truly harness the social justice mission of critical information literacy it must be taken outside of institution walls. As I’ve discussed previously, information is not neutral, the first step is to move beyond our neutral perceptions of information literacy. After we climb over that monumental hump we can forge partnerships across institutional lines to truly encourage life-long learning. How do you think we can accomplish this?
References
- Hall, R. (2010). Public Praxis: A Vision for Critical Information Literacy in Public Libraries. Public Library Quarterly, 29, 2.
- Keer, G. (2010). “Critical Pedagogy and Information Literacy in Community Colleges”. In Accardi, M. T., Drabinski, E., & Kumbier, A. , Critical library instruction: Theories and methods. Duluth, Minn: Library Juice Press.
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