Media Literacy Education in Libraries for Adult Audiences
Media Literacy Education in Libraries for Adult Audiences is a project of the American Library Association designed to support libraries in their efforts to improve the media literacy skills of adults in their communities. Through the work of a diverse group of thought leaders, the project has created the free media literacy resources available on this page.
This project was conducted by the ALA Public Programs Office in collaboration with Knology, a social science think tank. It was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services grant number LG-252324-OLS-22.
Questions? Email publicprograms@ala.org.
Media Literacy for Adults: Architecture of the Internet aims to continue the work started by the above-mentioned IMLS-funded project, Media Literacy: Education in Libraries for Adult Audiences.
There is a critical need for media literacy resources that can be readily used by libraries to help adult community members better assess online information. Project advisors have created a guide of program models and tools for libraries that can be used to help adults understand how the unseen aspects of the internet influence the information they see or don’t see on social media and online searches. Resources developed will help adult community members better determine reliable information online in order to make informed decisions about civic participation, their health, and more.
Free Resources
A free download with strategies for library staff. This guide includes resources and ideas to plan programs and activities to teach media literacy skills to adults and to integrate these skills into programming already in place at libraries.
A free download for library workers to help adult patrons understand the unseen aspects of the internet. The guide contains sample program models, background information on the history of the internet, explorations and resources.
Free Webinars
In today’s evolving digital landscape, understanding artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial for making informed decisions.
This webinar unravels the complexities of AI and explores how media literacy plays a vital role in fostering a well-informed public.
This webinar covers what data security is and best practices for keeping your user information private within an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Comprehending the world of algorithms and the crucial role that they play in unlocking the digital world is a key part of navigating the internet.
This webinar explores algorithms and how they fundamentally shape our digital interactions.
Is human attention a commodity that can be bought and sold?
In this webinar, explore the attention economy and how organizations use tactics to attract our attention to certain products and websites.
Conversational AI is a technology that enables machines to simulate human conversation.
In this webinar, learn about conversational AI and the risks, benefits, and considerations when utilizing this technology.
Media Literacy for Adults: Architecture of the Internet Project Advisors
Jimmeka Anderson, Ph.D., Executive Director, I AM not the Media, Inc.
Kristen Calvert, Central District Manager, Dallas Public Library
Michael A. Spikes, Ph.D., Lecturer, Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism
Spencer Brayton, Director of Library Services, Waubonsee Community College
Anna Kozlowska-Barrios, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Reference and Liaison Librarian, University of Illinois
Monya Tomlinson, Reference Librarian, Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library
Webinars
Additional Resources
Additional Resources for Adults
- Post-Truth: Fake News and a New Era of Information Literacy with Dr. Nicole A. Cooke (recorded 2/22/17)
- The Facts: Fighting Fake News in the Pandemic by Sarah Ostman (published 3/19/20)
Additional Resources for Teens/Children
- How to Spot Fake News: High School Lesson Plan by Diana Laughlin (published 3/5/20)
- It's Never Too Early: Media Literacy in Children’s Programming with Dorothy Stoltz and Claudia Haines (recorded 9/18/19)
- Deepfakes: What They Are, Why They Matter by Donna Mignardi and Jennifer Sturge (published 10/14/19)
- Information and Media Literacy for Students: Programming Ideas by Donna Mignardi and Jennifer Sturge (published 6/3/19)
- The Truth Is Out There: Fact-Checking Resources for Students by Donna Mignardi and Jennifer Sturge (published 11/16/18)
National Advisors
Jimmeka Anderson
Spencer Brayton, Waubonsee Community College
Joel Breakstone, Stanford History Education Group
Len Bryan, Denver Public Schools
Monica Bulger, Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop
Kristen Calvert, Dallas Public Library
Natasha Casey, Blackburn College
Min Chou, New Jersey City University Library
Leah Clapman, PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs
Amber Conger, Lexington County Public Library
Nicole A. Cooke, University of South Carolina School of Information Science
Belinha S. De Abreu, Sacred Heart University
Dawn Emsellem, Salve Regina University’s McKillop Library
Miguel Figueroa
Amber Hayes
Shawn Healy, Robert R. McCormick Foundation Democracy Program
Kieran Hixon, Colorado State Library
Renee Hobbs, University of Rhode Island Media Education Lab
Kurtis Kelly, Estes Valley Library
Abby Kiesa, CIRCLE
Diana Laughlin, Estes Valley Library
Amita Lonial, Tacoma Public Library
Pattie Mayfield , Connecting Texas Libraries Statewide, Association for Rural and Small Libraries
Ryan O’Grady, University of Maryland, College of Information Studies (iSchool)
Cecelia Parks, University of Virginia Library
Lynnanne Pearson, Skokie Public Library
Fatima Perkins, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging
Laura Saunders, Simmons University School of Library and Information Science
Michael A. Spikes, Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism
Troy Swanson, Moraine Valley Community College
Tamar Wilner, University of Texas at Austin
