Information Literacy: A Southern Hemisphere Need
Information Literacy: A Southern Hemisphere Need
Panel: Information Literacy 360
“International Special Libraries Day 2004”Special Libraries Association, DC Chapter
Kiplinger Washington Editors Building, 1729 H Street NW,Washington, DC, April 22, 2004, 6-9:00 PM
Jesús Lau, Ph.D.
Director, USBI Veracruz Library, and Coordinator, UV Virtual Library Veracruz, México
[email protected] / [email protected]: http://bivir.uacj.mx/lau
Institutional: www.uv.mx
*Part of this presentation was delivered at the Mortenson Center (Distinguished Lecture Series), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
2003
Information competenciesInformation competencies
Socio-Economic and political development is best advanced by people who recognize their need for information, and identify, locate, access, evaluate and apply the needed information.
1
North - South
World Social StratasWorld Social Stratas
Poor
Very poor
Middle class
Wealthy
Wealthy/Poverty ConnotationsWealthy/Poverty Connotations
1. Income•Gross National Income per Capita
2. Basic needs•Food•Health•Housing•Education•Employment
3. Capability•Information competencies•Research•Management
Population 2002 (World Bank, 2002)Population 2002 (World Bank, 2002)
World 6,201,303Low income 2,495,033
Middle income 2,741,531
Low & middle income 5,236,564
High income 964,739
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Knowledge Gaps
Internet: A great Venue for informationInternet: A great Venue for information
♦ Internet is opening access to information♦ Great amounts of resources are available♦ Some information aggregators are giving
information away♦ However, low use capacity limits information
benefits in Southern populations
Information Development in the Southern HemisphereInformation Development in the Southern Hemisphere
♦ Publishing is limited♦ Scientific serials are just few♦ Nobel prizes are not from developing
countries♦ Reference publications are also scarce
Information/Knowledge ChainInformation/Knowledge Chain
2. Packing •Publishing•Databases/electronic•media companies•Information aggregators
1. Production•Authors•Inventors•Researchers
3. Storage/Distribution•Bookstores•Libraries •Information services
4. Use/Demand•Researchers•Academics•Students•Companies
Production/Demand: Researchers (UNESCO)
Production/Demand: Researchers (UNESCO)
Country Researchers
Africa 71,308
America 124,899
Asia 4,483,881
Europe 1,892,307
Oceanía 60,066
Canada 80 510
Japan 651,099
United States (12) (13) *962 700
Notes
-12 Not including data for law, humanities and education.
-13 Data refer to researchers only.
Production: Patents (wipo)Production: Patents (wipo)
Country Applications Percentage
USA 44 609 40%
Germany 15 269 13%
Japan 13 531 12%
Subtotal 73 049 65%
United Kingdom 6 274 5%
Other developed Countries
19 115 16%
Subtotal 25 389 86%
Rest of the world 16 202 14%
Total 115 000 100%
Production: Serials (ISSN, 2003)Production: Serials (ISSN, 2003)
Country ISSN Records
Africa 7,064
Asia 37,369
Europa 584,632
Latin America/Caribbean 27,842
Oceania 61,691
Canada 111,618
Japan 30,947
United States 161,031
Production/Demand: Newspapers/Circulation(Unesco, different years)
Production/Demand: Newspapers/Circulation(Unesco, different years)
ContinentsNumber of
Dailies (000)Circ Total(millions)
Per 1,000inhabitants
Developed countries 3 972 276 226
Developing countries 4 419 272 60
Least developed 172 3.9 8
Storage/Distribution: National Library CollectionsStorage/Distribution: National Library Collections
Country Unit Volumes´000
Africa 13 2 920
America 10 20 560
Asia 26 45 992
Europe 63 278 194
Oceania 1 2 441
Canada 1 6 387
Japan 1 5 528
General note
For general explanations and definitions, please
refer to the beginning of this chapter.
17 Data refer only to books.
Storage/Distribution: Public Library Collections (UNESCO)
Storage/Distribution: Public Library Collections (UNESCO)
Country Unit Volumes
Africa 358 6 271
America 2 060 18 231
Asia 22 741 597 394
Europe 127 271 2 568 421
Canada 1 045 70 077
Japan 2 172 195 390
Demand/Production: Internet(www.blues.uab.es, 2003)Demand/Production: Internet(www.blues.uab.es, 2003)
USA, Canada, Japan, and West Europe
90% Demand
70% Computer servers
English Language
60-80% Internet content
60% English speakers users
8% English speakers of total world population
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Knowledge Bridge
Educational - DevelopmentEducational - Development
♦ Education enables people to be better citizens♦ It helps economic mobility of individuals♦ It determines national progress♦ Education access is a challenge♦ Education quality is even a greater one♦ Information development is related to education♦ Education fosters information competences
Teacher – Centered EducationTeacher – Centered Education
♦ Equips students with static knowledge♦ Teaching to the test♦ Reproducing texts♦ Students are classroom-bound♦ Predominates in developing countries
Information Literacy - HurdlesInformation Literacy - Hurdles
Hurdles
Professor´scourse notes Textbooks
Professor lecture-
based learning
Rote learning
Memorization
Learner – Oriented EducationLearner – Oriented Education
♦ Fosters♦Information competencies
♦Knowledge construction by learners
♦Life along learning
♦Independent students
♦Creativity and innovation
♦Open-horizontal management
♦Contributes to create a base for democracy
Information Literacy: A Must for Socio – Economic DevelopmentInformation Literacy: A Must for Socio – Economic Development
♦ Workers need to be learning constantly, jobs are for short time-span
♦ The work place is moving from routine to rich-thinking activities
♦ Education for future citizens is focusing on learning how to learn in information-rich enviroments
♦ New education models are based on inquiry approach to learning rather than on transmission approach to teaching
♦ Education´s new paradigm is to prepare students to know and to be able to do
♦ Information competencies are a critical life skill
4
Mexican progress / IFLA
Mexican IL stepsMexican IL steps
♦ Universities are implementing IL programs♦ Compulsory courses / tailored training♦ National association of university libraries has a IL
national committee♦ Offers a training program for librarians♦ There are some dissertations and thesis on the subject
IL National ConferencesIL National Conferences
♦ Three national IL meetings♦ Three IL manifestos♦ The manifestos have been distributed widely♦ Produced national standards♦ Proceedings have been published
IFLA – International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
IFLA – International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions
♦ Information Literacy Section♦ Buenos Aires Conference, Aug ´04♦ Two sessions during the conference♦ International Guidelines♦ Book on international IL practices / experiences♦ Offer international networking
ConclusionsConclusions
♦ The North-South knowledge gaps can be bridged by information competencies
♦ Individuals of all ages need information literacy competencies
♦ Education needs pedagogical changes in developing countries
♦ Librarians are information experts who can advocate information development in Southern countries