Call for Chapters – Book on Digital Literacy

Title:  Libraries Empowering Society through Digital Literacy

Editors: Dr Prudence Dalrymple, Ms Heather Todd, Dr Luisa Marquardt, Mr Charles Wanjala

The Invitation

Proposals are sought for chapters in a book about the need for, and impact of, digital literacies in libraries to support lifelong learning and empowerment. The term “digital literacy” includes media literacy, digital capability along with  information literacy.   This book will examine ways in which all types of libraries can ensure that information in multiple digital formats is used effectively in many settings by various groups of learners. The book will be published as part of the IFLA/De Gruyter Library Publication Series.

The Context

Information today is increasingly created, communicated, discovered, accessed and used in many different digital formats for multiple purposes.  The ability for everyone to create, find, use, and apply information effectively is critical to successful societal outcomes.  Evaluating and accessing information in a complex world full of fake news, user-generated content (UGC), misinformation, disinformation, half-truths, and rapidly evolving technologies has become more challenging, exacerbated by an increasing reliance on remote learning during a pandemic and digital disruption. Digital natives, digital immigrants and digital refugees all have different needs, capabilities and ways of learning, requiring librarians and educators to adapt their collections, teaching approaches and services to reach and engage with these communities. Libraries are adapting their services to deal with new situations following the pandemic. Remote learning and working are part of the new reality.  Facilitating lifelong learning and promoting critical thinking skills remain central goals for librarians and educators. What are the components of digital literacy and how are they effectively imparted to learners?

The Audience

This book is intended for educators and information professionals who are committed to creating a digitally capable society in school, public and academic libraries.  Through case studies, project reports, essays, reviews and curated resources, this book will foster conversations to ensure widespread access to, and adoption of, the skills and knowledge needed for individuals to function as digitally capable members of society.  The book’s goal is to share best practice and disseminate successful approaches to accessing, understanding and using information, using different tools, media, and platforms, in various learning environments, both in person and virtually.

Topics may include but are not limited to:

  • Assessing the impact of remote learning and home schooling on students’ ability to find, evaluate and use information in various formats
  • Successful teaching and learning approaches for engaging digital natives and those less technologically knowledgeable, such as digital immigrants and digital refugees
  • Use of technology, maker spaces or learning laboratories to enhance digital literacy
  • Creating experiences that engage people to become both digital consumers, and producers, ‘prosumers’, of digital information
  • Digital marketing tips and trends for librarians and educators
  • Collaborative projects or programs on the diffusion, implementation and creation of materials and tools relevant to digital literacy
  • Promoting the importance of digital literacy to digital natives, digital immigrants and digital refugees

How To Submit Your Proposal

Please submit an abstract no longer than 200 words, double spaced, written in UK English.  A scholarly style is to be adopted, avoiding the use of the first person.

Include the title of the proposed submission, name(s) of the author(s), institutional affiliation and contact information with mailing address and email address, as well as a short biography of the main author.

Final chapters should be 4,000 – 6,000 words long using Chicago style.  Guidelines will be provided.

Submit your proposal to: Ms Heather Todd, toddheather@hotmail.com

Please contact any one of the editors for further information:

Deadline for submission of proposals: 31 March 2022

  • Authors notified by 1 May 2022
  • Draft chapters due 1 August 2022
  • Editors to provide feedback to authors 1 November 2022
  • Completed chapters returned to editors 1 December 2022
  • Copy Editing – December 2022 to end of January 2023
  • Book Completed 23 May 2023
  • Book launched IFLA 2023 – July/August 2023

 [As of 19 February 2022]