Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Types of Literacy

--by Bobbi Galvin

Here we discuss literacy with regard to children, information, health and technology.

Children’s Literacy



Is there anything more fun than library story time?   If done well, story time incorporates all styles of learning so that every child benefits.

There are challenges to getting every child ready to read.  Economic status, language barriers, parent literacy levels, and availability of books can all be an influence. 

Libraries can address these community issues.  For example, libraries can offer ESL classes for adults and children, GED classes, family reading times, and reading programs that encourage participation.  
Another step libraries can take is to work collaboratively with schools and other agencies to identify at-risk youth, then create appropriate programs.

What are some needs in your community that could be addressed by the local library?

Information Literacy
Finding just the right piece of information can be crucial in certain instances; legal information, for example.  While librarians are not qualified to give legal advice, it is the responsibility of the information professional to direct each user to reliable, current resources so that users can make an informed decision.

Quite often, students have not received information literacy instruction in school.  It then falls onto higher education faculty and librarians to instruct students in the best way to do research, which includes “the ability to determine the extent of information needed; access the needed information effectively and efficiently; evaluate information and its sources critically; incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base; use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose; understand the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally” (Elmborg, 2010).

For further information, watch this video from the Seminole State Library:



Health Literacy
Sometimes research can be a matter of life and death.  Just as with legal information, librarians are not qualified to give medical advice.  They can, however, provide current and factual information so that the patron can make an informed medical decision.



Not only do librarians and patients need to be skilled in health literacy, so do medical professionals. Doctors and nurses interact with many different populations and audiences. Their expertise and credibility are always at stake, so they must be able to access and evaluate many different sources such as general web searches and medical databases.  As health educators, they must question known information, and know the agendas behind the various sources of information. The true key to understanding is to also be able to present this information clearly and responsibly to various audiences.

Technology Literacy

As information professionals, assisting patrons bridge the digital divide is part of the job description. 

This includes helping a parent decide which app is good for their child, helping a teen download music from Freegal, showing a new college student how to connect with classmates using Skype, or helping a little one on the age appropriate learning stations in the youth area.


As a professional, how do you keep up with technology?  How does your employer support your learning of new technologies?

One excellent example of how library administration keeps the staff constantly learning is the Shawnee Branch of the Johnson County Library.  They offer each staff member, from pages to managers, a “happy hour” once a week.  During this time, the staff member can watch webinars, practice on technology gadgets, or explore anything that sparks their interest (McNair, 2016).

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Here are some other types of literacy that could require more in-depth research and patron training.

        Business and financial literacy
          Political literacy
          Career and job searching literacy

          Critical literacy

The list could go on indefinitely.  What other types have you encountered?

1 comment:

  1. This specific topic within the whole article is what turns libraries from book shelves to community centers. When there are classes or workshops offered to help people better themselves through the resources found at a library, the community become a better place to be. People connect and care and grow with one another. The connection a child makes when there at a young age will greatly impact how they see libraries as adults. This brought me back to when I would go with my parents to book sales at the library and there were various activities for children to participate in, made me love going to the library. As a got older, it was a safe space to go and study with friends, knowing that the moment I actually needed help with something, there were people around that could lead me to success. The relationships built through the resources provided by a library can really make a community. It is great that you mention that helping people is part of the profession. It absolutely is, and I look forward to being part of how the information profession grows in the future.

    -Laura Williams

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