This document discusses the concept of transliteracy. Transliteracy goes beyond traditional literacy skills and involves the ability to read, write and interact across different platforms and media. It originated in 2005 through the work of researchers studying how communication technologies were evolving. Transliteracy is important for libraries to focus on as it reflects the changing media landscape and involves skills like identifying the appropriate format and tools for sharing information. The document argues that transliteracy is fluid, flexible and involves communicating in any form across different contexts. Libraries need to help develop transliteracy skills through exploring, experimenting and embracing change.

1. Exploring Transliteracy:
The New Literacies and
Libraries
LibraryLinkNJ
Bobbi Newman
librarianbyday.net
@librarianbyday

2. Evolution of Communication

3. Acceleration of Communication
Technologies

4. Now that the
cost of posting
things in a
global medium
has collapsed,
much of what
gets posted on
any given day
is in public but
not for the
public.
- Shirky
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotorita/2031523502

5. You
already
have zero
privacy.
Get over it.
- Scott G.
McNealy
1999

6. The illiterate of the 21st century will
not be those who cannot read and
write, but those who cannot learn,
unlearn, and relearn.
- Alvin Toffler

7. Enter Transliteracy

8. Transliteracy is the ability
to read, write and
interact across a range of
platforms, tools and
media from signing and
orality through
handwriting, print, TV,
radio and film, to digital
social networks.
-Thomas, et al

9. Origins of Transliteracy
• 2005
• Transliteracies Research
Project
• Alan Liu from the
Department of English at
the University of
California at Santa
Barbara
• “intersections of the
humanistic, social, and
technological disciplines”

10. Origins of Transliteracy
• 2005
• Sue Thomas
• Institute of Creative
Technologies at De
Montfort University
• PART Group (Production
and Research in
Transliteracy) - >
Transliteracy Research
Group.

11. The concept of
transliteracy calls for a
change of perspective
away from the battles
over print versus
digital, and a move
instead towards a
unifying ecology not
just of media, but of all
literacies relevant to
reading, writing,
interaction and culture,
both past and present.”
-Thomas et al.

12. Origins of Libraries and Transliteracy
• 2009
• Bobbi Newman
• Libraries Need to Focus
on Transliteracy

13. Libraries have focused
on literacy, the ability
to read, write and
interact, for years.
People need to be
literate in order to be
involved in and
contribute to society.
Times are changing,
technologies are
evolving rapidly, it is
no longer enough to
focus on the ability to
read and write alone.

14. Origins of Libraries and Transliteracy
• 2010
• Libraries and
Transliteracy Project
• Tom Ipri
• Bobbi Newman
• Lane Wilkinson
• Gretchen Casserroti

15. Because of the ways in
which transliteracy
questions authority and
devalues hierarchical
structures proponents
tend to advocate for
issues that help level the
information playing
field, such as ensuring
neutrality and bridging
the digital divide
- Ipri

16. Transliteracy is more than…

17. digital literacy

18. technology literacy

19. information literacy

20. media literacy

21. foundational literacy

22. It includes all literacies

23. not just about
computer-based
materials, but about all
communication types
across time and
culture. It does not
privilege one above
the other but treats all
as of equal value and
moves between and
across them.
-Thomas et al

24. Transliteracy happens in the places where
different things meet, mix, and rub
together.
-Thomas et al

25. Transliteracy is

26. information

27. content

28. style

29. connection

30. format

31. texting

32. a telephone call

33. email

34. instant messaging

35. music

36. art

37. video

38. images

39. social networking

40. face to face

41. paper and pencil

42. gestures

43. expressions

44. social

45. cultural

46. change

47. diverse

48. sharing

49. participatory

50. aware

51. fluid

52. flexible

53. fluent

54. The transliterate individual can:

55. identify the type of information

56. the correct method, format and
medium

57. for sharing

58. Can identify the

59. the correct method, format and
medium

60. for accessing information.

61. Transliteracy is

62. identifying your audience

63. and the correct method of
sharing your message.

64. Transliteracy is

65. communication

66. in any form.

67. If not libraries, then who?

68. What can we do?

69. Choice

70. Stop fighting amongst ourselves

71. Get educated

72. Explore

73. Experiment

74. It won’t be easy

75. No excuses

76. Expectations

77. Commit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fl4y/2524287242/

78. Questions?
Bobbi Newman
librarianbyday.net
@librarianbyday
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United
States License.
To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/

79. References
• Andretta, S. (2009). Transliteracy: Take a walk on the wild side. In World
Library and Information Congress: 75 th IFLA Genreal Conference and
Assembly, Milan, Italy: 23-27. http://eprints.rclis.org/handle/10760/14868
• Ipri, T. (2010) Introducing Transliteracy. College & Research Libraries News,
71(10), 532-567.
• Karp, J. (2010, Oct 25). What is this buzz word “transliteracy”? (Blog)
Retrieved from http://spotlight.macfound.org
• Newman, B. (2011). Beginner’s guide to transliteracy. Available online at
• http://librariesandtransliteracy.wordpress.com/beginner’s-guide-to-
transliteracy/
• Saveri, A., Rheingold, H., & Vian, K. (2005). Technologies of cooperation.
Palo Alto CA. Retrieved from
http://www.rheingold.com/cooperation/Technology_of_cooperation.pdf
• Shirky, C. (2008). Here comes everybody: The power of organizing without
organizations. New York: Penguin Press.
• Thomas, S., et al. (2007). Transliteracy: crossing divides. First Monday,
12(12). Online.