If you can help with the following request, please contact Sarah directly. Thanks!

“I am curious if anyone knows of research (informal and formal) going on with undergraduates and media literacy. I’d like to hear about projects that look at usability and interface design and also any projects that measure visual or media literacy competencies. If you know of any relevant projects, contact Sarah Bordac, Instruction & Outreach Librarian @ Brown University and LIS doctoral student at Simmons College.”

I’m intrigued by Karin Dalziel’s Chart of 4 Types of Information Literacy, although I would add “evaluating” to the first “information literacy” box.

Sadly, most libraries don’t teach her third and fourth types - media literacy and digital literacy. For several years, I’ve highlighted Illinois’ Project Next Generation in my presentations and how it creates collaborative work spaces where kids can learn the skills necessary for media and digital literacies. I’d still like to see more libraries provide these types of opportunities because after all, where else are these they (and adults) going to learn them? Are libraries really just about books and information, or is there more we can and should be educating users about? Or at least providing the spaces in which they can do that?