Forum Question
In a world of disinformation, social media, and “alternative facts,” how do you identify and vet credible information sources? How do you share those credible sources with students and public library users? What is a librarian’s role in helping the greater community find common ground in shared facts?
In a world of disinformation, social media, and “alternative facts,” how do you identify and vet credible information sources? How do you share those credible sources with students and public library users? What is a librarian’s role in helping the greater community find common ground in shared facts?
Responses
School librarians have a key role to play in creating an informed citizenry — one that finds common ground in shared facts.
I. SCHOOL LIBRARIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SELECTING CREDIBLE INFORMATION SOURCES FOR THEIR PRINT AND DIGITAL LIBRARY COLLECTIONS.
It is important for librarians to clearly understand the difference between selecting information sources that are credible (a key step in the collection development process) and selecting information sources that express only certain views (censorship).
When developing a nonfiction collection, credibility is the most important criteria to consider (along with price, relevance etc.). School librarians do not have the time to thoroughly research each item they select for their collection. However, school librarians do have time to…
Martina Kranz
1. In a world of disinformation, social media, and "alternative facts," a librarian identifies and vets credible information sources through examination and study. A librarian must determine who published the information and if the individual or organization possesses professional credentials or possesses some knowledge about the subject through personal or work experience. Even if the individual or organization possess professional or personal credentials, this does not necessarily mean their facts or opinions are the best. After all, sometimes people seek second opinions for a medical diagnosis, so why not seek other opinions on information or facts. Well-researched facts and data…
Read the Full ResponseSelective facts, full context and the Super Bowl
As I wait for my slow cooker to magically create a pot of my famous Super Bowl chili, I find myself surfing the internet for news on the Kansas City Chiefs, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their respective players. It always astonishes me how sports writers can justify a particular stance by presenting the selected facts needed to do so. "Player X is unreliable because he has thrown this many interceptions", yet we neglect to mention the factors that led to those interceptions or how they pale in comparison to his touchdowns. "Player Y is incredibly injury prone", yet we…
Read the Full ResponseReveal the Danger
Teaching info lit at community colleges for 15 years, we found that revealing dangerous sites, e.g. Martin Luther King hate sites, catch the attention of some. For every LibGuide we did, we listed credible sites and a path to take.
But equally, maybe even more importantly, we had to convince the faculty members, most of whom were adjuncts, to pay attention to sites used. The bibliography is of equal importance to the paper. Unless they grade based on quality of sources, all our teaching is for naught.
Humanizing Opposition
It seems like everything is politically polarized lately. Everything is us versus them. Frequently, language is used to portray the other side of an issue as an enemy or less than human. This cannot possibly lead to constructive debates on issues and has probably resulted in several uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinners over the last few years.
Could libraries provide a safe, civilized, and calm way to meet and greet people from both sides of the political aisles to have a conversation? We could provide a space and opportunity to let people get to know each other as real…