Present:

 Patricia Breivik, Chair, National Forum on Information Literacy
 Sheila Afnan-Manns, Pacific Bell/UCLA Initiative for 21st Century Literacies
 Marilyn Arnone, Creative Media Solutions
 Barbara Cambridge, American Association of Higher Education
 Mildred Garcia, National Hispanic Council on Aging
 Craig Gibson, Association of College and Research Libraries
 Woody Horton, National Commission on Libraries and Information Science
 Patricia Katopol, Aspen Institute
 Sandra Kowalchek, Discovery Networks, International
 Jeanne McConnell, Institute of Museum and Library Services
 Sheila McGarr, National Library of Education
 Clive Muir, Morgan State University
 Joyce Munro, American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education
 Susan Purnell, National Association of State Boards of Education
 Sylvia Seidel, National Education Association, Vocational and Adult Education
 Emily Sheketoff, American Library Association
 Julia Shepherd, U.S. Department of Education
 Ruth Small, SOS for Information Literacy/Syracuse University, School of
   Information Studies
 Teresa Sweeney, RMC Research Corporation
 David Snyder, Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development
 Julie Walker, American Association of School Librarians
 
 

1. Focus Group on High Skills Communities

Julia Shepherd of the U.S. Department of Education led a discussion of the role of
The Department’s “High Skills Communities” project and its relation to information literacy and lifelong learning.

The mission of the “High Skills Communities” project is to promote lifelong learning starting with adult literacy programs. It is well-documented that larger numbers of adults are functionally illiterate, and that leaders in local communities are needed to promote adult literacy; leaders from business, education, and other areas are needed to forge partnerships to promote lifelong learning. The Skills Network Partnership is one model that needs to be replicated.

Some of the potential partnering groups and agencies in local communities are: businesses, corporations, chambers of commerce, human services agencies, employment and training personnel, faith-based agencies, and schools. Best practices from local communities are crucial, but more and better model programs are also needed.

Information literacy, as related to project management and technical skills in human services, is obviously a major concern for professional development.

The “High Skills Communities” project is basically an advocacy project; a major goal is sharing information and developing consortia and partnerships. No major grant money is associated with the project; it is possible that public libraries may become eligible for grants if they are instituted as a result of future legislation.

Among the examples, questions, and points raised by Forum members:

--the National Leadership Grant Program of IMLS has considered requests for money to
assist with information literacy and training of librarians; there is also an IMLS-funded project based at the University of South Florida to train graduate students to work with learning communities.

--the AAHE’s “Engaged Campus” project could focus on information literacy and its relationship to developing “engaged campuses” with possible connections to local communities rather than the “ivory tower” stereotype of higher education. How does this project and its possible connection with information literacy related to the High Skills  concept?

--Academic librarians could forge outreach programs to K-12 education to articulate linkages in information literacy across the lifespan, as well as help with disadvantaged students.

--Aspen Institute: industry leaders are especially concerned about the contributions of information literacy to workforce development and the quality of employee decision-making.

--Business communication skills are especially important to lifelong learning for employees in business and industry.

--Service learning in higher education is an obvious partnering possibility because local businesses and agencies are involved; college students can assist with adult literacy programs.

Question: how can Forum members’ organizations serve as convenors for lifelong learning/adult literacy issues?

--Local public libraries already do this in a variety of ways: through providing Internet access, after school programs, adult literacy programs

--Through member organizations that serve senior citizens and immigrants.

Strategies for advancing the High Skills Communities concept:

--Focus on infrastructure and resource needs while avoiding duplication

--Sensitize groups and organizations to the need to collaborate

--Use academic, public, and school libraries to distribute information about the High Skills Communities concept

--the Pacific Bell videotape: helping people understand the need for more than just “basic literacy” (i.e., reading)

--Community school movement: relationship among support for families, adult learning, and parental literacy

Some resources for a “lifelong learning toolkit”:

--the Pacific Bell videotape (described above)
--Local public libraries
--examples of community partnerships found in John Seely Brown’s The Social Life of Information.
--the IMLS publication, The 21st Century Learner
 

2. Approval of January 2001 meeting summary

 The meeting summary was approved as read.
 

3. Reports from Member Organizations

Association of College and Research Libraries—Craig Gibson

The Institute for Information Literacy’s Immersion Program, an ACRL-sponsored education and training program for librarians, will hold two summer programs in 2001: one in Plattsburgh, New York, and one in Madison, Wisconsin. This program deals with both the theoretical and practical aspects of information literacy—pedagogy, assessment, and program development.

ACRL is also involved in a grant program focused on information literacy in the workplace and across disciplines; the purpose is to develop research models related to the manifestations of information literacy in various settings.

American Library Association—Emily Sheketoff

The ALA’s core mission continues. This year’s ALA President’s program focuses especially on advocacy for information literacy and partnerships.

President Bush’s passing means a $39 million cut in IMLS and LSTA funding.

Other legislative news: Senator Mikulski’s amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act means that public libraries can become community technology centers, and Congressman Xavier Beccera’s amendment to  H.R. 1 (House Bill 1) means that public libraries can be considered 21st century learning centers.  There is also recent congressional acknowledgement that libraries should be able to apply for after school grants.

ALA is also working on a distance education bill that deals with “e-copyright” and other intellectual property issues to insure that we can use new technologies for library uses.

RCMS Research Corporation—Teresa Sweeney

RCMS deals with a broad range of educational programs through consulting and contract work. Contracts are in place with NIL, Head Start, Reading Excellence, and 21st Century Skills Programs.

American Association of Higher Education—Barbara Cambridge

AAHE is currently working on a survey with ACRL to gather information on practices relating to information literacy across all U.S. campuses.

The TLT Group, an affiliate of AAHE, continues its work on the Flashlight Project, an assessment project for technology use in higher education. A Flashlight Project Handbook is available.

AAHE is sponsoring an upcoming conference on assessment called “From Expectations to Results.”

American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education—Joyce Munro

AACTE continues to focus on the NCATE standards, on service learning projects, and on developing new standards for professional development of teachers.

American Association of School Librarians—Julie Walker

The upcoming AASL conference will be held November 14-18, 2001. The conference theme will be “Coming Together as a Community of Learners”.  The focus will be on information literacy and collaboration.

A recent NCLIS hearing dealt with the role of school librarians and media specialists in information literacy.  Related to this development is recognition via standards from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards that school media specialists have their own standards and content area.

Aspen Institute—Patricia Katopol

The Aspen Institute’s Telecommunication Policy Institute favors subsidies for broadband access and insists that across-the-board access to broadband is a key issue.

A grant from the Ford Foundation is focused on what members of different professions need to know; another Ford Foundation Grant focuses on journalism in other countries and the difficulties involved in establishing a free press including people not knowing how to judge the reliability of information from different sources.

Morgan State University—Clive Muir

The Association of Business Communication conference was held in San Diego; a panel at this conference focused on business communication courses and their link with information literacy.

Pacific Bell Initiative—Sheila Afnan-Manns

The Pac Bell initiative has three current initiatives:

(1) the Pacific Bell video “E-literate?”, which is an educational documentary and advocacy tool for information literacy and 21st century higher literacies. In addition to being an educational tool, the video is a strong advocacy tool for information literacy. Over 1500 copies have already been distributed. A survey regarding the use of the video will be conducted in fall 2001.  Interested Forum members may get a free copy of the video by emailing Sheila Afnan-Manns at afnanmanns@gseis.ucla.edu.

(2) a “Train the Trainer” program will be held in summer 2001 to help librarians in rural and underserved areas.

(3) related to policy, a research question is being developed focusing on multiple issues involved in the “digital divide” concept.

Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development—David Snyder

ASCD is a membership organization. Recently, ASCD has examined a number of policy issues related to technology.  At the annual ASCD conference, classes were held on how to find and evaluate information on the Internet.

National Library of Education—Sheila McGarr

The NLE is an umbrella organization related to ERIC and the U.S. Department of Education Library.  One immediate short-term goal is to improve the content of the NLE web site.

Institute of Museum and Library Services—Jeanne McConnell

Since the January meeting of the National Forum on Information Literacy, President Bush has announced his intention to nominate Robert S. Martin to be Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. He is currently a Professor and Interim Director of the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas. He served as Director and Librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission from 1995 to 1999 and served as a Professor and as Associate Dean of Special Collections at Louisiana State University from 1991 to 1995. He is a graduate of Rice University, received a Master's degree from North Texas State University and a Doctorate in Library Science from the University of North Carolina.

The President's FY 2002 budget request for IMLS is an investment in education; in access; in community; in families and children and in our cultural heritage. The President's budget contains $192,977,000 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services reflecting an increase of $125,000 for Federal staff costs and level funding for core grant programs. The request for the Office of Museum Services is $24,899,000. The request for the Office of Library Services is $168,078,000. Read more about it at http://www.imls.gov/whatsnew/current/040901.htm

This year, there are a number of applications on literacy on many levels in both the Education and Training and Library/Museum Collaboration categories of the National Leadership Grants.  E & T grants will be announced in July and L/MC grants, in September.

Save the date…..This Fall - November 8th and 9th, 2001 - the Institute for Museum and Library Services will host a conference to address the need for bold new models of integrated action among formal and informal educational institutions in meeting the demands and interests of 21st Century learners, and the particular potential for museums and libraries to inspire such action in their communities.

Building on an IMLS-sponsored roundtable that considered likely learning needs in this new century, and subsequent meetings around the country, the two-day conference will examine actual experiments in creating community partnerships for lifelong learning, as well as innovative ideas and resources. All who have an interest in, or experience with, such models of cooperation are welcome - from libraries, museums, colleges and other educational institutions, to representatives of the broadcast, technology, and research fields, and the funding and public policy sectors. Read more about the 21st Century Learner Initiative at http://www.imls.gov/whatsnew/21cl/21clintro.htm and watch IMLS's on line Primary Source newsletter for more information about the conference. You  can sign up to receive the newsletter by e-mail at http://www.imls.gov.
 

[Note: following the IMLS report, there was brief discussion about the possibility of having a workshop at ALA Midwinter to increase awareness of grant programs related to information literacy and lifelong learning from ALISE, OERI, and IMLS.]

National Hispanic Council on Aging—Mildred Garcia

The National Hispanic Council on Aging deals with a wide range of learning issues and recently has especially become concerned with digital divide issues.

Key concepts for this organization: Access, Equity, Educate, Empower.
 

National Association of State Boards of Education—Susanna Purnell

An “e-learning” study is currently being conducted, treating state policy implications of e-learning. The report will be issued in October 2001.
 

National Education Association—Sylvia Seidel

A reorganization of NEA is now underway. As part of reorganization, a focus on mentoring support for classroom teachers is coming to the fore; such mentoring is greatly needed in the midst of the current climate on accountability.

A primary agenda item for the NEA is advancing professionalism for teachers and increasing teacher quality.  Sylvia works with professional development schools around the country—based on the well-known “lab school” model.
 

Reports from other countries—Patricia Breivik

InfoNord—a conference will be held in October 2001 in Finland; Patricia will be the keynote speaker.

Patricia has recently received in inquiry from Hungary related to information literacy.
 

4. S.O.S. Literacy demonstration

Marilyn Arnone and Ruth Small discussed the grant-funded SOS project the demonstrated with database associated with the project. Dr. Arnone is the President of Creative Media Solutions and is the principal investigator for the project; Dr. Small is Associate Professor in the School of Information Studies at Syracuse University and is the project consultant.

The SOS Project is intended to improve instruction for information literacy and research skills in the K-12 arena. SOS is based on the thinking outlined in Arnone and Small’s book Turning Kids On to Research: The Power of Motivation (Libraries Unlimited, 2000).  SOS stands for Situation-specific variables, instructional Outcomes, and suggested instructional Strategies.  Instructional strategies are linked to a database of real-world video demonstrations and model case studies in order to improve information literacy skills instruction.  Systematic feedback will be gathered for continuous formative evaluation and improvement.

Projected results of Phase I of the project are:

(1) design specifications of a unique state of the art information system that integrates interactive multimedia, the Internet, cutting-edge information technologies, and innovative instructional techniques;
(2) proof-of-concept prototype which demonstrates the functionality of the SOS solution, including random access of model case studies/strategy examples and the instructional strategy generator;
(3) integrated formative research and testing results that guide development of the proof-of-concept prototype;
(4) a feasibility report indicating the potential for full development in Phase II based on identification of all technical requirements and the results of 1-3 above.

Implications of this approach for both Phase I and Phase II of the project:  the research gathered in Phrase I will culminate in a proof-of-concept prototype which will provide a solid foundation for full development and ongoing formative evaluation of SOS in Phase II.
 

5. International Leadership Congress on Information Literacy
 

Woody Horton of NCLIS (National Commission on Libraries and Information Science) updated the Forum on recent developments about the planned international leadership conference on information literacy.

Direct contact has been made with UNESCO about facilitating this conference. Related to U.S. participation in UNESCO, the U.S. Department of State has asked the U.S. Congress for funds to continue support for U.S. participation in certain cultural and educational endeavors. The State Department has also asked NCLIS to serve as consultant regarding the deposition and use of these funds specifically devoted to information/library science.

New administrators at UNESCO are very open to issues related to information literacy. One administrator is especially interested in the British “Open University” concept and another is especially interested in distance learning.  An informal proposal to UNESCO relating to the proposed international conference has already been accepted; a formal proposal will be prepared within the next few months.

UNESCO wants the emphasis of the conference to be on practical interests of their member countries, rather than on theory.

Two stages are envisioned for this conference:

(1) an “Experts Meeting” with 15-20 internationally recognized experts on information literacy

(2) a larger conference 8-12 months later. At this conference countries will be invited to come with teams. Representatives on teams could include those from the library/information science communities, education, human services, economic development and others.

It is possible that the World Bank could be involved as well as other NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations).

Forum organizations with international affiliates will be asked to disseminate information about the conference and to solicit suggestions for possible experts from other countries to attend the first phase of the conference.

Conference planning will need to be coordinated with the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education.
 

6.  Review of current information literacy recommendations

Patricia distributed the list of “Current Priority Areas” for the Forum and asked members to reflect on the goals on that list, and how their organizations support those goals.
 

7.  Other (Announcements)

Patricia announced a new Forum member: ACE (Americans Communicating Electronically). ACE is a government-wide, citizen-access outreach initiative sponsored by the USDA and the SBA.  The goal of ACE is to assist citizens in becoming technology literate and increasing their access to information and educational resources in electronic format.

ACE’s web site is at:  www.reeusda.gov/ecs/ace.htm.
 

8. Next meeting

The next meeting of the Forum will be on Friday, October 12, 2001. Dr. Ed Zlotkowski will discuss “Information Literacy and Service Learning.” Dr. Zlotkowski is an international leader in the service learning movement.