The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/0090-7324.htm

Library instruction and Information

literacy 2020
information literacy 2020
Tessa Withorn
University Library, California State University Dominguez Hills,
Carson, California, USA 329
Jillian Eslami Received 29 July 2021
University Library, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA Revised 29 July 2021
Accepted 29 July 2021
Hannah Lee, Maggie Clarke and Carolyn Caffrey Gardner
University Library, California State University Dominguez Hills,
Carson, California, USA
Cristina Springfield
Library, Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, California, USA
~eda
Dana Ospina, Anthony Andora and Amalia Castan
University Library, California State University Dominguez Hills,
Carson, California, USA
Alexandra Mitchell
University Library, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
Joanna Messer Kimmitt
Library, Cabrillo College, Aptos, California, USA, and
Wendolyn Vermeer and Aric Haas
University Library, California State University Dominguez Hills,
Carson, California, USA

Abstract
Purpose – This paper presents recently published resources on library instruction and information literacy,
providing an introductory overview and a selected annotated bibliography of publications covering various
library types, study populations and research contexts.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper introduces and annotates English-language periodical
articles, monographs, dissertations, reports and other materials on library instruction and information literacy
published in 2020.
Findings – The paper provides a brief description of all 440 sources and highlights sources that contain
unique or significant scholarly contributions.
Originality/value – The information may be used by librarians, researchers and anyone interested in a quick
and comprehensive reference to literature on library instruction and information literacy.
Keywords Academic libraries, Library instruction, Information literacy, School libraries, University libraries
Paper type Literature review

Amid the tumultuous year of the COVID-19 pandemic, professional literature covered by this
annual annotated bibliography continues to provide librarians and researchers with insights
into research on library instruction and information literacy (IL) in a variety of contexts. The
authors applied methods similar to previous years by searching in all EBSCO research Reference Services Review
Vol. 49 No. 3/4, 2021
pp. 329-418
Authors appear according to the distribution of annotations completed and contributions to the © Emerald Publishing Limited
0090-7324
manuscript. DOI 10.1108/RSR-07-2021-0046
RSR databases available through their institutions, which includes Library, Information Science
49,3/4 and Technology Abstracts (LISTA) and Education Resources Information Center (Eric), as
well as Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and WorldCat, for
English-language materials published in 2020 that included the terms “information literacy,”
“library instruction” or “information fluency” in the title, abstract or keywords. The authors
also searched professional journal websites that are not otherwise indexed, including In the
Library with the Lead Pipe, Journal of New Librarianship and Emerging Library and
330 Information Perspectives. The bibliography excludes materials three pages or less in length,
book chapters, conference proceedings and reviews of previously published materials. This
year, 434 articles, books, reports and dissertations are annotated and organized in the
following categories: K-12 Education, Children and Adolescents (34); Academic and
Professional Programs (303); Everyday Life, Community, and the Workplace (45);
Libraries and Health Information Literacy (26); Multiple Library Types (11); and Other
Information Literacy Research and Theory (15) (see Table 1).
Studies of note in “K-12 Education, Children and Adolescents,” which focuses on school
libraries, K-12 curriculum and studies on adolescents, cover a variety of topics. A systematic review
reveals that school libraries and school librarians provide more than just physical spaces and
collections, they also collaborate with teachers, enhance the curriculum and promote reading habits
(Parisi-Moreno et al., 2020b). Although school administrators value libraries and library media
specialists, studies also note challenges due to a lack of funding, resources and trained staff
(Andrew, 2020; Parisi-Moreno et al., 2020b; Sheridan, 2020). Haeffner (2020) finds that novice school
librarians possess high levels of confidence in the skills, knowledge and dispositions from the
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards for the Initial Preparation of School
Librarians, but they often face constraints such as a lack of time as they balance multiple roles.
Keeling (2020) provides elementary school librarians with detailed lesson plans mapped to
the AASL Standards Framework for Learners and other relevant disciplinary standards, and
Thomas et al. (2020) link the 2018 National School Library Standards and the AASL
Standards to evidence-based curriculum, assessment and reflection. Findings from
Sauerwein (2020) emphasize the need for consistent expectations and information across
all subjects to further integrate IL throughout the curriculum. One area for professional
development for teachers and teacher-librarians might be assessment, as one survey shows
that teachers possess a limited ability to assess IL competencies (Schiffl, 2020).
Case studies from Colorado (Lance and Maniotes, 2020) and New York (Stripling, 2020)
provide examples of effective learning through inquiry-based models in which students are
empowered to work collaboratively, choose their own topics and apply critical thinking skills.
This approach is similar to what Kohnen and Saul (2020) call “generalist literacy” in which
teachers model curiosity, skepticism and persistence in finding credible information sources
to make decisions beyond the classroom. Another study showcases culturally responsive
pedagogy in a project with Hawaiian high schoolers and teachers in which they explore
cultural information through digital resources and field trips (Montague et al., 2020).

Category Number of 2020 publications

K-12 education, children and adolescents 34

Academic and professional programs 303
Everyday life, community and the workplace 45
Table 1. Libraries and health information literacy 26
Number of 2020 Multiple library types 11
publications by Other information literacy research and theory 15
category Total 434
 Additional research evaluates the IL skills of adolescents in the German-speaking Information
countries (Seufert et al., 2020), Indonesia (Tanudjaya and Doorman, 2020), Singapore (Majid literacy 2020

et al., 2020), Slovenia (Dolenc and Sorgo, 2020) and the USA (McLemore, 2020; Schiffl, 2020;
Wade et al., 2020). An international study across 14 countries also shows that students with
greater access to computers at home and higher levels of confidence in using information and
communication technology (ICT) perform higher on IL tests (Fraillon et al., 2020).
For “Academic and Professional Programs,” several trends emerge. Due somewhat in part
to a special issue in Communications in Information Literacy, critical information literacy (CIL) 331
is at the center of this year’s literature. Cooke (2020) outlines how critical library instruction can
be a pedagogical tool to address equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the classroom, which is
particularly important given the profession’s silence on white supremacy in library praxis
(Leung and Lopez-Mcknight, 2020). Flierl and Maybee (2020) also note a potential European
bias in and Coleman and Pankl (2020) call librarians to resist positivism and neoliberalism in
library instruction. Librarians are not solely responsible for teaching CIL; Torrell (2020)
proposes implementing CIL across the curriculum with the support of faculty. In “The problem
with grit: Dismantling deficit thinking in library instruction,” Tewell (2020) highlights how CIL
and culturally responsive pedagogy can help dismantle harmful notions of grit and growth
mindset that obscure systemic issues of inequality in education. Quin~onez and Olivas (2020)
use validation theory and a culturally relevant curriculum to ignite first-year Latinx students’
scholar identity, and Bartow and Mann (2020) use CIL and community-based learning (CBL) to
validate the experiences of Spanish-speaking students. In addition to the classroom, Bruce
(2020) argues that one-on-one research consultations can be a site to apply an ethics of care,
relational-culture theory and critical race theory. Despite these efforts, Ferretti (2020) notes that
critical librarianship has not shifted the power dynamics between library colleagues in support
of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC). Additional critical theories for library instruction
include cultural humility (Goodman and Nugent, 2020), feminist pedagogy (Irving, 2020;
Kingsland, 2020), open pedagogy (Hare et al., 2020; Sinkinson, 2020) and trauma-informed
pedagogy (Gohr and Nova, 2020). Nonetheless, Seale (2020) argues that CIL is still at the
margins of library practice, and Schachter (2020a, b) notes that institutional culture, a lack of
time and resistance to change may influence the adoption of CIL.
This year, several studies describe transitions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as
meeting higher demands for research support and instruction (Pauwels et al., 2020), shifting
instruction to an online environment (Roy, 2020; Wittek, 2020) and communicating changes in
services (La Macchia, 2020). Universal design is an important framework that can be used to
provide accessible online instruction (Black, 2020; Hays and Handler, 2020; Lund, 2020;
Whitver, 2020), and online learning best practices more broadly can be useful in a hybrid or
fully online environment (Mune, 2020; Turnbow and Roth, 2020). Harding and Shepard (2020)
detail their process for designing IL modules in LibGuides CMS using best practices, and
Hammons (2020a) describes an online self-paced course for faculty. The Writing
Instruction þ Research Education (WI þ RE) project out of the University of California, Los
Angeles, introduces grassroots, peer-led model for creating videos, tutorials and handouts,
highlighting authentic student representation and best practices in user experience design
(Harper et al., 2020). Other approaches to engaging students online include micro-credentialing
courses (Peacock et al., 2020), digital badges (Pothier, 2020), student-centered research guides
(Paschke-Wood et al., 2020) and short videos (Liu, 2020). Interestingly, one systematic review by
Morris (2020) finds that overall students express no preference for face-to-face, online or
blended learning, and there is no statistically significant difference in performance.
Conversations around the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education continue across various
disciplines and topics. Julien et al. (2020) and St€opel et al. (2020) provide case studies on
integrating threshold concepts and Framework-based learning outcomes into disciplinary
RSR curriculum. Additional examples of applying the Framework to various disciplinary
49,3/4 standards and activities can be found for business (Houlihan et al., 2020), communication
studies (Pun, 2020), indigenous studies (Dudley, 2020), medical education (Brennan et al.,
2020), nursing (McGowan et al., 2020) and political science (Harden and Harden, 2020). The
Framework can also be used as a guide to teach government information (Albert et al., 2020)
and incarcerated students (Kuntz Balcer, 2020). Coleman (2020) explores antiracism in the
ACRL Framework while providing suggestions for how to combat epistemic racism in the
332 classroom, and Heffernan (2020) provides classroom discussion questions for each ACRL
Framework frame through an EDI lens. A survey of community college librarians finds
limited familiarity with and application of the Framework (Wengler and Wolff-Eisenberg,
2020), but some scholars offer examples of how to use the Framework to highlight community
college students’ lived experiences (Foskey and Roper, 2020) and create drop-in workshops
that lay foundational skills (Mohess, 2020). A collection of case studies edited by Vong and
Vrkljan (2020) provide examples of how to connect the Framework to cocurricular activities,
and additional studies show that cocurricular activities in libraries can also engage students
in IL concepts, such as cultural art exhibits (Ching and New, 2020a; Ching and New, 2020b),
learning communities (Pate et al., 2020), speaker series (Kasten-Mutkus, 2020) and student-
run journals (Moore, 2020).
IL program coordination, instructional identities and assessment also emerge as themes
this year. A collection edited by Gardner et al. (2020) provides vignettes of various IL
programs, and Mallon (2020) offers a manual for building and developing instruction
programs. A study on the design process of one-shot instruction sessions reveals that, while
ill-prepared for instruction from their MLIS programs, librarians find peer observations
helpful for building skills (Hostetler, 2020), and Oberlies et al. (2020) present three tools for
peer observation that promote professional growth and reflection. Reale (2020) reflects on
challenges related to teaching IL, which includes factors such as library anxiety, librarian
stereotypes and the perceptions of librarians as service providers, as well as imposter
syndrome. A study by McCartin (2020) notes another challenge in that younger and newer
librarians are more likely to defer to other teaching faculty. Forming instructional identities is
also supported by a study by Nichols Hess (2020), which reveals that length of employment,
among other factors, leads to the development of one’s teacher identity. In terms of the
assessment of student learning, several studies use the now sunsetted Experiences with
Information Literacy module of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which
find that students value instruction on basic search skills (Davidson Squibb and Zanzucchi,
2020) and that there is a significant correlation between IL and the practices of instructors
(Fosnacht, 2020). One exemplary assessment project highlights efforts to assess IL in relation
to the American Psychology Association Goals for Undergraduate Majors in Psychology,
which includes several assessment strategies and tools that may be adapted for other
disciplines (Mueller et al., 2020). Another area of concern in assessment is the use of personal
identifiable information; Michalak and Rysavy (2020) argue that using specific identifiers can
be useful for IL program assessment and faculty collaboration. In “Moving from critical
assessment to assessment as care,” Arellano Douglas (2020) critiques impact-value
assessment and argues for applying a feminist ethic of care that seeks to value students
as individual learners. Interviews reveal that librarians see assessment as a way to energize
instruction programs and contribute to campus conversations surrounding IL, though they
may need additional institutional support (Willenborg et al., 2020).
Various strategies for evaluating information, news and media literacy and fake news
remain popular topics in library instruction. In response to the rise of misinformation, Lynch
and Hunter (2020) propose a new framework for critical source evaluation called “IF I
APPLY,” which integrates students’ experiences and beliefs into a checklist evaluation
technique. Bobkowski and Younger (2020) also present an instrument for source evaluation,
which encourages students to use additional authority indicators and evidence. According to Information

a study by Suminas and Jastramskis (2020), journalism students, who receive more literacy 2020
instruction on media and information literacy, are better equipped to evaluate key aspects of
news and media sources. Lim (2020) also highlights various definitions and checklists for
identifying fake news from online research guides. Saunders and Budd (2020) review
criticisms of the ACRL Framework frame “Authority is Constructed and Contextual,”
arguing for more nuanced checklists that contextual the use of opinion and individual
experience. Faix and Fyn (2020) go beyond this frame to identify relevant aspects of 333
misinformation within the entire Framework. The Thinking Critically About Sources
Cookbook, edited by Morris (2020), provides numerous lesson plans and activities for
evaluating information, and Kaufman (2020) provides lesson plans to evaluate evidence-
based claims in the news. One workshop of note related to misinformation uses transgender
issues to dispel myths and analyze bias in media representation (Krutkowski et al., 2020).
Several studies also note the role of cognitive bias in information behavior and practices
(Behimehr and Jamali, 2020; Wittebols, 2020b).
IL also intersects with a variety of specialized literacies and populations. This year,
studies explore algorithmic literacy (Bakke, 2020; Head et al., 2020), archival (Gray, 2020;
Silva, 2020) and artifactual literacy (O’Sullivan, 2020), data literacy (Burress et al., 2020; Jewell
et al., 2020) and data management (Griffin, 2020), financial literacy (Liaqat et al., 2020), privacy
literacy (Hartman-Caverly and Chisholm, 2020), publishing literacy (Ndungu, 2020), science
literacy (Perry, 2020) and visual literacy (Matusiak, 2020; Munroe and Payne, 2020;
Thompson and Beene, 2020). Instruction is not a one-size-fits-all. Studies also report on best
practices for reaching first-generation students (Arch and Gilman, 2020), English-language
learners (Balci et al., 2020; Crist and Popa, 2020), PhD students (Nylander and Hjort, 2020a;
Nylander and Hjort, 2020b; White and King, 2020) and transfer students (Robison et al., 2020;
Vinyard, 2020).
Librarians often engage students with IL concepts in creative ways. Adams et al. (2020)
provide examples of using humorous satirical videos in one-shot instruction as a jumping off
point to discuss IL concepts. Instructors also use assignments that have students edit
Wikipedia to engage in the dissemination of knowledge and activism (Duncan, 2020;
Kingsland and Isuster, 2020; Poulter and Sheppard, 2020). Walsh (2020) argues for the use of
play pedagogy to encourage students to explore environments and learn from mistakes.
Games in library instruction are also popular, such as escape rooms (Crowe and Sclippa, 2020;
Koelling and Russo, 2020; Kroski, 2020), augmented reality for library tours (Sample, 2020b)
and other games (Encheva et al., 2020; Yap and Pe~ naflor, 2020). Additional strategies for
engagement include a flipped classroom approach (Gomez-Garcıa et al., 2020; Wittebols,
2020a), case-based learning (Frati, 2020; Jones and Wisniewski, 2020) and the use of various
technology platforms, such as Padlet (Rødland, 2020), WeChat (Guo and Huang, 2020) and
Rain Classroom (Han and Lu, 2020).
Lastly, this year saw a growth in international studies on the IL skills of students and the
experiences of librarians. These include studies from Australia (Jewell et al., 2020), Belgium
(Pauwels et al., 2020), Botswana (Oladokun and Jorosi, 2020), Cambodia (Seng et al., 2020),
Cameroon (Bawack and Kala Kamdjoug, 2020), Canada (Elbassiouny et al., 2020; Munroe and
Payne, 2020; Schachter, 2020a; Sharun, 2020), Chile (Reyes-Lillo et al., 2020), China (Allard
et al., 2020; Chow and Wong, 2020; Gu, 2020; Pang, 2020; Xie, 2020; Zhang et al., 2020), Finland
(Soltani and Nikou, 2020), Ghana (Ayoung et al., 2020; Yebowaah and Owusu-Ansah, 2020),
India (Mylapalli, 2020), Indonesia (Yanto et al., 2020), Iran (Keshavarz, 2020), Israel (Aharony
and Gazit, 2020; Aharony et al., 2020; Amit et al., 2020), Kuwait (Al-Qallaf, 2020), Kazakhstan
(Yap, 2020; Yap and Pe~ naflor, 2020), Latin America (Crawford-Visbal et al., 2020), Malaysia
(Heriyanto et al., 2020; Wan Mokhtar et al., 2020), the Netherlands (Testers et al., 2020), Nigeria
(Igbinovia et al., 2020; Ikenwe and Anaehobi, 2020; Ikolo, 2020; Mbagwu et al., 2020; Okeji
RSR et al., 2020; Okocha and Owolabi, 2020; Tella, 2020), Pakistan (Ahmad et al., 2020; Awan and
49,3/4 Idrees, 2020; Awan et al., 2020; Azam et al., 2020; Humbhi and Jabeen, 2020; Liaqat et al., 2020;
Soroya et al., 2020), Poland (Głowacka et al., 2020), Portugal (Sanches et al., 2020), Russia
(Gridasova et al., 2020; Korepin et al., 2020), Singapore (Dresel et al., 2020), Slovakia (Fazik and
Steinerova, 2020), Slovenia (Koler-Povh and Turk, 2020), South Africa (Bangani et al., 2020;
Coetzer and Mapulanga, 2020; Mashiyane et al., 2020; White and King, 2020), Spain (Trujillo-
Torres et al., 2020), Sweden (Karakoyun and Lindberg, 2020), Turkey (Balci et al., 2020;
334 Karakoyun and Lindberg, 2020; Uzun and Kilis, 2020), Ukraine (Saienko and Lavrysh, 2020)
and the United Kingdom (Froste, 2020; Sewell et al., 2020; Soltovets et al., 2020). Sengupta et al.
(2020) also examine student engagement and IL practices through an international scope.
Of particular interest in the category “Everyday Life, Community, and the Workplace” are
a number of studies on the information-seeking behaviors and information practices of
various populations and professions. One study of Finnish CEOs finds that workplace IL
plays a role in innovation and opportunity recognition, as well as fostering learning and
collaboration among employees (Ahmad et al., 2020). In a study of recent graduates, Pedersen
and Hahn (2020) find that transferring college IL skills to the workplace can be challenging,
although IL may not be as important to employers as other transferable skills (Kirschner and
Stoyanov, 2020). Studies also recommend that librarians support lawyers in finding legal
information (Jamshed et al., 2020) and connect prisoners to the Internet and reading materials
(Chandani and Weerasooriya, 2020). Refugees navigate complex information landscapes
during their resettlement and face barriers such as information overload, disjuncture and
liminality (Lloyd, 2020), whereas other migrants are able to plan for their relocation and
possess more advantages such as better English-language and IL skills (Marshall et al., 2020).
Hicks (2020) challenges the notion of IL as threshold concepts and argues for more research
on how IL mediates transitions. Lawal and Bitso (2020) call for more research on everyday life
information seeking (ELIS), which through a constructivist approach views IL as social
processes and varied relationships to information, especially in contexts outside of education
and the workplace. ELIS can also be viewed through a revised information anxiety
framework (Naveed and Anwar, 2020).
Public libraries serve as a hub for the community by promoting lifelong learning and
providing IL training (Mothiba and Enakrire, 2020; Seifi et al., 2020). One study by Matteson
and Gersch (2020) shows how one-on-one instructional interactions help patrons search for
and evaluate information for their everyday life. Public libraries also serve special
populations such as teen parents (Beier, 2020). Through photovoice instruction, Saal and
Gomez (2020) note that adult learners can use multimodal literacies to express their IL skills,
which may be applicable to public library IL training. Other barriers to building IL skills
exist; for example, Hosman et al. (2020) describe a project that brings online digital and
information literacy skills to an offline digital library to train users with limited or no access to
the Internet, in addition to other forms of information poverty (Marcella et al., 2020).
Goldstein (2020) argues that IL is crucial for engaged citizenship and necessary for
combating misinformation. Especially during a global pandemic, digital and information
literacy is important for digital citizenship and for promoting underrepresented voices in
digital spaces (Buchholz et al., 2020). Maertens et al. (2020) created and used a fake news
simulation game to study inoculation to misinformation and suggest that successful
interventions may focus on altering mindsets. Furthermore, a study by Buchanan (2020)
shows that misinformation is more likely to occur due to preexisting attitudes and source
familiarity. Fact-checking is a common intervention, and IL education can be informal or
formal through various media-based fact-checking organizations (Kus and Barczyszyn-
Madziarz, 2020) and librarian-led instruction (De Paor and Heravi, 2020). Wikipedia is another
platform that can be used as a model for policies and structures that mitigate misinformation
(McDowell and Vetter, 2020). News websites might also be more transparent through better
user experience (Wu, 2020). However, these interventions must take into account the “gray Information
digital divide” in which older adults view the Internet as a place for socialization rather than literacy 2020
education and may be more susceptible to misinformation (Brashier and Schacter, 2020).
More training on news literacy is needed, even among information professionals (Ameen and
Naeem, 2020).
In the category “Libraries and Health Information Literacy,” Ancker et al. (2020) call to
attention the proposed change from the US Department of Health and Human Services in the
use of the term “health literacy” to “health information fluency” as a better definition that 335
encompasses both individual and societal concerns in making health-related decisions.
Several studies highlight the COVID-19 “infodemic,” or the spread of health-related
misinformation during the global pandemic (Naeem and Bhatti, 2020a; Tangcharoensathien
et al., 2020), and the call attention to the susceptibility of COVID-19-related information on
social media (Anumudu and Ibrahim, 2020). Additional training may also be needed to
support healthcare workers’ knowledge of COVID-19 (Amit et al., 2020). Many turn to the
Internet for health information, and a study on the quality of online Q&A forums finds that
the highest quality information is often behind a paywall, which has implications for those
with lower IL skills (Ameri et al., 2020). Use of mobile technologies also necessitates good
health IL skills to discern accurate information online (Crosswell, 2020).
Studies out of China show that health IL plays a moderating role in the overuse of
smartphones (Fu et al., 2020), and knowledge around breast cancer awareness can predict
compliance to prevention strategies such as screenings (Liu et al., 2020; Yang et al., 2020).
Other factors that affect health information may include education level, Internet use and
income (Shiferaw et al., 2020). Studies from rural areas of Africa also show that more support
is needed to improve health IL (Ekoko, 2020; Ncube and Tsvuura; Odigie and Obinyan, 2020;
Shiferaw et al., 2020). Higher IL skills of nurses also indicate greater use of evidence-based
practices (Azami et al., 2020; Teolis, 2020), and consultations on health information can build
trust in physician–patient interactions (Peng et al., 2020). A study by Abelsson et al. (2020)
shows that patients often turn to other sources such as the Internet and family or friends to
make decisions about their care.
Studies included in “Multiple Library Types” overlap in areas where they address IL or
have broader applications. One study analyzes the joint efforts of various libraries in
Romania to react to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing online resources and programming
(Erich, 2020). Combating fake news is another area in which multiple libraries can join efforts
(Agosto, 2020), and Hanz and Kingsland (2020) outline an effective workshop intended for a
wide audience from high schoolers to adults. Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
prompted a group of high school teachers to collaboratively develop learning material using
methods that all librarians can learn from (Sadler et al., 2020). Wagg and McKinney (2020)
present a case study of outreach bridging schools with higher education, and Meyer and
Cranmore (2020) highlight the IL skills of advanced, college-bound high schoolers. After an
assessment of the IL skills of high schoolers and first-year college students in Slovenia,
Dolnicar et al. (2020) recommend more preparation in secondary education, especially in
search strategies. However, research out of Malaysia and Bangladesh comparing the IL and
ICT skills of Generation Z refutes the notion of digital natives (Kassim et al., 2020).
Finally, “Other IL Research and Theory” provides a broad array of scholarship on IL.
Bapte (2020) presents a global scientometric review of the literature on IL and notes an
exponential growth, whereas Park et al. (2020) expand the scope of their scientometric review
to include digital, ICT, information and media literacy. Similarly, Onyancha (2020) visualizes
and maps IL scholarship, which elucidates the growth of IL from computer literacy to the
broader diversity of the term IL as it is used today. Lastly, Odede (2020) compares the six
common theoretical frameworks for IL and concludes that Kuhlthau’s Information Search
Process is the most applicable across various disciplines and social contexts.
RSR K-12 education, children and adolescents
49,3/4 Alcolea-Dıaz, G.A.D., Reig, R.R., Mancinas-Chavez, R.M.C., Alcolea-Dıaz, G., Reig, R., and
Mancinas-Chavez, R. (2020), “UNESCO’s media and information literacy curriculum for
teachers from the perspective of structural considerations of information”, Comunicar, Vol. 28
No. 1.
Semantic content analysis of the UNESCO’s media and IL curriculum for teachers through
the lens of structural considerations of information, a distinct discipline that applies critical
336 theory to IL competencies; however, there are weaknesses to the UNESCO document through
a critical lens, which does not fully address disinformation and globalization. It argues for
updating the curriculum to recognize power structures that exist in the media industry and
develop critical thinking skills necessary for a democracy.
Andrew, T.S. (2020), Principal Perceptions of the Digital Literacy and Technology
Leadership Roles of the School Library Media Coordinator, PhD Dissertation, Gardner–Webb
University, Boiling Springs, NC.
Study examining the role of school library media coordinators, specifically as digital
literacy instructors and technology professional development leaders, in South Carolina from
the perspective of elementary school principals that identifies the relationship between
perceptions of school media programs and staffing decisions. Through a survey of 94
elementary principles and three additional interviews, the author concludes a positive
correlation between academic achievements and having trained school library media
coordinators on staff, particularly in light of nationwide budget cutting trends, accreditation
changes and legislative directives.
Barzilai, S., Mor-Hagani, S., Zohar, A.R., Shlomi-Elooz, T., and Ben-Yishai, R. (2020),
“Making sources visible: Promoting multiple document literacy with digital epistemic scaffolds”,
Computers and Education, Vol. 157.
They conducted a study to explore the value of new digital epistemic scaffolds on
students’ ability to evaluate and integrate multiple documents and construct document
models. Using a mixed method of embedded design, researchers studied four ninth grade
classes (n 5 88) in an Israeli city and assessed the results using both quantitative (pre- and
posttests) and qualitative (essays and open responses) data. The authors found that learning
with the epistemic scaffolds resulted in significant gains in evaluation and integration
performance and had a positive effect on meta-epistemic knowledge about source
justification and trustworthiness. One of the unique elements of this study was the
creation of a document mapping scaffold that allowed students to represent full document
models that contain not only the source contents but also the networked nature of the source
itself.
Belland, B.R., Weiss, D.M., and Kim, N.J. (2020), “High school students’ agentic responses to
modeling during problem-based learning”, Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 113 No. 5, pp.
374–383.
Qualitative study using Bandura’s social cognitive theory to examine high school
students’ inquiry process in a problem-based learning setting. Findings reveal that when
students are offered choices between teacher-provided resources and resources found in their
own research process to support claims, they select the teacher-provided resources first. It
suggests that in order to build self-efficacy and IL skills using problem-based learning
inquiry, instructors should limit offerings of information to allow for greater engagement
with research efforts.
Ben Amram, S., Aharony, N., and Bar Ilan, J. (2020), “Information literacy education in
primary schools: A case study”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 53 No. 2,
pp. 349–364.
A case study examining two schools, one that participated in a national program and one
that did not, on the status of IL in primary schools in Israel, looking specifically at school
administration policy toward integration of IL, perception of the teacher’s role in teaching IL Information
and the acquisition of IL within the teaching framework between two schools. Findings show literacy 2020
that both schools incorporate online content in their teaching, but neither school systematically
integrates IL instruction into the curriculum. The authors suggest that IL, at least within the
Israeli education system, should be treated as a distinct area of knowledge, and administrators
should provide better training, support and structured models of pedagogy.
Davis, S.R. (2020), The Impact of Librarian Literacy and Research Instruction by a State-
Certified Teacher-Librarian on Student Academic Achievement and ACT Reading Scores, 337
PhD Thesis, Union University, Jackson, TN.
It assesses the impact of an embedded state-certified teacher-librarian on ACT scores and
research paper grades for (n 5 80) junior high school students. Findings reveal no difference
in ACT reading scores between those taught by an instructor-librarian and those who were
not, but there were significant improvements in the research paper scores of juniors who
worked with a teacher-librarian.
Davis, T.J. and Fang Dong (2020), “Determinants of a computer and information literacy
test score: A comparison across 19 countries”, Journal of Strategic Innovation and
Sustainability, Vol. 15 No. 6, pp. 79–102.
It assesses the results of the International Computer and Information Literacy Study
(ICILS), which describes the computer IL competencies of students from 19 countries to
identify determinants of computer IL competency. ICILS is administered by questionnaire to
students, administrators, ICT professionals and teachers to explore student, school and
teacher characteristics such as gender, expected levels of education, number of computers
and the uses of technology personally and in school, as well as ICT competency. Results
indicate that socioeconomic factors have the most significant bearing on computer IL and
that in eight countries male students show lower levels of ICT competency.
Dawkins, A. (2020), “Digital citizenship, digital legacy, and school librarians”, Library
Technology Reports, Vol. 56 No. 5, pp. 17–21.
It reflects on the omission of digital legacy in K-12 digital literacy education. Despite the
increase in government-mandated responsibilities for K-12 librarians to teach digital literacy,
digital legacy and conversations surrounding the longevity of digital information after a
creator’s death are largely omitted. The author argues for expanding conversations on digital
legacy to better prepare students to understand the endurance of digital information.

Dolenc, K. and Sorgo, A. (2020), “Information literacy capabilities of lower secondary school
students in Slovenia”, The Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 113 No. 5, pp. 335–342.
Assessment of (n 5 229) Slovenian 14–15-year-old adolescents using a shortened
Information Literacy Test (ILT-B), which included 14 multiple choice questions and a Likert-
scale self-evaluation of the difficulty of each test question. Similar to previous studies, this
study found that adolescents with low scores overestimated their skills, while those with
higher scores underestimated their skills. Based on these results, the authors recommended
including IL in secondary school curricula through methods such as teaching IL as its own
subject, sessions about using the library and databases taught by a librarian and project-
based collaborations with librarians and subject teachers.
Drossel, K., Eickelmann, B., and Vennemann, M. (2020), “Schools overcoming the digital
divide: In depth analyses towards organizational resilience in the computer and information
literacy domain”, Large-Scale Assessments in Education, Vol. 8.
An analysis of the results of the International Computer and Information Literacy Study
(IEA-ICILS, 2018) in order to identify the practices and dispositions of organizationally
resilient schools related to digital and information literacy. Organizationally resilient schools
are defined as schools that exhibit high achievement related to digital and information
literacy despite socioeconomic disadvantage and are identified by using IEA-ICILS 2018 data
on student achievement and family socioeconomic background. Researchers were able to
RSR identify three typologies of organizationally resilient schools: competent schools with a lack
49,3/4 of ICT resources (71.8), competent schools (23.2%) and restrained schools (5.0%).
Fraillon, J., Ainley, J., Schulz, W., Friedman, T., and Duckworth, D. (2020), Preparing for
Life in a Digital World: IEA International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2018
International Report, International Association for the Evaluation of Educational
Achievement, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Computer-based assessment and questionnaire of (n 5 46,561) eighth graders on their
338 computer and information literacy skills (CIL) and computational thinking (CT) across 14
countries, as well as a survey of teachers and school administrators on their use of digital
technologies. In terms of their CIL skills, students with greater access to computers at home and
more confidence in using ICT performed at higher levels on tasks, which for IL include items such
as identifying relevant or biased information. The report also revealed that teachers value CIL
and are more likely to emphasize it in their classes when they have time to develop ICT skills and
plan lessons, work in a collaborative environment and have more ICT resources and support.
Gokbel, E.N. (2020), The Effects of Teacher Professional Development and Self-efficacy on
Classroom Uses of Information and Computer Technologies, PhD Dissertation, Duquesne
University, Pittsburgh, PA.
It investigates the relationship between technology use in classrooms and professional
development in (n 5 136) eighth grade mathematics teachers using 2013 data from the ICILS.
Findings show a positive correlation between direct instruction and technology use, with
face-to-face collaboration having positive associations with technology use, and three
significant factors for technology use in dialogic instructions: self-efficacy, collaboration and
course-based professional development. The author recommends encouraging online
learning communities for teachers only after face-to-face professional development training.
Haeffner, C.N. (2020), Factors Influencing the Self-Efficacy of the Novice School
Librarian, PhD Thesis, University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE.
Survey of (n 5 14) novice school libraries and (n 5 12) focus group interviews to measure
perceived levels of efficacy in the skills, knowledge and dispositions defined by the AASL
Standards for the Initial Preparation of School Librarians, finding high level of confidence in
most of the competencies with slightly lower levels of confidence in data-based practices and
carrying out programmatic change. It identifies three challenges to the self-efficacy of novice
school librarians: transitioning into a new professional role, constraints on their time and dual
roles that incorporate both school librarian and computer science teaching. It shares
recommendations to increase novice librarian self-efficacy.
Jitumnong, K., Chujai, P., and Noritsugu, K. (2020), “A study of media literacy of industrial
education”, International Journal of Information and Education Technology, Vol. 10 No. 2,
pp. 122–126.
Study to investigate the effect of introducing digital media into industrial education
instruction to (n 5 77) students in a Japanese high school. The authors felt that the current
method of instruction for “power technology” (i.e. electricity) is insufficient because it relies
primarily on textbooks and does not include audiovisual and web-based resources. As a
result, the authors deployed a series of questionnaires and concluded from analyzing the
results that the introduction of media research tools strengthened students’ understanding of
the subject in addition to content provided in textbooks.
Keeling, J. (2020), New Standards-based Lessons for the Busy Elementary School
Librarian: Social Studies, Libraries Unlimited, Santa Barbara, California.
A collection of lesson plans for kindergarten through second grade and third through fifth
grade covering civics, economics, geography and history. Each lesson plan is mapped to the
AASL Standards Framework for Learners, Common Core Language Arts Literacy Standards,
and Social Studies Standards for C3 (College, Career, and Civic Life) Framework. Lessons also
include worksheets, learning objectives, directions and recommended resources.
 Kerkhoff, S.N., Spires, H.A. and Wanyonyi, P. (2020), “Teaching new literacies and inquiry: Information
A grassroots effort to bring about educational change in Kenya”, Journal of Adolescent and literacy 2020
Adult Literacy, Vol. 64 No. 2, pp. 145–156.
Description of a 2018 partnership between Kenyan and US educational scholars to provide
professional development to 49 Kenyan school teachers to assist them in developing
instruction practices for new literacies through a program called the New Literacies Teacher
Leader Institute. Researchers conducted thematic analysis of data collected from focus
groups and interviews and distilled the results into three overarching themes: shifting to 339
learner-centered pedagogies, change is slow but coming and strategies for teaching new
literacies. The professional development series revealed challenges these teachers face in
terms of resources and training and determined that strategies such as scaffolding, group
work and multimodal presentation would be beneficial to improving student ICT skills.
Kohnen, A.M., Mertens, G.E., and Boehm, S.M. (2020), “Can middle schoolers learn to read
the web like experts? Possibilities and limits of a strategy-based intervention”, Journal of Media
Literacy Education, Vol. 12 Vol. 2, pp. 64–79.
Assessment of (n 5 16) eighth grade students’ ability to evaluate the credibility of a
website before and after participating in a one-day IL workshop. Findings suggested that
students’ information evaluation skills improved after the workshop intervention by using
techniques such as lateral reading in the postworkshop tests. Researchers recommended
developing a curriculum that builds background knowledge related to the types of sources
encountered online and the broader online information ecosystem.
Kohnen, A.M. and Saul, W. (2020), Thinking Like a Generalist: Skills for Making Sense of
a Complex World, Stenhouse Publishers, Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
It introduces “generalist literacy” as an identity-based framework for teaching IL that
encourages young people to ask questions and find credible information sources to make
decisions beyond the classroom. The authors outline how teachers can develop their own
generalist identity in which they show curiosity, skepticism and persistence that they can
then model for their students. It includes classroom examples of generalist literacy units and
additional activities.
Lance, K.C. and Maniotes, L.K. (2020), “Linking librarians, inquiry learning, and
information literacy?”, Phi Delta Kappan, Vol. 101 No. 7, pp. 47–51.
It describes a statewide survey in Colorado on how often librarians facilitate student-led
inquiry to teach IL skills. Findings show these librarians are twice as likely to teach students
to work collaboratively, evaluate and apply critical thinking and other IL skills. Librarians in
the survey report that their schools and district leaders value deeper learning and critical
thinking, which helps motivate teachers and librarians to implement such projects and that it
does raise issues of implementing a whole school effort or specific inquiry model approach
across the state to increase equity of these IL skills and opportunities.
Majid, S., Foo, S., and Chang, Y.K. (2020), “Appraising information literacy skills of
students in Singapore”, Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. 72 No. 3, 379–394.
Questionnaire designed to assess the IL skills of (n 5 3,306) secondary students in 14
secondary schools in Singapore. The mean score for the overall assessment of IL skills was
51.46 out of 100, with students showing the highest levels of success in “defining the
information task” and struggling most with “appraising the information process and
product.” The authors suggested that while there has been some success in integrating IL into
secondary curriculum in Singapore, there needs to be a review of the strategies used to
integrate IL and how they are addressed in different subject areas.
McLemore, C.C. (2020), Addressing the Gaps in Eighth-grade Students’ Information Literacy;
Skills: A Mixed Methods Approach, PhD Thesis, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Mixed methods study of (n 5 24) eight grade students’ IL skills and gaps via a unit of
seven 50-min classes in a social studies class. In an analysis of data, observations and focus
RSR groups, students indicated that their self-efficacy had increased and their skills had
49,3/4 improved. The author concluded that gamification and collaboration between librarians and
teachers can have a positive impact on the IL skills and self-efficacy of students.
Montague, R.A., Reyes, K., and Meyer, K. (2020), “Nana I Ke Kumu—Look to the Source”,
School Libraries Worldwide, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 99–109.
Description of Nana I Ke Kumu (“Look to the Source”), an IL project in Hawai’i built on
models that respect and incorporate the richness of local culture, language and tradition.
340 Thirteen total sessions introduced 286 high school students and educators to digital
resources composed of cultural information, with student sessions including IL skill
workshops and field trips and educator sessions focused on professional development. Of the
144 teachers and librarians who submitted self-assessment feedback, 100% either agreed or
strongly agreed that the sessions increased their understanding, interest and confidence in
using the resources going forward.
€
Ozdemir, € and Bozhurt, S. (2020), “Examination of the relationship between
S., Çoban, O.,
school principals’ 21st century skills and their strategic leadership according to teachers’
opinions”, Pegem E € gretim Dergisi, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 399–425.
gitim ve O
Reports on a correlational study that uses a survey of (n 5 464) primary and secondary
school teachers to compare levels of 21st-century education management skills and strategic
leadership behaviors of school administrators in the same region. It finds that IL, technology
literacy, accountability, leadership and responsibility were significant predictors of
managerial leadership behavior.
Parisi-Moreno, V., Llonch-Molina, N., and Selfa, M. (2020a), “Information literacy
instruction in early childhood education: The school museum”, Literacy, Vol. 55 No. 2, pp.
83–90.
Qualitative study that critiques the school library as the main resource for IL instruction in
early childhood education and offers an alternative approach with material source instruction
through the school museum. It argues that object-based learning, artifactual critical literacy
and museum-based learning provide pathways to gaining IL skills where students cannot yet
fully read or write. It posits that the metacognitive approach to learning with material
sources, together with traditional IL instruction in the school library, improves critical
thinking and IL skills.
Parisi-Moreno, V., Selfa, M., and Llonch Molina, N. (2020b), “School libraries:
Systematised bibliographic review and analysis of scientific production (2010–2019)”,
Ocnos, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 32–42.
Systematic review of (n 5 70) literature on school libraries and librarians related to the
promotion of reading and IL. A review of the literature affirmed that school libraries continue
to provide physical and digital spaces for learning, and librarians not only manage collections
but they also collaborate with teachers to enhance the curriculum and promote reading
habits. Barriers to the success of school libraries include lack of trained staff, inability to
collaborate with teachers and limited funding.
Quintana, J.G. and Osuna-Acedo, S. (2020), “Transmedia practices and collaborative
strategies in informal learning of adolescents”, Social Sciences, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 92–108.
It describes a mixed methods study including surveys, workshops and interviews of male
and female differences among (n 5 237) Spanish adolescents’ dispositions, skills, security
strategies and attitudes toward social media and other online transmedia. Data reveal that in
many aspects, there are no significant gender differences; however, male participants engage
in more video game play with friends, both online and in person, and are more likely to accept
all social media friend requests; female participants are more likely to gather together in
person to search for television shows, make playlists and take and share photos. Participants
like having large numbers of followers and are concerned about their digital reputations. Few
participants use Internet safety strategies. It concludes that social media use increases
adolescents’ aptitude for informal learning and reinforces creativity and imagination Information
important for lifelong learning. literacy 2020
Sauerwein, A.R. (2020), Are Content Teachers Prepared to Teach Information Literacy
Skills? A Multiple-case Study Examining High School Content Teachers’ Expectations for
Information Literacy Teaching and Learning, PhD Dissertation, Emporia State University,
Emporia, KS.
It studies teachers’ expectations and instruction of IL in four Kansas high schools through
core subjects. Using a combination of surveys (n 5 330), interviews (n 5 15) and instructional 341
documents (n 5 12) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Next Generation
Science Standards (NGSS) as the basis for information, technology and scientific literacy
standards, the author finds inconsistent curriculum integration of IL in high school core
subjects. The author further calls for consistent expectations and instruction across all
subjects with opportunities for students to build IL skills.
Schiffl, I. (2020), “How information literate are junior and senior class biology students?”
Research in Science Education, Vol. 50 No. 2, pp. 773–789.
Assessment of the IL competencies of (n 5 391) 8th, 10th and 12th grade biology students
and (n 5 46) biology teachers, including their abilities to find information independently and
to extract information from texts, as well the abilities of teachers to accurately assess student
competency. Students were provided with a questionnaire that asked them to find and
identify information sources and extract information from a text. The teacher questionnaire
asked teachers to state average student competencies. Students primarily identified online
sources, but also used books and personal sources as well, particularly among older students.
Teachers showed a limited ability to assess students’ IL competency.
Seufert, S., Stanoevska-Slabeva, K., and Guggemos, J. (2020), “Assessing subjective and
objective information literacy at upper secondary schools: An empirical study in four German-
speaking countries”, International Journal of Learning Technology, Vol. 15 No. 1, 82–103.
Questionnaire and performance test of (n 5 432) upper secondary students to determine
subjective and objective information in Austria, Germany, Lichtenstein and Switzerland.
Objective IL did not appear to increase with advancement through upper secondary school,
but there was a correlation between objective IL skills and grade. The majority of upper
secondary students, who average around 18 years old, needed support (39%) or were not able
to perform the IL tasks (17%).
Sheridan, J. (2020), “School library funding, staffing, and resources: A 10-year review”,
Softlike Education.
Results from a 10-year annual survey of (n 5 387) Australian school libraries.
Respondents expressed the need for increased library budgets, additional staff to manage
workload and funding for quality online resources. It includes 11 recommendations for the
national level to support teacher librarians, government sponsorship of resources for school
libraries and future research areas.
Stripling, B.K. (2020), “A personalized path to agency for learners and librarians through
the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum (ESIFC)”, Teacher Librarian, Vol. 47 No. 5,
pp. 12–15.
Study on the four IL Standards for the Empire State Information Fluency Continuum
(ESIFC), a consortium of school librarians in New York that empowers learners and librarians
with agency. It describes components of agency as self-identity, context, literacy and design
thinking, self-confidence and action and reflection. A key theme of ESIFC is the learner’s
ability to choose topics and self-direct inquiry. For each stage, the author provides brief
examples from IL instruction for multiple grade levels aligned with ESIFC.
Tanudjaya, C.P. and Doorman, M. (2020), “Examining higher order thinking in
Indonesian lower secondary mathematics classrooms”, Journal on Mathematics Education,
Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 277–300.
RSR It assessed students’ ability to exhibit higher-order thinking (i.e. the capacity to reason and
49,3/4 use concepts, procedures, facts and tools to explain and forecast phenomena and acquire IL
skills) in mathematics by testing (n 5 372) ninth-grade students and their (n 5 6) teachers.
The authors identified a major issue with students’ ability to think critically about a problem
beyond the construction of a mathematical model, indicating a lack of IL skill. Additionally,
teachers’ responses indicated inconsistencies with their understanding of pedagogy and
teaching strategies related to developing students’ higher-order thinking. These findings
342 indicated the need for additional resources and support for students and teachers.
Thomas, N.P., Crow, S.R., Henning, J.A., and Donham, J. (2020), Information Literacy and
Information Skills Instruction: New Directions for School Libraries, 4th edition, ABC-CLIO,
Santa Barbara, California.
It provides an overview of IL instruction and building basic information-seeking skills for
students in K-12. It revises a text last edited in 2011 with updates including the 2018 AASL
Standards and the 2016 ACRL Framework. It encourages using evidence-based practices and
IL theory to structure curriculum, assessment and reflection.
Wade, A., Abrami, P. C., and Lysenko, L. (2020), “Developing information literacy skills
in elementary students using the web-based Inquiry Strategies for the Information Society of
the Twenty-First Century (ISIS-21)”, Journal of Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp.
96–127.
Results of two trials in Canada using the computer software, ISIS-21, with (n 5 150) late
elementary students. The program guided students’ inquiry into a big question from
developing keywords all the way to ultimately producing a product answering their question.
After the trial, the researchers measured teacher perceptions, self-reported student
perceptions, use of the software, overall literacy skills and IL skills as measured by Tool
for Real-Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (TRAILS). Students saw the highest
outcome gains in the planning phase of their inquiry project, though grade level did not
account for significant variation. Both students and teachers commented that ISIS-21 is too
comprehensive for easy and quick use and the researchers modified ISIS-21 to have a flexible
mode as a result.

Academic and professional programs

Adams, A.L., Alexander, S., and Wood, L.M. (2020), “Evoking truthiness: Using satirical news
comedies to teach information literacy”, College and Research Libraries News, Vol. 81 No. 5,
244–247.
It describes how librarians at California State University, East Bay, incorporate humorous
and satirical news video clips in credit-bearing courses and one-shot instruction sessions.
Although the authors caution against selecting potentially triggering subjects and content
that can be difficult to explain, these videos can be used to engage students in IL concepts.
They also provide a LibGuide with examples of video clips for each ACRL Framework frame.
Addy, J.M. (2020), “The art of the real: Fact checking as information literacy instruction”,
Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 19–31.
It analyzed (n 5 321) responses of first-year student pre- and posttest assessments from a
pilot program for digital literacy titled the Digital Polarization Initiative. Results were drawn
from First Year Seminars student assessments over the course of two years. Pretests were
evaluated using the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Valid
Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education (VALUE) Rubrics, which measure
skills in four areas, and both pre- and post-tests used the same questions as the Stanford Civic
Online Reasoning study. The study highlighted the need to bridge concepts of civil, digital
and information literacy and equip students with the skills to navigate the misinformation
landscape.
 Adriani, L. A., Kipnis, D. G., Kolbin, R. I., and Verbit, D. (2020), “Graduate occupational Information
therapy students: Communication and research preferences from three university libraries”, literacy 2020
Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 113–124.
Survey of (n 5 193) students conducted in 2016 and 2017 to investigate the relationship
between master’s and doctoral students in occupational therapy and librarians who provide
IL instruction, research consultations and general reference support. A majority of students
expressed a preference for seeking information from their peers before consulting with
librarians, a slight preference for face-to-face communication and a willingness to search for 343
up to an hour before seeking help. A segment of students also indicated reluctance to find
assistance at any point.
Aharony, N. and Gazit, T. (2020), “Students’ information literacy self-efficacy: An exploratory
study”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 52, No. 1, pp. 224–236.
Study of IL and self-efficacy among students (n 5 136) from the information science
department at Bar-Ilan University in Israel during the spring semester of 2017. The study
focused on how three variables explain IL self-efficacy: students’ openness to experience,
cognitive threat and challenge appraisals and motivation. The authors modified and
distributed four existing questionnaires (information literacy self-efficacy, openness to
experience, cognitive appraisal and motivation) along with an additional questionnaire to
gather demographic data. The data confirmed that openness to experience, cognitive
appraisal threat and challenges and intrinsic motivation all positively impact students’ IL
self-efficacy; however, extrinsic motivation was not found to have a relationship to students’
IL self-efficacy.
Aharony, N., Julien, H., and Nadel-Kritz, N. (2020), “Survey of information literacy
instructional practices in academic libraries”, Journal of Librarianship and Information
Science, Vol. 52 No. 4, pp. 964–971.
Case study on the IL instruction practices and use of the ACRL Framework by Israeli
academic librarians. Findings show a commitment to IL, but assessment and evaluation of IL
objectives are informal, which suggests that a systematic assessment of learning outcomes
would improve IL instruction and overall support for instruction and that the Framework has
little to no influence on the majority of IL instruction. The survey highlights the need for
greater understanding and support for best practices in IL instruction and recommends that
other countries recreate the study to have a better global understanding.
Ahmad, S., Ahmad, S., and Ishtiaq, M. (2020), “Students’ perceptions about information
literacy skills and its’ need analysis: A case study of COMSATS Institute of Information
Technology, Lahore”, Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal, Vol. 51 No. 2, pp. 8–18.
Study of (n 5 306) students’ IL skills and perceptions of the importance of IL at
COMSTATS in Lahore, Pakistan. Graduate and undergraduate students in electrical
engineering, computer sciences, management sciences and chemical engineering were
provided with semistructured questionnaires, which were analyzed using SPSS. Results
indicated that while the majority of students considered IL to be very important, not all
students had adequate training or exposure to these essential skills.
Al-Qallaf, C.L. (2020), “Information literacy skills of graduate students: A case of the
master’s of information studies program in Kuwait”, Journal of Information and Knowledge
Management, Vol. 19 No. 2.
Mixed methods study of (n 5 43) library and information science (LIS) graduate students
in Kuwait using a pre- and posttest, especially the Information Literacy Assessment Test
based on the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, and a
faculty (n 5 7) focus group. Findings reveal that students’ knowledge and skills increase in
their ability to find, evaluate and ethically use information after several IL sessions
throughout the semester, and faculty agree that students are ill-prepared, but they feel
optimistic about the value of IL instruction. The author recommends advocating for
RSR additional IL instruction (e.g. credit-bearing courses, workshops and course-integrated
49,3/4 instruction) and setting a structured plan for improving IL programs.
Albert, A.B, Emery, J.L, and Hyde, R.C. (2020), “The proof is in the process: Fostering
student trust in government information by examining its creation”, Reference Services
Review, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 33–47.
Case study on the use of the “Information Creation as a Process” frame from the ACRL
Framework to teach students about the complexity of government record creation. It features
344 a lesson plan used to teach students evaluative skills to assess government sources and
focuses on the important role librarians play in encouraging student use of government
information for academic research. It concludes that during a period of high skepticism and
distrust, librarians can combat misinformation through Framework-aligned instruction.
Allard, B., Lo, P., Liu, Q., Ho, K.K.W., Chiu, D.K.W., Chen, J.C.C., Zhou, Q., and Jiang, T.
(2020), “LIS pre-professionals’ perspectives towards library user education: A comparative
study between three universities in Greater China”, Journal of Librarianship and Information
Science, Vol. 52 No. 3, pp. 832–852.
Survey of (n 5 305) LIS students to evaluate their understanding of the role of library user
education in student experiences during their coursework. Participants highly rate the
importance of workshops, research consultations and course-based instruction sessions, with
some differences in ratings among the universities attributed to lower librarian–student
ratios at certain campuses. I t notes that students in LIS may be predisposed to having a
positive orientation toward IL and user education that affect the outcome of the study.
Amit, A.A., Melnikov, S., and Warshawski, S. (2020), “The effect of evidence-based practice
perception, information literacy self-efficacy, and academic motivation on nursing students’
future implementation of evidence-based practice”, Journal of Professional Nursing, Vol. 36
No. 6, pp. 497–502.
Survey of (n 5 148) Israeli nursing students on their perceptions of evidence-based
practice (EBP), IL self-efficacy and motivation to implement EBP in a clinical setting.
Findings reveal that participants with higher IL self-efficacy and intrinsic motivation to
experience stimulation (i.e. expand their knowledge and apply it to their future career) are
more likely to implement EBP in the future. The authors recommend integrating IL skills into
EBP education to enhance the quality of patient care.
Anderson, L.L. and Garcıa, S.A.V. (2020), “Library usage, instruction, and student success
across disciplines: A multilevel model approach”, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 3,
pp. 459–491.
A survey of undergraduate and graduate students to better understand how students
perceive library resources and the role libraries have in overall student success. Findings were
varied by discipline and overall mixed. The survey highlighted the students who use the library
and how they perceive library resources and services contributing to their success, but also
realized that the students who do not use the library and its resources can also be successful.
They also found that library usage and success are different for both graduate and
undergraduate students, and this opens the door for future research on how and why these differ.
Andrasian, S. (2020), Student Perception on Mandatory First-Year Seminar at Bakersfield
College: A Qualitative Study, PhD Thesis, California State University Bakersfield,
Bakersfield, CA.
Focus groups of California State University Bakersfield (n 5 18) students and (n 5 5)
faculty to evaluate the existing first-year experience programs to determine the need for a
mandatory first-year experience course at the beginning of students’ programs. The author
identified a positive correlation between exposure to first-year experience and college
readiness; however, because students could take the student development course at any point
in their program, students were often exposed to necessary information too late in their
college career. These findings pointed to an example of altruistic misguidance where CSU
Bakersfield provides well-intentioned first-year experience programs, but the format and Information
requirements do little to help students due to their implementation. literacy 2020
Antunez, M.Y. and Schupp, K. (2020), “Designing a journal club for nutrition and dietetics
undergraduate students”, Journal of Agricultural and Food Information, Vol. 21 Nos 3–4,
pp. 95–103.
A description of the collaborative design and implementation of a stand-alone journal club
for undergraduate nutrition and dietetics students by a faculty member and a health sciences
librarian. Over the course of three fall semesters (2016–2018), the instructors conducted five 345
sessions for 23 students. Voluntary assessment surveys and written feedback revealed that
students generally found the club helpful for reading and evaluating scientific journals.
Because of the positive outcome, the authors planned to create a similar journal program for
the master’s degree program at their institution.
Arch, X. and Gilman, I. (2020), Academic Library Services for First-Generation Students,
ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, California.
It offers introductory guidelines and best practices for libraries in instruction, space
design, outreach and partnerships to address the particular needs of first-generation students
who may find academic libraries hostile. It includes research on first-generation student
identity, background on first-generation students and their experience in academic libraries
and guidelines for conducting site-specific surveys and interviews with local campus
community members.
Arellano Douglas, V. (2020), “Moving from critical assessment to assessment as care”,
Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 46–65.
It expands on the work of Mari Accardi in “Teaching Against the Grain: Critical
Assessment in the Library Classroom” to analyze the current language and practice of
academic library assessment through a care-based lens. It explores existing practices of
critical and feminist assessment along with the theoretical roots of assessment models in care-
based fields, such as nursing, education and midwifery. It concludes by arguing for the
necessity of grounding assessment efforts in our personal and professional values.
Atkinson, M.D. (2020), “To frame or not to frame: Creating a metaliteracy course for online
EdD students”, Library Hi Tech News, No. 3, pp. 7–13.
It reports on the development of a noncredit online metaliteracy course designed by the
author and offered to online EdD students (n 5 19) at Abilene Christian University. The study
uses an exploratory, quantitative, quasi-experimental, one-group pre- and post-test design,
and results reveal a significant difference between pre- and posttest responses. While the
author structures the course using metaliteracy goals and objectives instead of the ACRL
Framework to assess students’ IL skills, the author includes a table that maps metaliteracy
goals and objectives to relevant frames in the Framework.
Atta-Obeng, L. and Dadzie, P.S. (2020), “Promoting sustainable development goal 4: The
role of academic libraries in Ghana”, International Information and Library Review.
Measurement of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goal related to lifelong
learning via interviews with (n 5 6) academic library administrators in Ghana. All three
participating universities are aware of these goals and provide support, such as IL training
sessions, orientations, conferences and reading clubs. The authors recommend professional
development on IL skills, greater ICT infrastructure and partnering with public libraries, the
Ghana Library Association, academic faculty and the community to achieve lifelong
learning goals.
Awan, S.I. and Idrees, H. (2020), “A professional development and information literacy
integration into university curriculum”, Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal,
Vol. 51 No. 4, pp. 5–17.
Survey of (n 5 138) academic librarians on past training and knowledge of IL, as well as
implementation of curricular IL at their respective universities. It found that slightly more
RSR than half had taken a course on IL during their master’s program, and 70% had attended IL
49,3/4 professional development within the last two years. The majority (72%) did not offer IL
instruction as a part of their university’s curriculum. Of those that did, more offered noncredit
IL courses than credit IL courses. It suggested that Pakistani universities do more to integrate
IL into university curricula and that professional associations should offer more professional
development opportunities for librarians to stay current on their IL skills.
Awan, W.A., Ameen, K., and Soroya, S.H. (2020), “Research information encountering
346 and; keeping behaviour of post-graduate students of social sciences in an online environment”,
Online Information Review, Vol. 45 No. 1, pp. 21–45.
It examines the research information-seeking behavior of (n 5 233) social sciences
master’s and PhD students at a university in Pakistan using multilevel total population
sampling of 34 universities in Lahore. The results show that students find research
information more often when browsing rather than looking with a specific research need in
mind, but those who are looking for specific information tend to download or keep more of the
information they find. These results may interest instructors who are interested in using
different programs and tools to store their research.
Aylward, K., Sbaffi, L., and Weist, A. (2020), “Peer-led information literacy training: A
qualitative study of students’ experiences of the NICE Evidence search Student Champion
Scheme”, Health Information and Libraries Journal, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp. 216–227.
Inductive thematic analysis of (n 5 51) qualitative reflective reports submitted by student
teachers who participated in a national health institute program that trained students to
facilitate IL and evidence-based practice workshops. Identified themes included: (1) students’
preference for active teaching and learning strategies, (2) students felt they gained something
from their participation, such as communication, public speaking and/or teamwork skills, (3)
increased confidence using library-based search tools. Confirmed that student tutors gain
many benefits from participating in peer-to-peer training programs including an
improvement in their IL skills. A variety of recommendations for improving the program
are also included.
Ayoung, D.A., Bugre, C., and Baada, F.N.A., (2020), “An evaluation of the library connectivity
project through the lens of the digital inclusion model”, Information and Learning Science.
Qualitative study evaluating the Library Connectivity Project (LCP) between the Ghana
Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and the Ghana Library Authority
(GhLA) from ten years prior that extends ICT. Using a digital inclusion model focusing on the
northern part of Ghana through a set of (n 5 133) interviews, the authors find success in the
LCP to remote communities (despite setbacks including limited computer access and
inadequate funds) toward promoting IL and computer literacy. Major takeaways from the
study include the following: funding is critical, support for staff and librarians for training is
needed and extending the program to more areas.
Azam, M., Naeem, S.B., and Bhatti, R. (2020), “Female students’ preferences, Internet and
library usage at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur”, Pakistan Library and Information
Science Journal, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 38–44.
Survey of (n 5 233) female undergraduate and graduate students on their library and
related Internet use habits. It found that the population surveyed preferred finding
information online than the library due to factors such as the time to find answers and
physical distance to the library. Based on the results, the authors recommended increasing
library orientation programs for new and existing students and increasing marketing of
library resources and services.
Baird, C. and Soares, T. (2020), “Faculty perceptions of students’ IL learning in first-year
writing”, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 509–532.
A qualitative study that looks at the nuances of first-year student writing and IL learning
from the perspective of faculty. It includes looking at barriers to student IL learning, such as
time, student motivation and general overconfidence in student abilities. The faculty Information
perceptions of how students learn helps librarians understand how faculty approach literacy 2020
teaching IL and how they think students learn and understand IL.
Bakke, A. (2020), “Everyday Googling: Results of an observational study and applications
for teaching algorithmic literacy”, Computers and Composition, Vol. 57.
Observed (n 5 7) undergraduate students’ search process for everyday health information
needs. All participants began at Google, modified their search terms based on suggested
results and were heavily influenced by rankings in the search results. Based on the results, 347
the author proposed an assignment for composition students reflecting on how the search
process influences their results in order to increase algorithmic literacy.
Balci, L.F., Rich, P.J., and Roberts, B. (2020), “The effects of subtitles and captions on an
interactive information literacy tutorial for English majors at a Turkish university”, The
Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 1.
Study of (n 5 97) Turkish English-language and literature students on their ability to
perform IL tasks during an English-language interactive tutorial for the ACRL Framework
frame “Scholarship as a Conversation.” Students were randomly placed into groups with no
titles, English captions or Turkish subtitles, and screen tracking software was used to
measure the time spent to complete a task and whether students successfully completed the
task. It found that students who read subtitles in Turkish while listening to an English
soundtrack performed better on each task, which showed that native-language instructions
support IL learning comprehension and provided equal opportunities for English-language
learners.
Bangani, S., Mashiyane, D.M., Moyo, M., Masilo, B., and Makate, G. (2020), “Students’
perceptions of librarians as teachers of information literacy at a large African university”,
Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. 69 Nos 6–7, pp. 399–415.
Postsession survey of (n 5 1,144) students at a South African university on their
perceptions of the usefulness of IL sessions and the teaching abilities of librarians. It found
that most students strongly agreed or agreed that training sessions were useful and that
librarians were audible, understandable and able to interact with students. In the additional
comments section, students described wanting more instruction in their native language,
more time for training, more hands-on practice and less information, which could be used to
negotiate more class time with faculty.
Barr, N.C., Lord, B., Flanagan, B. and Carter, R. (2020), “Developing a framework to
improve information and digital literacy in a bachelor of paramedic science entry-to-practice
program”, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 6, pp. 945–980.
It surveyed (total n 5 93) paramedic educators and (n 5 470) paramedic science students
to develop a paramedicine integrated IL framework and evaluate perceptions of IL education
and skills, respectively. Researchers found an inverse relationship between students’ low
understanding of IL terms and the frequency at which those terms were used in assignment
descriptions. The researchers articulated the importance of identifying oversight within
education design and with the support of IL specialists.
Bartow, J.R. and Mann, P. (2020), “Reimagining epistemologies: Librarian-faculty
collaboration to integrate critical information literacy into Spanish community-based
learning”, Currents in Teaching and Learning, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 16–31.
A report presenting the connections between CIL and CBL in how narratives about Latinx
and immigrant communities are framed and disseminated through class discussion and
community engagement. The intentional collaboration created a demonstrable achievement
in learning outcomes and a sustainable model for future partnerships between faculty and
librarians. The course focused on an advanced level CBL course in Spanish, which deepens
the relevance of CIL in its “real-world” application of reflection and analysis, as well as
reinforced the value of knowing and speaking Spanish for students.
RSR Bawack, R.E. and Kala Kamdjoug, J.R. (2020), “The role of digital information use on
49,3/4 student performance and collaboration in marginal universities”, International Journal of
Information Management, Vol. 54.
It explores the digital information usage of university students studying in a developing
country, Cameroon, and how this relates to student success and satisfaction. Focus group
with (n 5 10) graduate students as well as a survey (n 5 303) analyzes data using partial least
squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results suggest that digital information
348 usage is affected by information need, information-seeking strategy and available
information resources and that students’ academic performance, ability to collaborate and
satisfaction with their studies positively correlate to the ability to use digital information.
Behimehr, S. and Jamali, H.R. (2020), “Cognitive biases and their effects on information
behaviour of graduate students in their research projects”, Journal of Information Science
Theory and Practice, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 18–31.
Interviewed (n 5 25) PhD and MA seeking graduate students about their information
behavior practices as outlined in the Big6 Skills for IL. The researchers found 28 cognitive
biases present in the research process with some biases present at multiple stages in the
research cycle. Confirmation bias, bandwagon effect, availability bias and anchoring bias
were the most frequently discussed cognitive biases though due to the exploratory nature of
the research, the authors do not draw any conclusions about if these students were under the
influence of these biases.
Bender, M. and Waltonen, K. (2020), Who’s Your Source?: A Writer’s Guide to Effectively
Evaluating and Ethically Using Resources, Broadview Press, Peterborough, Canada.
It provides a compact guide to evaluating and ethically using sources rooted in rhetorical
analysis for novice researchers. It includes chapters on both academic and popular sources as
well as rhetoric, research methods, the research process and academic integrity.
Bennedbaek, D., Clark S., and George, D. (2020), “The impact of librarian-student contact
on students’ information literacy competence in small colleges and universities”, College and
Undergraduate Libraries.
It presents findings from a 64-item questionnaire of (n 5 261) students at a small liberal
arts college examining the impact of librarian–student interactions. While scholarship in this
area tends to focus on IL sessions and reference interactions, this study focuses on individual
interactions with librarians. Results indicate that librarian–student contact increases
perceptions of librarian competence and availability, as well as increasing use of resources
and elevated perceptions of the library as an inviting place. Positive interactions with
librarians alongside instruction sessions thereby increase student IL competence.
Bernstein, M., Roney, L., Kazer, M., and Boquet, E.H. (2020), “Librarians collaborate
successfully with nursing faculty and a writing centre to support nursing students doing
professional doctorates”, Health Information and Libraries Journal, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp. 240–244.
It describes a collaboration between the library, writing center and course instructors to
improve the integration of writing and research skills in a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
program. At this institution, students respond positively to a librarian-led IL session and
follow-up consultations with librarians and writing instructors. Similar projects may allow
for more referrals between librarians and the writing center, as well as an increase in
confidence and advanced research skills among DNP students.
Biddle, C.L. and Montigaud-Green, V. (2020), “A measure of success? Utilizing citation
analysis to evaluate consultation strategies in oral communication courses”, Virginia Libraries,
Vol. 64 No. 1.
Study of student source bibliographies to gauge effectiveness of library instruction for
(n 5 12) sections of an oral communication course at a small private liberal arts institution.
Results cite the impact of librarian consultations and faculty influence on sources students
choose to cite in assignments. Results highlight the strengths of citation analysis in formally
reviewing instruction efforts, as it provides evidence that allows librarians to identify Information
improvement areas and demonstrate impact to faculty. literacy 2020
Black, E.L. (2020), “Instructional design for single information literacy sessions”, Public
Services Quarterly, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 161–171.
It describes the application of the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework as it applies
to one-shot library instruction sessions, which includes backward design (i.e. starting with
identifying the desired results, determining acceptable evidence and planning instruction).
This framework also asks librarians to reflect on big ideas, essential questions and enduring 349
understandings to focus on the desired results of the session. It includes an example
workshop plan and a worksheet for designing sessions using UbD and parts of the
WHERETO checklist for engaging students.
Blick, B. (2020), “The role of remediation in library reference”, College Student Journal, Vol. 54
No. 1, pp. 57–62.
It explores the role of the academic reference librarian in identifying and remediating
perceived skill deficits that may impact a student’s ability to conduct research during a
reference interview. The author describes the tension between a librarian’s role as an
educator and service provider who is present to assist users with their research needs and the
limitations of time and resources that may limit the extent to which they are able to help a
student. It concludes with reflection on the changing roles of librarians and librarian
adaptability in meeting student needs.
Bobkowski, P.S. and Younger, K. (2020), “News credibility: Adapting and testing a source
evaluation assessment in journalism”, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 5, pp. 822–843.
It describes the development of a new source evaluation instrument by applying the
threshold concept perspective to the ACRL Framework frame “Authority is Constructed and
Contextual” and an established source evaluation tool. After developing the assessment tool,
researchers assess the credibility of an example article by (n 5 154) undergraduate
journalism students who have been exposed to the instrument. Results indicate that after
exposure to the instrument, students use an increased range of authority indicators and more
evidence while evaluating sources.
Bordonaro, K. (2020), “Adult learning theories and autoethnography: Informing the
practice of information literacy”, IFLA Journal, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 163–171.
It conducted an autoethnography of their own experiences with IL as an undergraduate
student, graduate student, practicing librarian, ESL instructor and researcher. It examined
their own lived experiences through the lenses of adult learning theory and lifelong learning
to illuminate facets of the IL learning process. It found that their lived IL experiences took
place both individually and communally as well as in formal, nonformal and informal arenas.
Upon reflection, the author suggested that librarians offer adult learners’ choices in how they
approach their personal learning process (individual, group, format) and acknowledge the
importance of information-seeking experiences outside of formal classroom examples.
Bosman, L., Roy, S., McDonald, W., and Ababei, C. (2020), “Using online discussions to
connect theory and practice in core engineering undergraduate courses”, Computer
Applications in Engineering Education, Vol. 28 No. 3, pp. 675–691.
In this study, (total n 5 55) undergraduate engineering students in three core courses
completed eight online discussion forums and took a pre- and postsurvey of the course to
determine if writing assignments increased self-motivated learning and student engagement.
It found that students generally valued blended learning, feedback and reflection. Although
engineering students often find writing and IL challenging, the intervention provided
authentic learning experiences that connect theory to real-world applications and prepare
students for the workplace.
Brennan, E.A., Ogawa, R.S., Thormodson, K., and von Isenburg, M. (2020), “Introducing a
health information literacy competencies map: Connecting the Association of American Medical
RSR Colleges Core Entrustable Professional Activities and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical
49,3/4 Education Common Program Requirements to the Association of College and Research Libraries
Framework”, Journal of the Medical Library Association, Vol. 108 No. 3, pp. 420–427.
It presents a comprehensive mapping between two core competency frameworks for
medical education and the ACRL Framework, which is of particular interest for medical
librarians and academic librarians who work with medical professionals in training. It finds
that the core competencies from the medical community have gaps when applied to the
350 Framework and highlights the difference in philosophy between the Framework’s set of
interrelated concepts and the Core Entrustable Professional Activities and Common Program
Requirements’ prescriptive approach to skills demonstration. It offers opportunities to
advocate for including librarians in curriculum and assignment design to integrate IL
instruction into evidence-based medicine education using a more holistic approach.
Bruce, S. (2020), “Teaching with care: A relational approach to individual research
consultations”, In the Library with the Lead Pipe.
It argues for the application of care ethics, relational-cultural theory and critical race
theory in the provision of individual research consultations. The author explains that as a site
of one-on-one IL instruction, research consultations can be a powerful site of transformation
and deserve the same scholarly attention as other forms of IL instruction. It concludes with
suggestions on integrating theory into practice.
Burke, D.A. (2020), “Positioning the writing centre”, Nordic Journal of Information
Literacy in Higher Education, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 71–77.
It explores the overlaps between the liminal spaces that writing centers and libraries
inhabit between the individual writer and discipline-specific academic work. It argues that
writing centers offer vital institutional support structures that underlie subject-specific
practices as well as a pedagogic model that emphasizes process over product. Both writing
centers and libraries are places that help students navigate processes and hegemonic
academic performance. Situating writing centers in libraries supports libraries in their quest
to be active incubators of good academic practice.
Burress, T., Mann, E., and Neville, T. (2020), “Exploring data literacy via a librarian-faculty
learning community: A case study”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 1.
It describes a case study in which two librarians facilitated a multidisciplinary faculty
learning community (FLC) on data literacy at a four-year college in the USA. In this FLC,
faculty share data analysis tools used in their classrooms as well as for their own research.
Products of the discussions in the FLC include the development of campus framework for
data literacy competencies, the creation of a faculty toolkit for teaching data literacy and a
pilot to integrate data literacy into library instruction for freshman student success classes. It
argues that an FLC where librarians are just as much peers as leaders allows librarians to
integrate into the culture of teaching and learning with disciplinary faculty at the university.
Butler, K. and Calcagno, T. (2020), “Syllabus mining for information literacy instruction: A
scoping review”, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 4, 83–104.
It reviewed (n 5 17) articles to analyze syllabus review methods with a focus on IL.
Syllabus studies helped identify what types of IL were being taught and courses where IL
instruction was present, but also classes and subjects that did not have IL embedded in the
curriculum but that presented opportunities for collaboration. The study identified seven
themes, some of which include “better insight into collaboration with faculty and student
instruction,” “mismatch between librarian involvement and IL indicators found in syllabi”
and that “disciplines vary in kinds of IL instruction needed.”
Cabra-Torres, F. (2020), Information Literacy in Higher Education: A Sociocultural
Perspective, Springer Nature Switzerland AG, Cham, Switzerland.
It provides a sociocultural perspective and methodological frame for observing and
analyzing IL in higher education and offers autoethnographic accounts to inform pathways
to teaching. In addition to introducing conceptual frameworks, it outlines several IL profiles Information
of university students, which IL instructors will find useful in applying to their own contexts. literacy 2020
Particularly interesting is the breakdown of students’ attachment beliefs around IL and how
these sociocultural influences affect the way they learn and apply IL skills.
Carey, J., Pathak, A., and Johnson, S.C. (2020), “Use, perceptions, and awareness of
LibGuides among undergraduate and graduate health professions students”, Evidence Based
Library and Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 157–172.
Survey of (n 5 100) students in health professional programs at a campus within the City 351
University of New York (CUNY) system regarding awareness and use of research guides in
their coursework and for projects in research. It finds that graduate students were somewhat
more aware of guides than undergraduates and that 97% of students who use the guides find
them useful. It recommends that IL instruction include practical application of research
guides through course-based IL sessions, research consultations and integration into the
learning management system (LMS) in collaboration with disciplinary faculty to engage
students with these resources.
Carlock, J. (2020), Developing Information Literacy Skills: A Guide to Finding,
Evaluating, and Citing Sources, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
A guide for undergraduate students designed to develop critical thinking and IL skills in both
educational and professional settings. Each chapter is organized using the ACRL Framework
and includes lesson plans and activities to support and supplement the research process.
Carroll, A.J. (2020), “Thinking and reading like a scientist: librarians as facilitators of
primary literature literacy”, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 295–307.
It examines the possible skill gaps in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) undergraduate students and the inadequate preparation in reading and understanding
of primary literature. Barriers in the development of the skills can be attributed to faculty and
students both overrating their skills and ability and the lack of librarian intervention at both the
undergraduate and graduate level, with librarians focusing more on the information-seeking
and retrieval skills over reading comprehension of primary literature. It suggests active reading
strategies to help librarians close the gap and improve those skills.
Chan, B. and Wei, R. (2020), “Innovative digital tools in EBP and information literacy
education for undergraduate nursing students”, Journal of Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 2,
pp. 128–140.
It describes the implementation of an online learning module for Australian
undergraduate nursing students (n 5 236) in their final year, utilizing video tutorials
created in Camtasia, guided demos and tutorials in LibWizard, eportfolios via PebblePad and
digital badges to motivate self-directed learning of CINAHL database searching. The
majority of students (68.2%) recommend the module for further use, though some still desire
direct synchronous instruction. Since this study does not measure IL skills of students, future
projects could explore this possibility.
Chan, C.K.Y. and Luk, L.Y.Y. (2020), “Development and validation of an instrument
measuring undergraduate students’ perceived holistic competencies”, Assessment and
Evaluation in Higher Education, Vol. 46, No. 3, pp. 467–482.
It describes the development of an instrument to measure the holistic competencies of
undergraduate students, which includes IL skills. Findings from the exploratory factor
analysis show that students think of problem-solving and critical thinking skills as closely
related, which also includes the IL skills of finding and evaluating information. The study
also finds a large correlation between all six scales included in the measurement, which are all
closely related and intertwined.
Chang, N., Wang, Z., and Hsu, S. H. (2020), “A comparison of the learning outcomes for a
PBL-based information literacy course in three different innovative teaching environments”,
Libri, Vol. 70 No. 3, pp. 213–225.
RSR Study (n 5 116) examining the effect of three process-based learning (PBL) instructional
49,3/4 formats (flipped, online and blended) on the validity of the ARCS (attention, relevance,
confidence, satisfaction) model for motivation and process-based learning outcomes using a
standardized IL lesson plan. It finds all three methods validate the ARCS model and show no
significant variance in attainment of outcomes, but blended yields the best outcomes for
increasing self-directed learning and group collaboration while reducing negative learning
attitudes. Libraries who are seeking to expand or further develop their online IL efforts will
352 appreciate the problem-based learning -blended pedagogical approach as student-centered
and beneficial to student engagement and learning satisfaction.
Ching, S.H. and New, B. (2020a), “The Calligraphy Connections Project: Reviving historical
East Asian texts”, International Information and Library Review, Vol. 52 No. 2, pp. 108–116.
It recounts how academic libraries in East Asia leveraged young people’s interest and
appreciation of Chinese calligraphy through the Calligraphy Connections Project. The cross-
institutional, library-based initiative motivates young people to engage with historical texts
by facilitating the creation of calligraphy artworks and sharing them with the public through
exhibits and seminars. While it is not uncommon for libraries across Hong Kong and China to
have calligraphy exhibitions, they typically feature work by prominent scholars/artists and
rarely by students themselves. This type of project demonstrates how exposure to East Asian
texts can facilitate cross-disciplinary learning for students and foster different skills among
ethnically diverse peers.
Ching, S.H. and New, B. (2020b), “Information literacy and transcultural learning: How
Chinese calligraphy and historical Korean poetry were turned into a library co-curricular
initiative”, International Information and Library Review, Vol. 52 No. 2, pp. 142–156.
It describes the development and implementation of a series of cocurricular activities
centered on recitations of historical East Asian poetry and practicing Chinese calligraphy at
an urban university library in Hong Kong. This program is held annually and includes
students, faculty and librarians. The program focuses on exploring the aesthetic aspect of
poetry and calligraphy while providing students with necessary IL instruction so they can
connect with their own varying East Asian backgrounds.
Chow, S.K.Y. and Wong, J.L.K. (2020), “Supporting academic self-efficacy, academic
motivation, and information literacy for students in tertiary institutions”, Education Sciences,
Vol. 10 No. 12.
Study of (n 5 504) junior and senior undergraduate students at a tertiary institution in
Hong Kong on their IL self-efficacy and academic motivation. Researchers asked questions
about subjects’ personal information and academic habits and administered the information
literacy self-efficacy scale (ILS) and academic motivation scale (AMS). Results indicated a
moderate positive correlation between IL self-efficacy and academic motivation and that
scoring highly on the AMS and having a personal computer were both positively predictive
for IL self-efficacy.
Cigerci, F.M. (2020), “Primary school teacher candidates and 21st century skills”,
International Journal of Progressive Education, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 157–174.
Study of the various skills of primary school teacher candidates and digital storytelling,
which include IL. Findings showed that all participants utilized accessing and evaluating
information critically at almost every stage of digital storytelling. Some also added not only
thinking and evaluating critically, but also having to be aware of copyright, legal and other
issues while finding and using information.
Coburn, J. (2020), “Defending the digital: Awareness of digital selectivity in historical
research practice”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science.
Case study at Newcastle University to investigate via interviews how five historians and
three academic library professionals view and approach digital archival collections in their
practice, especially in comparison with physical archival collections and in light of the
prevailing view within the field regarding digital selectivity and its effects on researchers and Information
their research. It finds that participants acknowledge the reality of digital selectivity, remain literacy 2020
aware of the limitations of digital archival collections, adapt in practice via personalized
techniques and approaches (which they do not necessarily share with colleagues) and
highlight how differences in career track greatly affect the research practices of historians. It
recommends implementation of standardized usage metadata for digital archival collections,
further collaboration between historians themselves and with library professionals to
improve and expand IL skills of researchers and future research into the information-seeking 353
behavior of historians and into the ethics of creating digital archival collections, especially
with materials originating from underprivileged and marginalized groups.
Coetzer, L. and Mapulanga, P. (2020), “Delivering equitable distance library services to off-
campus users at the University of the Free State in South Africa”, Global Knowledge, Memory
and Communication, Vol. 70 Nos 1–2, pp. 94–113.
It assesses the experiences of (n 5 40) participating students and (n 5 5) course facilitators
in an advanced teaching certificate program at the University of the Free State in South
Africa. In alignment with similar previous studies, students note a lack of awareness of
research services and online materials available through the library, leading to minimum
engagement with articles and other peer-reviewed resources to support their coursework. It
notes that students and facilitators desire online IL instruction from the library and clearer
pathways to find research support from the library’s website homepage.
Coleman, A. (2020), “Using the anti-racism digital library and thesaurus to understand
information access, authority, value and privilege”, Theological Librarianship, Vol. 13 No. 1.
It describes “anti-racism information literacy” in the context of the author’s research in
theological librarianship, particularly in the development of the Antiracism Digital Library
and Thesaurus and how antiracism can be explored through the ACRL Framework. It
provides insight into how IL combats “epistemic racism” embedded in academia and
librarianship. It includes a sample exercise and vocabulary in the appendices.
Coleman, J. and Pankl, L. (2020), “Rethinking the neoliberal university: Critical library pedagogy
in an age of transition”, Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 66–74.
Expanding on their previous scholarship and the work of Henry Giroux, the authors
describe continued concerns over positivism and neoliberalism in library instruction.
Although the ACRL Framework shifts the focus from skills to students, librarians are still
pressured to provide one-shot instruction and justify the value of their work with outcomes-
based measures. The authors urge librarians to make instruction meaningful to students and
seek opportunities to connect instruction to students’ previous experiences and future
endeavors in and outside of academia.
Cooke, N.A. (2020), “Critical library instruction as a pedagogical tool”, Communications in;
Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 86–96.
It explores how librarians influenced by critical library instruction and critical pedagogy
can continue to develop and put into action the principles related to justice, EDI espoused by
critical librarian scholars within a profession dominated by whiteness. It describes the
author’s practices of critical self-reflection, critical actions and the community of praxis of
women of color who support this journey. It emphasizes the deep importance for librarians
committed to EDI principles of continuous and rigorous self-reflection and expansion of their
understanding of critical library pedagogy and praxis.
Crawford-Visbal, J.L., Crawford-Tirado, L., Ortiz-Zaccaro, Z.Z., and Abalo, F. (2020),
“Assessment of digital competences in communication students across four Latin American
universities”, Education in the Knowledge Society, Vol. 21.
Study of the development of digital competencies in (n 5 229) undergraduate
communications majors across four Latin American universities. The study employed
both qualitative (focus groups, semistructured interviews) and quantitative (questionnaires)
RSR research methods and discovered that while students exhibit high levels of digital
49,3/4 connectivity, there were significant deficiencies in basic IL, awareness of academic search
platforms and content creation. The authors identified and discussed conditions related to
information, technology and communication that affect many Latin American students and
aspired to apply these results to updating communications department curriculums to
support digital skill development necessary for success as professionals.
Crist, E. and Popa, D. (2020), “Information literacy and cultural context: Chinese English
354 language learners’ understandings of information authority”, College and Research Libraries,
Vol. 81 No. 4, pp. 646–661.
It describes the dispositions and understandings related to IL, specifically the ACRL
Framework frame “Authority is Constructed and Contextual,” held by Chinese English-
language learners studying at an American public university. The results of qualitative
vignettes and in-depth, semistructured interviews with students indicate that students utilize
many different information-seeking and evaluation methods depending on the context. The
authors suggest critical reflection on the part of librarians related to respecting cultural
differences by recognizing personal biases and utilizing varying information sources.
Crowe, S. and Sclippa, E. (2020), Games and Gamification in Academic Libraries,
American Library Association, Chicago, Illinois.
It discusses the implementation of games and gamification for academic library services
and IL instruction. Within the IL section, it includes four case studies for first-year experience,
escape rooms, one-shot workshops and other non-course-related instructional programming.
It offers information for building a circulating game collection, programming and outreach
and a general overview of games in libraries.
Dahlen, S.P.C. and Leuzinger, R. (2020), “Impact of library instruction on the development
of student skills in synthesis and source attribution: A model for academic program
assessment”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 6.
A multistep assessment and intervention project consisting of a campus-wide and
program-wide assessment of the IL impact on undergraduate students through an
instructional intervention at the capstone level. It found that the intervention was overall
successful, showing performance improvements in the targeted areas.
Davidson Squibb, S.L. and Zanzucchi, A. (2020), “Apprenticing researchers: Exploring
upper-division students’ information literacy competencies”, portal: Libraries and the
Academy, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 161–185.
It analyzes and describes themes from focus group interviews (n 5 14) and local upper-
division students’ responses to selected questions from the Experiences with Information
Literacy topical module of the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). It proposes
that though many librarians want to move beyond instruction sessions that focus on mere
mechanics (such as database searching), undergraduates still value basic instruction, which
suggests that librarians may need to function as both trainers and educators, perhaps by
moving training to online tutorials and leaving face-to-face time to focus on more complex
pieces of IL instruction.
Dodson, M. (2020), “On target or missing the mark? Instruction courses in LIS graduate
programs”, Public Services Quarterly, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 83–94.
Analysis of course descriptions of library instruction courses in LIS programs accredited by
the American Library Association (ALA) for course content and whether it was required of LIS
students. In total, 95% of the 57 programs offer at least one library instruction course; however,
only three schools require the course. Given the prevalence of instruction requirements in
academic library jobs, the author recommends that LIS programs require instruction courses.
Douglas, K.A., Fernandez, T., Fosmire, M., Van Epps, A.S., and Purzer, S. (2020), “Self-
directed information literacy scale: A comprehensive validation study”, Journal of Engineering
Education, Vol. 109 No. 4, pp. 685–703.
 Developed and validated a self-directed information literacy (SIL) scale to assess Information
undergraduate engineering students’ self-directedness in using information for classroom literacy 2020
work. Grounded in the work of Knowles (1975), the ACRL Standards and the needs of
engineering students, the authors defined the scale on the following dimensions: recognize,
seek, evaluate, apply, document and reflect. They analyzed the results of first-year
engineering students (n 5 1,608) and found it to be fair and valid across gender groups with
slight variance between fluent English speakers and English-language learners.
Dresel, R., Henkel, M., Scheibe, K., Zimmer, F., and Stock, W.G. (2020), “A nationwide 355
library system and its place in knowledge society and smart nation: The case of Singapore”,
Libri: International Journal of Libraries and Information Services, Vol. 70 No. 1, pp. 81–94.
It examines the activities of Singapore’s National Library Board (NLB) including digital
and information literacy programs, social media activities and user participation in
development of its services. This case study investigates the role of libraries in the ongoing
development of a knowledge society in Singapore by examining the merits and success
factors of its library system. It concludes that the NLB is an essential building block of
Singapore’s knowledge society and Smart Nation, and how given its large member base and
its services and programs, it is a vital component of Singapore’s national identity.
Drotner, K. (2020), “Minimizing knowledge scepticism: Resourcing students through media
and information literacy”, European Review, Vol. 28 No. S1, pp. 56–66.
It explores the relationship between students’ access to information and their knowledge
formation with a focus on social media as a source of information and increasing knowledge
skepticism in an evolving knowledge economy. It describes changing modes and themes in
popular science communication and the role of social media in increasing knowledge
skepticism, particularly among students. Author suggests a focus on media and information
literacy, particularly as students transition to college, as an essential means of reducing
knowledge skepticism.
Dudley, M. (2020), “Exploring worldviews and authorities: Library instruction in
indigenous studies using Authority is Constructed and Contextual”, College and Research
Libraries News, Vol. 81 No. 2, pp. 66–69.
Within the context of the ACRL Framework frame “Authority is Constructed and
Contextual,” explores how Knowledge Organization Systems (KOS) play a significant role in
reproducing Western values and marginalizing indigenous counter knowledges. It
emphasizes how Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and other mainstream
knowledge organizations limit the retrieval of Native American materials. It offers
approaches to teaching this frame within the context of Indigenous Studies, illustrating
the use of EBSCO’s Alternative Press Index (API).
Duke, D. (2020), Two-Session Information Literacy Program Effectiveness for Rural First-
Year Undergraduates, EdD Thesis, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN.
It applies Kuhlthau’s Information Search Process theory to pre- and posttest survey
results from a sample of rural first-year undergraduates. Students received two IL sessions
and saw a statistically significant improvement in skills on the rubric applied. Adopting
micro-credentialing for first-year students and continued administrative support for IL
instruction is recommended.
Duncan, A. (2020), “Towards an activist research: Is Wikipedia the problem or the solution?”,
Art Libraries Journal, Vol. 45 No. 4, pp. 155–161.
It examines the dueling democratization of information and Western/colonial biases
inherent to Wikipedia and presents library programs with collective editing as opportunities
for both IL practice and activism for marginalized and underrepresented groups and
individuals. It details such a program at University of the Arts in London. It presents the
creation of secondary sources, especially oral traditions and histories, as a way to correct and
contribute to Wikipedia.
RSR Elbassiouny, A., DiSordi, P., Guay, S., Hamilton, A., King, S., Brown, J., Molnar, P.,
49,3/4 Andrade, M.C.B., Riggs, C.D., Stehlik, I., and Ashok, A. (2020), “The whole is greater than the
sum of the parts: A research poster project provides an integrative framework for learning
across foundation courses in biology”, Bioscene, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 27–35.
Description of the implementation of a research poster assignment at the University of
Toronto where (n 5 ∼700) second-year biology students from different courses prepared,
planned, researched, created and presented together in groups-as-learning-communities to
356 integrate knowledge from disciplinary subfields, exhibit effective communication and
teamwork skills and demonstrate IL. It found that a majority of students met or exceeded
expectations, as 76.2% of students scored 8 or higher out of 10. The scaffolded design of the
assignment included campus partnerships with university librarians, who provided IL
instruction via research guides, online quizzes and online consultations throughout the
project timeline. Adapting this approach for other disciplines and larger groups providing
additional support (e.g. libraries, writing centers) is recommended.
Ellenwood, D. (2020), “‘Information has value’: The political economy of information
capitalism”, In the Library with the Lead Pipe.
It explores the ACRL Framework frame “Information Has Value” alongside Marx and other
anticapitalist theorists as a starting point for developing a basic political economy of
information capitalism, which can be included in IL curriculum. The author grounds this
analysis in Fister’s presentation of three waves of information literacy, the third of which must
focus on developing understandings of the structures, including structures of capitalism, which
frame our access to and understanding of information. It presents open education, open access
and alternative media as potential sites for resistance to information capitalism.
Encheva, M., Tammaro, A.M., and Kumanova, A. (2020), “Games to improve students
information literacy skills”, International Information and Library Review, Vol. 52 No. 2, pp.
130–138.
It introduces Project NAVIGATE – Information Literacy: A Game-based Learning Approach
for Avoiding Fake Content and promotes game-based learning for IL. It reports study results
(n 5 423) to assess students’ IL competencies at universities in Bulgaria, Italy and Sweden to
inform the design of IL educational games, which are now in the testing phase. It finds that students
perform similarly in their overestimation of their IL abilities across institutions, particularly for
evaluating and synthesizing information, and explicates how assessment of student learning
through games can inform constructivist interventions to improve IL skill attainment.
Espe, T.W. (2020), “Sense of direction: Embedding a virtual tour in course-integrated
instruction sessions at an academic library”, Practical Academic Librarianship: The
International Journal of the SLA, Vol. 10 No. 1, 24–37.
Case study examining the effect of virtual library tours and an accompanying quiz within
five English sections at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Libraries to replace in-
person library orientation. Quiz scores suggest that virtual tours adequately introduced
students (n 5 88) to the library and its library resources as a time-management saving feature
and IL/outreach tool for library staff.
Evans, D.L., Bailey, S.G., Thumser, A.E., Trinder, S.L., Winstone, N.E., and Bailey, I.G.,
(2020), “The biochemical literacy framework: Inviting pedagogical innovation in higher
education”, FEBS Open Bio, Vol. 10 No. 9, pp. 1720–1736.
It proposes a framework for biochemical graduate students by creating a comprehensive
blueprint of the development of various skills within the discipline. The authors link seven
key skills, which include IL and critical thinking, to create a metaliteracy foundation to
implement and support in the use of evidence-based learning, as well as to create a further
definition of biochemical literacy.
Ezell, J. and Rosenbloom, L. (2021), “Improv(is)ing research: Instructional design for
serendipity in archival exploration”, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 47 No. 1.
 Exploratory pilot using Lennart Bj€orneborn’s framework, a classificatory system that Information
measures serendipitous discovery, to analyze (n 5 12) first-year honors students’ first literacy 2020
classroom experience with a digital archive. To analyze student reflections, researchers coded
responses utilizing the three major factors of curiosity, mobility and sensitivity, each with
three to four other subfactors. Findings offer suggestions to improve instructional design in
archival and primary source instruction with a focus on how librarians can foster exploratory
research.
Faix, A. and Fyn, A. (2020), “Framing fake news: Misinformation and the ACRL 357
Framework”, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 495–508.
It reviews each frame within the ACRL Framework to identify relationships between
research and evaluation strategies and misinformation. It provides a close reading of each
frame and how it relates to combating misinformation and suggests classroom activities that
dovetail with each of the frames. It argues that while most librarians turn to the first frame
“Authority is Constructed and Contextual,” librarians can and should holistically incorporate
elements of each frame to adequately teach students how to critically engage with
misinformation.
Fazik, J. and Steinerova, J. (2020), “Technologies, knowledge and truth: The three
dimensions of information literacy of university students in Slovakia”, Journal of
Documentation, Vol. 77, No. 1, pp. 285–287.
A qualitative phenomenological study on the IL experiences and ideas of new university
students within three categories: the conception of digital technologies, the conception of
knowledge and the conception of truth. Findings show a strong interrelated correlation
between all three categories and point to the diversity of the concept of IL in relation to other
types of literacy and how they coincide with other scientific disciplines. This study offers a
new contribution to the concept of truth and truthfulness of information within an IL context.
Ferretti, J.A. (2020), “Building a critical culture: How critical librarianship falls short in the
workplace”, Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 134–152.
It argues that critical librarianship practices have centered on patron facing activities,
such as instruction, but have not shifted power dynamics between library colleagues. While
critical librarianship may have changed what is taught in the classroom and the role of the
student, changes are slower to other aspects of librarianship, which is troubling for BIPOC.
The author provides a summary of criticisms of “critlib” including performative wokeness
and exclusionary language practices. It concludes with the recommendation to extend
criticality to interpersonal and management practices so as not to perpetuate gaslighting and
microaggressions of BIPOC library workers.
Flierl, M., Fundator, R., Reed, J.B., McGowan, B., Cai, C., and Maybee, C. (2020), “Training
the trainer to embed IL into curricula: Results from an action research project”, Journal of
Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1.
It describes the results of a “train the trainer” approach to embed IL into disciplinary
curricula through a faculty learning community at Purdue University. Using the action
research method (i.e. the plan–act–observe–reflect cycle), the participant-researchers
highlight their success in addressing IL with faculty, especially during supplemental and
less formal meetings. It recommends strategic planning for when to introduce IL, offering
professional development for librarians, building relationships with other units such as
instructional designers and technologists, drawing practical applications of IL with faculty
and connecting IL to other pedagogical theories such as backward design and self-motivation
theory.
Flierl, M. and Maybee, C. (2020), “Refining information literacy practice: Examining the
foundations of information literacy theory”, IFLA Journal, Vol. 46 No. 2, 124–132.
Examination of CIL theory and informed learning theory toward the application of “good”
IL practices in higher education. Authors analyze the potential 20th-century European biases
RSR of CIL and informed learning, recommending that academic librarians contribute to IL
49,3/4 practices through participation as scholarly practitioners able to refine theory through
practice and vice versa.
Foord, K. (2020), “Read it, now what? Engaging students with information literacy”, Higher
Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning.
A study exploring how second-year students were engaging with IL skills within the
curriculum. The two-part study gathered data from a specific module and assignment as well
358 as from a qualitative questionnaire. The findings showed that students were engaging with
IL concepts that aligned with the curriculum and that they benefited from the learning and
understanding of the unit overall.
Forbes, C.L. (2020), Portraits of Professional Collaboration: Faculty-Librarian Teaching
Partnerships, PhD Thesis, University of Denver, Denver, CO.
It examines four faculty–librarian teaching collaborations in a higher education setting
through the use of portraiture methodology. It notes the challenges and opportunities
inherent in coteaching where differing levels of ownership and ability to develop curriculum
may exist, the time and effort required, how colearning from one’s partner is an important
motivator and the importance of clear and open communication. Recommendations for
practice include defining course loads for librarians, incentivizing coteaching practices and
embedding coteaching in the core curriculum, particularly for first-year experience and
research-focused courses. It suggests future areas for research, including the effect of
faculty–librarian coteaching on students, such as positive impact on engagement and student
awareness that they are being taught IL skills.
Foskey, A. and Roper, A. (2020), “Constructing authority: Using the ACRL Framework to
connect with underserved students”, College and Research Libraries News, Vol. 81 No. 10, pp.
508–511.
It describes efforts at a community college library to integrate the ACRL Framework
frame “Authority is Constructed and Contextual.” In one case, a class for returning adult
students frames authority from the perspective of parents and the various sources of
information they have to assess. In another, librarians organize a zine event for
LGBTQ þ students and emphasize the importance of expressing one’s own identity and
experiences. While many community colleges struggle to incorporate the Framework, the
authors argue it can serve as inspiration for creative instruction and programming for the
communities that use the library.
Fosnacht, K. (2020), “Information literacy’s influence on undergraduates’ learning and
development: Results from a large multi-institutional study”, College and Research Libraries,
Vol. 81 No. 2, pp. 272–287.
It investigates the validity of the Experiences with Information Literacy module of the
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), which from 2014 to 2018 received
60,631 first-year and 83,762 senior student responses and examines the relationship between
IL engagement and self-assessed student learning. It finds significant correlation between IL
and student learning as three factors (use of information, its evaluation and an emphasis on IL
practices by instructors). It suggests that further research can dive deeper into the individual-
student and campus-institutional factors that affect IL engagement, as well as look into
sustained IL in terms of news consumption after graduation.
Foster, B. (2020), “Information literacy beyond librarians: A data/methods triangulation
approach to investigating disciplinary IL teaching practices”, Evidence Based Library and
Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 20–37.
Study seeking to develop higher-order IL skills and campus partnerships based on
disciplinary faculties’ response to a mixed-methods approach including a survey (n 5 91),
focus groups (n 5 9) and assessment reports at the California State University Fresno. The
author concludes that faculty understand and value the importance of IL with the majority of
IL learning coming from librarians. It recommends explicit methods of IL learning through Information
pedagogical methods (e.g. standards, competencies, IL outcomes, etc.) to support higher IL literacy 2020
skill development in students.
Franco, J. (2020), “Integrating the ‘science’ and ‘practice’ of politics in a single course: A
proof of concept”, Journal of Political Science Education, Vol. 16 No. 3, pp. 277–299.
Case study of a California politics class including the redesign of the course materials and
assessment of student learning. Students completed two group projects, one on a team of
researchers and one on analyzing and applying policy; in each group students found, 359
summarized and analyzed journal articles. Prior to the course, students rated themselves
(n 5 37) a 3 out of 5 on their ability to analyze journal articles, and after the course students’
self-perception of their skills rose a full point.
Fraser-Arnott, M. (2020), “Library orientation practices in special libraries”, Reference
Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp. 525–536.
Using an electronic survey, it evaluates library orientation practices in special libraries
and information centers. Themes from library orientation case studies, such as program
redesign, partnership and tools and techniques, guided the development of the 15-question
survey. Findings highlight the need for consistent orientation delivery approaches, with a
particular emphasis on training materials that address trends and challenges within and
across different libraries.
Frati, F.Y. (2020), “Using an inquiry-based learning approach to support engagement with
information and scholarship in health care education”, Education for Information, Vol. 36 No.
1, pp. 59–67.
It describes how one librarian uses inquiry-based learning and complex clinical scenarios
to help nursing students identify answerable questions as part of evidence-based nursing
practice. The author also discusses integrating the ACRL Framework into course-embedded
instruction, as well as using multiple modes of instruction, such as a flipped classroom
approach, online modules and library clinics. Instead of focusing solely on competency-based
search skills, the author works with students to improve the clinical questions that guide their
research.
Froste, D. (2020), “Tailoring an information skills programme for trainee nursing
associates”, Health Information and Libraries Journal, Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 89–93.
Description of the development and assessment (n 5 18) of an IL program for healthcare
workers in training to become registered nurses at a hospital in the United Kingdom. The
program included a one-on-one meeting with a librarian on literature searching, a 2-h group
session on critical appraisal and a 1-h group session on citation. Based on survey responses,
students’ confidence in library research increased after the three sessions and free response
comments indicated that although the sessions were helpful, students may need additional
support, especially with critical appraisal.
Gardner, C.C., Galoozis, E., and Halpern, R. (2020), Hidden Architectures of Information
Literacy Programs: Structures, Practices, and Contexts, Association of College and Research
Libraries, Chicago, Illinois.
This edited collection consists of 39 profiles of IL programs in academic libraries across
the USA. Although an index of Carnegie classifications is provided, chapters are organized
by program model types: teaching teams, subject liaisons, a combination of teams and
liaisons, solo instruction librarians and credit-bearing courses. Chapters highlight the unique
structure of each program and include practical information about the program scope,
operations, marketing, outreach, assessment, pedagogical highlights and a profile of each IL
coordinator.
Głowacka, E., Kisilowska, M., and Paul, M. (2020), “Patterns of differentiation of students’
competencies: A comparative study”, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 7,
pp. 1061–1079.
RSR Auditorium survey of IL skills at two Polish universities with (n 5 319) history, journalism
49,3/4 and information science BA, MA and PhD students, which was then compared to a previous
Spanish study. The emphasis on the most important competency varied based on field, but
notable findings included that students indicated high levels of self-efficacy (including in
areas where their skills may actually be lower than ranked), students honed in on the skills
that involve contact with patrons and the public, and they place less value and do not show
high levels of self-efficacy in competencies that involve communication and dissemination of
360 information. Neither survey group considered the library as a place where they gained IL
skills and knowledge.
Gohr, M. and Nova, V.A. (2020), “Student trauma experiences, library instruction and
existence under the 45th”, Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 183–199.
It discusses neoliberalism, meritocracy and related ideologies in the academy and libraries
and specifically how their manifestation in the results of the 2016 election affected students,
librarians and academic institutions. It addresses how typical one-shot IL instruction
sessions using social justice topics without critical reflection on their relevance can cause
trauma and discomfort among students without appropriate context, focusing on how to
center students’ lived experiences and decenter the positionality and authority that IL
librarians have in the classroom. It offers additional resources for inclusive pedagogy and
teaching with trauma-informed practices.
Gomez-Garcıa, G., Hinojo-Lucena, F.J., Caceres-Reche, M.P., and Navas-Parejo, M.R.
(2020), “The contribution of the flipped classroom method to the development of information
literacy: A systematic review”, Sustainability, Vol. 12 No. 18.
Systematic literature review of English and Spanish-language open-access journal articles
discussing flipped classrooms to teach IL. It describes the literature and finds that there are
multiple ways that flipped classrooms are being implemented, including video tutorials,
interactive presentations and videos embedded in training modules. It suggests that
universities implement flipped teaching as a dynamic and innovative way to teach IL and
enhance undergraduate learning.
Goodman, X.Y. and Nugent, R.L. (2020), “Teaching cultural competence and cultural
humility in dental medicine”, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 39 No. 4, pp.
309–322.
It describes the experiences of two liaison librarians who develop instruction around
cultural competence and cultural humility for a graduate-level dental medicine course. Lesson
content and activities include the sharing of stories that illustrate the intersection between
racism, poverty and historically underrepresented groups, access to health care, definitions of
cultural competence and cultural humility and reflective activities designed to get students to
think about their own cultural backgrounds as well as how they will practice cultural
humility as future dentists. It recommends that librarians learn more about cultural humility
or cultural competence to gain confidence in delivering instruction on these topics.
Grabowsky, A. and Weisbrod, L. (2020), “The effectiveness of library instruction for
graduate/professional students: A systematic review and meta-analysis”, Evidence Based
Library and Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 100–137.
It evaluates (n 5 16) studies of IL instruction in a systematic review and (n 5 12) a meta-
analysis of graduate and professional students. It finds IL instruction statistically significant
in students’ performance on IL assessments after instruction takes place, but finds no
differences in instruction modality, whether online, face-to-face or hybrid. It identifies a need
for more published studies in this area, especially for online IL instruction and for nonhealth
science disciplines, as well as more consistent description and data-gathering practices
among researchers.
Gray, T. (2020), “Special collections in the classroom: Embedding special collections in an
undergraduate history writing class”, Public Services Quarterly, Vol. 16 No. 2, pp. 139–145.
 It describes a 12-year collaboration between the special collections librarian and history Information
faculty to transform a one-shot session into an embedded, primary source research 10-week literacy 2020
course. It speaks to the growing movement to standardize IL for archives and special
collections and the benefits of collaborations between archivists, special collections librarians
and liaison librarians. It concludes that the long-term embedded format works well for
immersing undergraduate history majors with primary sources.
Gridasova, A.V., Grinko, M.A., Papernay, N.V., Khandzhian, D.D., and Soboleva, E.A.
(2020), “Digital transformation of the educational university space while teaching foreign 361
languages”, Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems, Vol. 12 No. 5,
pp. 1346–1352.
It analyzes readiness potential of the Russian modern university to implement digital
education opportunities and create new professional competencies for foreign language
teachers. It examines the application of digital technologies with a focus on the need to foster
teacher skills. It concludes that foreign language educators should incorporate digital and
information literacy in their efforts to foster an accessible information teaching environment.
Griffin, B.L. (2020), Information Practices in Amateur Classical Musicianship, PhD
Thesis, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Study of information practices in physical activities via a scoping review, discussions and
observations, specifically in the field of classical musicianship. Students in this field sought
information to acquire sheet music, background information about composers, how to care
for instruments and videos and audio related to their field. Some participants revealed that in
their search for freely available sheet music, they also acquired the knowledge to discuss the
intellectual property rights and licenses attached to sheet music, which is IL that is specific to
the field of classical music. How the students go about seeking information is heavily
influenced by their community, including their instructors and peers.
Griffin, T.M. (2020), “Centering graduate students’ research projects in data management
education: A pilot program”, Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication, Vol. 8.
Describes in detail an in-person, flipped classroom, noncredit bearing eight-week program
in data management delivered to graduate students (n 5 26) by the University Library at the
University of Illinois Chicago during summer 2019. The author distinguishes her course from
others through its design based on the thematic frames of discovery, infrastructure and
sustainability, as well as its student research data approach to data management education.
Based on the pilot’s success, the author is exploring adapting the course to an online format in
order to make it accessible to regional campuses.
Groller, K.D., Adamshick, P., and Petre, K. (2020), “Embracing evidence-based nursing and
informational literacy through an innovative undergraduate collaborative project”,
International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, Vol. 18 No. 1.
A collaborative longitudinal study that scaffolds the principles of IL and evidence-based
practice in a senior level theory-based research course for nursing students. It found that by
the end of the course, students had a deeper understanding and appreciation of nursing
research and greater confidence in their searching and critiquing skills. The traditional
practicum project was redesigned into a collaborative longitudinal scoping review project
that students felt not only fostered their growth but would continue to grow and help them in
their careers as nurses.
Gu, P., Zhang, Y., and Gu, H. (2020), “Creating a technology-enhanced constructivist
learning environment for research ability development in a BA thesis writing course”,
Computer Assisted Language Learning, Vol. 33 Nos 5–6, pp. 538–566.
It assesses students’ problem-based learning in a constructivist learning environment
(CLE) to understand the relationship between the CLE model and the development of
research abilities in a BA thesis writing course. Seniors (n 5 66) in Fall 2008 and juniors
(n 5 31) in Spring 2014 were evaluated on their productions within the course and interviews
RSR conducted throughout their learning. Findings support the use of the CLE for enhancing
49,3/4 students’ learning outcomes as evidenced by an improvement in students’ research ability in
a course employing a CLE model that provided additional instructional support, peer
discussion and information resources.
Gu, Y. (2020), “Enhancement of college English teachers’ information literacy in
information environment”, International Education Studies, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 106–112.
Survey of (n 5 44) English teachers at North China Electricity Power University to
362 evaluate IL on the criteria of information awareness, information knowledge and information
ability. Findings suggest that English teachers have a low level of information awareness,
knowledge and ability, indicating a need for improved IL training and skills. The author
suggests the following improvement strategies: improving focus on professional
development, improving communication and collaboration between instructors on the
topic of IL and modernizing information technology training.
Guo, J. and Huang, J. (2020), “Information literacy education in WeChat environment at
academic libraries in China”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 1.
It examines the use of the WeChat instant messaging platform as a tool for IL education in
39 university libraries across China. Based on data published on the libraries’ public WeChat
accounts, findings reveal how libraries are using the app for IL instruction generally, for
teaching IL courses, conducting training for freshmen students, posting information about IL
lectures and sharing campus activities related to IL. It supports the continued and expanded
use of WeChat for supporting IL by expanding course offerings and developing diverse or
multimodal content in order to connect with students where they are.
Habibzadeh, A. and Abdolrahmani, R. (2020), “The information literacy model of faculty
members: A case of Amin University”, International Journal of Information Science and
Management, Vol. 18 No. 1, pp. 49–64.
Results from a questionnaire (n 5 200) of faculty IL skills as described by the ACRL
Standards. Faculty rated themselves as having good IL skills for questions related to
information access, evaluation, use and legal issues. However, faculty were less confident
with their skills for identifying information needs. The findings conflicted with other cited
studies of faculty IL skills, and the authors provided suggestions for further research.
Hammons, J. (2020a), “Teaching information literacy: Developing an online course for
faculty”, College and Research Libraries News, Vol. 81 No. 7, pp. 337–340.
It details the development and content of an online, self-paced, course for disciplinary
faculty to incorporate IL instruction in their curriculum. Using backward design, each of the
six modules begins with a scenario and includes a mix of text, discussion and videos. As a
self-paced course, attrition is a problem; however, it allows for faculty to receive instruction
without competing with other campus multiday workshops. The author concludes with the
insight that though time-intensive, the creation of an online course improves library expertise
in instructional design and recommends creating faculty courses to other librarians.
Hammons, J. (2020b), “Teaching the teachers to teach information literacy: A literature
review”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 5.
A review of case studies since 1997 on a teach-the-teacher approach to IL instruction
within the curriculum. In total, 26 case studies were included in the review and span activities
such as a workshop series, learning communities, course redesign programs and other
initiatives both incentivized and not. The impacts were varied depending on the program and
included reaching a greater number of students, deeper learning and less librarian-led one-
shot sessions. Based on the existing literature, the author concluded that it is not yet possible
to determine the impact teach-the-teacher programs have had on faculty teaching methods or
student IL skills, but the methodology is promising.
Han, L. and Lu, Z. (2020), “Enhancing student participation in information literacy course
based on rain classroom: A case study”, Library Hi Tech, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 522–536.
 Mixed methods study on the use of Rain Classroom in an introduction to the library course Information
at Tsinghua University in China. Rain Classroom is a free app for online teaching, and other literacy 2020
similar tools may be of use in both one-shot and course-integrated instruction. The authors
found that the use of Rain Classroom was well received by students and prompted higher
levels of participation and active learning.
Harden, M. and Harden, J.J. (2020), “Embedding the new information literacy framework
in undergraduate political science courses”, Political Science and Politics, Vol. 53 No. 2, pp.
344–348. 363
It introduces the ACRL Framework to political science faculty and provides practical
examples of how faculty can address IL threshold concepts with their students with or
without librarian intervention. It includes examples of activities that address “Scholarship as
a Conversation” and “Authority Is Constructed and Contextual;” for example, one activity
asks students to “follow the conversation” by looking up references and using the “cited by”
feature in Google Scholar. It recommends scaffolding IL concepts throughout the curriculum
to help students develop research skills.
Harding, J. and Shepard, R. (2020), “The lifecycle of a research tutorial: From concept to
implementation and beyond”, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, Vol. 32 No. 1,
pp. 29–35.
It describes the development of a modular tutorial based on the ACRL Framework using
LibGuides Content Management System to host videos, infographics, assessments and a final
quiz with a certificate of completion. Topics include developing a research question,
searching, evaluating scholarly sources, citation and research in the workplace. The authors
recommend using minimal text, following best practices for accessibility, and reviewing
analytics to inform future outreach and revisions.
Hare, S., Frye, J.M., and Samuelson, B.L. (2020), “Open pedagogy as an approach to
introducing doctoral students to open educational resources and information literacy concepts”,
Library Trends, Vol. 69 No. 2, pp. 435–468.
Case study of a librarian–faculty collaboration using open pedagogy to introduce
authority, copyright, open access and other scholarly communication topics in a doctoral
education course, culminating in the creation of an open educational resource (OER). The
authors expand on the theory of mutual adaptation in their analysis of discussion board
forums and course evaluations to assess student learning in terms of adaptation on three
levels (emerging, mastery and investment), as well as resistance and co-optation. Although
some students rely on their prior knowledge and consequently misunderstand or misapply
course concepts, the authors urge practitioners to use lessons learned from resistance to
revise the curriculum.
Haren, S.M., Romero, S., Hottinger, P.T. and DeJonghe, E.S. (2020), “Using Wikipedia for
project-based learning in information literacy instruction”, Journal of New Librarianship, Vol.
5, pp. 105–134.
It evaluated the applicability of expanding Wikipedia stub articles as a final project for an
IL course. Due to the complexity and variety of skills necessary to successfully expand a
Wikipedia article, student success was proportional to the integration of the project
throughout the duration of the course. Despite an increase in student engagement with course
content over the course of the study, researchers found an insignificant increase in students’
scores from the beginning to the end of the data collection period.
Harper, T., Mody, N., Ravaei, K., Romero, R., and Worsham, D. (2020), “The WI þ RE
way: A manifesto and a process for learner-led design”, Journal of New Librarianship, Vol. 5
No. 1.
It describes the values of the WI þ RE program at the University of California, Los
Angeles, and their student-led and grassroots approach to producing videos, tutorials,
handouts and other instructional materials. After several years of the successful program, the
RSR student authors reflect on WI þ RE’s learner-centered pedagogy and process, which includes
49,3/4 diverse and authentic student representation, feedback and user testing, prototyping,
creativity, universal design and accessibility. It includes examples of the program’s award-
winning and creative commons work that addresses common, hidden and contextual
challenges with research and writing.
Hartman-Caverly, S. and Chisholm, A. (2020), “Privacy literacy instruction practices in
academic libraries: Past, present, and possibilities”, IFLA Journal, Vol. 46 No. 4, pp. 305–327.
364 It reviews privacy scholarship from a wide swath of disciplines and summarizes key
themes, definitions and theories and then provides a literature review of privacy scholarship
within the field of LIS. Survey of (n 5 80) US libraries using a newly developed survey
instrument to explore current practices of privacy literacy instruction in academic libraries. It
finds that while many librarians do address privacy literacy in their instruction, many
barriers exist with the top three being a lack of instructional time, that it was not a priority
learning outcome, and lack of expertise to teach about privacy. It advocates for privacy-
centric initiatives and programs that place privacy literacy at the center, not at the periphery,
of instruction.
Hays, L. and Handler, K. (2020), “Good design is universal: Using universal design
principles to promote self-regulated learning in learning management systems when teaching
information literacy”, Journal of Library and Information Services in Distance Learning, Vol.
14 No. 2, pp. 127–140.
It discusses the importance of self-regulated learning and universal design when working
with students in the LMS, especially in light of increased online instruction during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Three principles of universal design are particularly important to self-
regulated learning online: motivation, coping skills and self-assessment. The authors provide
examples of approaches that address these principles in their own work, such as student-
centered scenario videos in an LMS tutorial and providing opportunities to reflect on
students’ research progress and growth in a credit-bearing IL course.
Head, A.J., Fister, B., MacMillan, M., and Project Information Literacy. (2020),
Information Literacy in the Age of Algorithms: Student Experiences with News and
Information, and the Need for Change, Project Information Literacy, Sonoma, California.
It analyzed data from undergraduate focus groups (n 5 107) and faculty interviews
(n 5 37) from eight different college campuses on awareness and concerns of automated
algorithms. Students expressed ambivalence and resignation about algorithms, often
representing contradictory feelings of joy over convenience and concerns about their
influence. Personal concerns, personalized advertising and societal concerns, such as
reinforcing inequalities, ranked high for students. Students used some defensive privacy
practices, such as private browsers, but had engaged in few formal education experiences
about privacy or algorithms in their college coursework, which was echoed in responses from
faculty interviews. The researchers concluded with suggestions for professors and librarians
on incorporating algorithmic literacy into IL instruction and recommendations for media
companies to increase transparency about algorithm uses.
Heffernan, K. (2020), “Loaded questions: The Framework for Information Literacy
through a DEI lens”, College and Research Libraries News, Vol. 81 No. 8, pp. 382–386.
It summarizes each ACRL Framework frame and how it can be used to develop a critical
consciousness around information. It uses the Right Question Institute’s Question
Formulation Technique (QFT) to develop questions that emerge when one looks at the
Framework through anEDI lens. It includes a list of questions that can guide classroom
discussion and activities.
Heldt, M., Massek, C., Drossel, K., and Eickelmann, B. (2020), “The relationship between
differences in students’ computer and information literacy and response times: An analysis of
IEA-ICILS Data”, Large-Scale Assessments in Education, Vol. 8 No. 12.
 An analysis of student response times in regard to computer and information literacy within Information
different groups of students according to various demographics. The results showed the literacy 2020
process data can be used to explain differences in response times and that there are various
differences in fast processing profiles, including having a significantly higher computer IL
particularly in Germany and the Czech Republic. The authors noted that interpreting the data
related to processing should also include the completion process data during testing.
Heriyanto, Prasetyawan, Y.Y., and Rohmiyati, Y. (2020), “Information literacy experience
of undergraduate students during their involvement in the university creativity program”, 365
Universal Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 8 No. 11B, pp. 5729–5734.
Qualitative study addressing how (n 5 15) undergraduate students experience IL while
participating in a student creativity program at Diponegoro University in Malaysia. The
authors analyzed data collected from semistructured interviews using thematic analysis and
identified the three experiential themes: contributing to the community, brainstorming and
Googlization. The study distinguished itself and its findings from other Indonesian studies
by focusing on the experience and students’ conception of IL as opposed to evaluating
student IL behavior.
Hicks, A. and Lloyd, A. (2020), “Deconstructing information literacy discourse: Peeling back
the layers in higher education”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science.
Study of how IL and learners are positioned within professional texts using positioning
theory and discourse analysis. The findings showed that the ideas of IL continuing to be skill-
based are at odds with the librarian push toward constructivist thinking and learners are
positioned as overwhelmed and drowning in information overload, which limits their
capacity and ability to learn and engage with the concepts of IL. The findings represented
only the early beginnings of IL discourses in higher education and could feed into the future
revision of IL models.
Hostetler, K. (2020), Designing for the One-Shot: Building Consensus on Design Processes
for Academic Librarians, PhD Thesis, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
It used the Delphi technique to determine what, if any, consensus exists between (n 5 25)
academic librarians in how they design one-shot library instruction. Participants in the study
confirmed the hypothesis that their Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree
did not prepare them for one-shot instruction either because they were not covered as part of the
degree plan or because classes related to instruction were only available to those on a specific
track in their MLIS program. The participants indicated that professional development and
training via observation and experience were the most beneficial in building their instruction
skills as well as the opportunity to collaborate with peers. Participants also indicated that they
used a backward design approach for one-shot instruction design due to the lower threshold of
knowledge needed to apply backward design to instruction.
Houlihan, M.A., Click, A.B., and Wiley, C.W. (2020), “Twenty years of business information
literacy research: A scoping review”, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, Vol. 15
No. 4, pp. 124–163.
It analyzed business IL literature from 2000 to 2019 via a scoping review for authorship,
method, theory, research topic, findings, impact and recommendations for practice. Of the 135
identified publications, the majority were original research articles studying undergraduates.
Surveys were the most frequent methodology with a stark decline to the next most popular
method, content analysis. Few theories were explicitly applied in the literature and the most
frequently explored topics were faculty collaboration, teaching methods and assessment. The
authors conclude with the recommendation for business librarians to further contribute to the
literature on the ACRL Framework as applied to business disciplines.
Howard, H.A. and Zwicky, D. (2020), “Student information use and decision-making in
innovation competitions and the impact of librarian interventions”, The Reference Librarian,
Vol. 61 No. 1, pp. 42–55.
RSR Study of students’ information practices and use of librarian consultations for an
49,3/4 experiential learning competition at Purdue University. Focus groups with ten students who
participated in the previous competition revealed that when students could not find
information about their specific ideas, they reached out to friends, family and industry
experts to make evidence-based decisions. Students also reflected on how consultations with
a patent and business librarian helped them at the beginning of their project to find
information about a product’s uniqueness and marketability.
366 Howard, K.N. (2020), “Investigating the health information literacy knowledge of health
care students as an essential next step in medical and health professional training”,
International Journal of Nursing Education, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 122–124.
It provides a brief review of the literature (n 5 14) regarding IL competency of healthcare
students in navigating both clinical applications of professional literature and guiding
patients in understanding consumer health information. It suggests a rationale to incorporate
health-specific IL competencies into curricula for students in allied health professions to
increase understanding and skills in evaluating information, particularly for evidence-based
practice and assisting patients with navigating the vast quantity of health-related data and
information available publicly.
Humbhi, S. and Jabeen, M. (2020), “Information literacy programs can empower the quick
use and the researchers modifacademic libraries: A librarian’s perspective”, Pakistan Library
and Information Science Journal, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 5–15.
Survey of (n 5 12) academic librarians to gauge the state of IL in Pakistan, identifying
current skill levels, practices, challenges and opportunities for growth. While respondents
generally self-reported proficiency in IL skills and standards with a preponderance of face-to-
face instruction, a majority (66.6%) believe that other faculty should be involved in IL
instruction alongside academic librarians, and 83% agreed or strongly agreed that their
respective institutions lacked policies supporting IL implementation. It recommends
continuing professional development opportunities for academic librarians, updating
institutional and national policies to support IL integration, faculty collaborations and
dedicated IL courses for credit.
Hutto, T. (2020), Healthcare Faculty’s Experiences with and Suggestions for Students’
Information Literacy Skills as the Skills Pertain to Evidence-Based Practice: A
Phenomenology Study, PhD Thesis, Northcentral University, La Jolla, CA.
Qualitative phenomenological study of (n 5 14) clinical healthcare faculty members
teaching at an undergraduate health program in the USA to analyze their current practices and
recommendations around addressing student IL skills. The author identified common themes
in faculty responses. One hundred percent of faculty reported that students struggled with
translating patient findings into a research question and students lack the ability to synthesize
the literature they read. Faculty believed the literacy skills undergraduates are most lacking to
deliver individualized patient care are reading comprehension and data collection.
Igbinovia, M. O., Okuonghae, O., and Adebayo, J.O. (2020), “Information literacy
competence in curtailing fake news about the COVID-19 pandemic among undergraduates in
Nigeria”, Reference Services Review, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 3–18.
It examines the information literacy competency of (n 5 138) LIS undergraduates in
Nigeria related to fake news stories around the COVID-19 pandemic. LIS students
demonstrate a high IL competency and a low susceptibility to fake news stories, though
some students did not believe there was COVID-19 in Nigeria. This research supports
previous literature that asserts that fake news does not thrive when IL competency is high,
which leads the authors to recommend IL as a required course or skill for undergraduates.
Ikenwe, J.I. and Anaehobi, S.E. (2020), “Ability to identify extent of information need and
access information as correlates of utilization of digital library resources by lecturers”, Digital
Library Perspectives, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 265–279.
 It describes a correlation study to investigate the connection between information needs Information
and information availability, especially digital information, through the library by lecturers literacy 2020
(n 5 665) in Southern Nigeria. Findings indicate that lecturers’ skills in locating information
in addition to the availability of information affect digital IL. This study and others negate
earlier studies published in 2013 on the topic on the limitation or lack of digital IL of lecturers.
Ikolo, V.E. (2020), “Perceptions of librarians and library and information science educators
towards collaboration and promotion of information literacy in Nigeria”, African Journal of
Library, Archives and Information Science, Vol. 30 No. 2. 367
Survey of (n 5 103) Nigerian librarians and LIS educators at five state universities on their
perceptions of IL, core skills, willingness to collaborate, areas of potential collaboration and
perceived challenges. It found that definitions of IL and core skills were similar and that both
groups were willing to collaborate to promote IL, enhance their teaching and advocate for the
integration of IL at the university level. Despite these positive attitudes, both groups thought
the other would be hesitant to collaborate.
Ince, S., Hoadley, C., and Kirschner, P.A. (2020), “Research workflow skills for education
doctoral students and postdocs: A qualitative study”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol.
46, No. 5.
It describes how early-career scholars in educational fields construct their research
workflows, which includes their training and experience in IL and information management.
Findings show that IL training varies; some experience IL education as undergraduates,
others at the master’s level, and citation management was largely underutilized in their
research workflow overall. Based on these findings of fragmented IL education and
management, the authors recommend greater training and support in IL, including better
software tools and subsequent training that support the research process.
Irving, C.J. (2020), “Critical information literacy: Adult learning and community
perspectives”, European Journal for Research on the Education and Learning of Adults,
Vol. 11, No. 1, pp. 65–76.
It considers the evolution and changing trends of IL including critical and feminist
pedagogies in regard to information access. It describes definitions, practice and exploration
of these critical approaches, as well as examples of social justice and collaborative initiatives
with educators and activists.
Jewell, P., Reading, J., Clarke, M., and Kippist, L. (2020), “Information skills for business
acumen and employability: A competitive advantage for graduates in Western Sydney”, Journal
of Education for Business, Vol. 95 No. 2, pp. 88–105.
Study (n 5 24) at Western Sydney University examining IL academic skills for business
graduates as compared with workplace information skillsets desired by employers. It finds
key themes of contextual skills (specific research strategies and tools), focus on business
context, business acumen, current awareness, filtering and synthesizing information and
people skills, suggesting that the curriculum be adjusted to include a broader range of
information sources, provide training on common software and emphasize the use of data/
promote data literacy. It provides examples of specific assignments and active learning
strategies to address each theme.
Jones, E.P. and Wisniewski, J.N. (2020), “Utilization of a librarian in a pharmacy laboratory
course”, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 39 No. 4, pp. 334–343.
It describes the two-year evolution of library instruction for pharmacy students from a
lecture-based session on drug information to a faculty–librarian collaboration with patient
case exercises for sterile compounding and patient medication profile review. The librarian
also offers LibChat for point-of-need instruction during laboratory class time and plans to
include short videos in the LMS in the future. It includes case scenarios in the appendices.
Julien, H., Gross, M., and Latham, D. (2020), The Information Literacy Framework Case
Studies of Successful Implementation, Rowman and Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland.
RSR A compilation of case studies surrounding the ACRL Framework and how to incorporate
49,3/4 it into IL instruction and teaching practices to preservice librarians for preparation in higher
education. Chapter topics include strategies for mapping and scaffolding IL threshold
concepts to different disciplines, using student learning outcomes with the Framework, and
various case studies using the Framework to create or redesign programs.
Karakoyun, F. and Lindberg, O.J. (2020), “Preservice teachers’ views about the twenty-first
century skills: A qualitative survey study in Turkey and Sweden”, Education and Information
368 Technologies, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 2353–2369.
Study of (n 5 197) preservice teachers in Turkey and Sweden on their perceptions of 21st
century skills, including IL, distance learning and communication. Teachers from both
countries indicated that digital literacy was the most important skill, followed by critical
thinking and problem-solving from Turkish teachers and communication skills and IL for
Swedish teachers. The viewpoints of the preservice teachers were influenced by personal
experiences with technology or experiences from their teaching programs.
Kasten-Mutkus, K. (2020), “Programming as pedagogy in the academic library”, portal:
Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 425–434.
It reflects on the role of cocurricular and extracurricular programming in academic
libraries in developing students’ IL competency and scholarly identity, connection to the
academic community on campus and overall critical thinking skills. It argues for different
types of programming from orientation and social events to research talks and speaker series
to engage students at different points in their educational path. It situates library
programming as a core academic and pedagogic function of the library as another expression
of IL instruction outside of course-based experiences.
Kaufman, C. (2020), “Civic education in a fake news era: Lessons for the methods
classroom”, Journal of Political Science Education, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 326–321.
It summarizes student news consumption vis-a-vis the trends of fake news and ideological
news reporting. It shares four sample classroom activities that can promote discussion and
evaluation of media in ways that advance media literacy. In particular, discussion-based
activities and those that ask students to evaluate evidence-based claims can be a fruitful
means to engage with students on this topic.
Kershaw, T.C., Fugate, J.M.B., and O’Hare, A.J., (2020), “Teaching undergraduates to
understand published research through structured practice in identifying key research
concepts”, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology.
It expands on the previous work of the authors who examined research article
comprehension skills in undergraduate psychology students using a journal article
comprehension assessment they created by manipulating the amount of practice students
completed. Findings show that all students improved their comprehension. The authors include
a discussion on theoretical implications for how the amount of practice affects student learning,
as well as practical suggestions to use in incorporating article reading into instruction.
Keshavarz, H. (2020), “Assessing the credibility of web information by university students:
Findings from a case study in Iran”, Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. 69
No. 8–9, pp. 681–696.
Survey of (n 5 380) Iranian students on their perceptions of the trustworthiness and
expertise of online information in terms of ethics, writing style, website appearance, website
identity, professionalism, accuracy, usability, interaction and overall credibility. The study
included information about the validation and reliability of the survey instrument, which was
found to be a consistent measure for the study constructs. Influential factors for evaluating
the credibility of a website included usability, appearance and accuracy.
Kim, M., Franco, M., and Seo, D. (2020), “Implementing information literacy (IL) into
STEM writing courses: Effect of IL instruction on students’ writing projects at an urban
community college”, Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, No 94.
 It compared IL scores of student research papers in two groups: a STEM writing class that Information
received IL instruction (n 5 40) and a control group that did not (n 5 41). It found a significant literacy 2020
positive effect of IL instruction on three dimensions of the Information Literacy VALUE
Rubric. Discipline-specific IL instruction is offered less to science disciplines than other
disciplines in the first year at 4-year and 2-year colleges and universities and could benefit
from active outreach to STEM faculty by librarians.
Kingsland, E. (2020), “Undercover feminist pedagogy in information literacy: A literature
review”, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 126–141. 369
It reviews the practice of feminist pedagogy techniques and methodologies in the IL
instruction setting and in the assessment of students. Feminist pedagogy is an effective
pedagogy for fostering critical inquiry and developing students’ IL skills. Methods include
fostering inclusive dialogue, modeling searches that center women or their research, using
faculty collaboration as an entry point, consulting with students on the course or one-shot
content and assessment criteria and employing 1-min essays. It explicates challenges and
rewards to feminist pedagogy and encourages librarians to experiment and use their
authority to not only address IL skills but also to disrupt systems of oppression.
Kingsland, E.S. and Isuster, M.Y. (2020), “A different ball game: Physical education
students’ experiences in librarian-led Wikipedia assignments”, Journal of Academic
Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 1.
Results of a pre- and posttest of (n 5 53) kinesiology students’ experience with Wikipedia
before and after completing a librarian-designed Wikipedia assignment. Prior to the
assignment, the librarian was embedded in the course, attended all class sessions and led
several class sessions on editing Wikipedia. In the pretest, most students had never edited
Wikipedia before but reported using it in their personal lives and for academic research. After
the assignment, students reported in the posttest that they believed their research, media
literacy and communication skills had improved, with 17% of students responding that they
were likely to continue editing Wikipedia outside of the assignment.
Kloda, L.A., Boruff, J.T., and Cavalcante, A.S. (2020), “A comparison of patient,
intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) to a new, alternative clinical question framework for
search skills, search results, and self-efficacy: A randomized controlled trial”, Journal of the
Medical Library Association, Vol. 108 No. 2, pp. 185–194.
Randomized controlled trial of (n 5 64) occupational and physical therapy students to
determine the effectiveness of PICO versus an alternative framework to identify search
terms and retrieve appropriate results for recall and precision. The alternative framework,
based on the information-seeking practices of clinical practitioners, asked students to
identify eight elements instead of four: problem, intervention, population, outcome
measure, time, context, professional stakeholder and patient or family stakeholder. After
equivalent instruction with a control and intervention group, the researchers found no
significant difference between the control and intervention group, indicating that
alternative frameworks can be as effective.
Koelling, G. and Russo, A. (2020), “The mystery room: Discovering the flexibility of an
information literacy-based educational escape room”, Public Services Quarterly, Vol. 16 No. 1.
It describes the application of game-based IL to create and assess an educational escape
room designed to acquaint University of New Mexico first-year students with the library and
make them more comfortable talking with librarians. The “Mystery Room” focuses on the
ACRL Framework frame “Information Creation as a Process,” introduces students to common
information formats and helps them make sense of when and why to use them, unlocking
clues to solve the mystery in the process. Librarians find that the fun, low-stakes workshops
are highly flexible and can easily be adapted to audience and subject matter, such as
incorporation into the training of library student assistants. It provides a link to the lesson
plan, flowchart and sample puzzles.
RSR Kogut, A. and Melgoza, P. (2020), “An evaluation of methods to assess team research
49,3/4 consultations”, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 36–58.
It reports findings of an action research project at Texas A&M University to determine
which of four assessment methods (1-min papers, team process interviews, focus groups and
questionnaires) would be the most effective for collecting actionable feedback to improve
student research consultations relative to librarian time and effort. It finds that while team
process interviews yield the most insight into student beliefs about what they learned from IL
370 instruction, questionnaires are the best fit for the setting due to the ability to collect data,
streamline distribution and integrate into existing workflows in an efficient manner. It
endorses the action research method as well-suited for the unique contextual factors present
in the academic library setting.
Kohout-Tailor, J. and Sheaffer, K.E. (2020), “Using open educational resources to empower
student creators”, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 11–18.
It describes the instructional design process and content for IL classes that teach students
about creative commons licensing for a first-year writing class working on a multimodal
assignment. While multimodal learning and production have been used in composition
classes for 20 years, libraries have only recently begun to address this change. When
multimodal production is a part of students’ assignments, they offer unique opportunities for
librarians to teach students about copyright and how to apply open licenses to their work.
Koler-Povh, T. and Turk, Z . (2020), “Information literacy of doctoral students in
engineering and the librarian’s role”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 52
No. 1, pp. 27–39.
Two-part study examining the effects of IL instruction on Slovenian doctoral students in
engineering with a questionnaire to evaluate attitudes of (n 5 81) students after receiving IL
instruction and an examination of the citations in doctoral theses and professional
publications by (n 5 65) doctoral students. It finds that 99% of students consider IL
instruction courses relevant (and 48% extremely relevant), 90% consider them useful (and
44% very useful) and 94% consider their expectations met or better. Also it finds that
students receiving IL instruction cite more references than those without, though the
difference is not significant, and student age may play a factor in citation frequency. It
recommends that academic librarians consider the professional experiences and information
expectations of doctoral students in order to better aid them.
Korepin, V.N., Dorozhkin, E.M., Mikhaylova, A.V., and Davydova, N.N. (2020), “Digital
economy and digital logistics as new area of study in higher education”, International Journal of
Emerging Technologies in Learning, Vol. 15, No. 13, pp. 137–154.
Study using original surveys (n 5 1,600) and additional survey data conducted by
consulting group KMDA.PRO on 700 representatives from 300þ Russian companies toward
identifying the optimum software for organizing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). A
couple of key findings include e-learning as a new educational paradigm and the importance of
professional qualities and competencies found in digital economies. Research indicates a need to
adapt new labor markets and market requirements through the transformation of e-learning.
Krutkowski, S., Taylor-Harman, S., and Gupta, K. (2020). “De-biasing on university
campuses in the age of misinformation”, Reference Services Review, Vol 48 No 1, 113–128.
It discussed the “Fake news? Trans edition” workshop at a university in London, UK, to
apply critical thinking and IL skills to discuss transgender issues, unconscious bias and
media representation. Participants learned about common myths, facts that dispel those
myths and analyzed how media headlines negatively portray transgender people and how
information-seeking behavior can reinforce our views. Staff indicated that their knowledge of
trans issues increased and that they were now aware of cognitive bias and biased media
representation related to trans people and issues, which would allow them to critically
analyze and reduce bias.
 Kubas, A. (2020), “A turbulent time: Government sources post-2016 presidential election”, Information
Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 129–142. literacy 2020
Survey of (n 5 24) librarians who teach or consult with government sources in an
academic environment. This research seeks to examine perceptions about the trust and
reliability of government sources since the 2016 election. Findings reveal that partisan beliefs
shape students’ perspectives around government sources. Ultimately, librarians call for more
IL tools to effectively evaluate government documents within the context of highly polarized
political environments. 371
Kuntz Balcer, C. (2020), “The Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education
(in prison): Using the frames to teach incarcerated students”, College and Research Libraries
News, Vol. 81 No. 4, pp. 178–181.
It describes the author’s experience as a writing tutor and IL instructor with the Goucher
Prison Education Partnership with a particular focus on the lack of equitable access to
information resources available to incarcerated students. Despite the tight restrictions placed
on students’ access to information in a carceral context, the author is able to use the ACRL
Framework to develop an engaging curriculum. It advocates for academic institutions to
increase resources allotted toward prison education programs and for the inclusion of
librarians in developing their curriculum and learning outcomes.
Kroski, E. (2020), “How to create free digital breakouts for libraries”, Library Technology
Reports, Vol. 56 No. 3.
It introduces multiple types and uses of immersive and interactive breakout games,
including how libraries can be used as engaging activities in IL instruction. It includes
multiple resources and examples on how to create, promote and assess breakout games,
which are all freely available.
La Macchia, K. (2020), “An academic digital library advancing an equitable and inclusive
educational environment”, Digital Library Perspectives, Vol. 37 No. 1.
Reflective essay onEDI efforts of an academic digital library in a graduate business school
in Berlin, Germany, during COVID-19 transitions. Author describes the transition to an online
environment during the pandemic and providing digital library services while
communicating with library users on the ongoing and changing services. The “new
normal” of the library to meet IL needs requires reaching more students, customizing to meet
class content and going deeper with instruction.
Landøy, A., Popa, D., Repanovici, A. (2020), Collaboration in Designing a Pedagogical
Approach in Information Literacy, Springer Nature, Basingstoke, United Kingdom.
An open-access book that summarizes pedagogical practices specifically in developing IL
teaching and training. Each chapter contains one aspect of IL, pedagogical challenges and
best practices. While the key audience is academic librarians, this could also be utilized by
public library staff, as well as library school students.
Lehner-Quam, A., West, R.K., and Espinosa, C.M. (2020), “Developing and teaching with a
diverse children’s literature collection at an urban public college: What teacher education
students know and ways their knowledge can grow about diverse books”, Behavioral and Social
Sciences Librarian, Vol. 36 No. 4.
It contextualizes the academic librarian instructional role around diverse and multilingual
children’s book collections for education undergraduate and graduate students. Study
measures education student identity and reading experiences (n 5 180) and assesses student
participation in IL sessions for diverse children’s books (n 5 20). It finds that one-shot IL
sessions should foreground exploration of diverse children’s books and authors over
traditional library search and discovery activities in order to develop future teachers’
knowledge of and ability to recommend culturally sustaining texts; emphasizes the
importance of intentional collection development to create a diverse children’s collection in
the academic library.
RSR Leung, S.Y. and Lopez-Mcknight, J.R. (2020), “Dreaming revolutionary futures: Critical
49,3/4 race’s centrality to ending white supremacy”, Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14
No. 1, pp. 12–26.
It critiques the decentering and professional silence on white supremacy in the text Critical
Library Instruction: Theories and Methods and in critical library instruction generally
through the lens of critical race theory, emergent strategy and cultural and race-centered
pedagogies. It describes the long history of white supremacy in the praxis of librarianship
372 within the context of growing white-supremacist extremism and continued racial oppression
in the USA. Through personal narrative and theoretical discourse, the authors advocate for
the importance of centering the effects of white supremacy in library praxis, which aims to be
critical as well as increase accountability in the LIS profession for recreating and upholding
the structures of white supremacy in our institutions.
Li, H., Chen, Z., and Guo, Q. (2020), “The evolution and approaches of information analysis
service of university libraries in China”, Science and Technology Libraries, Vol. 40 No. 1,
pp. 52–64.
It describes how one university established a team within the library to provide
information analysis services, including bibliometrics, to its campus community. Information
analysis is used by campus stakeholders to support campus decision-making and the
development of intellectual property. While university librarians often provide traditional IL
instruction, there is a need to add more information analysis literacy instruction including
topics such as information visualization and information synthesis to its curriculum.
Liaqat, F., Mahmood, K., and Ali, F.H. (2020), “Demographic and socio-economic differences
in financial information literacy among university students”, Information Development.
Study of noncommerce university students (n 5 382) in Lahore, Pakistan, to determine
demographic and socioeconomic differences in financial information literacy via
questionnaire. Financial information literacy knowledge is higher among men than
women, students above age 26, students who attend private universities, students with a
higher GPA, students who seek financial advice from family and students who have a family
income above 90,000 rupees. The authors suggest financial courses for all students,
regardless of discipline, additional financial literacy education opportunities and regular
assessment of financial literacy of students.
Lim, S. (2020), “Academic library guides for tackling fake news: A content analysis”, Journal
of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 5.
It examines working definitions, methodologies, evaluation strategies and psychological
factors in detecting fake news and facts in academic library guides. A review of (n 5 21)
library guides from academic libraries shows slight variations of defining “fake news” and
“facts” with most guides using checklist evaluations. Results indicate further need for
clarification on definitions and additional considerations needed by librarians when
constructing fake news IL library guides.
Liu, H. (2020), “Design and application of micro course in fundamentals of computers”,
International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, Vol 15 No. 11, pp. 17–28.
It describes a project exploring the effects of incorporating micro-videos into a
fundamental computer science course for nonmajors. The author provides that the IL
skills of (n 5 54) students at the institution is varied, affecting the ability of instructors to
meet all student needs. It argues that introducing micro-videos allows students to study
independently and promotes classroom interaction among students and instructors.
Findings reveal that students are willing to view videos independently prior to class and
that this modality can positively impact IL.
Lowe, M.S., Currier, A., and Graunke, S. (2020), “Documenting the value of librarians in the
classroom: Results from a mixed-methods research collaboration with campus partners”,
College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 3, pp. 492–508.
 Results of a mixed-methods study assessing IL competency in a population of upper Information
division undergraduates at a large, urban, research university. (N 5 772) research projects literacy 2020
were assessed using the AAC&U Information Literacy VALUE rubric and results were
evaluated along with (n 5 630) responses to the National Survey of Student Engagement
(NSSE) Experiences with Information Literacy module. Results of this assessment indicated
that though students’ IL competencies are developing as they progress through their degree
program, benchmarks for where students are expected to be in upper-division courses are not
universally met. These benchmark results are now being used to guide changes to IL 373
curriculum within the library as well as campus-wide assessment.
Lowe, M.S., Stone, S.M., Maxson, B.K., Snajdr, E., and Miller, W. (2020), “Boolean redux:
Performance of advanced versus simple Boolean searches and implications for upper-level
instruction”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 6.
It explores the efficacy of teaching Boolean functions for upper-level instructions based on
a prior 2018 study on the same topic focused on lower-level undergraduates. The authors
perform a comparison of simple versus complex searches (n 5 4) using 11 search engines and
databases. The conclusion the authors draw is that the number of searches in simple and
complex searches using Boolean functions are similar, although this analysis did not take into
account the quality of the results, and that subject-matter expertise is of greater importance
than search functionality.
Luftig, D. and Plungis, J. (2020), “OhioLINK librarians and Google Scholar over time: A
longitudinal analysis of attitudes and uses”, Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp.
683–698.
Longitudinal survey of (total n 5 123) librarians in the OhioLINK consortium on their
perceptions and promotion of Google Scholar during library instruction. In the past 15 years,
opinions have shifted from a mixed response with some cynicism of Google Scholar to more
librarians embracing Google Scholar as a stand-alone or supplementary resource. Over time,
more librarians linked to Google Scholar on their websites, database lists or LibGuides, but
still felt that subscription-based and discipline-specific databases were a better use of
classroom time.
Lund, B. (2020), Creating Accessible Online Instruction Using Universal Design
Principles: A LITA Guide, Rowman and Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland.
It provides practical advice for making online library instruction accessible to a broad
range of abilities using principles of universal design, such as making assignments and
presentation materials accessible to screen readers, captioning videos and multiple forms of
interaction with materials. The author expands on these principles to include methods of
communication via the Internet, balancing accessible instruction with engagement and an
expectation of evolving technologies. It concludes with four case studies of institutions that
exemplify accessible practices.
Lynch, K. and Hunter, S. (2020), “Conflicting authority: Using the Trump administration’s
responses to the EPA climate assessment report to teach information literacy”, Reference
Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 201–216.
Using the example of a misinformation campaign orchestrated by the Office of the
Environmental Protection Agency administration under President Trump, it argues that IL
instruction needs to place more emphasis on students’ individual social and emotional
contexts when teaching source evaluation. Authors state that the “Authority is Constructed
and Contextual” frame is heavily weighted toward fact-based source evaluation and
indicators of authority, such as credentials and publication type, but in the posttruth era,
librarians must also include student self-evaluation to surface how their own experiences and
contexts inform their beliefs. Authors provide that the “IF I APPLY” method is a useful first
step in integrating students’ personal dispositions and biases toward information into their
critical evaluation of information.
RSR Mabee, S.H. and Fancher, S.E. (2020), “Curiosity is a luxury of the financially secure: The
49,3/4 affective thresholds of information literacy”, Library Trends, Vol. 68 No. 3, pp. 482–505.
It explores the affective consequences of poverty on IL practices and the development of IL
competency at a large, open-enrollment community college serving a high-poverty region.
Semistructured focus group interviews with (n 5 31) students cover their feelings about research
both for academic and personal reasons. Students indicate they experience anxiety, shame, guilt
and other negative affective responses related to the pressures of engaging in academic research
374 while navigating the oppression of poverty. The authors provide recommendations for best
practices for assignment design and curriculum to address the results of this research.
MacKenzie, K. (2020), “Engineering students and professionals report different levels of
information literacy needs and challenges”, Evidence Based Library and Information Practice,
Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 238–241.
Survey of (n 5 63) engineering undergraduates and (n 5 134) professional engineers
exploring their information-seeking practices and confidence in finding information. Surveys
were distributed to professional engineers through personal invitations and inclusion in a
professional newsletter while students were recruited from two different engineering courses.
Results indicated that while most students felt they have adequate access to information, they
experienced frustration when it comes to evaluating sources, whereas most engineers felt that
they lacked access to appropriate resources and relied more heavily on proprietary
information from their companies.
Mallon, M.N. (2020), Partners in Teaching and Learning: Coordinating a Successful
Academic Library Instruction Program, Rowman and Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland.
A great resource for current and aspiring instruction coordinators, this book takes a
macro-level view of building and developing instruction programs in university libraries. It
presents strategies and techniques that can apply to various types of instruction programs
and institutional contexts. Topics include developing leadership skills, conducting an
environmental scan, creating a culture of teaching and learning through professional
development, using the ACRL Framework to guide learning outcomes and program
statements, advocacy, assessment and suggestions for addressing challenges.
Martzoukou, K., Fulton, C., Kostagiolas, P., and Lavranos, C. (2020), “A study of higher
education students’ self-perceived digital competences for learning and everyday life online
participation”, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 76 No. 6, pp. 1413–1458.
A survey of students to gauge digital IL from Scotland, Ireland and Greece on the
supposition that universities have yet to embrace digital competencies as a core component of
literacy. The authors use the European Digital Competence Framework for Citizens (DigComp)
and The Digital Capabilities Framework (established by the Joint Information Systems
Committee or JISC) to assess students’ digital competencies for everyday and educational
lives. The authors find a positive correlation between the ability to handle everyday digital
tasks and the ability to develop digital competencies in education, calling on higher education
to address digital competencies as core components of future digital citizenship.
Mashiyane, D.M., Bangani, S., and Van Deventer, K., (2020), “The awareness and
application of multimedia tools for information literacy instruction at an African University”,
Electronic Library, Vol. 38 No. 4, pp. 711–724.
Study and focus group of librarians at North-West University in South Africa to determine
awareness of multimedia content available for IL instruction. The majority of librarians favor
LibGuides as a tool but did not necessarily use other tools due to either lack of knowledge in
using the tools or lack of infrastructure. This study suggests that librarians need training in
the use of multimedia tools available to them for IL instruction.
Masko, M.K., Thormodson, K., and Borysewicz, K. (2020), “Using case-based learning to
teach information literacy and critical thinking skills in undergraduate music therapy
education: A cohort study”, Music Therapy Perspectives, Vol. 38 No. 2, pp. 143–149.
 It explores the implementation of a case-based learning (CBL) unit in a music therapy Information
course cohort for (n 5 6) junior-level students, measuring their own perception of their IL literacy 2020
skills, critical thinking skills and evaluating their own biases as they applied previous
knowledge to a specific sample patient. It discusses the perceived positive effects of the IL
instruction session on the critical thinking skills necessary to apply abstract concepts such as
cultural competency and information from high-quality resources to propose a diagnosis and
treatment plan that is clinically appropriate. It notes the close collaboration between the
librarian and faculty members to create, teach and assess a constructive-learning unit that 375
provides a high-quality educational experience for allied health students.
Mastley, C.P. (2020), “Information literacy instruction and social media: A survey of
Mississippi academic librarian attitudes”, Mississippi Libraries, Vol. 83 No. 3, pp. 34–46.
Survey exploring integrating social media into IL instruction and the librarians’ attitudes
toward the ACRL Framework. It found that librarians believed in the importance of teaching
social media competencies and that the Framework lends itself well to social media sites and
applying those competencies related to social media sites can help make students better
informed. However, only a small percentage of librarians were or are planning on
incorporating social media into their IL instruction.
Matusiak, K.K. (2020), “Studying visual literacy: Research methods and the use of visual
evidence”, IFLA Journal, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 172–181.
Systematic review of (n 5 30) empirical studies of visual literacy published between 2011
and 2017 to identify research methodologies employed and types of visual evidence
documented in the studies. Analysis of the studies revealed use of quantitative, qualitative
and mixed-method design methodologies and a high incidence (n 5 26) of image use, both
analog and digital, in the research process. The author noted that the limited number of
studies available is somewhat surprising considering the prevalence of images in social
media and everyday life and argued that a lack of emphasis on visual literacy in LIS
programs could be a contributing factor.
Mbagwu, F.O., Chukwuedo, S.O., and Ogbuanya, T.C. (2020), “Promoting lifelong learning
propensity and intentions for vocational training among adult and vocational educational
undergraduates”, Vocations and Learning, Vol. 13 No. 3, pp. 419–437.
Quasi-experimental research design of (n 5 163) adult vocational educational
undergraduates in Nigeria via a three-wave survey. It suggests that self-directed study
interventions can help students increase their lifelong learning tendencies. The study also
shows a relationship between IL self-efficacy and lifelong learning.
McCartin, L.F. (2020), Patterns and Perceptions of Academic Librarian Deference
Behavior: A Mixed Methods Study, PhD Thesis, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO.
It details a mixed-method study analyzing the deference behaviors of academic librarians
to other teaching faculty. Survey participants (n 5 139) displayed greater levels of deference
in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties or if they were newer librarians, though high deference
behavior was found across all demographic categories, including as a strategy of play. In
focus groups, librarians discussed the role of faculty status, library leadership, MLS versus
PhD, self-perception of expertise and fear of losing business play a role in their deference to
faculty. Suggestions for LIS education, IL program managers and individual librarians are
provided to minimize deference behavior.
McGowan, B.S., Cantwell, L.P., Conklin, J.L., Raszewski, R., Wolf, J.P., Slebodnik, M.,
McCarthy, S., and Johnson, S. (2020), “Evaluating nursing faculty’s approach to information
literacy instruction: A multi-institutional study”, Journal of the Medical Library Association:
JMLA, Vol. 108, No. 3, pp. 378–388.
Results from an ACRL Health Science Interest Group working group survey of (n 5 68)
nursing faculty on their perceptions of the relevance of various IL concepts at each
educational level, as well as their integration into the curriculum and familiarity with the
RSR ACRL Standards and Framework, to create a forthcoming Framework for Information
49,3/4 Literacy for Nursing document. Although nursing faculty rated most IL concepts as relevant
to their curriculum, they were not as familiar with ACRL documents as nursing education
association standards. The authors recommended integrating expanded IL concepts into the
curriculum by collaborating with nursing curriculum and learning outcomes committees.
Mendoza, J.R., Pamatmat, F.V., Daran, A.M., and Pamin, C.D. (2020), “Employing Big6
process for the development of information literacy among college students”, International
376 Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, Vol. 9 No. 3, pp. 901–905.
It assesses whether the Big6 process is effective in the development of IL skills among
college students at a four-year polytechnic university. The Big6 problem-solving model
teaches information and technology skills; however, it is also applicable to the everyday
information needs of students and critical in integrating information research and technology
tools. It concludes that Big6 skills provide a foundation in higher-order thinking skills and
can be applied across academic disciplines to teach IL skills to undergraduates.
Mercer, K. and Weaver, K.D. (2020), “Evaluative frameworks and scientific knowledge for
undergraduate STEM students: An illustrative case study perspective”, Science and
Technology Libraries, Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 65–81.
Examination of two case studies to underscore critical appraisal and IL for undergraduate
STEM students using RADAR validity and evaluative frameworks (i.e. currency, relevance,
authority, accuracy and purpose or CRAAP). One case study covers COVID-19 and safety of
hydroxychloroquine as a potential cure (the article has since been retracted) and the other
covers face masks and safety in hospitals during COVID-19 (as an opinion piece). Authors
conclude the need for contextual information and limitations of current scientific publishing
practices to better imbue IL onto undergraduates STEM students.
Michalak, R. and Rysavy, M.D.T. (2020), “Data privacy and information literacy
assessment: A case study”, Against the Grain, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 19–22.
It reflects on the personal identifiable information (PII) of students in higher education for
a small, private college for the library’s IL assessment program and partnering academic
departments. The authors provide arguments for collecting specific PII through its program
by complying with ACRL standards and assisting faculty with student academic grading
and assessments.
Mn, K., Khalid, F., and Husnin, H. (2020), “Preparing graduates with digital literacy skills
toward fulfilling employability need in 4IR era: A review”, International Journal of Advanced
Computer Science and Applications, Vol. 11 No. 6, pp. 307–316.
It presented findings of a systematic literature review (n 5 20) conducted using the
PRISMA standard on required digital literacy skills for graduates in the “Fourth Industrial
Revolution” to determine employer expectations, institutional strategies for preparing
students and ways to motivate students to improve their digital literacy. It found that
employers do not expect new graduates to have all skills, but the motivation to self-learn what
they do not yet know is the skill employers require most, in addition to analytic and
communication skills. With regard to the role of higher education, articles reviewed revealed
that developing digital literacy should not be solely concentrated in technology courses, but
rather spread across the disciplines in the form of assignments that encourage students to
develop their digital literacy. Finally, the research showed that students need to play an
active role in their digital literacy development, and they need to feel empowered to do so by
their educators and employers.
Mohamed, S. (2020), “Decoding information literacy ways of thinking in student learning:
Influencing pedagogic methods”, South African Journal of Higher Education, Vol. 34 No. 3,
182–209.
Qualitative research study via (n 5 18) teaching evaluations and (n 5 22) questionnaires
at the University of the Western Cape School of Business and Finance that aimed to help
students overcome bottlenecks and designed teaching methods to create deeper IL learning Information
via the Decoding the Disciplines Paradigm. The researcher mapped the instructor’s thoughts literacy 2020
about their teaching practice to the ACRL Framework, and they discovered that instructors
develop “information literacy habit of mind” in their disciplines, which lead to the librarian
and instructor meeting to develop a teaching method that reflects the instructor’s thought
process. The new lesson allowed students to demonstrate critical thinking skills, and most
students indicated that they benefited from the lesson.
Mohess, N. (2020), “The Research 101 certificate program at a community college: Giving 377
all students the chance to learn basic information literacy skills”, Journal of New Librarianship,
Vol. 5, pp. 66–77.
It provides an overview of introductory workshops offered on a drop-in basis to students
at a community college. It describes the offered workshops and the logistics of scheduling and
marketing of the program. It argues that many community college students need access to
one-shot style classes where they can become “IL novices” and gain the basic knowledge and
skills necessary to move on to the more advanced stages of IL knowledge practices and
dispositions outlined in the ACRL Framework.
Moore, S. (2020), “The enlightenment of peer review: How academic librarians can utilize
open peer review methods to advance information literacy”, Emerging Library and
Information Perspectives, Vol. 3, pp. 9–38.
It explores how librarians can incorporate open peer review models into IL instruction and
other student learning initiatives, such as student-run journals. Through a discussion of both
blind and open peer review systems, the author offers that the practices and objectives of
open peer review afford librarians a means through which to implement the ACRL
Framework and particularly the “Scholarship as Conversation,” “Authority is Constructed
and Contextual” and “Information Creation as Process” frames. It suggests that academic
librarians are uniquely positioned to provide leadership in the adoption and understanding of
open peer review by both faculty and students because of their expertise in scholarly
communication and IL.
Morris, D. (2020), “A review of information literacy programmes in higher education: The
effects of face-to-face, online and blended formats on student perception”, Journal of
Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 19–40.
Systematic literature review that builds on a 2017 systematic review by Weightman et al.
on student preference for delivery format of IL instruction in a higher ed setting. In the (n 5 7)
newly identified studies that compare at least two of the following: face to face, online or
blended delivery formats, overall, students express no preference for delivery format and also
find no statistically significant difference in student performance on outcomes in different
formats.
Morris, S.E. (2020), The Critical Thinking About Sources Cookbook, ACRL, Chicago,
Illinois.
A part of the ACRL Cookbook series that features brief, clear, IL lesson plans and activities
stylized as recipes on how to teach critical thinking and evaluation of sources. The recipes are
grouped into two parts: evaluating sources or consumption and synthesis or information
production. Activities and lessons include understanding the scholarly spectrum, evaluating
audience, analyzing different sources, such as Wikipedia or infographics and other current
information evaluation topics.
Mueller, J.F., Taylor, H.K., Brakke, K., Drysdale, M., Kelly, K., Levine, G.M., and Ronquillo-
Adachi, J. (2020), “Assessment of scientific inquiry and critical thinking: Measuring APA Goal
2 Student Learning Outcomes”, Teaching of Psychology, Vol. 47 No. 4, pp. 274–284.
It describes current assessment practices related to Goal 2 of the American Psychological
Association (APA) Goals for Undergraduate Major in Psychology: Scientific Inquiry and
Critical Thinking. Authors detail numerous assessment strategies and tools including sample
RSR assignments, pedagogical approaches and surveys for assessing IL within the context of
49,3/4 psychology curriculum. It includes future directions related to developing nationally
standardized assessments, using institutional assessment technology and continuing to
create new assessment techniques.
Mune, C.D. (2020), Libraries Supporting Online Learning: Practical Strategies and Best
Practices, Libraries Unlimited, Santa Barbara, California.
It provides a broad overview of how libraries can support online learners by facilitating
378 access, creating communities and building engagement. Topics include standards, guidelines
and best practices for implementing and assessing equitable online reference and instructional
services, open educational resources, online mentoring and providing digital literacy and IL
instruction. It includes a comprehensive bibliography of tools for support of online learning.
Munroe, H. and Payne, D. (2020), “Creative research as story-telling: An indigenous visual
culture course from the perspectives of a librarian, a professor and students”, Art Libraries
Journal, Vol. 45 No. 4, pp. 128–142.
Employing a narrative framework, coauthors (a librarian and a faculty member) recount an
IL session and evaluation model for students in the History of the Metis course in the Indigenous
Visual Culture program at the Ontario College of Art and Design University in Canada. The
article details the overlap of standard library instruction strategies and indigenous visual
culture methodologies designed by the librarian to support students’ developmental
understanding of Metis culture and history. It concludes with examples of students’ artist
statements that highlight the evaluation rubric, the framework for which was the Seven
Grandfather Teachings, a set of seven principles to guide people in pursuit of living a good life.
Mylapalli, R. (2020), “Library student users information literacy: A case study”, Journal of
Critical Reviews, Vol. 7 No. 9, pp. 308–315.
Survey of (n 5 90) students in the Bachelor of Science in mathematics, physics and
computer science IL program at the Aditya degree college library in the state of Andhra
Pradesh, India. Results reveal that while a majority of the students are aware of circulation
policies and services, fewer are familiar with electronic resources. The author recommends
improving student knowledge of all library services and bringing subject experts into the IL
program to teach specific skills.
Ndungu, M.W. (2020), “Publishing with Open Journal Systems (OJS): A librarian’s
perspective”, Serials Review, Vol. 46 No. 1, pp. 21–25.
It argues for the inclusion of publishing practices in IL instruction. It describes the Open
Journal Systems (OJS) platform and its role in making open access publishing accessible to
most libraries. It provides some suggestions for publishing literacy content including author
agreements, author identifiers such as Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) and
publication ethics.
Newton, L. and Feinberg, D.E. (2020), “Assisting, instructing, assessing: 21st century
student centered librarianship”, Reference Librarian, Vol. 61 No. 1, pp. 25–41.
Description of a research consultation program created to supplement and extend the
reach of the existing IL instruction program. The program was intended to meet the needs of
the students who attended IL sessions as well as distance education and nontraditional
students. A follow-up survey was created to gather student feedback and support the growth
and evolution of the program and responses were overwhelmingly positive.
Nichols Hess, A. (2020), “Academic librarians’ teaching identities and work experiences:
Exploring relationships to support perspective transformation in information literacy
instruction”, Journal of Library Administration, Vol. 60 No. 4, pp. 331–353.
Study analyzing data collected using King’s Learning Activity Survey to determine how
librarians’ teaching identity is impacted by work demographics. Findings reveal statistically
significant relationships between how institution types and length of employment inform
librarian teaching identity development. Results offer opportunities for library leaders to
offer intentional and data-driven support for academic librarians as they develop their Information
identities and skillset as instructors. literacy 2020
Nylander, E. and Hjort, M. (2020a), “Information literacies of PhD students: A hermeneutic
dialectic study within the health sciences”, New Review of Academic Librarianship.
It evaluated health sciences PhD students’ IL proficiency through interviews with (n 5 7)
students and (n 5 5) advisors. Findings indicated that while advisors assumed students had
the necessary IL skills to find and evaluate information, some students felt unsure of how to
search and resorted to random and unstructured methods. Interestingly, while students and 379
advisors held positive views toward the library, they remained unaware of the services and
support the library could provide.
Nylander, E. and Hjort, M. (2020b), “Information literacies of PhD students in the health
sciences: A review of scholarly articles (2009–2018)”, Evidence Based Library and
Information Practice, Vol. 15 No. 1, pp. 142–158.
Systematic review of (n 5 7) research studies focused on the information literacies of PhD
students in the health sciences, which is largely an underrepresented distinct population in
LIS and education literature. Methodologies, sample sizes, objects of study and population
sizes varied, and larger trends could not be identified due to a lack of data about disciplinary
practices in the health sciences. In their conclusion, the authors called for health science
librarians to publish more research in peer-reviewed journals.
Oberlies, M.K., Buxton, K., and Zeidman-Karpinski, A. (2020), “Adapting evidence-based
practices to improve library instruction: Using customized tools to support peer mentoring and
observation”, New Review of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 26 No. 1, pp. 6–30.
Description of three peer observation tools, Teaching Practices Inventory (TPI),
Classroom Observation Protocol for Undergraduate STEM (COPUS), Teaching Squares
and their applications within an academic library. The researchers modified the TPI to be
more applicable to a single session IL course rather than a credit-bearing course and also
made some adjustments to COPUS for IL instruction. After an initial pilot with eight
librarians, further adoption of these tools for peer observation and self-reflection on teaching
practices in the IL classroom is recommended.
Ocholla, D.N. and Ocholla, L. (2020), “Readiness of academic libraries in South Africa to
research, teaching and learning support in the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, Library
Management, Vol. 41 Nos 6/7, pp. 355–368.
Study analyzes South African public university libraries’ (n 5 26) preparedness to meet
the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) requirements for an interconnected physical, digital
and biological society. It identifies 23 areas as trends in academic libraries, which correspond
with 4IR, and finds emerging trends such as makerspaces and robotics/AI and well-
established services such as IL and remote access to electronic resources. It urges improving
individual library response to emerging areas and improving web presence and visibility to
make academic libraries better resourced, accessed and used and suggests using the study as
a benchmark for measuring strategic improvement.
Okeji, C.C., Ilika, O.M., and Baro, E.E. (2020), “Assessment of information literacy skills: A
survey of final year undergraduates of library and information science in Nigerian
universities”, Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. 69 Nos 6–7, pp. 521–535.
Survey of (n 5 1,350) graduating Nigerian LIS undergraduate students on their perceived
IL skills. A majority of students are able to identify appropriate sources that meet their
information needs, but they struggle to paraphrase and cite information. They prefer online
sources, and they view the authority, currency, accuracy and relevance of information as
most important for evaluating sources.
Okocha, F. and Owolabi, S. (2020), “Web information seeking behavior of undergraduate
students in Kwara State Nigeria”, International Information and Library Review, Vol. 54
No. 2, pp. 263–271.
RSR It describes a study of information-seeking behavior of undergraduates (n 5 261) in higher
49,3/4 educational institutions in Nigeria based on the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy
and Purpose (CRAAP) test with an additional criterion for accessibility due to regional
peculiarities. Authors draw the conclusion that students prefer to search relevancy rather
than authority when evaluating sources, recommending the need for undergraduates to
improve their IL skills.
Oladokun, O. and Jorosi, B. (2020), “Incorporation of information ethics into the curriculum
380 at the University of Botswana”, Information Development, Vol. 36 No. 4, pp. 474–488.
Based on University of Botswana’s position as a founding member and decade-plus
participant in the African Network on Information Ethics (ANIE), the authors explore and
present findings on how extensively the university has incorporated information ethics into
its curriculum. It applies content analysis to courses offered in all 41 departments comprising
the university and finds that the humanities offer the most courses with an ethics/morality
component while the sciences do not offer any. Most courses that do offer ethics content
predate ANIE and therefore do not incorporate its framework and principles. Authors
recommend that the LIS department open courses to students from other departments and
that the university offer university-wide information ethics courses similar to other general
education offerings.
O’Sullivan, K.M. (2020), “The continued case for bibliographical teaching collections”,
portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 435–448.
It argues for the creation and use of bibliographical teaching collections of medium-rare
books in order to teach artifactual literacy, foster excitement over textual objects and serve as
a form of touch-centered learning. It suggests that teaching collections also serve a dual
purpose as special collections outreach. The author provides suggestions for the creation of a
teaching collection including category suggestions, such as printing substrates, book binding
structures, illustration methods, typography and content.
Panahi, S., Mirzaei, A., and Bazrafshan, A. (2020), “Disciplinary-based information literacy
skills among medical students”, Journal of Education and Health Promotion, Vol. 9 No. 172.
Study of the disciplinary-based IL skills of medical students in an Iranian medical
university based on five components of the ACRL digital literacy framework. The authors
conducted a survey (n 5 298) where the digital-based IL skills of upper-level students were
stronger than lower-level students, although the survey results showed skills were low
overall. For students to succeed, the authors advocated for information literate students to
carry IL into their professional development and practice.
Pang, L. (2020), “Teaching mode of library information literacy course based on
hierarchical embedded service”, International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning,
Vol. 15 No. 10, pp. 27–41.
An investigation on the implementation of hierarchical embedded service (HES)
information education in Chinese universities for teaching IL. It found that students who
are taught with HES (n 5 50) score were higher than the control group (n 5 50), which was
taught with more traditional methods (86%–66%). The need for further research into HES is
emphasized due to the relatively limited number of students included in this survey.
Paschke-Wood, J., Dubinsky, E., and Sult, L. (2020), “Creating a student-centered
alternative to research guides: Developing the infrastructure to support novice learners”, In the
Library with the Lead Pipe.
It investigates an alternative approach to resource guides to a more pedagogically sound
direction, focusing on guiding students through the process of research instead of providing a
list of potential and limiting resources. This restructuring of how guides are made and used
provides students with support in understanding or navigating aspects of the research
process and is made with the intent of making the research experience intuitive for novice
researchers.
 Pate, M., Wagers, S. M., Owen, S., and Simpkins, C. (2020), “Learning in a community: Information
Evidence of the effectiveness and challenges of learning communities”, Journal of Criminal literacy 2020
Justice Education, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 187–207.
Study on the impact of Freshmen Learning Communities (FLC) on student engagement
and learning outcomes related to IL, writing and communication within a criminal justice
program. Researchers compared the overall engagement and achievement of learning
outcomes between freshmen who participated in an FLC and those who did not. While
improved outcomes were observed for some skills, differences in overall engagement with the 381
course were not found between FLC participants and the control groups.
Pauwels, N.S., De Meulemeester, A., Romagnoli, A., Buysse, H., and Peleman, R. (2020),
“Medical and health informatics services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic should be
virtual, tailored, responsive and interactive: A case study in Belgium”, Health Information and
Libraries Journal, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 66–71.
Description of how a Belgian medical/health science library provided COVID-19-related
research through an information hub and shifted to remote services. Due to the pandemic,
they received an influx of requests for research and data management support and provided
IL instruction for students online via short videos, LMS discussion forums and interactive
workshops. The pandemic highlighted the need for more funding, resources, staff and
content expertise to meet user needs.
Peacock, R., Grevatt, H., Dworak, E., Marsh, L., and Doty, S. (2020), “Developing and
evaluating an asynchronous online library microcredential: A case study”, Reference Services
Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp. 699–713.
Used the Attention, Relevance, Confidence and Satisfaction (ARCS) model and the
Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) to evaluate (n 5 393) first-year seminar
students’ completion of a four-part micro-credentialing course. In addition to survey results,
the researchers analyzed final reflection essays, which revealed that students expressed more
positive connections to relevance and satisfaction than in the survey. Although the
assessment methods had limitations, the researchers planned to modify the course to use
examples of career readiness to encourage learning transfer and partner with course
instructors to build both student and instructor confidence in the micro-course.
Perez-Stable, M.A., Arnold, J.M., Guth, L.F., and Meer, P.F.V. (2020), “From service role to
partnership: Faculty voices on collaboration with librarians”, portal: Libraries and the
Academy, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 49–72.
Two-part survey distributed in the spring of 2016 examining faculty practices at two
research universities with the purpose of identifying perceptions and collaboration strategies
that foster IL instruction partnerships with librarians. It aimed to examine the nature of faculty–
librarian relationships by collecting data on collaboration methods and soliciting comments on
what motivates or hinders partnerships. Results indicated that more experienced faculty
reported a greater range of collaboration methods and that most collaborations involved in-class
sessions followed by an online course guide. Data from study highlighted setting instructional
priorities and revealed why some faculty refrain from collaborating with librarians.
Perry, H.B. (2020), Conflict of Interest in Scientific Research: Does Explicit Instruction
Increase Undergraduate Knowledge and Recognition of Potential Conflict? PhD Dissertation,
Simmons University, Boston, MA.
It explores undergraduate students’ understanding of financial conflicts of interests
(FCOIs) and setting a baseline of instruction based on faculty and librarians’ expectations at
100 randomly selected higher educational institutions. Using a mixed-method study of
quantitative surveys (n 5 149), semistructured qualitative interviews and pre- and posttest
design, the author concludes that instruction on FCOI is not often included as part of
coursework of IL sessions. The author recommends a specific “science for nonscientist”
course or other science literacy collaboration to better evaluate research and funding sources.
RSR Pinto, M., Caballero, D., Sales, D., and Fernandez-Pascual, R. (2020), “MOBILE-APPS
49,3/4 questionnaire: Developing and validating a scale to measure the attitudes and perceptions of
undergraduate students on mobile information literacy”, Journal of Librarianship and
Information Science, Vol. 52 No. 4, pp. 1063–1072.
Development of a questionnaire to measure perceived IL levels in teachers and students
called Mobile Information Literacy Education Attitudes Perceptions Prospecting Students
(MOBILE-APPS), especially in regard to mobile technologies. The questionnaire was based
382 on the ACRL Framework and design in collaboration with experts in the field, and the authors
validated the survey through two iterations of the questionnaire (n 5 44, then n 5 105) and
qualitative validation in two focus groups.
Pinto, M., Caballero, D., Sales, D., and Segura, A. (2020), “Belief in importance of
information literacy abilities among undergraduates: Underlying factors and analysis of
variance”, Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp. 559–577.
Survey of (n 5 749) English, translation studies and education students at two Spanish
universities using the IL-HUMAS questionnaire. Students responded that communicating in
public, writing a document, abstracting/summarizing information and recognizing an
author’s ideas were the most important IL abilities. English majors rated IL abilities overall as
less important compared to the other majors in the study. The authors recommended that IL
instruction be situated within a discipline to increase student motivation.
Pinto, M., Fernandez-Pascual, R., Caballero-Mariscal, D., and Sales, D. (2020),
“Information literacy trends in higher education (2006–2019): Visualizing the emerging
field of mobile information literacy”, Scientometrics, Vol. 124 No. 2, pp. 1479–1510.
It analyzed the literature on IL and mobile applications using bibliometric visualization
techniques. Researchers retrieved articles from the Scopus, Web of Science, Eric, Lisa and
LISTA databases for 2006–2019 and then classified these into 15 main topics. The results in
VOSViewer highlighted increasing interdisciplinarity and clustered subtopics for IL and
mobile apps. The researchers provided cluster maps and connections as well as suggestions
for further research.
Pinto, M., Sales, D., Fernandez-Pascual, R., and Caballero-Mariscal, D. (2020), “Attitudes,
perceptions and prospectings on mobile information literacy training: Design and validation of
the MOBILE-APP questionnaire”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 52
No. 1, pp. 208–223.
It describes the design process and validation of the MOBILE-APPS instrument to
measure educators’ perception of using mobile technologies in the teaching and learning of IL
competencies. Through a mixed methods analysis (n 5 43), it finds high internal consistency
and reliability making the instrument a valid measure to be applied in higher education and
secondary contexts. It includes the finalized questionnaire, and librarians may find it useful
for gauging librarian/faculty readiness for mobile IL instruction methods, as well as
informing future design choices for IL instruction.
Platukus, G.L. (2020), The Relationship between Critical Thinking and Information
Literacy in Community College Students: A Mixed Methods Study, PhD Thesis, Drexel
University, Philadelphia, PA.
It analyzes two student standardized datasets (n 5 102) and faculty interviews (n 5 5) at a
community college to reveal a significant, positive relationship of moderate strength between
critical thinking and IL and identifies eight critical thinking subskills significantly positively
correlated with IL including analysis, inference, evaluation, induction, deduction,
interpretation, explanation and quantitative reasoning. It explores faculty perceptions
related to integrating IL and critical thinking and supports scholarly speculations that IL
could be a powerful tool in teaching critical thinking.
Pothier, W.G. (2020), “Using digital badges in business information literacy instruction: A
case study”, Journal of Business and Finance Librarianship.
 A solo business librarian increased the delivery of IL while emphasizing the usefulness of Information
IL in the context of workforce development to a first-year experience program for business literacy 2020
students. The author described the two badges and badging technology integration, as well
as content of the IL modules embedded in the campus LMS. It offered a range of advice for
other librarians interested in developing disciplinary IL badges, such as the importance of a
strong collaboration with discipline faculty to increase the success and adoption of badging
by targeted students.
Poulter, M. and Sheppard, N. (2020), “Wikimedia and universities: Contributing to the 383
global commons in the age of disinformation”, Insights: The UKSG Journal, Vol. 33 No. 14.
It describes Wikimedia and its projects, including Wikipedia, as a publicly accessible
online resource first imagined by early Internet architects. It uses Leeds University as a case
study of how they contributed to Wikimedia Commons by identifying media from research
data repositories. The authors further advocate that higher education should engage with
Wikimedia as it addresses IL through copyright, open access and community engagement
activities.
Powell, C. (2020), “Information privilege and first-year students: A case study from a first-
year seminar course using access to information as a lens for exploring privilege”, In the
Library with the Lead Pipe.
Case study on teaching information privilege in a first-year credit-bearing class. It
identifies themes in what students learn about information privilege and assess the overall
impact of the class. The author offers recommendations for noncredit-bearing classes and
how to best incorporate information privilege discussions in deeper and meaningful ways.
Pun, R. (2020), “Aligning ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy with
communication studies’ learning outcomes for library instruction: An exploratory study”,
Education Quarterly Reviews, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 386–397.
Analysis of the ACRL Framework and the National Communication Association’s (NCA)
Learning Outcomes to determine commonalities between the two combined with focus
groups and interviews of academic librarians and communication studies faculty. All
participants agreed that overlap between the two existed, though the Framework was
characterized as more conceptual while communications learning outcomes were
characterized as narrow in applicability. The main two themes that emerged were
“concept into practice” and “communicating information into society” with participants
discussing ideas about the limits and potential of the synthesized guidelines, assessment and
how librarians and faculty can work together.
Purnell, M., Royal, B., and Warton, L. (2020), “Supporting the development of information
literacy skills and knowledge in undergraduate nursing students: An integrative review”, Nurse
Education Today, Vol. 95.
It analyzes and synthesizes original research on IL instruction practices in undergraduate
nursing courses. Across 26 articles, it finds themes of collaboration, course integration,
linking to assessments and student confidence and identifies challenges of amount/context of
instruction, time and effort and connecting with learning outcomes. It recommends librarian
involvement throughout and integration with the undergraduate nursing curriculum to
improve IL outcomes. It suggests further research into specific learning activities and
analysis of completed student work to assess IL skill attainment.
Quin~onez, T.L. and Olivas, A.P. (2020), “Validation theory and culturally relevant
curriculum in the information literacy classroom”, Urban Library Journal, Vol. 26 No. 1.
Study of how validation theory affects the student scholar identity of first-year college
Latinx students at a mid-sized Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Using critical pedagogy as
a framework, librarians aimed to equip novice researchers with an inquiry-based model of the
research process, develop students’ agency and foster a sense of belonging in the academic
community. Given the feedback from a revised curriculum unit used in the study, librarian
RSR researchers stressed the positive impact of culturally relevant IL instruction to the success of
49,3/4 first-generation Latinx students.
Reader, S., Gruttadauria, E., King, V., and Atamturktur, S. (2020), “Promoting careers,
transfer success and information use and literacy: Evaluation of a health career pipeline
program at an urban community college”, Information Services and Use, Vol. 40 Nos 1–2,
pp. 51–69.
Assessment of a year-long pipeline program at a community college for students
384 interested in pursuing careers in the health field that provided assistance in developing IL
skills to increase graduation rates toward 4-year colleges. Programming consisted of
academic and professional workshops, which included two librarian-led IL instruction
sessions. Findings showed that the academic and professional skill building elements were
key components in the program’s overall success.
Reale, M. (2020), Meeting the Challenge of Teaching Information Literacy, ALA Editions,
Chicago, Illinois.
Through personal narrative, the author describes challenges related to teaching IL in
higher education, such as library anxiety, librarian stereotypes and perceptions of being a
service provider, imposter syndrome, emotional labor and collaborating with faculty. Each
chapter ends with reflective questions for readers to consider their own experiences. It
concludes with intentional communities of practice as a way to share knowledge with others
and revitalize teaching practices.
Reeping, D. (2020), “Threshold concepts as ‘jewels of the curriculum’: Rare as diamonds or
plentiful as cubic zirconia?”, International Journal for Academic Development, Vol. 25 No. 1,
pp. 58–70.
It compares threshold concepts in both engineering and writing studies with IL
curriculum after a failed implementation of the framing of threshold concepts in engineering.
It uses the analogy of diamonds and cubic zirconia to represent hierarchical or horizontal
structures to illustrate how different disciplines might differentiate and implement these
concepts into their curriculums and as a way to frame ways of thinking and practicing.
Reisog lu, I_ ., Eryılmaz Toksoy, S., and Erenler, S. (2020), “An analysis of the online
information searching strategies and metacognitive skills exhibited by university students
during argumentation activities”, Library and Information Science Research, Vol. 42 No. 3.
Case study of (n 5 20) first and second-year students in computer and education
technologies teaching to determine information search strategies in relation to argumentation
activities, metacognitive skills and how the two relate to each other via screen recordings and
interviews. Using argumentation activities was effective in informing and shaping the
student’s search strategies, and they used metacognitive strategies to come to their
conclusions about each source. Argumentation activities can benefit students in planning
their search process and analyzing their results and may contribute to the development of a
student’s IL skills.
Renirie, R.H. (2020), “Instruction through virtual reference: Mapping the ACRL
Framework”, Reference Services Review, Vol. 48 No. 2, pp. 243–257.
Case study mapping instructional content in (n 5 15) email reference responses to the
knowledge practices and dispositions of the ACRL Framework. Notably, the author’s
institution uses a template to standardize responses to in-depth research questions and uses
email reference as a teaching moment. Templates address “Searching as Strategic
Exploration” the most, but either the template or additional content addresses all frames.
Reyes-Lillo, D., Hernandez-Garrido, C., Bossu, C., and Heck, T. (2020), “Creating a MOOC
to develop information skills during the coronavirus pandemic”, Education for Information,
Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 339–343.
It describes the need for and process of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as an IL
tool. Authors briefly describe the different types of MOOCs (automatic and connected) before
outlining the design process for implementing a MOOC at the Universidad Vi~ na del Mar in Information
Chile to teach information seeking, selection and evaluation of information sources and literacy 2020
ethical use of bibliographic rules. At the time of publication, the authors’ MOOC course has
not been implemented.
Rislow, M. and Nelson, A. (2020), “Artist files and art students: Expanding audience
through collaboration between an art museum library and a contemporary art history
university course”, Journal of Museum Education, Vol. 45 No. 2, pp. 166–175.
Description of the process, objectives, observations and outcomes of a collaboration between 385
an upper division undergraduate contemporary art history course at Missouri Western State
University and the Spencer Art Reference Library in the Nelson–Atkins Museum of Art in
Kansas City, Missouri implemented in 2018. The collaboration introduced the course of
primarily art majors (n 5 34) to an archive of artist files of local artists maintained by the Spencer
with the objective of providing students with an opportunity to gain experience evaluating and
synthesizing various kinds of information, including archival collections, while learning more
about individual regional artists. The experience of researching local artists using archival
documents dismantled some of the students’ preconceived impressions that the study of art
history was irrelevant to their careers as practicing artists. The authors additionally recognized
that evaluating the Spencer artist files helped students realize that important artistic production
happened in their own community and not only in large metropolitan cities.
Robison, M., Fawley, N., and Marshall, A. (2020), “‘That background knowledge’: What
junior and senior undergraduate transfer students need from their libraries”, Journal of
Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 1.
It uses semistructured interviews with (n 5 15) undergraduate transfer students at three
US universities to ascertain difficulties they experience in research-intensive courses and
what strategies they use to move through those barriers in their research processes. Some
students tend to use resources that offer the least resistance to access (i.e. Google or databases
introduced in previous IL encounters that may or may not be applicable for their new
information needs), while others have a more nuanced understanding of the research process
and take more time to select resources. Participants note that prior experience with research
at other institutions makes them feel at an advantage to their peers when conducting research
using library and other resources, but experience challenges in adequate support during
orientation and understanding what professors’ expectations are. Providing asynchronous
resources during orientation and highlighting the added value that IL instruction and
research consultations can provide can help in supporting this student population.
Rødland, I. (2020), “Using an online digital wall board to promote student activity in a
library course”, Nordic Journal of Information Literacy in Higher Education, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp.
20–29.
Study of using Padlet in a one-shot library instruction session to increase student
engagement, which can be especially challenging in a large lecture hall class. The author used
an activity where students examined different types of sources that addressed a research
question and added comments to different columns for each source in Padlet. It found that an
average of 47% of students in the class added comments and the activity served as an
icebreaker to generate discussion.
Rohman, F., Fauzan, A., and Yohandri, Y. (2020), “Project, Technology and Active
(PROTECTIVE) learning model to develop digital literacy skills in the 21st Century”,
International Journal of Scientific and Technology Research, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 12–16.
It describes the author’s approach to teaching digital literacy within two university-level
physics classes by integrating a classroom activity that is project-based, integrates
technology and facilitates an active learning environment. By analyzing the projects students
produced, 20–23% of students demonstrate very good IL skills while 64–69% of students
demonstrate good IL skills.
RSR Rowland, N.J., Knapp, J.A., and Fargo, H. (2020), “The collaborative book review as an
49,3/4 opportunity for undergraduate research skill development”, Higher Education Research and
Development, Vol. 39 No. 3, pp. 577–590.
It argues for scholars in the humanities and social sciences to collaboratively write book
reviews with librarians and undergraduate students as a strategy for learning the ACRL
Framework frame “Scholarship is a Conversation.” The authors describe several iterations of
the book review project with refinements along the way, such as integrating a librarian to
386 provide citation instruction. The best book reviews from the project situate the book in a
larger conversation by comparing it to previous scholarship and other literature on the
same topic.
Roy, L. (2020), “We sheltered and learned: Converting a face-to-face course during a
pandemic”, Reference Librarian.
Reflections on converting an in-person library instruction course for LIS students to an
online course mid-semester due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. The author provided
discussion posts and examples of assignment changes such as the creation of videos and the
use of Zoom for those experiencing a similar conversion.
Saal, L.K. and Gomez, M. (2020), “Photovoice as multimodal curriculum and method for
community change”, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Vol. 63 No. 4, pp. 467–471.
It describes the importance of integrating the multiple literacies that burgeoning adult
literacy learners possess into IL instruction. It provides an eight-step process using
photovoice, a tool originally developed for participant action research, to leverage multimodal
literacy using photographs and oral and written expression as an outlet for adult learners’
unique perspectives. It suggests that research and practice infrequently recognize or permit
more complex and nuanced meaning making when considering the literacy skills of adult
learners.
Sacharow, S.B. (2019), Information Literacy: A Pathway to Success for Florida College
Learners, PhD Thesis, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL.
Study (n 5 97) at Broward College examines English-language learners’ (ELL) beliefs
about and attitudes toward IL to solve an academic problem before and after an IL
intervention. It finds statistically significant differences in beliefs for groups who identify as
ELL or have different sociocultural backgrounds than native US students, notably that
nonnative students are less likely to state they are uncertain or anxious about performing IL
skills than their native-born peers. It concludes that learners will benefit from individualized
and scaffolded assignments and IL instruction to alleviate anxiety and overcome learners’
overestimation of their IL skills.
Safdar, M. and Idrees, H. (2020), “Perception of the postgraduate students about need and
importance of information literacy (IL) program and IL skills: A survey”, Pakistan Library and
Information Science Journal, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 55–60.
Survey of (n 5 155) postgraduate students in Pakistan regarding awareness and
knowledge of IL concepts, previous training in IL skills and desirability toward IL
programming. It finds that while 94% of respondents expressed a need for IL programs to
increase academic success, only 12% ever received IL training. It calls for the implementation
of formal IL training in academia.
Saienko, N. and Lavrysh, Y. (2020), “Information assessment skills development through
the mobile learning strategies for bachelors at technical university”, Dilemas Contemporaneos:
Educacion, Polıtica y Valores, Vol. 7 No. 2.
It examines the impact of mobile IL learning tools on student IL outcomes via a mixed
methods study of mechanical engineering undergraduates (n 5 47) at the National Technical
University of Ukraine. It finds that mobile learning strategies are of increasing importance to
IL instruction and that employing a variety of tools geared toward specific frames improves
IL skill attainment. It recommends communicating clear learning outcomes, providing
immediate constructive feedback, utilizing different types of data presentation in activities Information
and adjusting activities to meet students where they are for the best outcomes. literacy 2020
Sample, A. (2020a). “Historical development of definitions of information literacy: A
literature review of selected resources”, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 2.
It traces the historical progression of IL definitions from 2000 to 2015, prior to the 2016
adoption of the ACRL Framework. It focuses on first-year IL instruction within the period that
corresponds to the influence of the ACRL Standards on the work of LIS professionals and IL
instruction scholars. The development of IL definitions is examined using the three major 387
categories based on the 2013 Addison and Myers IL framework.
Sample, A. (2020b), “Using augmented and virtual reality in information literacy
instruction to reduce library anxiety in nontraditional and international students”, Information
Technology and Libraries, Vol. 39 No. 1.
Formative assessment on the use of augmented virtual and mixed reality (AVMR)
technology to create a virtual library tour for graduate students returning to college after
some time aimed at reducing library anxiety by familiarizing students to the library and
library resources before arriving on campus, as well as reducing barriers with staff. Findings
showed that the tour improves students’ self-perception of competence in using the library.
Anecdotally, students noted that they wished this sort of tour had been available when they
first began college and that it would assist new students.
Sanches, T., Teresa Costa, M., and Jose Aurindo, M. (2020), “Adoption of the guidelines for
higher education libraries in Portugal: Contributions to assessment”, Liber Quarterly: The
Journal of European Research Libraries, Vol. 30 No. 1.
Survey of (n 5 59) Portuguese higher education libraries on the impact of the
Recommendations for Higher Education Libraries in Portugal. Most of the ten areas showed
movement toward implementation of the policies with “supporting editorial projects concerning
academic and scientific publications” being the least successful area. The majority of respondents
(70%) indicated that their institution had developed initiatives and programs to respond to the
guideline of “reaffirming the importance of information literacy skills in the academic
community,” but there is a lack of recognition of the importance of IL skills in the curriculum.
Saunders, L. and Budd, J. (2020), “Examining authority and reclaiming expertise”, The
Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 1.
It reviews criticisms of the ACRL Framework frame “Authority is Constructed and
Contextual,” noting that some librarians have interpreted the frame through a constructivist
view that encourages students to see opinions and individual experience as equal to expertise
or truth. In contrast to this approach, the authors provide examples of how librarians might
instead use a phenomenological or disciplinary framework for analyzing evidence and
methods that are appropriate to the context of study, such as finding patterns of experience in
primary sources or evaluating the research methods of a scientific study. It recommends
scaffolding instruction with nuanced checklists and modeling of more advanced critical
thinking skills for students.
Schachter, D. (2020a), “Information literacy teaching in BC academic libraries: Research
into critical approaches to library practices”, La Revue Canadienne des Sciences
del’information et de Bibliotheconomie, Vol. 43 No. 1, pp. 48–65.
Mixed methods study of higher education librarian’s CIL practices and instruction in
British Columbia, Canada, via content analysis, surveys (n 5 22) and interviews (n 5 13).
While most of the librarians understood the concept of CIL or had exposure to it, most felt that
they needed a better understanding of how to apply CIL to their practice. Barriers to
implementing new approaches to IL include time, resistance from faculty and sometimes
other librarians and resistance to change.
Schachter, D. (2020b), “Theory into practice: Challenges and implications for information
literacy teaching”, IFLA Journal, Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 133–142.
RSR It explores potential gaps in CIL through library pedagogy and IL practices. The author
49,3/4 describes the lack of awareness and application of theory toward library practices, the ACRL
Framework as an explicit attempt to incorporate educational and learning theories into
developing IL practices. Some of the barriers to implementing pedagogy and theory include
institutional culture and lack of time for librarians to develop new theories and approaches.
Schaub, G., McClure, H., and Hensley, M.K. (2020), Engaging Students through Campus
Libraries: High-impact Learning Models, ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, California.
388 It features case studies of IL instruction involving several high-impact practices (HIPs)
such as first-year experiences, internships, service learning, collaborative assignments,
writing-intensive coursework and undergraduate research. It offers suggestions for how to
begin engaging with HIPs in local IL instruction contexts.
Seale, M. (2020), “Critical library instruction, causing trouble, and institutionalization”,
Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 75–85.
It reflects on the role of critical pedagogy in LIS since the publication of Critical Library
Instruction: Theories and Methods. The author applies Sara Ahmed’s definitions of
institutionalization and argues that critical library instruction has been institutionalized and
legitimized in some ways, but because library instruction is inherently gendered and
marginalized it is still at the edges of the profession. This marginalization can allow for
further “trouble” and criticality despite its institutionalization.
Seng, C., Carlon, M.K.J.J., and Cross, J.S. (2020), “Information literacy training
effectiveness on Cambodia’s province-based undergraduates”, International Journal of
Comparative Education and Development, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 263–280.
A study examining the short-term effectiveness of IL training in undergraduate students
using an IL self-efficacy questionnaire before and after a 3-week IL training. Findings showed
that IL scores were significantly higher after the training, which indicated that short-term IL
interventions are an effective means to promoting IL to students. This study highlighted the
need for greater IL integration in Cambodian universities.
Sengupta, E., Blessinger, P., and Cox, M.D. (2020), International Perspectives on
Improving Student Engagement: Advances in Library Practices in Higher Education,
Emerald, Bingley, United Kingdom.
Volume in a wider series addressing student engagement in higher education with an
international scope. It presents case studies for improving IL through course-based
instruction, partnerships with other campus centers, faculty–librarian collaborations,
workshop programming and assessment of library programs and services. It offers ideas
for incorporating evidence-based practices into IL instruction for engaging students in the
context of specific implementations.
Sewell, C., Clarke, J., and Theobald, A. (2020), “Copyright life hacks for librarians”, Insights:
The UKSG Journal, Vol. 33.
A description of the methods used by the authors, who are librarians at the University of
Cambridge, to redesign copyright educational materials for their colleagues. Having
identified both access (due to COVID-19 restrictions) and time limitations, the authors
employed the model of “life hacks” to increase staff engagement with their copyright literacy
materials. The new formats, which included brief videos of roughly a minute, text that could
be read when audio wasn’t possible and brief static visual resources, were easily shared on
social media and broke down complex copyright concepts into assimilable amounts of
information. One challenge identified by the authors was balancing the need to include
precise explanations when discussing an issue as complex as copyright with the sparse
visual design used for social media platforms such as Instagram.
Seyala, B., Burns, E., Richie, S., Deuink, A.L., and Lynn, V. (2020), “Lightweight alternative
tech: A study of Chromebooks in the academic library classroom”, Library Hi Tech, Vol. 38
No. 3, pp. 554–562.
 Evaluation and study on the use of mobile Chromebook labs as an alternative to Information
traditional computer labs, drawing inspiration from K-12 use studies. In a study of three literacy 2020
campuses at Penn State University, (n 5 185) student surveys during library instruction
sessions showed that Chromebooks were easy to use for undergraduates; however, students
still preferred a traditional desktop or laptop to Chromebooks. Additional studies are needed
to explore the full capabilities of Chromebooks and extensions for individual institutions.
Sezer, B. (2020), “Implementing an information literacy course: Impact on undergraduate
medical students’ abilities and attitudes”, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 389
No. 6.
Mixed methods study of (n 5 431) Turkish first-year medical students’ achievement,
performance and efficacy perception level after a 4-h IL session with a lecture and lab
component. Assessments included pre- and posttests, the IL scale, grading rubrics and a
feedback survey. It found that students had higher levels of achievement, performance and
efficacy after the session, and feedback affirmed that students found the training satisfactory.
Shannon, E. (2020), “The relationship between high school GPA and information literacy
pre and post-test scores”, Journal of New Librarianship, Vol. 5 No. 1, pp. 150–182.
A comparison of three cohorts of students (honors students, average GPA students and
Center Scholars) at a small liberal arts college on an IL skills test. Results of a pretest showed
similar results for students with an average GPA (n 5 571) and Center Scholars (n 5 85), a
program targeting low high school GPA students. The honors students (n 5 60) scored
significantly higher on the pretest, especially on questions such as locating a book’s call
number in the library catalog. After receiving IL instruction, Center Scholars did not make
significant improvements, and for some questions declined compared to the pretest, while
average GPA and honors students improved on the posttest. The authors provided
suggestions for future research and exploration for low GPA students and IL skills.
Sharma, A., Tale, E., Hernandez, M., and Phuong, V. (2020), “Engaging students with
computing and climate change through a course in scientific computing”, Journal of STEM
Education: Innovations and Research, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 49–57.
Case study of a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in a STEM
course that integrated computer programming, data analysis and IL. Students used
Mathmatica and the Wolfram language for computational exercises, analyzed climate change
data and discussed finding reliable sources about climate change. The course also included
peer mentors and student presentations at a regional conference, which contributed to an
overall positive response to postclass student surveys.
Sharun, S. (2020), “Practicing information literacy: Practicum students negotiating
information practice in workplace settings”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 47.
It describes the methodology and results of a phenomenographic qualitative study
exploring how students in the departments of social work, nursing and child studies at Mount
Royal University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, experience IL in their practice placements.
Findings reveal that students engage in negotiation of IL in workplace settings rather than
directly applying it and that their experience of IL is tied to the help they were providing. The
author recommends evaluating IL for health and human services students to ensure that
instruction amply addresses the contextual, cultural and interpersonal aspects of IL to
sufficiently prepare students for translating IL to their professional placements. It provides
recommendations on ways to better tailor IL instruction for preprofessional and vocational
students in these fields.
Silva, J.L. (2020), A Collaborative Approach to Teaching Undergraduates with Primary
Sources: Applying a Social Constructivist Lens, EdD Thesis, Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA.
Through a social constructivist and critical pedagogy lens, it presents case studies (n 5 6)
that examine the perceptions of collaborations between teaching faculty and academic
RSR archivists to include primary source instruction in undergraduate courses. It finds that
49,3/4 collaborations yield fruitful benefits related to archivists’ and instructors’ roles and are
effective in achieving constructivist learning outcomes including critical thinking, historical
empathy and expanding career insights. It recommends aligning primary source instruction
with the ACRL Framework in addition to situating instruction within the archives, scaling
projects to match students’ level, engaging in reflective practices, exploring professional
development opportunities and raising the visibility of primary source instruction.
390 Singh, R. and Kumar, S. (2020), “An empirical assessment of information literacy
competency of social science researchers: A gender perspective”, Annals of Library and
Information Studies, Vol. 67 No. 1, pp. 7–16.
Empirical assessment of IL competency levels of (n 5 520) social science researchers. Data
collected through a questionnaire was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics,
and respondent IL competency levels were measured using the Performance and Competency
Scale. Findings highlighted the importance of proper planning and implementation of IL
activities for developing information skills.
Singh, R. and Kumar, S. (2020), “Information evaluation skills of social science researchers:
An assessment”, Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 67 No. 4, pp. 222–230.
Assessment of the information evaluation skills of (n 5 520) doctoral students across
various social sciences from four universities in Delhi using a questionnaire based on
Competency Standard 3 from the ACRL Standards. It found that 66.9% of respondents
demonstrated good or better levels of information evaluation skills, 13.8% demonstrated fair,
8.5% demonstrated below average and 10.8% failed. Women performed slightly better than
men, and students in economics performed the best out of all the fields. Increasing academic
librarian collaboration in curricula and further implementation of IL instruction to increase
information evaluation skills is recommended.
Sinkinson, C. (2020), “Teacher as stranger: Unfinished pathways with critical pedagogy”,
Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 97–117.
It presents the author’s reflections on her work with open educational resources (OER)
through the lens of critical and open pedagogy with a renewed perspective. Resisting the
replication of banking education with open textbooks, instructors can use OERs while also
embracing critical pedagogy. Drawing from the 2008 Cape Town Open Education
Declaration and the Open Pedagogy Notebook, the author reviews learner-centered
examples such as creating open textbooks, building syllabi with students and student
contributions to Wikipedia.
Soltani, S. and Nikou, S. (2020), “An assessment of academic library services: International
and domestic students perspectives”, Library Management, Vol. 41 Nos 8–9, pp. 631–653.
This exploratory study describes the IL skills of (n 5 83) domestic and international
students at a Finnish university. Researchers utilize a mixed-methods approach first by
administering a modified version of the B-TILED online survey and then following up with
semistructured interviews. Results indicate that international students’ IL skills appear less
developed than those of domestic Finnish students, and the authors recommend continued
research on how best to support the development of essential IL competencies for
international students.
Soltovets, E., Chigisheva, O., and Dmitrova, A. (2020), “The role of mentoring in digital
literacy development of doctoral students at British universities”, Eurasia Journal of
Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Vol. 16 No. 4.
Analysis of digital IL in doctoral students in Britain using mixed methods, theoretical
research methods using university library websites (n 5 20) for evidence of digital IL
activities and support for doctoral students. The authors propose that librarians as both
formal and informal information mentors should develop digital IL. It concludes with the
limitations of the study and the potential for mentorship opportunities.
 Soroya, S.H., Iqbal, M.M.Y., Soroya, M.S., and Mahmood, K. (2020), “Predictors of Information
information literacy self-efficacy among medical students: PLS-SEM analysis”, Library Hi literacy 2020
Tech, Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 670–689.
Recognizing that emotional intelligence (EI) is a facet of the learning process, study
(n 5 223) examines how EI serves as a predictor for IL skill self-attainment among
undergraduate medical students at Riphah International University in Pakistan and the
United Arab Emirates. It finds statistically significant correlations between self-emotions
appraisal (better able to manage stress), others-emotions appraisal (understand human/ 391
machine response and reformulate) and use of emotions (direct their emotions towards
personal performance) with increased IL skill self-efficacy. It confirms that the ability to
regulate emotion has no significant impact on IL and that attendance of IL sessions and
English-language proficiency are additional predictors. It recommends embedding EI-related
content into IL sessions and providing opportunities to develop fluency in speaking and
writing in English.
Srisuwan, C. and Panjaburee, P. (2020), “Implementation of flipped classroom with
personalised ubiquitous learning support system to promote the university student performance
of information literacy”, International Journal of Mobile Learning and Organisation, Vol. 14
No. 3, pp. 398–424.
Study of (n 5 68) students in a university level IL course that used a flipped classroom
model with a “personalized ubiquitous learning support system” to investigate the
effectiveness of the flipped classroom on IL curriculum and achievement. The study
analyzed and compared the IL achievement of students in the personalized ubiquitous
learning support system group and in the conventional ubiquitous learning support system
group via pre- and posttests and a self-efficacy survey. It found that both groups had gains in
achievement, but students with the personalized support had larger gains in achievement.
The students in the flipped classroom had higher gains in achievement and career and grade
motivation, but both groups experienced higher levels of IL self-efficacy following the course.
Stapleton, J., Carter, C., and Bredahl, L. (2020), “Research consultations in the academic
library: A scoping review on current themes in instruction, assessment and technology”, Journal
of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 4.
It reviews research support and instruction in academic libraries by summarizing current
research consultation services, metrics for effectiveness of research consultations and
technology applications. Using the PRISMA-ScR reporting standards and a total of 43 studies
for extraction, the authors find 95% of librarians provide research consultations as a part of
their practice with the vast majority of users reporting favorable outcomes after consultation
sessions. Although these consultations take more time and effort to perform, the authors
recommend using the evaluation methods to better understand the impact of library service
and instruction.
St€opel, M., Piotto, L., Goodman, X., and Godbey, S. (2020), Faculty-Librarian
Collaborations: Integrating the Information Literacy Framework into Disciplinary Courses,
Association of College and Research Libraries, Chicago, Illinois.
A collection of lesson plans and case studies that highlight technique and suggestions for
better integrating discipline specific curriculum with the ACRL Framework in collaboration
with faculty and librarians. Topics include designing a collaborative experience, insights into
the faculty–librarian relationship and various lesson plans surrounding creating and
redesigning for course specific IL curriculum.

Suminas, A. and Jastramskis, D. (2020), “The importance of media literacy education: How
Lithuanian students evaluate online news content credibility”, Central European Journal of
Communication, Vol. 13 No. 2, pp. 230–248.
Comparative study of journalism and publishing and advertising students on their news
literacy skills in which participants were asked to determine whether three fabricated news
RSR articles were trustworthy, partly trustworthy or untrustworthy. Journalism students, who
49,3/4 took four courses related to media and information literacy in their first three semesters, were
more accurate in identifying trustworthy news and provided more complex reasonings for
their judgments. Eye tracking software also confirmed that journalism students were more
likely to reread critical parts of the articles and focused on authorship, photo captions and
sources.
Tella, A. (2020), “Nigerian academics patronizing predatory journals: Implications for
392 scholarly communication”, Journal of Scholarly Publishing, Vol. 51 No. 3, pp. 182–196.
Interviews (n 5 25) with Nigerian researchers on their publishing practices and
perceptions of “predatory” scholarly journals. All respondents said that Nigerian academics
publish in predatory publications, which participants defined as misrepresenting their peer-
review process or the journal. Those interviewed believe academics are publishing in these
sources knowingly as a result of the pressure to publish quickly, specifically noting that
many universities in Nigeria require a certain percentage of scholarly articles be published in
foreign journals as a criterion for promotion. Interviewers recommended stronger educational
programs and mentorship to prevent publishing in these sources as a way to increase
international trust in Nigerian research.
Testers, L., Gegenfurtner, A., and Brand-Gruwel, S. (2020), “Taking affective learning in
digital education one step further: Trainees’ affective characteristics predicting multicontextual
pre-training transfer intention”, Frontiers in Psychology, Vol. 11.
Study into the dynamics of affective learning in online training programs of (n 5 366)
adults in an online IL course in a distance learning environment in the Netherlands. In the
study, first-year premasters students at the Learning Sciences at the Open University of the
Netherlands, researchers found that five affective characteristics of learners (learner
readiness, motivation to learn, positive outcomes, negative outcomes and personal capacity)
may lead to transfer of new learning. Some recommendations include facilitating a positive,
motivating affective transfer climate with social presence being two important conditions.
Tewell, E. (2020), “The problem with grit: Dismantling deficit thinking in library
instruction”, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 137–59.
It presents critiques of deficit-based thinking in education, such as the concepts of grit and
growth mindset. Grit and growth mindset overemphasize the role of individual achievement
and effort in learning. Tewell argues that these concepts obscure systemic issues of
inequality and individualizes the blame and subsequent response with the learner. It
concludes with recommendations on utilizing critical information literacy and culturally
responsive pedagogy in library instruction to dismantle deficit-oriented perspectives.
Thompson, D.S. and Beene, S. (2020). “Uniting the field: Using the ACRL Visual Literacy
Competency Standards to move beyond the definition problem of visual literacy”, Journal of
Visual Literacy, Vol. 39 No. 2, pp. 73–89.
It examines the adoption and use of the ACRL Visual Literacy Standards in literature from
2011 to 2019 through a scoping review, which found 196 research items that relied on the
Visual Literacy Standards significantly. Empirical research authored in the United States
about academic audiences represented the majority of the sources. The discussion notes that
most of the library science authors view visual literacy as a subcomponent of IL and that use
of the Visual Literacy Standards is the most comprehensive defining work to date on the topic.
Tolley, R.L. and Doucette, W.C. (2020), “Actions speak louder than resumes: How
performance-based interviews facilitate hiring the best library candidates”, Tennessee
Libraries, Vol. 70 No. 3.
It evaluated the use of performance-based interview, a traditional interview with the
addition of live reference questions and a postinterview discussion, for lecturer-level searches
of library faculty specializing in reference and IL services. It found that performance
interviewing allowed the committee to quickly assess candidates’ skill sets and
organizational fit, which could potentially reduce the workload associated with serving on a Information
search committee. Additionally, performance interviewing provided opportunities for the literacy 2020
committee to identify potential problems related to a candidate’s approach to their
functional area.
Torrell, M.R. (2020), “That was then, this is wow: A case for critical information literacy
across the curriculum”, Communications in Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, 118–133.
It argues for the development of a CIL across the curriculum both horizontally (i.e. across
all majors) and vertically (i.e. from introductory to advanced courses). It describes a model 393
that draws on a writing across the curriculum (WAC) approach that depends upon the
collaboration between librarians and instructors from across the disciplines. The larger
responsibility falls to discipline faculty who, the author argues, need to thoroughly examine
their own beliefs and practices around CIL and bring greater urgency to its inclusion in their
teaching practices.
Trout, R. (2020), Social Media and Critical Thinking: A Hermeneutic, Phenomenological
Study of Business Professors, PhD Thesis, University of the Southwest, Hobbs, NM.
Survey of (n 5 8) business professors to examine their perception of the role social media
plays in students’ critical thinking and job skills, as defined by the Critical Thinking
Development by Social Media (CRDSM). The author identifies intentionality and industrious
learning in the interviewees’ perceptions of students’ social media use. Findings suggest the
importance of social media and critical thinking expertise among educators.
Trujillo-Torres, J.M., Gomez-Garcıa, G., Ramos Navas-Parejo, M., and Soler-Costa, R.,
(2020), “The development of information literacy in early childhood education teachers: A study
from the perspective of the education center’s character”, Journal of Technology and Science
Education, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 47–59.
It offers an analysis of the perceptions and development of IL skills of (n 5 57) practicing
early childhood education teachers in Spain and compares the competencies between those
teaching at public versus private, with state-funded support, institutions. It finds no
significant differences for questions directly related to the development of IL between
teachers from one type of center to another.
Tsunekage, T., Bishop, C.R., Long, C.M., and Levin, I.I. (2020), “Integrating information
literacy training into an inquiry-based introductory biology laboratory”, Journal of Biological
Education, Vol. 54 No. 4, pp. 396–403.
Study on the integration of IL instruction in an introductory biology lab course (n 5 120)
through a multiweek inquiry module about barn swallow parental behaviors. After receiving
IL instruction in finding and evaluating primary research sources, their annotated
bibliographies were assessed on how relevant their chosen literature was on a scale from
0 to 5, with 5 being the most relevant. The authors reported that 83% of the students
successfully used relevant literature and received a score of 4 or 5. They concluded with
recommendations for biology courses to better integrate IL skills.
Turnbow, D. and Roth, A. (2020), Demystifying Online Instruction in Libraries: People,
Process, and Tools, American Library Association Publications, Chicago, Illinois.
It introduces instructional design theories, development processes and practical ways to
enhance your skills as an instructional designer or technologist to create online instructional
materials. Topics include performance support, prototyping, wireframing and
storyboarding, documentation and evaluation of materials, video production and more.
Each chapter includes an “Instructional Design in Practice” section that showcases online
instruction at various libraries.
Uzun, A.M. and Kilis, S. (2020), “Investigating antecedents of plagiarism using extended
theory of planned behavior”, Computers and Education, Vol. 144.
It describes a cross-sectional survey study of Turkish university students (n 5 588) and
their intention to plagiarize using an adapted Extended Theory of Planned Behavior
RSR (substituting IL, computer literacy and Internet literacy for planned behavior control). It finds
49,3/4 that favorable attitudes toward and past behaviors of plagiarism significantly predict
positive intention to plagiarize, while higher IL and internal moral values significantly predict
negative intention. It suggests IL training and ethical codes to curtail plagiarism and
recommends studies of different universities and majors for further research.
Vinyard, M. (2020), “The kids are all right: How libraries can best serve transfer students”,
portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 339–360.
394 An investigation into how academic libraries can best assist transfer students in regard to
IL instruction, exploring student perceptions of how the library could market services and
assist transfer students. Interviewers found that transfer students want institution specific
information and better awareness of library services. As a result of the interviews, outreach
efforts, library resources and service awareness, among others, were the takeaways for
overall transfer student service improvement.
Vong, S. and Vrkljan, M. (2020), Learning Beyond The Classroom: Engaging Students in
Information Literacy Through Co-Curricular Activities, Association of College and Research
Libraries, Chicago, Illinois.
It investigates connections to the ACRL Framework that can be made through IL
instruction in contexts outside of course-based instruction. It presents case studies for
connecting to campus groups, employment IL, targeting populations with specific needs or
interests and constructing assessments for cocurricular IL. It includes chapters on
professional development of student employees in libraries.
Walker, K.W and Whitver, S.M. (2020), “Assessing information literacy in first year
writing”, The Journal of Academic Librarianship, Vol. 46 No. 3.
It analyzes data from a first-year writing course at a public research university to assess a
scaffolded instructional program. Findings reinforce the effectiveness of librarian teaching
practices in relation to student learning outcomes. This research highlights the importance of
course-integrated IL content in helping students achieve IL competencies.
Walsh, A. (2020), “Playful learning for information literacy development”, IFLA Journal,
Vol. 46 No. 2, pp. 143–150.
It discusses the potential of play pedagogies in IL instruction as constructivism empowers
learners to safely explore in an environment where they are open to learn from mistakes. This
contextual approach to IL recognizes the social dimension of learning and can improve
outcomes at any age. Recognizing the general aversion to formal play outside of childhood
settings, the author calls for openness and implementation by those teaching IL.
Walters, W.H., Sheehan, S.E., Handfield, A.E., Lopez-Fitzsimmons, B.M., Markgren, S.,
and Paradise, L. (2020), “A multi-method information literacy assessment program:
Foundation and early results”, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 1, pp. 101–135.
It reflects on assessment of an IL program geared toward undergraduate and senior
students, providing insight into what has been successful for them in terms of effective
learning outcomes and the use of rubrics, evidence-based and perception-based measures and
offers its strategies and methods to a wide range of institutions. Over the course of the
assessment program, the library has seen many areas of improvement across five learning
outcomes and has goals to continue the program to learn not only what needs to be taught,
but how to teach those aspects.
Waltz, M.J., Moberly, H.K., and Carrigan, E.E. (2020), “Identifying information literacy
skills and behaviors in the curricular competencies of health professions”, Journal of the Medical
Library Association, Vol. 108 No. 3, pp. 463–479.
It discusses using evidence-based practice (EBP) and competency-based education over
the existing frameworks to better identify and guide instruction for IL skills in health
education and professions using qualitative data. Findings reveal four out of the five
programs have explicit IL skills or behaviors stated, and all five programs have implicit IL
skills or behaviors, all highlighting the need for support within instruction. Utilizing the Information
rubric created for this study can allow the library to scaffold IL skills through instructional literacy 2020
opportunities.
Wan Mokhtar, W.N.H., Hussin, N., Shalifuddin, N., and Wan Satirah, W.M.S. (2020),
“Mastering the information literacy skills in enhancing undergraduate students’ learning
process”, Journal of Information and Knowledge Management, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 135–143.
Study to identify IL skills of (n 5 165) undergraduate students from all disciplines at the
Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor. In an effort to improve the learning outcomes for 395
undergraduate students, the authors designed and employed a questionnaire using a Likert
scale to measure student awareness of the concept and importance of IL, as well as the
practice of information literate strategies. Analysis of the results of the questionnaire
revealed that it is critical for students to attain at least “good” IL skills to support their success
in all disciplines throughout the university.
Webb, K.K. (2020), “Curriculum mapping in academic libraries revisited: Taking an
evidence-based approach”, College and Research Libraries News, Vol. 81 No. 1, pp. 30-33.
It expands on the author’s earlier work of curriculum mapping to scaffold IL instruction in
a degree-granting program to implement curriculum mapping for a team of library faculty at
East Carolina University. Librarians receive instruction in curriculum mapping methods,
undertake the development of new curriculum maps, complete SWOT analyses and perform
outreach to programs. Assessment affirms the value of the work and illuminates the amount
of time and effort it requires.
Wengler, S. and Wolff-Eisenberg, C. (2020), “Community college librarians and the ACRL
Framework: Findings from a national study”, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 1,
pp. 66–95.
Survey of (n 5 1,201) community college librarians in the United States found limited
familiarity with and integration of the ACRL Framework into community college instruction.
Respondents that already participated in professional development related to the Framework
often reported that these sessions did not meet their needs as community college librarians.
Survey also found that community college librarians are interested in a version of the
Framework document modified for implementation in community college IL instruction.
Westbrock, T. and Cox, A. (2020), “Students helping students: Creating and evaluating a
collaborative service model in the library”, College and Research Libraries, Vol. 81 No. 3, pp.
345–360.
It evaluated training for and collaboration with nonlibrary service desks located in the
library on the criteria of connecting students to the appropriate service and the integration of
advanced skills, such as IL into new and existing service models. In reviewing transactional
and interview data, researchers found that referrals between departments were effective,
evidenced by a 14% increase in research consultations, and student workers were engaging
in a low level of advanced skills not necessarily related to their direct job duties. Interestingly,
researchers identified training engagement as a barrier to the application of advanced skills,
as student workers with a low level of engagement (e.g. not connecting the relevance of skills
with their job duties) showed lower levels of curiosity and self-motivation.
Weston, P.G. (2020), “The Vatican School of Librarianship in a time of change: Current
organization and future perspectives”, Journal of Education for Library and Information
Science, Vol. 61 No. 3, pp. 319–331.
It describes the history of the Vatican School of Librarianship, founded in 1934, its current
standards and practices and ongoing changes to keep pace with job requirements and
advances in the LIS field. Recent changes include providing students with workshops
designed to help them develop soft skills and requiring internships. It includes selected
results from a survey questionnaire administered to faculty, students and alumni assessing
strengths and weaknesses of the program.
RSR White, E. and King, L. (2020), “Conceptual framework for scholarly communication
49,3/4 guidance by the academic library: The case of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 52 No. 4, pp. 1137–1151.
Study on proposed scholarly communication guidance and training model for librarians to
provide doctoral students derived from a case study conducted by the authors at Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in South Africa. Adopting a mixed method
approach including questionnaires, interviews and a bibliometric survey, the population
396 studied included (n 5 123) doctoral students, their (n 5 29) advisors and (n 5 12) librarians.
Review of the data revealed that doctoral students at the university were not receiving
adequate training and guidance on research and scholarly communication from their
advisors, and advisors were only moderately likely to direct their students to the library for
guidance. The authors developed a scholarly communication guidance model, which is
provided in the article. To address this issue starting when doctoral students enter the
university and continuing to provide support until they complete their programs.
Whitver, S.M. (2020), “Accessible library instruction in practice”, portal: Libraries and The
Academy, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp. 381–398.
A conversation and call to action to make library instruction more accessible using
theories from disability studies and a social model of disability that corrects systems rather
than placing the burden of equity on people with a wide range (dis)abilities. It criticizes ALA’s
Library Services for People with Disabilities Policy for being a checklist for retrofitting with
accommodations and outlines practices from Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and
Universal Design for Instruction (UDI) to create flexible learning experiences and
environments. Examples include providing clear instructions, videos, printed handouts,
multiple modes of expressing learning (e.g. paper-based or digital concept mapping) and
access to materials before and after a class session.
Whitworth, A. (2020), Information Landscapes: New Methods for Exploring the
Development and Teaching of Information Literacy, Facet Publishing, London, United
Kingdom.
It discusses the history of IL with a focus on how the political and social aspects of
“information landscapes” have been taught in higher education. It offers critique of current
practices and new ideas for IL instruction through exploring the history of cartography as a
metaphor for place and time. It presents different practices for mapping as tools to construct a
holistic practice and achieve critical dispositions for sustained IL.
Willenborg, A., Detmering, R., and McClellan, S. (2020), “Real talk: Librarian perceptions of
the professional conversation on information literacy assessment”, portal: Libraries and the
Academy, Vol. 20 No. 3, pp. 533–551.
Qualitative study using semistructured interviews of (n 5 26) academic librarians to learn
about their ideas and experiences with IL assessment. While some participants see the
conversation as slow-moving and circuitous, others see positive change toward using
assessment to energize programs and to contribute to campus conversations about IL as a
learning objective. It recommends lowering barriers to access in the IL assessment
community of practice for those who are newer to the work, increasing institutional support
for assessment and creating context-specific offerings for those who feel shut out of the
conversation due to inexperience or low institutional funding for their professional
development.
Winkeljohn Black, S. (2020), “Using motivational interviewing and constructivism to
address information illiteracy”, Psychology of Women Quarterly, Vol. 44 No. 1, pp. 130–134.
It explores the connections between motivational interviewing (MI), constructivism and IL
with a focus on integrating MI into existing constructivist strategies for teaching IL. It
provides detailed analysis of MI concepts: the spirit of MI, readiness for change and
promoting change talk, as well as an example of how these concepts may be applied to the
sample topic of teaching institutional racism. It concludes that MI perspectives are Information
particularly useful to apply in situations where teaching touches on sensitive topics. literacy 2020
Wittebols, J.H. (2020a), “Critical information/news literacy and the flipped classroom:
Student evaluations of information searching and analysis”, Journalism and Mass
Communication Educator, Vol. 75 No. 2, pp. 210–225.
It examines (n 5 35) student responses to assignments within a flipped classroom, college-
level critical IL course. The course, which focuses on confirmation bias and CIL theory,
incorporates social and political perspectives. Analysis of student reflection papers reveals 397
enthusiasm for the “hands on,” flipped classroom approach to learning news and information
literacy.
Wittebols, J.H. (2020b), “Transforming confirmation bias to generate critical consciousness
in news/information literacy and social science course”, The Canadian Journal for the
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, Vol. 11 No. 2.
It reviews theories from psychology related to cognitive biases or the tendency to ignore
facts that challenge previously held beliefs, such as confirmation bias, heuristic bias and
social cognitive schemas. Especially in a time of news, personalized algorithms and
immediate search engine results, it is important for students to be aware of cognitive bias
when they encounter alternative perspectives. The author proposes using critical pedagogy
to encourage critical thinking, curiosity and critical consciousness to confront and reduce
cognitive bias.
Wittek, L. (2020), “Perspectives on shifting front-facing work”, PNLA Quarterly, 2020
Special Issue, pp. 25–30.
It discusses how various library departments, including IL instruction, moved from face-
to-face operations to online environments during the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. It notes how
library instructors sought to contextualize content and find examples pertinent to the
epidemic to bring to instruction sessions. It highlights tutorial creation and open-access
materials as important resources for creating IL sessions for online learning.
Yanto, A., Rusmana, A., Rachmawati, T.S., Sinaga, D., and Anwar, R.K. (2020),
“Information literacy competence of elementary school teacher-librarians”, Library Philosophy
and Practice.
Study of (n 5 17) students in school librarianship in the Indonesian state of Jatinangor
testing the IL competency of individuals before and after a training session. While there was
not a statistically significant increase in competency as measured through a standard
deviation test, students increased their mean score on the exam overall. Other factors in their
overall education and training may have played a role in the gain in their knowledge and
understanding of IL.
Yap, J.M. (2020), “Common referencing errors committed by graduate students in
education”, Library Philosophy and Practice, Vol. 4039.
It analyzed the APA citations of Kazakhstan student master’s theses (n 5 20) in an open
repository. Of the 1,432 references, 850 had errors determined by the researcher, and most of
those errors were in the source title or author components of the citation. The researcher did
not distinguish between formatting errors, such as the use of italics, and errors that point to a
misunderstanding of citation practices. The study recommended partnering with writing
centers to improve citation IL instruction.
Yap, J.M. and Pe~ naflor, J. (2020), “The amazing library race: Developing students’ media
and information literacy skills through games”, Journal of Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1,
pp. 66–82.
Case study on game-based learning approaches to teaching media and information
literacy (MIL) at De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines, and Nazarbayev University in
Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Teams of students raced to complete a series of IL tasks designed to
strengthen targeted MIL skills, and activities allowed students to draw upon their existing
RSR knowledge/skills while developing new ones. Games made IL instruction more interactive
49,3/4 and fun and increased student engagement; specific activities and promotional materials are
presented.
Yavuz, D.A. (2020), “Fronts matter: The effectiveness of an ‘edited book’ project in classical
theory”, Teaching Sociology, Vol. 48 No. 1, pp. 327–340.
It describes the effectiveness of an edited sociology book assignment developed as part of an
overhaul of the Lehman College (CUNY) Department of Sociology’s required sociological theory
398 course. Findings evaluate book assignments produced by students (n 5 58) in the course for the
2018 and 2019 academic years. The assignment supports the development of students’
understanding of disciplinary debates through the production of a book for which they serve as
editors and select articles from different sociological traditions for publication. The author
describes how discipline-specific IL is critical to assist students in identifying sources
originating from a specific sociological tradition; students are introduced to such elements of
articles as citation indexes, discussion sections and reference pages to dispel confusion.
Additionally, the author includes the perspective that discipline-specific IL is imperative in
diverse institutions to compensate for gaps in cultural competencies that may exist.
Yebowaah, F.A. and Owusu-Ansah, C.M. (2020), “Evaluating the information access skills
of students of a college of education in Ghana”, Journal of Information Science Theory and
Practice, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 45–54.
Survey of (n 5 303) Ghanaian preservice teachers on the types of information they use for
academic and personal information needs, their use of the library and their preferences for
online searching. It found a higher than expected use of television for accessing information, a
low use of electronic library resources and a reliance on search engines such as Google for
effective searching. Integration of IL into the curriculum and joining a local consortium for
additional materials are recommended to increase IL skills and support new requirements for
independent research in the program.
Xie, J. (2020), “Information literacy instruction at the University of Macau: Challenges,
outcomes, and lessons learned”, portal: Libraries and the Academy, Vol. 20 No. 2, pp.
255–268.
A description of IL interventions at the University of Macau in China for honors students,
which included a library orientation for first-year students and workshops for second-year
students preparing for a thesis. Librarians used the ACRL Framework to develop learning
outcomes for each session and asked students to draw analogies between general instruction
and their discipline. Although there was a mix of IL skills, majors and cultural backgrounds,
postsession feedback was positive, and the author recommended making the session
mandatory in the future.
Zanin-Yost, A. and Freie, C. (2020), “Voices and choices: Critical information/media literacy
and Behrman’s Practices”, Reference Librarian, Vol. 61 No. 2, 133–53.
It applied Behrman’s critical literacy practices to an upper-division class in hopes of
challenging students’ traditional assumptions about information and media literacy in their
fields of study. Researchers reflected on this application with an anecdote of a student
pursuing a research project with a limited number of scholarly sources; challenging the
concept that knowledge is created only by those in a position of power and scholarly sources
are the only important form that knowledge takes. They concluded that giving students the
ability to question authority and information allowed for a greater understanding of student
voice and autonomy.
Zhang, Y., Lo, P., So, S., and Chiu, D.K. (2020), “Relating library user education to business
students’ information needs and learning practices: A comparative study”, Reference Services
Review, Vol. 48 No. 4, pp. 537–558.
Survey of (n 5 90) business students at a university in Hong Kong in three different
majors, information systems, accounting and finance and economics and finance, on their
usage of the library, views toward library instruction and the importance of these services. It Information
found that when faced with difficulty in finding information, students went to Google first; literacy 2020
however, they had a positive attitude toward library instruction. Based on these findings, the
researchers recommended that librarians improve their marketing of these services and tailor
instruction to the specific IL needs of each major.
Zimmerman, M. (2020). “Information literacy as a social justice issue: Where’s the research?”
Journal of Information Ethics, Vol. 29 No. 1, pp. 45–64.
It addresses the lack of scholarly work that examines IL as a social justice issue and 399
explores interactions between the two terms in scholarly trends within the SCOPUS database.
Results include a series of visualizations that display countries, authors and journals
producing relevant literature and studies that recognize the importance of IL to career
prospects, education, health and well-being. It concludes that despite a consensus within the
field that social justice is a critical tenant to the work of libraries, few studies in LIS explicitly
explore IL as an issue of social justice.

Everyday life, community and the workplace

Ahmad, F., Widen, G., and Huvila, I. (2020), “The impact of workplace information literacy on
organizational innovation: An empirical study”, International Journal of Information
Management, Vol. 51.
Survey of (n 5 184) Finnish CEOs in small and medium-sized enterprises using a reliable
and validated 20-item workplace IL scale. Findings based on structural equation modeling
reveal that IL has a positive effect on exploratory innovation, exploitative innovation and
opportunity recognition and that opportunity recognition mediates innovation. Furthermore,
higher workplace IL of individuals who make decisions may have implications for the
development of manager and employee IL and the ability to foster learning and collaborative
knowledge creation.
Ali, I. and Warraich, N.F. (2020), “The relationship between mobile self-efficacy and mobile-
based personal information management practices: A systematic review”, Library Hi Tech,
Vol. 39 No. 1.
Systematic review exploring the use of a smartphone or similar device for personal
information management (PIM), as well as the correlation between facility with PIM and
general mobile device self-efficacy to provide librarians with necessary context when
designing media and information literacy programming and instruction. The review was
conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
(PRISMA) guidelines. Researchers identified challenges related to PIM including information,
technical and mobile phone adaptability challenges, as well as determining a positive
correlation with mobile device self-efficacy and PIM.
Ameen, K. and Naeem, S.B. (2020), “Demographic differences in the perceived news literacy
skills and sharing behavior of information professionals”, Information Discovery and
Delivery, Vol. 49 No. 1, pp. 16–28.
Survey of (n 5 128) Pakistani university librarians to determine if demographic variables
impact their news sharing behaviors and perceived news literacy skills. The validated
survey, which is based in part on the ACRL Framework, asks participants questions related
to their use of social media to share news, their opinions about why fake news is shared on
social media, the level of trustworthiness of different news formats, as well as their perceived
news literacy skills and frequency of determining authenticity. Findings reveal that younger
librarians use social media to share news more often than other age groups. Education level,
age and work experience influence the use of social media to share news and perceived news
literacy skills, and overall additional training on news literacy skills is needed to provide
news literacy instruction sessions for students and faculty.
RSR Beier, L. (2020), “Teen parents and the public library”, Emerging Library and Information
49,3/4 Perspectives, Vol. 3 No. 1, pp. 199–207.
It examines the reality of teen parenthood and explores the response of public libraries to
address the needs of a growing user group and their challenges as caregivers. It presents best
practices in US public libraries, such as partnering with community organizations already
serving teen parents and providing programs that benefit both child and parent. It includes
an online resource list for librarians and library staff.
400 Brashier, N.M. and Schacter, D.L. (2020), “Aging in an era of fake news”, Current
Directions in Psychological Science, Vol. 29 No. 3, pp. 316–323.
The authors explore factors affecting older adults and their consumption and distribution
of misinformation. Those in the “gray digital divide” approach the Internet as a tool primarily
for connectivity rather than education and may be more susceptible to trusting information
that comes from close social circle members. They also have trouble identifying deceptive
information, especially doctored images. It argues for digital literacy interventions that take
into account how older adults seek socialization online, not just the changes to an aging mind.
Buchanan, T. (2020), “Why do people spread false information online? The effects of
message and viewer characteristics on self-reported likelihood of sharing social media
misinformation”, PloS One, Vol. 15 No. 10.
It analyzes results of (n 5 2,634) four studies that explore the extent to which message
attributes and viewer characteristics increase the likelihood of social media misinformation
sharing. Results indicate that authoritativeness and peer engagement with a source do not
influence sharing. Instead, misinformation more likely occurs due to preexisting attitudes
and familiarity with a source. Ultimately, findings reveal strategies for countering social
media disinformation with a focus on digital literacy education.
Buchholz, B.A., DeHart, J. and Moorman, G. (2020), “Digital citizenship during a global
pandemic: Moving beyond digital literacy”, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Vol. 64
No. 1, pp. 11–17.
Reflection on the relationship between digital literacy and digital citizenship through the
lens of participatory actions, such as evaluating information, locating and developing online
spaces for engagement, effectively using technology and balancing digital and nondigital
interactions. It highlights the importance of justice-oriented digital citizenship, which can
start to identify and promote equity for voices missing in digital spaces. These concepts play
together to start to develop ideals for encouraging ethical engagement with digital spaces as
digital citizens.
Chandani, J.G. and Weerasooriya, W.A. (2020), “Study of information literacy skills behind
the prison wall in Sri Lanka”, Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 67 No. 3, pp.
131–137.
Survey of (n 5 80) male inmates at a large maximum-security prison in Sri Lanka for IL
skills. Researchers found that inmates consumed reading material in all genres; the most
popular genres were religious materials (63.8%), health (62.5%) and finance (62.5%). Because
of censorship and other restrictions, many materials are not permitted in the prison library.
The authors concluded with recommendations to improve IL skills for prisoners including
staffing prison libraries with LIS professionals, increasing access to Internet and reading
materials, focused collection development and strategic planning.
Dalkir, K. and Katz, R. (2020), Navigating Fake News, Alternative Facts, and
Misinformation in a Post-Truth World, IGI Global, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
It addresses IL and fake news in a posttruth era within educational, policymaking and
technological perspectives. Contributed chapters include IL and identifying different types of
information, information overload and its impact and a case study. Intended audiences range
from educators, policymakers and technology development professionals.
 De Paor, S. and Heravi, B. (2020), “Information literacy and fake news: How the field of Information
librarianship can help combat the epidemic of fake news”, Journal of Academic Librarianship, literacy 2020
Vol. 46 No. 5.
It examines the fake news phenomenon and the response of libraries via IL efforts. A
literature review finds that “false news stories,” which unintentionally misinform or
disinform to profit or entertain, are consumed and spread because of deficient IL skills and
that libraries serve as an essential bastion against the threat that fake news poses to
democracy. It recommends that libraries continue to advocate and build trust within their 401
civil and academic communities, examine how to both remain neutral and combat fake news,
push for collaboration to increase acceptance of IL instruction and consider metaliteracy as a
more palatable and therefore more effective tool. It notes the lack of research into how
“societal distrust and uncertainty” contributes to the spread of fake news.
Goldstein, S. (2020), Informed Societies: Why Information Literacy Matters for
Citizenship, Participation and Democracy, Facet Publishing, London, United Kingdom.
Edited collection on the intersections of IL and engaged citizenship to combat
misinformation and empower members of society with informed and critical decision-
making. Chapters cover multidisciplinary and international perspectives such as the value of
IL for democracy, IL and political science, human rights and civic engagement,
misinformation and public policy. It includes implications for school and public libraries
and addresses special populations, such as refugees and the elderly.
Hicks, A. (2020), “Negotiating change: Transition as a central concept for information
literacy”, Journal of Information Science.
It examines the concept of transition in IL through the grounded theory of mitigating risk,
which draws upon the experiences of international-traveling language learners (n 5 26) via
interviews and personal photo-documentation. Through this reframing, rather than treat
transition as movement from one static point to the next in progression, “information literacy is
seen to mediate transition through supporting preparation, connection, situatedness and
confidence” as language learners learn from and validate the experiences of others, develop
relationships, engage with information in novel social-immersive contexts and navigate new
and emerging identities as they grow in practice. It challenges IL as a framework of threshold
concepts and proposes further research into IL and the role played by transitions, with the view
that individuals subjectively move through time and space to become information literate.
Hosman, L., Walsh, C., Perez Comisso, M., and Sidman, J. (2020), “Building online skills in
off-line realities”, First Monday, Vol. 25 No. 7.
It studies IL in an online environment using the Solar Power Educational Learning
Library (SolarSPELL) initiative, demonstrating the importance of education of online IL skills
and not simply access to an offline digital library. The authors conclude that the initiative can
bring digital literacy to communities with limited or no access to electricity or Internet
connectivity to build digital IL skills. Through the use of open-source technologies, the
SolarSPELL initiative makes an offline Internet accessible for marginalized communities and
locally based trainers to build digital capabilities and IL.
Jamshed, J., Naeem, S.B., and Bhatti, R. (2020), “Lawyers’ usage patterns of District Bar Law
Library of Multan”, Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal, Vol. 51 No. 1, pp. 16–24.
Survey of (n 5 140) practicing lawyers to explore their legal information-seeking behavior.
The top reported barriers to using the local law library include the lack of a professional law
librarian and a lack of IL training. It argues for the need for a professional law librarian in
order to help lawyers understand specific legal problems related to their cases.
Keshavarz, H. (2020), “Web self-efficacy: A psychological prerequisite for web literacy”,
Webology, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 81–98.
It describes the role of self-efficacy, or a person’s belief in their ability to perform certain
tasks, as a necessary psychological competency toward web and information literacy.
RSR The author explains that self-efficacy is the requirement of competency, with subsequent
49,3/4 dimensions of knowledge and skill, and the various modalities of self-efficacy embodied in an
online environment. These examinations draw a conclusion that calls for the need to further
examine self-efficacy behaviors through web literacy activities.
Khan, A. (2020), “Digital information literacy skills of Pakistani librarians: Exploring
supply-demand mismatches, adoption strategies and acquisition barriers”, Digital Library
Perspectives, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 167–189.
402 Survey of (n 5 180) Pakistani librarians on their current and needed levels of digital IL
skills. Findings reveal that participants have low levels of digital IL skills, especially in terms
of digital innovation, technology applications, services and tools, whereas there is a high
demand for digital IL skills from university library employers. Strategies for acquiring more
digital IL skills include training programs, social media and tutorials and barriers include a
lack of training, interest, Internet access and user demand for digital innovation services,
which can be addressed by supervisors to promote stronger digital IL and university
stakeholder collaboration.
Kirschner, P.A. and Stoyanov, S. (2020), “Educating youth for nonexistent/not yet existing
professions”, Educational Policy, Vol. 34 No. 3, pp. 477–517.
It describes a research study using group concept mapping wherein (n 5 95) educators
and experts from North America and Europe determine the skills and competencies
necessary for youth to learn and develop to find gainful employment in the future as
automation and new technologies change markets and industries. Of the 15 mapped clusters,
metacognition and reflection, skills transfer and critical thinking rank highest in importance,
while IL, learning for the future and redesigning the school rank lowest in importance.
Literacy and numeracy, information skills and collaboration rank highest in
implementability, while metacognition and reflection, skills transfer and critical thinking
rank among the bottom five in implementability. It calls for more research with participants
from different fields and parts of the world.
Kozyreva, A., Lewandowsky, S., and Hertwig, R. (2020), “Citizens versus the Internet:
Confronting digital challenges with cognitive tools”, Psychological Science in the Public
Interest, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 103–156.
It explores the difficulties of navigating digital environments through behavioral and
cognitive interventions. The authors use the concept of boosting, a cognitive intervention
method that improves cognitive and motivational competencies, to address the challenges of
an online environment including potentially misleading information architecture, AI-enabled
algorithms, false information and other distracting environments. It concludes that there is
not a single solution and instead requires efforts from policymakers (including designing
simple rules for data privacy and IL) and behavioral changes for Internet users (including
learning to filter misleading information).
Kus, M. and Barczyszyn-Madziarz, P. (2020), “Fact-checking initiatives as promoters of
media and information literacy: The case of Poland”, Central European Journal of
Communication, Vol. 13, pp. 249–265.
It describes a study investigating IL education through both media and civil society-based
Polish fact-checking organizations through (n 5 5) in-depth, semistructured interviews. The
authors uncover two types of education modalities that seek to inform the general public.
These include informal education, more frequently found in media-based fact-checking
organizations that claim their fact-checking efforts are by their very nature a type of IL
education, and formal education of civil society-based organizations making structured
efforts to increase IL educational activities.
Lawal, V. and Bitso, C. (2020), “Constructionists’ approaches to information literacy:
Exploring Savolainen’s everyday life information seeking in information literacy research”,
Annals of Library and Information Studies, Vol. 67 No. 4, pp. 231–239.
 It presents a conceptual analysis of the evolution of IL research toward a holistic view of Information
ELIS, especially in contexts outside of education or work (e.g. hobbies, leisure). ELIS seeks to literacy 2020
understand how people navigate their daily lives and solve problems, and a constructionist
approach views IL as more than a skill but as information practices in specific situations,
including social processes and relationships in the production of knowledge. It calls for
continued expansion of research and attention to ELIS using existing theoretical frameworks.
Lee, T., Lee, B.-K., and Lee-Geiller, S. (2020), “The effects of information literacy on trust in
government websites: Evidence from an online experiment”, International Journal of 403
Information Management, Vol. 52.
Survey of Korean adults (n 5 500) to assess the relationships between IL confidence,
information overload, website usefulness and trust in government websites. Findings reveal
that the greater confidence participants have in their information evaluation skills, the less
information overload they experience. Information overload also negatively impacts
perceived usefulness and trust of government websites. It concludes with
recommendations for e-government providers and policymakers to minimize information
overload on government websites.
Li, C. and Li, M. (2020), “The policy information gap and resettlers’ well-being: Evidence
from the anti-poverty relocation and resettlement program in China”, International Journal of
Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 17 No. 8, pp. 2957–2977.
It examines the relationship between subjective well-being, the policy information gap and
the distribution of information on the antipoverty relocation settlement program (ASRP) in
Shaanxi Province, China. It uses data on 550 relocated households collected in 2015 from a
rural livelihood and environment survey conducted by Xi’an Jiaotong University. Data
reveals that across different populations, male, elderly and low-income resettlers are more
sensitive to policy information gaps. The authors argue that rather than simply publicizing
public policy, the focus should be on improving the ability of resettlers to acquire and
comprehend information, and that more effort should be made to support information
disadvantaged constituencies.
Lloyd, A. (2020), “Shaping the contours of fractured landscapes: Extending the layering of
an information perspective on refugee resettlement”, Information Processing and
Management, Vol. 57 No. 3.
It introduces theories and concepts related to information practices of refugees to navigate
the fractured information landscape they encounter during the resettlement process.
Refugees use various technologies and digital spaces to negotiate their responses and
solutions to resettlement and integration. The author describes three themes that describe the
information environment refugees navigate in their countries of resettlement: intensification
(information overload), disjuncture (disrupture) and liminality (the inhabitation of “between
spaces”). While information obtained through technology often enables refugees to remake
themselves in a receiving country, it can also create conditions for inequality.
Maertens, R., Roozenbeek, J., Basol, M., and van der Linden, S. (2020), “Long-term
effectiveness of inoculation against misinformation: Three longitudinal experiments”, Journal
of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Vol. 27 No. 1.
It describes a series of three longitudinal experiments (n1 5 151, n2 5 194, n3 5 87) that
measure psychological inoculation to misinformation in the news using the Bad News Game,
a social media simulator with objectives to gain influence and spread misinformation while
avoiding being discredited. The first experiment with follow-up tests finds a significant
inoculation effect with little decay through 13 weeks; the second without follow up tests finds
decay of inoculation effect after 9 weeks; and the third finds the previous experimental
findings “unlikely to be because of item-specific or item-ratio effect.” It mentions the
possibility for future research to focus on interventions that may alter belief and mindset
rather than defend against misinformation.
RSR Marcella, R. and Chowdhury, G. (2020), “Eradicating information poverty: An agenda for
49,3/4 research”, Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 52 No. 2, pp. 366–381.
It reflects on the results of a roundtable discussion of LIS academics entitled
“Empowerment through information: Tackling barriers to information and information
poverty amongst disadvantaged groups” at the conference Information, Interactions and
Impact (I3) in 2017. Coding of the conversation between the 11 participants reveals themes
including: definitions of poverty and information poverty, literacy and information literacy,
404 information to reduce poverty, government information, LIS initiatives tackling information
poverty and social justice and information. Based on the conversation around these themes,
aspects of information poverty identify areas for future research including information as an
agent to eradicate poverty, the causal factors resulting in information poverty, creation and
production activities to combat information poverty and better understanding of areas of
extreme disadvantage and aspects of information need.
Marshall, M.B., Cox, A., and Birdi, B. (2020), “The role of information in the migration
experience of young Polish women in the UK”, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 76 No 4, pp.
849–868.
Interviews with (n 5 21) female Polish economic migrants to the United Kingdom on their
information-seeking behaviors. Unlike refugees, these migrants are able to plan for their
migration using a variety of information sources, such as government websites and social
connections, and overall they have greater autonomy and self-direction, better English-
language skills, more cultural similarities and more IL skills to navigate their new
information landscape. The authors also identify factors that influence the information-
seeking behaviors of economic migrants versus refugees at various stages of migration to
demonstrate a broader perspective of the migrant experience beyond barriers and challenges.
Matteson, M.L. and Gersch, B. (2020), “Information literacy instruction in public libraries”,
Journal of Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 2.
Study of how (n 5 21) public librarians taught IL through one-on-one patron interactions
using data collected from a one-time survey and web-based diary entries after each shift over
the course of five shifts. Drawing from the four stages of the Fundamental Process Model of
IL (plan, access, judge, communicate), thematic analysis revealed that instructional
interactions were most often related to searching for and evaluating information for
everyday life information-seeking needs. Although public librarians felt that teaching was a
core part of their job, the authors argued that approaches to teaching IL could be enhanced by
greater structural support from public libraries and preparation in library school.
McDowell, Z.J. and Vetter, M.A. (2020), “It takes a village to combat a fake news army:
Wikipedia’s community and policies for information literacy”, Social Media and Society, Vol. 6
No. 3.
Analysis of Wikipedia’s community policies and structure for their ability to mitigate false
information. The five pillars of Wikipedia strictly reinforce traditional information
hierarchies, which increases the reliability of the encyclopedia. The authors argue that
other social media platforms can learn three lessons from Wikipedia for combating fake news:
move away from a click-through advertising incentive structure, policy as pedagogy and
function as a community of practice.
Merimaa, K. and Lepik, K. (2020), “Information literacy on the political agenda: An
analysis of Estonian national strategic documents”, Central European Journal of
Communication, Vol. 13, pp. 183–201.
It explores the use of the language of IL in (n 5 15) Estonian government policy documents
related to IL concepts dating from 1998 to 2014. It uses textual analysis and critical discourse
analysis methods to describe and analyze both explicit references to IL and implied
references. It concludes that explicit engagement with IL is oriented around technology use
with few other aspects of IL discussed.
 Mothiba, I.M. and Enakrire, R.T. (2020), “Influence of information literacy competencies on Information
users of the Saulsville public library, South Africa”, Mousaion, Vol. 38 No. 2. literacy 2020
Survey of (n 5 112) young public library users in South Africa on their IL competencies to
find information for a particular information need based on the Society of College, National
and University Libraries (SCONUL) seven pillars of IL. Findings reveal that most participants
are unaware of IL competencies, they primarily gain awareness via assignments, use of the
Internet and study in the library, and they gain IL skills by using tools such as Google,
Wikipedia and Google Scholar. It suggests offering IL training through the public library and 405
in the school curriculum and updating collections and computers in the library to facilitate
use of the Internet.
Naveed, M.A. and Anwar, M.A. (2020), “Towards information anxiety and beyond”,
Webology, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 65–80.
It builds on Wurman’s (1989) concept of information anxiety to propose a new anxiety
framework composed of six parts: task conceptualization, need recognition, finding
information, evaluating information, accessing information and using information. The
authors present the nonlinear framework and correlative literature from LIS for each stage.
They ultimately argue that this new framework is crucial for IL instruction in schools and
understanding information-seeking behaviors in everyday life and encourage further
research applying this framework.
Ondego, V.K.O. (2020), Web Search Behavior and Results Selection by Non-native
English Searchers, PhD Dissertation, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD.
A mixed-methods research study exploring the information-seeking behavior of non-
English native Internet users in an English-dominant online environment. Conversational
English-speaking Kenyans (n 5 42) participating in the study were biased toward English-
language content because of the belief that English-language content is more accurate than
other languages and the availability of English-language content as a whole. The study
provides a detailed framework investigating the information-seeking behavior of other
populations through questionnaires, interviews and search tasks.
Pedersen, J. and Hahn, S.E. (2020), “Library instruction versus employers’ needs: Do recent
graduates have the critical thinking skills and soft skills needed for success?", Practical
Academic Librarianship: The International Journal of the SLA, Vol. 10 No. 1, pp. 38–53.
It reviews the literature about recent graduates’ education in critical thinking and analysis
skills as applied to using online sources for research and synthesis in problem-solving and how
these skills and education translate to their work environments with a slight focus on literature
involving graduates of business programs. It notes employers’ perception that graduates
overrate their research skills or find it difficult to apply IL dispositions they learned in college to
their work environment and job needs. It stresses connecting IL skills to future needs in the
workplace, such as verifying information for credibility, providing citations for facts and
figures and obtaining information outside of library-subscribed resources.
Pendell, K. and Kimball, E. (2020), “Academic library instruction, evidence-based practice,
and social workers: An exploratory survey”, Behavioral and Social Sciences Librarian, Vol. 36
No. 4, pp. 209–224.
Survey of (n 5 123) social workers about their use of evidence-based practice (EBP)
research, access to professional scholarly literature and IL instruction during their academic
program in social work. About 85% indicated that EBP research is important to social work
practice and around 60% have access to peer-reviewed articles with cost being a barrier for
many. Around half of participants received IL instruction, although most indicated that they
would have liked more interaction with the librarian and continued access to resources after
graduation, which might be addressed through workshops for graduating students and
larger-scale outreach about the use of open-access journals and access to resources available
through several prominent professional organizations named in the article.
RSR Rozukalne, A., Skulte, I., and Stakle, A. (2020), “Media education in the common interest:
49,3/4 Public perceptions of media literacy policy in Latvia”, Central European Journal of
Communication, Vol. 13, pp. 202–229.
Study of (n 5 1,017) public perceptions of media literacy in Latvia. Over 50% of survey
respondents did not have an interest in media literacy, with a higher interest in populations in
the capital city and surrounding areas, those with a tertiary education and those with higher
levels of income. Only 34% of respondents rated their media literacy as sufficient, while most
406 respondents chose knowledge and the ability to use current technologies, such as
smartphones and the Internet, as one of the most important items that could mitigate the
risks of insufficient media literacy to Latvian society.
Samah, N.A., Mohd Tahir, L., Wan Mamat, W.A.W.Y., Talib, R., and Abdul Latif, A.
(2020), “Malaysian research-support librarians’ self-directed learning traits: Examining
demographic differences and their relationship with competencies”, Journal of Librarianship
and Information Science.
Study of (n 5 215) reference librarians at (n 5 10) public universities in Malaysia
examining their competencies and self-directed learning practices. Assessing through the
Knowles andragogy-adult learning theory and the Canadian Association of Research
Libraries’ (CARL) Core-Competencies for 21st Century Librarians model finds respondents
scored highest on “role of the learner’s experience” and “readiness to learn” for self-directed
learning traits and “interpersonal skills,” “information literacy” and “entrepreneurialism” for
competencies. It finds statistically significant differences by gender, length of service and
academic qualifications for various dimensions and creates a model for librarians to
incorporate self-directed learning traits that are positively correlated with CARL
competencies to improve development and practice. It recommends increasing
opportunities for training and job rotation to upskill in a variety of work environments.
Schultheiß, S. and Lewandowski, D. (2020), “How users’ knowledge of advertisements
influences their viewing and selection behavior in search engines”, Journal of the Association
for Information Science and Technology, Vol. 72, pp. 285–301.
It describes an eye-tracking experiment (n 5 100) in combination with prestudy
interviews and poststudy questionnaires to determine the extent to which viewing and
clicking behavior on search engine ads correlates with their understanding of search engine
advertising, as well as differences in behavior patterns on desktop versus smartphone
screens for Google search engine results pages (SERPs). It finds that the first text ad on the
top of the SERP and the first shopping ad received more visual attention on smartphones and
confirms previous research findings that users with a low level of knowledge about search
advertising are more likely to click on ads than users with a higher level of knowledge.
Seifi, L., Habibi, M., and Ayati, M. (2020), “The effect of information literacy instruction on
lifelong learning readiness”, IFLA Journal, Vol. 46 No. 3, pp. 259–270.
Pre- and posttest of (n 5 30) Iranian high schoolers at a public library on their readiness for
lifelong learning, which includes self-directed learning, readiness to overcome deterrents to
participating and readiness to respond to triggers for learning. After seven weeks of training
covering a range of IL skills, the experimental group showed an increase in self-directed
learning and readiness to overcome deterrents to participating, but their overall lifelong
learning skills did not increase significantly. Nonetheless, participants learned valuable skills
that would help them in their studies and additional IL training in public libraries is
recommended.
Sheng, J. and Lu, Q. (2020), “The influence of information communication technology on
farmers’ sales channels in environmentally affected areas of China”, Environmental Science
and Pollution Research International, Vol. 27 No. 34, pp. 42,513–42,529.
It compares IL through the accessibility of ICT via a probit model between farmers’ sales
channels with versus without mobile phones and Internet access in the Shandong province of
China. Using field survey data from 2017, authors’ findings include the active use of ICT is Information
more important than the simple accessibility of ICT (suggesting that training in rural areas literacy 2020
can lead to improved awareness and IL) and the need for increased infrastructure in the form
of information service coverage and relevant agricultural information.
Steinr€ucke, J., Veldkamp, B. P., and de Jong, T. (2020), “Information literacy skills
assessment in digital crisis management training for the safety domain: Developing an
unobtrusive method”, Frontiers in Education, Vol. 5, pp. 1–12.
It describes the development of a Digital Serious Game meant to assess the IL skills (based 407
on ACRL Standards 1 through 4) of (n 5 40) Dutch public safety, emergency and civic
professionals during a fictional terrorist attack crisis management situation, which was
successful in creating assessment models for Standards 1 and 2. Further studies can build on
this foundation and future games can include self-reflective components that mirror
professional training and practices.
Tudor, M.-A. and Ladjouzi, F. (2020), “Information literacy practices of young Internet
users related to the production of religious content: 2019 Algerian protests case”, Journal of
African Media Studies, Vol. 12 No. 2, pp. 97–122.
It examines redocumentarization of religious content by Algerian Internet users to
understand the role of Islam in the 2019 Algerian protests. It finds that while the central core
of the protests is religious, digital media represents the diversity of Algerian society as a
whole. Furthermore, the manner in which digital media is redocumentarized indicates
technical and IL skills such as message creation, self-efficacy, identity construction and
meaning production.
Ummah, N.H. and Al Fajri, M.S. (2020), “Communication strategies used in teaching
media information literacy for combating hoaxes in Indonesia: A case study of Indonesian
national movements”, Informacijos Mokslai/Information Sciences, Vol. 90, pp. 26–41.
Study in Indonesia conducted through in-depth interviews of three communities. All three
communities had the goal of educating the community on IL-related issues through online
activities via social media, text messaging and offline communication. Offline communication
was preferred by organizations as a way to directly engage with the community with
supplemental Instagram posts mostly showing in person events and low online engagement
rates despite the fact that Indonesia has a large number of Internet users.
Wu, D., Yu, L., Yang, H.H., Zhu, S., and Tsai, C. (2020), “Parents’ profiles concerning ICT
proficiency and their relation to adolescents’ information literacy: A latent profile analysis
approach”, British Journal of Educational Technology, Vol. 51 No. 6, pp. 2268–2285.
Study analyzes parent profiles to investigate the relationship between their ICT proficiency
and adolescents’ IL skills. Results indicate that adolescents whose parents were identified as
active and compliant users performed better than those of parents categorized as quiescent
users. Findings highlight strategies for enhancing and cultivating adolescents’ IL skills.
Wu, K. (2020), A UX Design Project for a Transparent News Platform, Master’s Thesis,
Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY.
Assessment of user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) needs of internal and external
users of a theoretical website used to tackle fake news online. The author identified current
difficulties surrounding fake news and addressed users’ need to be able to connect news with
evidence as members of the public, news reporters and news editors. Although the scope was
limited (n 5 14), this thesis introduced simple UI/UX principles using the framework of
information visualization through fake news.
Yarnykh, V.I., Makarova, N.Y., and Onuchina, K.K. (2020), “Media and information
literacy in the structure of the corporate training system”, Asia Life Sciences, Vol. 22 No. 2, pp.
661–673.
It explores the gaps in digital and media literacy in corporate environments highlighted by
the increase in remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers emphasize the
RSR importance of including media, information and digital literacies in corporate education
49,3/4 programs to improve competencies for working in a remote environment and interacting with
company media online. These findings highlight the importance of recognizing generational
skill and knowledge gaps, especially in relation to technology use.

Libraries and health information literacy

408 Abelsson, T., Mortenius, H., Bergman, S., and Karlsson, A.K. (2020), “Quality and availability
of information in primary healthcare: The patient perspective”, Scandinavian Journal of
Primary Health Care, Vol. 38 No. 1, pp. 33–41.
Interviews with (n 5 17) Swedish primary care patients on their experiences
communicating with health professionals and obtaining information about their
conditions. Three themes emerged: the need for easy access, the need for adaptation and
information exchange, under which were subcategories of information evaluation and
quality. Participants often turned to the Internet/Google, online health services and family/
friends to verify information from their healthcare provider and make decisions.
Ameri, F., Keeling, K., and Salehnejad, R. (2020), “You get what you pay for on health care
question and answer platforms: Nonparticipant observational study”, Journal of Medical
Internet Research, Vol. 22 No. 1.
An analysis of the varying quality of nine different health Q&A platforms available to
laypeople seeking health information online: AllExperts, AnswerBag, ChaCha, Google Answers,
JustAnswer, Mahalo Answers, Quora, WebMD and Yahoo Answers. Specially trained human
raters with medical expertise analyzed each platform to identify how platform design impacts the
quality of health advice available online and its accessibility for everyday users who may lack the
necessary expertise to meaningfully evaluate the health information they find online. Results
indicated that the highest quality medical information available online requires payment, making
it less accessible to low-income users and that the quality of the question significantly impacted
the quality of the answer, a further disadvantage for lower literacy users.
Amit, A.A., Ruban, A., and Dubovi, I. (2020), “Knowledge and information credibility
evaluation strategies regarding COVID-19: A cross-sectional study,” Nursing Outlook, Vol. 69,
pp. 22–31.
A cross-sectional study exploring nurses’ level of knowledge and evaluation skills
regarding COVID-19 in Israel. Findings showed gaps in the depth of knowledge, particularly
in the procedural knowledge and preventative behaviors for COVID-19. The gaps can be
explained by the novelty, but the authors also acknowledged the importance of ongoing
training for nurses and healthcare workers.
Ancker, J.S., Grossman, L.V., and Benda, N.C. (2020), “Health literacy 2030: Is it time to
redefine the term?”, Journal of General Internal Medicine, Vol. 35 No. 8, pp. 2427–2430.
It examines a proposed change by the US Department of Health and Human Services to
the definition of “health literacy” for Healthy People 2030 from focusing on an individual’s
understanding and interpretation of health information to make health decisions to a focus on
the overall society’s provision of health information to individuals that they can understand
and use to make such decisions. It argues that while this definition moves away from a deficit
model for conceptualizing individuals’ health literacy, it confuses the common understanding
of what health literacy means, both inside the health field and outside of it, creating
difficulties for research in this area. It offers “health information fluency” as a term to
encompass both individual and societal concerns in health literacy-related topics.
Anumudu, C.E. and Ibrahim, A.M. (2020), “Susceptibility awareness via media platforms is
the key for curbing the spread of COVID-19 infections: Evidence from the health belief model
perspective”, International Journal of Media and Information Literacy, Vol. 5 No. 2,
pp. 123–133.
 Survey of (n 5 450) Nigerian social media users on the results of information about Information
COVID-19 provided on preventative health behaviors and beliefs about susceptibility to literacy 2020
COVID-19. Using the Health Belief Model (HBM), the authors evaluated the relationship
between self-efficacy and cues to action in terms of the perceived susceptibility to COVID-19
based on information users accessed via social media. Results indicated that while perceived
susceptibility to COVID-19 had a small effect on mediating actions, perceived susceptibility
was relatively low among respondents.
Azami, M., Sharifi, H., and Alvandpur, S. (2020), “Evaluating the relationship between 409
information literacy and evidence-based nursing and their impact on knowledge and attitude of
nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences on medication
errors”, Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, Vol. 9 No. 8, pp. 4097–4106.
It investigates the relationships between IL, evidence-based nursing practice, nurses’
dispositions toward information and medication errors in a population of (n 5 164) nurses
working at four university hospitals in Iran. The study’s questionnaire assesses familiarity
with evidence-based practices, IL and medication errors, as well as demographic information.
Results indicate a significant positive relationship between IL and successfully practicing
evidence-based nursing.
Bernstein, M.T., Garber, J., Faucher, P., Reynolds, K., Restall, G., Walker, J.R., and Singh, H.
(2020), “New patient education video on colonoscopy preparation: Development and evaluation
study”, JMIR Human Factors, Vol, 7 No. 4.
Study of (n 5 232) participant preferences for a new and comparative educational video on
colonoscopy preparation. Overall, patients preferred the new video and after randomly
counterbalancing the order of the videos, and participants were more likely to prefer the new
video if they watched it after the comparative video. Conclusions from the study implied that
individuals with varying levels of health IL may benefit from videos and other accessible
educational materials to reduce anxiety and improve outcomes.
Chang, I.C., Lin, P.J., Chen, T.H., and Chang, C.H. (2020), “Cultural impact on the intention
to use nursing information systems of Nurses in Taiwan and China: Survey and analysis”,
Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol. 22 No. 8.
Study of (n 5 440) nurses working at hospitals in mainland China and Taiwan on their use
of and dispositions toward nursing information systems. Results indicate that among nurses
working in China, effort expectancy is the primary factor influencing nursing systems use,
though this does not affect nurses working in Taiwan.
Crosswell, L.H. (2020), “The doctor in my pocket: Examining mobile approaches to personal
wellbeing”, Perspectives in Public Health, Vol. 140 No. 2, pp. 93–101.
A study of mobile technologies in medical practice based on testimonies from experts in
the field through a double-round Delphi survey method, the first (n 5 11) and second (n 5 9)
both consisting of an average 17.7 years of professional practice. The findings show a
positive trend toward mobile communication, engagement and information distribution as
the healthcare industry adopts more digital technologies. The findings also caution not to
ignore those without the capabilities of communicating via mobile technologies and the
need for patients to be good consumers of information capable of discerning information
accuracy.
Ekoko, O.N. (2020), “An assessment of health information literacy among rural women in
Delta State, Nigeria”, Library Philosophy and Practice.
Semistructured interviews with (n 5 252) randomly sampled Nigerian women living in
rural Delta State on their functional (i.e. reading, writing and numeracy), communicative or
interactive and critical health IL skills, as well as the sources they consult for health
information. It found that most had no formal education, could not read or understand health
information and made critical health decisions based on advice from traditional healers,
relatives and chemists instead of scientific sources. The authors concluded with suggestions
RSR for how libraries can fill gaps in education, provide services and consumer health information
49,3/4 and collaborate with women’s groups in primary health programs.
Fu, S., Chen, X., and Zheng, H. (2020), “Exploring an adverse impact of smartphone
overuse on academic performance via health issues: A stimulus-organism-response
perspective”, Behaviour and Information Technology.
It examines the relationship between health issues and students’ academic performance
based on the role of health IL having a positive effect on people’s ability to obtain and process
410 health information and subsequent health-related decisions. Using the stimulus–organism–
response (S-O-R) framework, the authors adapt existing validated scales through data
collected via questionnaires (n 5 6,855) through a public university in Central China. It
concludes that health IL plays a moderating role in smartphone overuse, helping to reduce
insomnia and poor eyesight but not nomophobia or the psychological fear of being detached
from smartphones.
Hirvonen, N., Enwald, H., Mayer, A.-K., Korpelainen, R., Pyky, R., Salonurmi, T.,
Savolainen, M.J., Nengomasha, C., Abankwah, R., Uutoni, W., Niemel€a, R., and Huotari, M.-L.
(2020), “Screening everyday health information literacy among four populations”, Health
Information and Libraries Journal, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp. 192–203.
Study using a three-factor structure of an Everyday Health Information Literacy (EHIL)
screening tool measuring awareness, access and assessment to find where individuals or
groups may need support when faced with obstacles surrounding health information.
Between the three factors measured, findings showed that there were various differences
between groups, which supported the screening tool and its effectiveness within various
multicultural backgrounds and health conditions.
Jimenez, G., Spinazze, P., Matchar, D., Koh Choon Huat, G., van der Kleij, R.M.J.J.,
Chavannes, N.H., and Car, J. (2020), “Digital health competencies for primary healthcare
professionals: A scoping review”, International Journal of Medical Informatics, Vol. 143.
Scoping review of (n 5 28) literature related to digital health competencies in primary care
in which several domains are identified, including IL. Although most findings relate to
information technology, informatics and digital competencies, seven studies include IL. The
authors recommend developing curricula and training programs to improve digital
competencies of healthcare professionals and health outcomes.
Kaynar, N.S., Secginli, S., and West, K., (2020), “Psychometric testing of the Turkish
version of the technology informatics guiding educational reform-based assessment of
nursing informatics competencies tool”, Computers, Informatics, Nursing, Vol. 38 No. 11,
pp. 572–578.
It presents the authors’ work to translate, adapt and validate a tool to evaluate nurses’
informatics competencies for a Turkish audience. It describes the process to test their
translated version of the TIGER-based Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competencies
(TANIC) Tool on (n 5 481) practicing nurses. The translated tool is reliable and has high
content validity. It recommends that nursing students be tested using the tool to identify any
gaps in their informatics skills and address nursing informatics in nursing schools.
Liu, N., Li, P., Wang, J., Guo, P.-P., Zhang, X.-H., Yang, S., Yu, L., Zhang, X.-M., and Zhang,
W. (2020), “Factors influencing breast cancer awareness: A cross-sectional study in China”,
Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, Vol. 9 No. 10, pp. 679–689.
It studied women in China (n 5 274) for breast cancer awareness and its predictors in order
to increase breast cancer screenings and reduce the occurrence of cancer. Participants
received the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure and Health Information Literacy Self-Rating
Scale in addition to demographic questionnaires. Breast cancer awareness was moderate
among the entire sample and higher levels of awareness were associated with more frequent
screenings, higher educational attainment of husbands, closeness, proximity to local
hospitals and higher levels of health IL. As a more easily modifiable factor than other
predictive variables, the authors recommended that health practitioners focus on increasing Information
health IL to reduce breast cancer. literacy 2020
Naeem, S.B. and Bhatti, R. (2020a), “The COVID-19 ‘infodemic’: A new front for
information professionals”, Health Information and Libraries Journal, Vol. 37 No. 3, pp.
233–239.
It describes how the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the spread of health misinformation
and disinformation, or an “infodemic.” The authors advocate for health science librarians to
play an active role in stemming health misinformation through creating research guides on 411
fake news and evaluating information. They also provide different resources including myth
busting sites through the World Health Organization, fact checkers and other resources for
librarians to address misinformation.
Naeem, S.B. and Bhatti, R. (2020b), “Measures of self-efficacy among doctors in conducting
an online search for clinical decision making”, Health Information and Libraries Journal, Vol. 37
No. 2, pp. 128–142.
Cross-sectional survey and questionnaire of (n 5 517) doctors in Punjab, Pakistan, on their
use of online health databases. Over 50% of the doctors surveyed had never used any medical
databases for clinical decisions, and while most expressed confidence in their ability to
perform basic searching strategies such as keyword identification, a majority of doctors had
little or no confidence in their ability to conduct advanced searches, with age and years of
experience factoring in their self-evaluation. The authors recommended that health sciences
librarians launch publicity campaigns about health databases and provide IL sessions,
particularly to rural health providers, in order to increase awareness and efficacy in using
online databases.
Ncube, M.M. and Tsvuura, G. (2020), “Access to health-related information in a selected
community in the Gokwe South District, Zimbabwe”, Mousaion, Vol. 38 No. 2.
Survey of (n 5 72) Zimbabwean community members on their access to health-related
information, supplemented by data from interviews with (n 5 3) information professionals.
Findings reveal that participants primarily access health information from clinics, the radio
and indigenous knowledge systems, especially in rural areas. Although participants face
barriers such as a lack of libraries, health information centers, Internet access and digital
literacy skills, the authors argue for reinstituting community libraries, offering health
information centers or kiosks and providing digital and information literacy training.
Odigie, S.A. and Obinyan, G.A. (2020), “Health information literacy in meeting primary
health care objectives in Nigeria: A performance assessment in a senatorial district”, Scholedge
International Journal of Multidisciplinary and Allied Studies, Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 14–29.
Assessment of staffing, equipment, services and utilization of primary care health centers
between 2009 and 2015 in the Central Senatorial District of Edo State, Nigeria, to meet
sustainable health goals based on a survey of (n 5 286) staff, interviews and documentary
analysis. Challenges to providing quality care include low health IL among staff and patients,
inadequate training, funds and staffing and other challenges in rural areas, such as a lack of
access to clean water, unstable electricity and poor sanitation. Overcoming these challenges
through adequate funding, trained personnel and health IL education may improve
healthcare delivery in the future.
Peng, Y., Yin, P., Deng, Z., and Wang, R. (2020), “Patient-physician interaction and trust in
online health community: The role of perceived usefulness of health information and services”,
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, Vol. 17 No. 1.
Quantitative study examining the influence of online health IL and online physician
guidance on patient–physician interaction and trust in China. Researchers conducted a web-
based survey and employed structural equation modeling to analyze applications gathered
from (n 5 446) participants in two Chinese hospitals. Results reflected trends in health
information-seeking behavior, highlighting how most Chinese Internet users are far more
RSR likely to consult online health information versus traditional health consultations. Findings
49,3/4 indicated that online health information support from doctors builds positive patient–
physician interaction.
Rachmani, E., Hsu, C.-Y., Chang, P.W., Fuad, A., Nurjanah, N., Shidik, G.F., Ningrum,
D.N.A., and Lin, M.-C. (2020), “Development and validation of an instrument for measuring
competencies on public health informatics of primary health care worker (PHIC4PHC) in
Indonesia”, Primary Health Care Research and Development, Vol. 21.
412 Description of the development, pretesting, field testing and validation of an assessment
instrument for measuring primary healthcare workers’ public health informatics
competencies, including computer, ethical and health literacy skills. A two-round Delphi
technique was used to refine an initial questionnaire, followed by two pretest pilot studies
(n 5 40 and n 5 35), with a final field test of (n 5 462) public healthcare workers. Testing and
validation confirmed that the tool is both valid and reliable for measuring public health
informatics competencies in urban and rural public healthcare facilities.
Shiferaw, K.B., Tilahun, B.C., Endehabtu, B.F., Gullslett, M.K., and Mengiste, S.A. (2020),
“E-health literacy and associated factors among chronic patients in a low-income country: A
cross-sectional survey”, BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, Vol. 20 No. 1.
Cross-sectional survey (n 5 404) assessing the eHealth literacy levels of patients with
chronic diseases treated at a university hospital in Ethiopia. It finds that higher levels of
education, Internet usage and income have significant positive effects on eHealth literacy skills.
It recommends further research into other factors that impact eHealth literacy levels and calls
for action on the government and hospital level to help increase eHealth literacy in patients.
Taheri, A., Langarizadeh, M., Dehkordi, J., and Yousefianzadeh, O. (2020), “Development
of health literacy among postgraduate students: From information literacy perspective”,
Journal of Education and Health Promotion, Vol. 9 No. 1.
Survey of (n 5 354) Master of Science and PhD students investigating the relationship
between IL and health literacy. Findings show that there is a positive and significant
relationship between the two and that the overall level of IL was higher than the average level.
The authors recommend that future studies look into other populations, such as public
library patrons, health consumers and so on, to examine the correlation and variations of IL
and health literacy.
Tangcharoensathien, V., Calleja, N., Nguyen, T., Purnat, T., D’Agostino, M., Garcia-Saiso,
S., Landry, M., Rashidian, A., Hamilton, C., AbdAllah, A., Ghiga, I., Hill, A., Hougendobler, D.,
van Andel, J., Nunn, M., Brooks, I., Sacco, P.L., de Domenico, M., Mai, P., . . . Briand, S. (2020),
“Framework for managing the COVID-19 infodemic: Methods and results of an online,
crowdsourced who technical consultation”, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Vol. 22 No. 6.
It describes World Health Organization collaborative online effort to tackle the COVID-19
infodemic (i.e. overload of information and misinformation during a pandemic), in which 1,483
registrants around the world provided input based on their various areas of expertise. Five
themes emerge from 594 suggestions: “identify evidence,” “science and knowledge
translation,” “amplify action,” “quantify impact” and “coordination, standards and
governance,” culminating in a 50-point framework. It highlights the growing field of
infodemiology to combat contemporary health crises.
Teolis, M.G. (2020), “Improving nurses’ skills and supporting a culture of evidence-based
practice”, Medical Reference Services Quarterly, Vol. 39 No. 1, pp. 60–66.
Previous research shows that nurses are either not equipped or not given adequate time to
integrate EBP into their care. The author describes a plan for how hospital librarians can
collaborate with nurse educators to offer three continuing education credit workshops that
scaffold training to nurses on EBP. In the hopes of improving outcomes for patients, nurses
need to be able to formulate PICOT questions, use library resources to find relevant materials,
appraise the quality of evidence and integrate the best available evidence into their care.
 Yang, S., Li, P., Yu, L., Liu, N., Wang, J., Guo, P., Zhang, X., and Zhang, W. (2020), “Breast Information
cancer awareness based on health information literacy and influential factors among female literacy 2020
nursing students in China”, Journal of Cancer Education, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 15–28.
Survey of (n 5 205) female Chinese nursing students using the Breast Cancer Awareness
Measurement (C-BCAM) and Health Information Literacy Self-Rating Scale (HILSS). Findings
among these participants reveal average health IL scores, a good level of breast cancer
awareness and three statistically significant factors influencing breast cancer awareness:
level of education, training in breast self-examination and intention to undergo breast cancer 413
screenings. Since future nurses are educators and promoters of early breast cancer
prevention, the authors recommend additional blended learning training on breast self-
examination and developing students’ abilities to find and evaluate health information.

Multiple library types

Agosto, D.E. (2020), Information Literacy and Libraries in the Age of Fake News, Libraries
Unlimited, Santa Barbara, California.
Edited collection on fake news and librarians’ pursuit to help learners understand what
information to trust and the importance of thinking critically about information, particularly
in light of social media and political controversy. Chapters range from the origins of fake
news to economic inequality, intellectual freedom and intersections with media literacy. It
includes perspectives from academic, public and school libraries and describes their role in
addressing fake news in their respective realms of influence.
Chandler, R., Grote, L., and Reynolds, L. (2020), “Making moves: Engaging students in
information literacy instruction with kinesthetic activities”, Kentucky Libraries, Vol. 84 No. 3,
pp. 11–15.
It introduces kinesthetic activities as an active learning technique in IL instruction to
increase student engagement and expand teaching methodology. Little research is available
on kinesthetic activities in the IL setting, and more is needed; however, a review of the
literature in other disciplinary educational settings shows positive outcomes for kinesthetic
activities including increased learning and reduced stress. It provides and describes sample
activities including “line-up,” where students are prompted to step forward or back in
response to questions; “opinion,” where students move to different parts of the room based on
their stance on a topic; and “stations,” where students engage with and complete IL activities
at different stations around the room.
Dolnicar, D., Boh Podgornik, B., Bartol, T., and Sorgo, A. (2020), “Added value of
secondary school education toward development of information literacy of adolescents”,
Library and Information Science Research, Vol. 42 No. 2.
Assessment of the level of IL of secondary school students in Slovenia to discover
differences between secondary school freshman and university freshman to define a
framework based on gaps. Overall, findings showed that more emphasis should be put on the
secondary schools to improve retention and practice in applying learned skills. The
framework defined is one that should apply to both school librarians and subject librarians to
keep the IL reaching focused on relevant topics and issues found in the study, such as search
strategies.
Erich, A.T. (2020), “Libraries reaction of Romania to the crisis caused by COVID-19",
Postmodern Openings/Deschideri Postmoderne, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 332–343.
It analyzed websites and social media of various types of libraries including Romanian
national libraries, county public libraries, central university libraries, state or private
universities and medical libraries from March 16–April 13, 2020, to determine how libraries
were responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with IL resources to the public. The only type of
library that transmitted COVID-19 health-related information from reliable sources was
RSR county libraries, with other types of libraries sharing information related to accessing online
49,3/4 library collections and programming. The author recommended that libraries use their
position as the primary source of reliable information to provide quick and easy access to
those looking for information on what to do in an emergency.
Hanz, K. and Kingsland, E.S. (2020), “Fake or for real? A fake news workshop”, Reference
Services Review, Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 91–112.
Case study in Canada of an IL workshop presented to various audiences, including high
414 school, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as academic staff and faculty, with a
focus on identifying fake news. Authors share the iterations and modifications over the
course of 19 workshops in two years, such as examining tweets from Donald Trump and
articles from WebMD or The New York Times with the CRAAP test, detecting doctored
images found online and gamifying the identification process with content from The
Guardian’s Instagram “Fake or Real” videos. It provides a structure that aligns with the
ACRL Framework and various examples to make IL workshops more engaging and effective.
Kanazawa, M. (2020), “An analysis of web pages for school support services in public library
websites in Japan”, Public Library Quarterly.
Study examining (n 5 636) public library websites in Japan and analyzing those with
web pages specifically addressing support for local schools (n 5 136). It finds that 59 library
websites provide information on all five key aspects identified as “School Support
Services,” “Resource Sharing,” “Cooperative Library Programs,” “Teaching Support” for
teachers and staff and “Learning Support” for students. While 76 library websites contain
resources supporting student reading, learning and IL, only 21 provide library how-to
guides and only 10 provide information on searching the children’s catalog. It provides a
content model for public library school support services on web pages for both Japan and
the United States.
Kassim, E.S., Hairuddin, H., Chowdhury, M.H.M., Al-Din, Z.H.M., and Azhar, N.S.N.
(2020), “Digital competencies among generation z: Comparison between countries”, Journal of
Critical Reviews, Vol. 7 No. 16, pp. 741–751.
It describes a study exploring gaps in digital IL and ICT through comparisons between
Malaysia and Bangladesh of Generation Z (n 5 107). In their study, the authors find students’
digital competency attitudes, computer self-efficacy and IL higher with increased daily use of
digital technologies in everyday lives. This finding refutes common notions that members of
Generation Z are naturally digital information literate.
Meyer, M.S. and Cranmore, J. (2020), “Supporting the information gathering practices of
academically advanced college-bound students”, Psychology in the Schools, Vol. 57 No. 7,
pp. 1057–1076.
Study of the research practices of (n 5 10) college-bound high school seniors related to
college applications and selecting a college. Data was gathered through semistructured
interviews with participants to determine what information they sought during this process
and what sources of information they used to meet their information needs. Results suggested
that students use direct contact with university workers, word of mouth, online sources and
campus visits to find information about campus culture, peer support, academic support and
career development opportunities.
Nzomo, P. and Fehrmann, P. (2020), “Advocacy engagement: The role of information
literacy skills”, Journal of Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 41–65.
Rapid scoping review mapping advocacy skills, knowledge and behaviors to IL skills to
understand how IL instruction can improve effective advocacy outcomes for individuals. It
finds close associations with IL outcomes for the knowledge component, notably researching,
making sense of, contextualizing, critically thinking about and communicating about a
situation or issue. It recommends early and lifelong IL skills instruction in a variety of settings
to empower individuals as effective health, education, social, policy and self-advocates.
 Sadler, T.D., Friedrichsen, P., Zangori, L., and Ke, L. (2020), “Technology-supported Information
professional development for collaborative design of COVID-19 instructional materials”, literacy 2020
Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, Vol. 28 No. 2, pp. 171–177.
Case study (n 5 12) describing facilitated collaborative learning object design with a
group of high school teachers to develop COVID-related instructional materials employing
issue-based learning pedagogy. Videoconferencing technology allowed for remote
collaboration and resulted in the production of novel curriculum materials, including a
computation simulation, systems thinking tools, a mathematical model and media and 415
information literacy tools. A link to these materials is provided. K-12 librarians may benefit
from the tools developed for evaluating Internet-based media, and all librarian types might
consider applying an issue-based collaborative approach to the design of new IL instructional
materials.
Wagg, S. and McKinney, P. (2020), “Information literacy outreach between universities and
schools: A case study”, Journal of Information Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 2, 44–70.
Case study and situational analysis of the Information Literacy Outreach Program (ILOP)
of one Higher Education Institution (HEI) in the North of England with 15 participants from
schools who participated in the ILOPs and the HEI. Seven themes were identified after the
analysis, including that IL is less visible in schools than Higher Education (HE), the ILOP as a
bridge between the social worlds of schools and HE, emotional value and importance and the
socioeconomic influences of IL outreach. While participants saw the importance of outreach
and IL, there were some barriers at the time of the study such as time and staffing, which have
largely been addressed by the HEI.

Other IL research and theory

Bapte, V.D. (2020), “Information literacy: A scientometric assessment of global research
output”, DESIDOC Journal of Library and Information Technology, Vol. 40 No. 1, pp. 26–33.
Review of global IL research output based on data from the SCOPUS database from 1975
to 2019. Analyzing 7,070 record and 50,584 citations, results show an exceptional growth in IL
research from 2001 onward with several key results including top IL publications, top 15 IL
authors, top coauthorship network, subject-specific distribution, document distribution,
distribution by country, output by institution and most popular keywords.
Bawden, D. and Robinson, L. (2020), “‘The dearest of our possessions:’ Applying Floridi’s
information privacy concept in models of information behavior and information literacy”,
Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, Vol. 71 No. 9, pp.
1030–1043.
It advocates for the application of Luciano Floridi’s philosophy of information and
information ethics as a lens through which to preserve privacy in information behavior.
Authors introduce and describe six facets of a Floridian approach in information privacy
including the concept of privacy, an overarching philosophical and ethical system, an
ontology of information, types of privacy, influence of digital technologies and informational
frictions. It applies this philosophical disposition to the Information Seeking and
Communication and Information Grounds models for information behavior and the
metaliteracy model of IL.
Choi, J.R., Straubhaar, J., Skouras, M., Park, S., Santillana, M., and Strover, S. (2020),
“Techno-capital: Theorizing media and information literacy through information technology
capabilities”, New Media and Society.
Survey of (n 5 997) adults in the Austin, Texas, area on their ICT skills. Draws on past
literature surround IL, digital literacy and Bordieu’s theory of capital to explore the role of
skills in ICTs in the development of information and media literacy fluency. The authors
describe technocapital as a form of cultural capital based on proficiency in using ICTs and the
RSR relationship of comfort and skill in this area to socioeconomic class. Results indicate a positive
49,3/4 relationship between advanced ICT skills and both education and socioeconomic status, but a
negative correlation between age and ICT fluency.
Deng, S., Xia, S., Hu, J., Li, H., and Liu, Y. (2020), “Exploring the topic structure and
evolution of associations in information behavior research through co-word analysis”, Journal
of Librarianship and Information Science, Vol. 53 No. 2, pp. 280–297.
Compilation of publications (n 5 6,744) about information-seeking behavior research from
416 Web of Science from 2009 to 2018 for coword analysis. While IL appeared as the seventh most
common theme in the literature, the term did not rank highly in degree and betweenness
centrality. IL appeared most commonly in the context of education research and academic
libraries and health information literacy of patients, both of which displayed low centrality
and density, raising concerns about IL skills.
Fedorov, A. and Mikhaleva, G. (2020), “Current trends in media and information literacy in
research and scientific publications of the early 21st century”, International Journal of Media
and Information Literacy, Vol. 5 No. 2, 153–163.
Review of current trends in media literacy and IL as separate topics through content
analysis of Russian and foreign research in the 21st century. The authors analyze content and
use a comparative approach to conclude several key points including that media literacy
skills are vital for a modern digital environment, the global environment for IL comes from
the argument for pluralistic social environments and the need for IL training at all levels of
education.
Haggar, E. (2020), “Fighting fake news: exploring George Orwell’s relationship to
information literacy”, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 76 No. 5, pp. 961–979.
It uses a content analysis method to analyze George Orwell’s diaries in relation to
UNESCO’s Five Laws of Media and Information Literacy to examine how IL concepts can be
traced in historical documents. Findings reveal that Orwell’s diaries and the Five Laws share
ideas on bias and access to information. It illustrates how information evaluation concerns are
represented within historical literature, revealing how the fight against “fake news” is not a
new phenomenon.
Hicks, A. (2020), “Moving beyond the descriptive: The grounded theory of mitigating risk
and the theorisation of information literacy”, Journal of Documentation, Vol. 76 No. 1, pp.
126–144.
A qualitative study on the meaning and implications of grounded theory of mitigating
risks in IL using a constructivist theoretical methodology. Findings showed the importance of
time, affect and information creation within IL research and the need for continued research
and theorization of IL concepts. This paper raised questions and suggested reflection to
inform continued development of IL instruction and teaching practices.
Huvila, I. (2020), “Monstrous hybridity of social information technologies: Through the lens
of photorealism and non-photorealism in archaeological visualization”, Information Society,
Vol. 37 No. 1, pp. 46–59.
It discusses the way society views the humanness and/or machineness of information
technologies by illustrating these perceptions through the debate of (non)photorealism in
archaeology. The author argues that the perception of human labor and machines conflate
reality to the point where it is difficult to discern what is “real” (e.g. search machines are seen
as artificial intelligences instead of complex algorithms created and manipulated by people)
and ultimately the loss of human agency in understanding their world.
Martınez-Bravo, M.-C., Sadaba-Chalezquer, C. and Serrano-Puche, J. (2020), “Fifty years of
digital literacy studies: A meta-research for interdisciplinary and conceptual convergence”,
Profesional de La Informacion, Vol. 29 No. 4.
It studied the contributions of key terms, including IL, to the conceptual understanding of
digital literacy. Researchers found that the conceptualization of digital literacy includes
contributions from a wide range of subjects and disciplines. The term IL, for example, created Information
networks between terms within and outside of the scope of this study, emphasizing the literacy 2020
importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the topic. Furthermore, the study highlighted
the importance of a broader view of digital literacy that is situated along a social framework,
such as the “digital divide,” that incorporates user needs and motivations for a more equitable
and inclusive approach to information access.
Marzal, M.A., (2020), “A taxonomic proposal for multiliteracies and their competences”,
Profesional de la Informacion, Vol. 29 No. 4. 417
It provides a chronological overview of the formation of new literacies and competences
over the past few decades, which the author organizes into three phases: the era of literacies
and multiple literacies (e.g. media literacy, computer literacy, IL), the convergence of digital
literacy and IL into what some call information fluency and the divergence of multiliteracies
as a result of big data and complex web environments (e.g. data literacy, academic literacy,
transliteracy, metaliteracy). The author also summarizes previous attempts to classify these
literacies into monohierarchical and multifaceted taxonomic models. It concludes with a case
study of Voremetur, a research project to create a taxonomy of multiliteracy and develop a
metamodel, which is used in the context of higher education to inform curricula,
programming, instructional design, educommunication, digital educational objects and
program evaluation.
Odede, I. (2020), “Models for teaching information literacy: A comparative review of the top
six models”, Mousaion, Vol. 38 No. 2.
Literature review compares the strengths and weaknesses of the most common IL
pedagogical methods: the Information Search Process (ISP), the Big6 information skills, the
Seven Pillars of Information Literacy, the Pathways to Knowledge, the PLUS model and the
Seven Faces of Information Literacy. It concludes that Kuhlthau’s ISP is the most useful
model for its applicability across disciplines, information contexts and age/ability levels. It
emphasizes the importance of integrating IL across the curriculum to build and develop IL
competencies for an evolving future.
Onyancha, B.O. (2020), “Knowledge visualization and mapping of information literacy,
1975–2018”, International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, Vol. 46 No. 2,
pp. 107–123.
Using the Scopus database, it visualizes and maps scholarship (n 5 6,662) on IL authored
between 1975 and 2018 to examine the evolution of the concept. Using the “analyze research
results” function provided by Scopus and the VOSviewer to analyze the data, findings reveal
that while IL focused closely on computer literacy in the early years of its use, it adapted and
expanded in more recent decades to reflect the diversity of subject areas and models and
environments in which it is studied and employed. Based on these findings, the author
recommends that curriculum design and library instruction adapt more interdisciplinary and
collaborative models to address the evolving complexity of IL.
Park, H., Kim, H.S., and Park, H.W. (2020), “A scientometric study of digital literacy, ICT
literacy, information literacy, and media literacy”, Journal of Data and Information Science.
It analyzes keywords, authorship and citations of digital literacy publications through
scientometrics to investigate research trends since 2000. Findings indicate that digital
literacy is a core competency in multiple disciplines, including those identified by the authors:
media and information science, health sciences, nursing and language education. It suggests
that digital literacy research includes participants with a wide range of experiences from
primary-school students to professionals.
Smith, D. (2020), “Iterable ciphers for insurrection”, Communications in Information
Literacy, Vol. 14 No. 1, pp. 27–45.
It observes that library laborers are subordinate to and subjugated by the organizations in
which they operate while simultaneously called to critique and critically deconstruct those
RSR institutions. It discusses the precarity, animus and burnout prevalent in the profession, which
49,3/4 is stuck in structural violence and institutional oppression. It encourages information
professionals to engage in “fugitive forms of solidarity,” which enable them to transcend the
frame and engage in action. It can be applied to IL instruction by foregrounding awareness of
how IL pedagogy might perpetuate and reinforce inequitable and unjust systems.
Yassina, A.T. (2020), “Measuring information awareness of an industrial project for
sustainable development using fuzzy logic”, International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and
418 Change, Vol. 12 No. 1, pp. 262–272.
It describes the development of a fuzzy mathematical model for measuring information
awareness in the context of Israeli sustainable development. It includes fuzzy group
parameters related to IL and four laws for application to determine whether sustainable
development can be achieved.

Corresponding author
Tessa Withorn can be contacted at: twithorn@csudh.edu

For instructions on how to order reprints of this article, please visit our website:
www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/licensing/reprints.htm
Or contact us for further details: permissions@emeraldinsight.com