Information Literacy and Libraries in the Age of Fake News

by Denise E. Agosto (Editor)

Overview

Going beyond the fake news problem, this book tackles the broader issue of teaching library users of all types how to become more critical consumers and sharers of information.

As a public, school, or academic librarian or educator, you can help library users to become more conscious and responsible consumers of information. As you read, you'll gain a better understanding and appreciation of the core concepts involved in promoting critical information literacy, such as information ethics, media literacy, and civic education. You'll also learn the history of fake news and come away with practical ideas in mind for strategies to apply in your library.

Chapters contributed by leading experts in public, academic, and school library services are written in plain, everyday language that librarians and library school students can easily understand and relate to their own experiences as information users, especially their experiences in social media and other online venues where sharing false information takes only a click.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440864186
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/12/2018
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.42(d)

About the Author

Denise E. Agosto, PhD, is professor in the College of Computing & Informatics and director of the Master's in Library & Information Science program at Drexel University.

Table of Contents

Foreword Julie B. Todaro ix

1 An Introduction to Information Literacy and Libraries in the Age of Fake News Denise E. Agosto 1

2 From Yellow Journalism to Tabloids to Clickbait: The Origins of Fake News in the United States Sharon McQueen 12

3 Critical Literacy as an Approach to Combating Cultural Misinformation/Disinformation on the Internet Nicole A. Cooke 36

4 From Information Literacy to Full Participation in Society: Through the Lens of Economic Inequality Mark Winston 52

5 Misinformation and intellectual Freedom in Libraries Shannon M. Oltmann 66

6 Fighting Fake News: The Limits of Critical Thinking and Free Speech Kay Mathiesen 77

7 Truth, Post-Truth, and Information Literacy: Evaluating Sources Joanna M. Burkhardt 94

8 We Got This: Public Libraries as Defenders against Fake News Ben Himmelfarb 106

9 School Librarians: Partners in the Fight against Fake News Kristen Mattson 115

10 Information and Media Literacy Education: The Role of School Libraries Belinha De Abreu 126

11 Cultivating Students as Educated Citizens: The Role of Academic Libraries Hailey Mooney Jo Angela Oehrli Shevon Desai 136

12 "Survey Says … Developing Students' Critical Data Literacy Caitlin Shanley Kristina M. De Voe 151

13 Fake News and Academic Librarians: A Hook for Introducing Undergraduate Students to Information Literacy Carolina Hernandez 167

About the Editor and Contributors 177

Index 181

Editorial Reviews

This book includes good coverage on teaching and educating users on fake news as it relates to digital and media literacy.” —ARBA

“. . . easy-to-implement steps that will aid patrons in discerning what is truthful and what needs at least a more careful examination. . . A worthwhile purchase.” —Booklist

“This collection of essays does an outstanding job presenting multiple philosophies, strategies, and viewpoints on the problem of digital disinformation. Unlike the titular fake news, these short pieces are uniformly researched, well sourced, and invested with extensive bibliographies.” —American Libraries

“Much more than a practical handbook of techniques for addressing the fake news problem, Information Literacy and Libraries in the Age of Fake News serves as an excellent, nuanced discussion of its long-lasting and serious consequences and implications.” —Online Searcher

From the Publisher

08/01/2019

Agosto (director, Master of Library & Information Science program, Drexel University; Urban Teens in the Library) presents a collection of 13 essays on information literacy in an age in which unreliable or false data circulates quickly. The contributors, mostly academic, school, and public librarians, tackle a range of topics, including history, critical thinking, economic inequality, intellectual freedom, media literacy, and more. Reflecting the complexity of the subject, the writers define "fake news" in different ways and have divergent opinions on how to combat it—readers may feel as though they're attending an animated conference panel. For instance, a chapter on the importance of not censoring fake news emphasizes how honing information literacy skills can prepare patrons to evaluate texts for themselves, while the following section argues that these sources shouldn't be afforded the same protections as other forms of speech. VERDICT This engaging and intellectually stimulating read is highly recommended for all librarians as well as those interested in exploring the issue of fake news.–Melissa Engleman, University of Tennessee at Martin

School Library Journal