New eCourse: Introduction to Critical Information Literacy: Promoting Social Justice through Librarianship

For Immediate Release
Thu, 02/09/2017

Contact:

Colton Ursiny

Administrative Assistant

ALA Publishing

cursiny@ala.org

Chicago—ALA Editions announces a new facilitated eCourse, Introduction to Critical Information Literacy: Promoting Social Justice through Librarianship. Dawn Stahura will serve as the instructor for a 5-week facilitated eCourse starting on Monday, April 10, 2017.

Estimated Hours of Learning: 30
Certificate of Completion available upon request

Learning outcomes

After participating in this eCourse, you will be able to

  • design instruction sessions that address inherent biases in library systems;
  • locate and incorporate alternative texts in your instruction session to humanize the research process and address the lack of marginalized voices in scholarly publishing; and
  • demonstrate the importance of teaching the process of knowledge creation as a way to understand systemic oppression in scholarly research.

Librarians have a long history of fighting for social justice, and today the need to continue the fight seems as strong as ever. You may find that members of your community are eager to get involved as well, but how can you help them? How can you provide them with resources that you know are unbiased, reliable, and accurate?

In this new eCourse, information literacy expert Dawn Stahura will show you how. Together, you’ll look at instruction sessions through the lens of critical information literacy, discussing the inherent biases and systemic oppression in how information is disseminated and processed. Stahura will provide you with useful strategies to incorporate the process of knowledge creation into your instruction sessions, while highlighting the racial disparities found in publishing.

Throughout the eCourse, you, along with your instructor and fellow participants, will discuss the creation of critical annotated bibliographies and how your students can take evaluation a step further and learn more effective ways to evaluate sources. You will look at alternative texts and resources to not only humanize the research process but address the lack of marginalized voices in the scholarly pursuit for information.

eCourse outline

Each week will consist of a discussion board question, readings, and an assignment that allow students to practice incorporating each week’s theme into an instruction session.

  • Week 1: Introduction and overview of ACRL frameworks, libraries and neutrality, and the radical catalog
  • Week 2: Inherent biases in subject headings, Library of Congress subject headings, and controlled vocabulary.
  • Week 3: Process of knowledge creation and critical annotated bibliographies.
  • Week 4: Evaluation of sources, fake news sites, and critical cultural producers.
  • Week 5: Zines and other alternative media.

About the Instructor

Dawn Stahura is a Research, Teaching, and Learning Librarian for the Social Sciences and the Zine Librarian at Simmons College. Stahura is an adjunct faculty teaching Reference and Information Sources for Simmons College. Along with her normal duties on the reference desk, she teaches instructional sessions, does one-on-one research consultations with students and faculty, and works closely with several faculty members to include zines in their course curricula as primary sources. Her instruction sessions are focused on critical information literacy, drawing awareness to the inherent biases found in library systems as well as critically evaluating sources.  She also works closely with the Coordinator of Violence Prevention Outreach at Simmons on a variety of events focused on activism, social justice, consent, and craftivism.

Registration for this ALA Editions facilitated eCourse, which begins on April 10, 2017, can be purchased at the ALA Store. Participants in this course will need regular access to a computer with an internet connection for online message board participation, viewing online video, listening to streaming audio (MP3 files), and downloading and viewing PDF and PowerPoint files.

ALA Editions publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at editionscoursehelp@ala.org.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide.