Presented at LILAC 2023.

1. Overcoming the challenges of incorporating critical
literacy into our information literacy offer: working with
the ACRL Framework and decolonisation at The
University of Sheffield
Haworth, A., Dickinson, H., Sciamanna, C. and Grant, V.

2. ● Background: Sheffield and our IDL offer
● Background: critical literacy and transformative learning
● Background: methodology
● Case study one: Information Ecosystem online resource
● Case study two: Decolonising your Bibliography workshop
● Case study three: Reading for Diversity reading groups
● Reflections
● Questions
Today’s talk

3. Sheffield and our IDL offer

4. Critical literacy and transformative learning
“Our work with information has
the power to transform the
lives of our students and the
wider community.”
The University of Sheffield Library Five Year Plan 2022-2027

5. Methodology
Think big
Start small
Go slow
Mason, W. (2022)

6. Case study one:
Information Ecosystem online tutorial

7. ● A dialogue-based online resource (in
progress)
● Develop an understanding of the context
in information creation
● Issues of power, access, authority, and
value in scholarly information creation
● Inspired by the ACRL Framework for
Information Literacy
Information Ecosystem: planning

8. ● ACRL concepts:
○ Too abstract to be practical
○ Too abstract for learning evaluation
● Student engagement
● Innovation and scholarly environment
Information Ecosystem: acting on the challenges

9. The ACRL framework strengths:
● Flexibility of practical implementations
● Responsiveness to local pedagogical
strategies
Engagement with theoretical concepts
● Time and space necessary
Open Access institutional drive
● Scholarly information access beyond
university
Information Ecosystem: reflecting

10. Case study two:
Decolonising your Bibliography workshop

11. ● Discussion-based workshop on
“whiteness” of university curricular
● Black History Month exhibition in the
Information Commons’ new Digital
Exhibition Space
● Knowledge production and
information value
● Context of imperialism, colonialism,
and power
Decolonising your Bibliography: planning
© The University of Sheffield. Sheffield Methods Institute. 2022

12. Decolonising your Bibliography: acting on the challenges
● Staff had to adjust to generating questions
without providing answers/solutions
● Tension between our aim and
expectations of some disciplines when
choosing sources
● Facilitating a supportive and inclusive
environment to discuss sensitive topics
Discussion activity notes

13. ● Learning objectives were met and
student engaged well with the
discussion
● Awareness vs change
● Propose longer sessions with more
time for discussion
Decolonising your Bibliography: reflecting
© The University of Sheffield 2022

14. Case study three:
Reading for Diversity reading groups

15. ● Programme in collaboration
with the University Book
Society with SU Officer input
● Opportunity for students to
critically engage with, reflect
on and discuss books written
from underepresented/
diverse perspectives
Reading for Diversity reading groups: planning

16. ● Co- facilitation: striking the right balance,
differing aims/objectives
● Stakeholders: navigating work loads,differing
priorities
● Difficulty sourcing books
● Getting the timing right
● Promoting the events
Reading for Diversity reading groups: acting on the
challenges
© Used with permission from Sheffield University Book Society

17. Reading for Diversity reading groups: reflecting
● Library staff and BookSoc
members reflect after each session
● Evaluate student engagement
qualitatively in the session itself
and after via feedback
● Developed our approach to
effective collaboration and co-
production with students to
effectively deliver a new initiative
© The University of Sheffield 2022

18. ● Reconsider ‘practical’
● Embrace unanswered questions
● Apply theoretical concepts
● Take your time
● Have clear aims
● Be realistic
● Build on a strong core offer
● Innovate outside of curriculum
● Think big, start small, go slow
Overall reflections
© The University of Sheffield 2022

19. Bibliography 1
ACRL (2015) Framework for information literacy for higher education. Available at:
https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework (Accessed: 22 March 2023).
Albayrak, N. (2018) ‘Diversity helps but decolonisation is the key to equality in higher education,’ LSE Eden Centre for Education
Enhancement: Contemporary Issues in Teaching and Learning, 16th April. Available at:
https://lsepgcertcitl.wordpress.com/2018/04/16/diversity-helps-but-decolonisation-is-the-key-to-equality-in-higher-education/
(Accessed: 22 March 2023).
Beilin, I. (2015) ‘Beyond the threshold: conformity, resistance and the ACRL information literacy framework for higher education’,
In the Library With the Lead Pipe, 25th February. Available at: http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2015/beyond-the-
threshold-conformity-resistance-and-the-aclr-information-literacy-framework-for-higher-education/ (Accessed: 22 March 2023).
Bradbury, H. (2015) The SAGE handbook of action research. 3rd edn. Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.
Joint ALA/ARL Building Cultural Proficiencies for Racial Equity Framework Task Force (2022) Cultural proficiencies for racial
equity: a framework. Available at: https://www.arl.org/resources/cultural-proficiencies-for-racial-equity-a-framework/ (Accessed:
22 March 2023).

20. Bibliography 2
Latham, D., Gross, M. and Julien, H. (2019) ‘Implementing the ACRL framework: reflections from the field’, College & Research
Libraries, 80(3), pp. 386-400.
Mason, W. & The Unity Gym Project (2021) ‘Radically slow? Reflections on time, temporality and pace in engaged scholarship’,
in Clift, B. et al. (ed.) Temporality in Qualitative Inquiry: Theories, Methods and Practices. London: Routledge, pp. 142-157.
Mason, W., Raine, H. & Brasab, S. (2022) Unity Gym Project: Youth work as a ‘site of resistance’ [podcast]. Available at:
https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/connect-reflect/case-studies/unity-gym-project-youth-work-as-a-site-of-resistance
(Accessed: 27 March 2023).
McNicol, N. (ed.) (2016) Critical literacy for information professionals. London: Facet Publishing.
Ventour, T. (2021) ‘Telling it like it is: decolonisation is not diversity,’ Diverse Educators, 1st April. Available at:
https://www.diverseeducators.co.uk/telling-it-like-it-is-decolonisation-is-not-diversity/ (Accessed 22 March 2023).

21. Any questions?

22. Amy C Haworth
Learning Development
Librarian
The University of Sheffield
Email:
a.c.haworth@sheffield.ac.uk
Twitter: @amyccccccc
Helen Dickinson
Information Skills Specialist
The University of Sheffield
Email:
h.dickinson@sheffield.ac.uk
Caterina Sciamanna
Library Digital Learning Section
Lead
The University of Sheffield
Email:
c.sciamanna@sheffield.ac.uk
Twitter: @cat_sciam