Slide deck to support a keynote at Libraries Developing Digital Literacies in Cardiff, Wales, UK on 17 July 2015. The keynote offers some personal reflections as well as some pointers to current Jisc work in the area of digital capability and related themes. This pdf version includes speaker notes.

1. »Introduction: I work for Jisc. For those of you not familiar with Jisc, we’re a registered charity
and our mission is to enable people in higher education, further education and skills in the
UK to perform at the forefront of international practice. We do four things:
»1) Network and technology
»2) Digital resources
»3) Advice and engagement
»4) Research and development
»As a subject specialist based in customer services, I help people make the most of all that Jisc
has to offer around libraries and digital resources.
»I’m here today to set the scene for today’s event focussed on libraries developing digital
literacies.
»When Joe invited me he was particularly keen I should talk to you from the point of view of
someone with her roots in the academic library world. Earlier in my career I worked as an
academic librarian in research and university libraries. In the 1990s the internet was new in
academia, and librarians were pioneers.We hadn’t yet discovered the terms information
literacy or digital literacy.We didn’t much worry whether it was our role to embrace and lead
on digital academic practice. It felt like a natural extension of our academic library purpose.
»I have recently returned to working closely with libraries and have had some opportunity to
observe how libraries are beginning to embrace digital literacy. I hope to share with you some
personal impressions and some developments that have caught my eye that I feel are
relevant to libraries and digital literacies. I’ll also take a brief look at some of the research and
support that Jisc is developing which you may want to get involved with.
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2. »Exercise to explore the idea of visitors and residents
»We are talking about modes of behaviour not labelling people
»Important to note that people will generally mix modes depending on the context
»Behaviours are on a continuum – some of us may feel we are somewhere in the middle
»Evaluating digital services: a visitors and residents approach (DavidWhite andAlison Le
Cornu, Jisc/OCLC funded research project)
»https://www.jisc.ac.uk/guides/evaluating-digital-services
»https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/evaluating-digital-services-a-visitors-and-residents-approach-11-
mar-2014
»http://youtu.be/sPOG3iThmRI
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3. http://youtu.be/sPOG3iThmRI
See also Ned Potter http://www.slideshare.net/thewikiman/visitors-and-residents-useful-
social-media-in-libraries (Keynote for Interlend July 2015)
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4. »As I’ve observed and reflected on the way digital developments are impacting on the library
and information world, I have been very influenced by a piece in the journal Ariadne in 2012
»AmberThomas “21st century scholarship andWikipedia”
http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue70/Thomas
»She described a report of some research into how people read and find information
online
»“researchers ‘bounce’ and ‘whirl’: they explore, jump, browse, they click about.This
multidimensional content structure reflects more authentically the complexity of
knowledge. […]This information landscape is rich and deep and calls for improved
digital literacies…”
»The 2010 report ‘The Digital Information Seeker’ was based on findings of user
behaviour projects by Jisc, OCLC and RIN. It noted how information seekers on the web
don’t appear to move in a linear fashion along an information trail. Instead they ‘bounce
and whirl’ rather like an insect landing on a flower, seeking speedy, convenient access to
pieces of content.
»http://www.oclc.org/research/themes/user-studies/dis.html
»http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20140615150442/http://www.jisc.ac.uk/medi
a/documents/publications/briefingpaper/2010/bpdigitalinfoseekerv1.pdf
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5. »Archived briefing paper:
http://www.webarchive.org.uk/wayback/archive/20140615150442/http://www.jisc.ac.uk/medi
a/documents/publications/briefingpaper/2010/bpdigitalinfoseekerv1.pdf
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6. »Librarians and libraries have always had to change and adapt themselves and their services to
the environment and the needs of users and customers.
»But even so, I think the library world was, initially at least, challenged by the digital literacy
agenda
› It comes very close to our concepts and models of information literacy– recognition of
which has been hard-fought for
› It can mean engaging with other professionals on our campuses which can be
uncomfortable
› It can compete for resources with other library functions that we feel are important
› The speed of technological change can lower confidence
› Digital literacy initiatives may exist, carried out by enthusiastic individuals, but they can lack
sustained backing of the institution, there isn’t necessarily a strategic approach which
recognises the need to address the digital practice of the organisation or department
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7. »When services are so under pressure, some might ask why libraries should pay so much
attention to digital literacy when they could be focussed on protecting traditional librarian
jobs, buildings and historic collections from disappearing.
»I would certainly not want to argue that by advancing digitally we somehow devalue more
traditional assets and services. After all, digital media are of very limited value in the hands of
a poorly-educated person who lacks basic literacy and numeracy.
»But neither do I see digital literacy development as being set in opposition to more traditional
library roles and values.
»What I am quite sure about is that if library staff cannot work digitally to communicate their
value, then all services are likely to suffer.
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8. »Many people outside libraries still hold very outdated notions of what a library is
»We have an opportunity to help them imagine a different kind of library
»Digital literacy in libraries, at one level, is about teaching students or researchers how to
develop digital academic practice. But if we restrict our digital literacy focus to student
experience and employability – vital though these are - we could be taking a rather short-
term, unsustainable view
»Librarians developing digital literacy could also be about:
› developing our library workforce as digital professionals who have the wherewithal to
support themselves through transitions of employment, job description and organisational
restructuring.
› exploring the possibilities of technology to project an understanding of what a library can
offer at a time when more learning is happening online and beyond institutional
boundaries, and in ways that can engage and inspire new audiences
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9. » WHELF action plan: development of information and digital skills for life
» Welsh Information Literacy Project http://welshlibraries.org/skills/information-literacy/
› Welsh Information Literacy Project closing conference http://ojs.lboro.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/JIL/issue/view/173
» SCONUL Strategy 2012-2015 identifies “expert support (for example on digital and information literacy)” as being among
the important functions of a university library
» SCONUL is looking at information and digital literacy as part of its focus on user experience and success
» SCONUL participated in Jisc Developing Digital Literacies Programme as part of a project with RIN: RILADS Research
Information Literacy and Digital Scholarship
» CILIP and its groups e.g.
› http://www.cilip.org.uk/academic-research-libraries-group/events/digital-literacy-librarians-staff-students-where-are-we-
now
› CoPILOT http://www.cilip.org.uk/information-literacy-group/about/co-pilot
» Elsewhere too, information literacy is converging with digital literacy and open educational practice e.g.
› http://information-literacy.blogspot.co.uk/ (Sheila Webber’s information literacy blog)
› OER Wales and OER15 conference with presentation from Bangor University Library
› Wikimedian in residence at the National Library of Wales
» Digital literacy also featured at the CILIP Conference 2015 e.g. https://rilads.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/inskip-workplace-
il-cilipconf2015.pdf
› OU developing badged open courses - one on digital literacy late 2015 http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/OpenMedia/?p=1279
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10. » https://www.jisc.ac.uk/blog/english-maths-and-digital-literacy-the-new-essential-skill-in-welsh-fe-03-jul-2015
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11. »New Essential Skills qualification inWales replacing ICT in 2015
› 6 levels from Entry through to L3
› Jisc is supporting theWelsh Government agenda by running workshops to equip FE tutors
to teach the new digital literacy qualification from Autumn 2015
»Digital responsibility – e-safety, digital footprint, etiquette
»Digital information literacy – identify, select, review, evaluate – currency, relevance,
authority, accuracy, purpose
»Digital productivity – organise info, store, share, manipulate, protect ; assess, select and use
devices, applications, tools
»Collaboration – choose collaborative tools and techniques, collaborate effectively and
efficiently
»Creative – tools, techniques, processes, solutions
»Digital learning – how can digital literacy support and enhance learning opportunities?
»https://www.facebook.com/digitalliteracywales?fref=ts
»https://www.pinterest.com/estherbarrettt/digital-literacy-in-wales/
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12. »Jisc is carrying out a number of R&D projects relevant to librarians and digital literacies.
»Our approach to innovation is called ‘co-design’ and we work with a variety of organisations
to ensure that the work is shaped to meet the needs of the community. Co-design partner
organisations include e.g. Sconul, RLUK and the NUS.
»The main project is Building Digital Capability, building on the work of the Developing Digital
Literacies programme.
» Focus on staff digital knowledge, skills and attitudes
» Universities and colleges want help in:
› identifying the digital skills needed
› identifying their skills gaps
› planning, implementing and evaluating initiatives to improve skills
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13. This builds on the seven elements of digital literacies developed previously.
Wellbeing:
The capacity to look after personal health, safety, relationships and work-life balance in digital settings; to use personal digital
data for positive wellbeing benefits; to use digital media to foster community actions and wellbeing; to act safely and
responsibly in digital environments; to manage digital stress, workload and distraction; to act with concern for the human and
natural environment when using digital tools; to balance digital with real-world interactions appropriately
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Title of presentation (Insert > Header & Footer > Notes
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15. » Lawrie Phipps: “Having completed a scoping exercise and through a series of structured stakeholder conversations Jisc have
begun developing a Digital Leadership Programme. Initially this will consist of a short course, online materials and webinars.
However, it is intended for the resources to grow and develop.”
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16. » User group – a number of institutions have already become involved. There is still opportunity to register interest.
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18. »Ways to engage with Jisc
»Find out about our regional contacts including your account managers
»General enquiries: contact centre
»Subject specialists provide advice and guidance, and with account managers, signpost you to
the right people
»You can also follow us through social media, blogs, podcasts, news and events
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19. »We have a rich array of presentations and teachmeet sessions to come.
»Whatever you decide to take away and use from today, I would encourage you to keep
sharing your own practice as freely as you can.
»The more we can see of each other’s practice, the more chances we have to be inspired, to
enrich and promote the value of our libraries and our librarians.
»And one thing is certain, with the help of digital technology, sharing our practice has never
been easier.
»I’ll leave you with my contact details…
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20. » …so if you want to stay in touch please drop me a line and feel free to come and have a chat to me through the rest of the
day.
» Thank you.
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