Notes from Internet Librarian, October 2010
Librarians in Transliterate, Technologically Fluent World
Bobbi L. Newman, Digital Branch Manager, Chattahoochee Valley Libraries
Transliteracy: ability to read, write, and interact across a range of platforms, tools, and media. Less focus on tools, more focus on patron needs.
Assessing information sources: validity.
Critical thinking skills and integrating information rather than just retrieving pieces of information. People need to expand definition of literacy: stereotype spotting, cliches, etc.
Transliteracy is a constant evolution – it is not something that is learned in the way that reading is. It is a process of lifelong learning.
“The future is here it is just not evenly distributed,” Wm. Gibson – info-second-class citizens.
US is behind in adoption of broadband. 65% as opposed to 95% in Singapore. Not enough to have theoretical access and not have the skills or the $$ to buy the access or tools.
Not as important to actually put content online – more important to know how in case you want to.
“The illiterate of the 21st Century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” -Alvin Toeffler
“Sometimes I forget that my world is not the mainstream (yet).” – Eric Nehrlich
Colleen S. Harris, Head of Access Services, University of Tennessee – Chattanooga
Customer service – tends to focus on the moment, not on the long term.
Preparing staff for technology fluencies. Services will slow down when staff don’t have the skills to keep up.
Don’t constrain how users can use tools – just teach them how to use the tools and let them go.
We’re not really learning technologies – we’re learning change and change management.