Literacy Information

There is a call for chapters for a forthcoming Libraries Unlimited book Peer-Assisted Learning in Academic Libraries. The editors seek "proposals from librarians who have utilized peer-assisted learning programs to enhance library services in the areas of reference, instruction, and/or co-curricular outreach." Proposal submission deadline is September 30 2015. More information at http://librarywriting.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/call-for-book-chapter-proposals-peer.html
Photo by Sheila Webber: cosmos and stattice, Farmers Market, August 2015

The iConference is the annual conference for iSchools (Information Schools). The 2016 conference takes place in Philadelphia, USA, March 20-23 and the theme is Partnership with Society. "This year’s theme of “Partnership with Society” examines the dynamic, evolving role of information science and today’s iSchool movement, and the benefits to society. The conference includes peer-reviewed papers, posters, workshops and sessions for interaction and engagement, interspersed with multiple opportunities for networking. Early career and next generation researchers can engage in the Doctoral Student Colloquium, Early Career Colloquium and Undergraduate Student Showcase forums." The deadline for paper submissions is September 9 2015. You do not have to be at an iSchool to submit a proposal. More information on the conference website: http://ischools.org/the-iconference/

BOBCATSSS is the annual conference for students of library and information science. The next conference, taking place 27-29 January 2016, will take place in Lyon, France, organised by French and North American students. "BOBCATSSS 2016 will explore several key topics: The Role of Libraries in Democratic Cultures, Intellectual Freedom and Censorship, Libraries, Open Access and Open Data, and Protecting Privacy." Deadline for abstracts is September 15 2015. More information at http://bobcatsss2016.com/
Photo by Sheila Webber: a bee on teh wild oregano by my front door, August 2015

There's a call for proposals for the Library Instruction West 2016 conference (theme: Learning Elevated), June 8-10 2016, to be held in Salt Lake City, USA. The deadline for proposals is October 2nd 2015. "possible topics include: Beware of false summits: Elevating student learning; Tools for the trail: Supporting innovative technologies & online learning; Improve the path for next time: Building authentic assessments; Establish new footholds: Implementing threshold concepts & the Framework; Never hike alone: Collaborating with faculty; Finding your path: Developing ourselves as teachers
Session formats are: 15 minute talk or 45 minute session (which can be a talk, panel, workshop etc.). More info on the conference website: http://campusguides.lib.utah.edu/liw16/proposals
Photo by Sheila Webber: Botanic gardens, daisy, July 2015

The ACRL Instruction Section Conference Planning Committee is calling for information on projects that have "redesigned a library classroom to better align changing pedagogy and student learning". They are having "a Virtual Poster Session that will accompany the panel taking place this summer at ALA Annual [on 27 June] entitled, Aligning Learning Spaces with Pedagogy: The Instruction Librarian’s Role in Classroom Re/Design." "In lieu of designing a formal poster, we ask that you respond to the following questions in your submission, in addition to providing photographs: Describe the finished teaching or classroom space, including any specifics about furniture or technology that was included in the design. What were the goals of the re-design or creation of the space? What strategies did you use to advocate for student learning and active learning pedagogy in the space? What lessons did you learn from this experience that you'd most like to share with someone undertaking a similar project? How have changes you made to the classroom changed your teaching? How have changes you made to the classroom changed your instruction programs?"
Photographs and responses should be emailed to Cindy Fisher at cindyf@austin.utexas.edu
The deadline for submission is 6 June 6.

Photo by Sheila Webber: wild flowers, Gilbert's pit, May 2015

The call for poster and paper proposalss for the 2015 iFutures conference (to be held at Sheffield University, UK, on 7 July 2015) closes on June 5 2015. The conference is run by, and for, PhD researchers in the information science field (so it is run by PhD students in my department ;-) The theme of the 2015 conference is Open Information Science: exploring new landscapes. "Openness is a key part of Information Science research, from using open source tools and big open data sets to open standards advocacy, creating open accessible environments in institutions, and opening information science to radical perspectives and exploring diverse communities. The conference will give delegates the chance to talk about how open information influences and relates to their research." Submissions can be for posters, papers, or pecha kucha presentations, and are welcomes from PhD students at any stage of their research. There are two keynote speakers: Fabio Ciravenga (Professor of Computer Science, University of Sheffield) and Helen Kennedy (Professor of Sociology, University of Sheffield). More details at http://ifutures.group.shef.ac.uk/
There is also a twitter chat today at 5pm UK time (which is e.g. 12 noon US Eastern time) using the hashtag #iFutures

Cinthya Ippoliti and Rachel Gammons are producing a book to be published by ABC-CLIO/Libraries Unlimited (publication date 2016)on designing information literacy programming for an academic library. They are seeking case studies which "serve to highlight the challenges and opportunities of information literacy programming in today’s complex academic environment" and specifically ones focusing on challenges and opportunities created by "spaces". The studies can be from any type of academic library, and they are particular interested in the first year experience. They say "Please note that case-studies do not necessarily have to have a 'happy ending.' We want to hear about your challenges and the process by which you have worked through them, but we understand that sometimes the most valuable experiences are those that do not turn out as we expected!" The case studies are not very long (about 1000 words in total). Deadline is 5 June 2015 (it says 22 May on the form, but they just issued an extended call). There is a proposal form with more details at http://form.jotformpro.com/form/51123320973952?
Photo by Sheila Webber: young beech leaves, May 2015

There is a call for papers for a book: The Future Scholar: Researching & Teaching the Frameworks for Writing & Information Literacy. The two frameworks in question (both North American) are the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (http://acrl.ala.org/ilstandards/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Framework-for-IL-for-HE-draft-3.pdf) from the Association of College and Research Libraries, and the Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing (http://wpacouncil.org/files/framework-for-success-postsecondary-writing.pdf), produced by the Council of Writing Program Administrators, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the National Writing Project. The deadline for proposals is June 1st.
They seek chapters "that provide answers to the following, as well as other, questions: What do the particular abilities, habits, and practices of mind identified for reading, researching, and writing reveal about notions of literacy in a digital age? What priorities do they establish for us as writing teachers, faculty in English, English Education, and LIS, university administrators and college librarians, and citizens?; How do the ACRL Framework and the WPA Framework help us understand one another? What do we learn by viewing each through the lens of the other? How might they be put into conversation?; In what ways does your teaching—in the classroom, in the library, in the writing center, in the community—work to cultivate the desired abilities, habits, and practices of mind advanced by these framework documents?; What specific digital technologies allow for helping students achieve these abilities, habits, and practices of mind? In what ways have you used them? How might we use them? How could these tools be better?
We also encourage potential contributors to consider the Frameworks documents explicitly and directly, practical strategies for enacting and evaluating them, and ways in which new digital technologies (might) shape the Frameworks and these processes."
More information at http://lists.ala.org/wws/arc/ili-l/2015-04/msg00082.html
Photo by Sheila Webber: cherry blossom, April 2015

There is a call for papers for the 20th Annual SEDA (Staff and Educational Development Association) Conference: Scholarship and Educational Development: The importance of using an evidence base for Learning and Teaching. This will be held 19-20 November 2015 in Cardiff, Wales. Posters, discussion papers and workshops can be proposed, deadline 15 May, 5pm UK time. The themes are: Scholarship which supports curriculum development and has important implications for the thinking and the practice of educators and developers; The integration of scholarship in the practice of both staff and students; Innovative practice in educational development which takes advantage of scholarship; Supporting and encouraging integration between research and approaches to learning and teaching; Strategies and techniques for the critical and effective embedding of new approaches which make appropriate use of subject pedagogic scholarship; Scholarship as a driver for change; Supporting colleagues to engage in scholarly activities through developmental activities; Raising the profile of the scholarship of Teaching and Learning within institutions. More info at http://www.seda.ac.uk/events/info/454/call-for-contributions
Photo by Sheila Webber: Cherry Blossom, April 2015

There is a call for papers for the 2nd Annual LILi (Lifelong Information Literacy) Conference on August 3 2015 at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, USA. The title is Collaboration for Lifelong Learning: Innovative and Effective Approaches to Information Literacy. The call for proposals end May 1.
"The LILi (Lifelong Information Literacy) group invites you to submit proposals related to information literacy and collaboration for lifelong learning for 20-minute presentations and 10-minute lightning talks. Proposals will be blind-reviewed, so please do not include identifying information in the text of your abstract. Topic ideas include, but are not limited to:
Collaborative or creative ILI partnerships among academic, school, special, and public libraries
Collaborative or creative ILI partnerships between libraries and community organizations
Sequential ILI across two or more institutions or organizations
Collaborative or creative ILI partnerships between individuals in different types of libraries
ILI co-teaching
Marketing, publicity & promotion for collaborative ILI
Establishing innovative ILI connections
Outreach for ILI beyond a single institution or organization
Collaborative or cooperative ILI programming
Assessment of ILI partnership efforts
ILI and Common Core Standards and/or California State Standards
New, innovative ILI pedagogical approaches"
The proposal submission form is at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1sgZBawrr44TCYJWwsejN_WQeWaXG2Ek9IylSHGuLm34/viewform Questions to Elisa Acosta (Loyola Marymount University) Elisa.Acosta@lmu.edu
Photo by Sheila Webber: plum blossom, March 2015

There is a call for papers for the Western Balkan Information Literacy Conference: Information & media literacy for lifelong learning: digital citizenship for a digital age which takes place 17-20 June 2015 in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Keynotes are Christine Bruce and Tefko Saracevic. There is a call for full papers, presentations, roundtables, posters, workshops and pechakucha. There are a wide range of possible topics (see http://www.wbilc2015.kbbi.ba/en/topics). Deadline for abstract submissions in 17 April 2015.
Photo by Sheila Webber: mist, Sheffield, February 2015

There is a call for abstracts for the IATUL (International Association of University Libraries) workshop on information literacy, Information literacy and beyond for E-Research Support, which takes place in Prague, Czech Republic, 23– 24 November 2015. The conference themes are: Competencies and skills for e-research support; Librarians’ skills: Advanced training for research support librarians; Approaches and methods for e-research-support; Support networks; Promoting and evaluating library services for researchers.
Deadline for abstracts is 30 March 2015. Further information at http://iatul-workshop2015.civ.cvut.cz/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Lokrum island, October 2014

There is a call for papers for the e-learning 2015 conference being held on 21-24 July 2015 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. The deadline for papers is 6 March 2015 (full papers are required except for workshop and poster proposals). More information at http://elearning-conf.org/call-for-papers/
Photo by Sheila Webber: Sea, Dubrovnik, October 2014: the weather is miserable at the moment so I'm going to use some photos from sunny Dubrovnik for a couple of days.

There is a call for papers from clinical & outreach librarians, on the broad theme of ‘Supporting Research' as part of the Workshop taking place 10-12 June 2015 in Edinburgh, Scotland; a collaboration between the European Association for Health Information and Libraries (EAHIL), the International Conference of Animal Health Information Specialists (ICAHIS) and the International Clinical Librarian Conference (ICLC). Details are at joint EAHIL+ICAHIS+ICLC Workshop . The format will mostly be participative workshop sessions (Bill Johnston and I are running one on phenomenographic research, and I will also be running one on journal clubs with Marshall Dozier). You have to submit a 200 word abstract on your proposal by 27 February 2015. Go to http://www.keysurvey.co.uk/votingmodule/s180/f/719458/4e4c/
Photo by Sheila Webber: winter in in the virtual world Second Life

There's a call for chapters/ essays for a book (to be published by ACRL) on critical pedagogy in teaching information literacy. The editors write "We are seeking short chapters on using critical pedagogy in lesson design and other components of teaching to compile in a practical, accessible handbook for library instructors.... A criticism of critical theory and critical pedagogy is that the discourse is designed around those with the privilege to contemplate ideas at length, but not really helpful for the practitioner who might have fewer resources (e.g., financial resources, time) to adapt theory into practice. As a response, this book will provide practical tools and activities to integrate critical pedagogy into library instruction. Short chapters introducing key ideas will alternate with lesson plans and workbook activities where readers will reflect on their own practice or walk through the steps to alter an existing teaching activity." Proposals have to be submitted by 31 March 2015. See http://critlib.tumblr.com/CFP for more details
Photo by Sheila Webber: flower posy in the snow, January 2015.

There is a call for chapters proposed by "U.S. and Canadian practicing academic, public, school, special librarians, LIS faculty, and other professionals sharing practical know-how": Library's Role in Supporting Financial Literacy for Patrons. The book will be published by Rowman and Little and edited by Carol Smallwood. Possible topics are: Seeking and using collaborators in the financial industry; Job hunting help; Tax preparation programs; Recognizing fraud; Workshops for Senior Citizens; Case studies on what works and what doesn't in various types of libraries and patrons; other topics on financial literacy for library patrons you've had experience. They want "Concise, how-to chapters using bullets, headings, based on experience to help colleagues; creativity, innovation highly valued. No previously published, simultaneously submitted material; One, two, or three authors per chapter; each chapter by the same author(s). Compensation: one complimentary copy per 3,000-4,000 word chapter accepted no matter how many co-authors or if one or two chapters: author discount on more copies." "Please e-mail titles of 4 topics each described in a few sentences by February 5, 2015 with brief biography sketch on each author. Please place FIN, Your Name on subject line: smallwood@tm.net"
Photo by Sheila Webber: seasonal wreaths on doors in South London, December 2014

There is a call for poster proposals for CCLI (California Conference on Library Instruction) 2015: Teaching and Reaching Your Students in Environments of Rapid Change, which will be held April 17 2015 in Sonoma State University, California, USA. The deadline for proposals is 27 February 2015.
The conference will "explore new and practical ways to craft innovative experiences for learners. Think about the buzz words of today: maker, hack, design, engage, community, framework, scalable, ethical, sustainable... We’re looking for your best instruction plans, how you're adapting to new modes of learning, creative ways you're reorganizing and assessing your work, your unconventional curriculum, your quirky exercises, your strategic advocacy tactics (for these programs on your campus), and what you have learned from your failures."
Go to http://www.cclibinstruction.org/2015-poster-sessions-call-for-submissions for more information.
Photo by Sheila Webber: russet apples, Blackheath market, January 2015

There is a call for papers for the NAMLE (National Association for Media Literacy Education) 2015 conference (which takes place June 26-7 2015 in Philadelphia, USA. The conference includes the UNESCO Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue (MILID) Annual Conference, and the theme is Celebrating Connectivity Across Cultures. Although they mention Media and Information Literacy in places, mostly they forget and revert to just mentioning media literacy (unsurprisingly, since that is after all the focus of this association). Unfortunately this clashes with the i3 conference (which I intend to go to) and the ALA conference (which some North American infolit colleagues will be going to), but it would be good (because of the MILID connection) to have some interest in the conference from experts in information literacy....
More information at http://namle.net/conference/2015-conference/
Photo by Sheila Webber: a corner of old Brno, November 2014