This book constitutes revised selected papers from the 4th European Conference on Information Literacy, ECIL 2016, held in Prague, Czech Republic, in October 2016. The 52 full and 19 short papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 259 submissions. They were organized in topical sections named: inclusive society and democracy; employability and workplace; various literacies; reading preference: print vs electronic; theoretical aspects; higher education; discipline based studies; research methods; children and youth; country based studies; academic libraries; librarians; and teaching methods and instruction.

"Provides a snapshot of the current state of critical information literacy as it is enacted and understood by academic librarians"--

Digital Literacy and Digital Inclusion: Information Policy and the Public Library examines the interrelationships between digital literacy, digital inclusion, and public policy, emphasizing the impacts of these policy decisions on the ability of individuals and communities to successfully participate in the information society. This book is the first detailed consideration of digital literacy and digital inclusion as policy problems and as core issues in information policy and libraries. The unique features of this book include drawing together the key themes and findings from the discourse on digital literacy and digital inclusion widely spread among many fields; analyzing digital literacy and digital inclusion as policy issues, both being driven and regulated by policy; building on a wealth of original research conducted by the authors using different quantitative and qualitative data collection approaches on four different continents when analyzing these issues, providing unique examples, case studies, and perspectives; using information behavior theory to provide important insights about these issues at individual, community, and political levels; providing recommendations to inform practice in libraries and help libraries to frame their advocacy for public policies that support literacy and inclusion; and providing policy recommendations to improve the creation and implementation of policy instruments that promote digital literacy and digital inclusion. The authors of this book have been involved in this research for many years, and their experience provides a broad view across the literature, inherent problems, and national perspectives. This breadth allows this book to offer comprehensive policy recommendations, solutions, and best practices for an area that is fragmented in discourse, practice, and policy.

Amid the opportunities and challenges we face at the dawn of the fifth industrial revolution, Digital Literacy and Inclusion presents a carefully curated selection of case studies, theories, research, and best practices based on digital literacy as a prerequisite for effective digital inclusion. More than a dozen experts provide deep insights in stories, research reports, and geographical studies of digital literacy and inclusion models, all from a multi-disciplinary perspective that includes engineering, social sciences, and education. Digital Literacy and Inclusion also highlights a showcase of real-world digital literacy initiatives that have been adopted by communities of practice around the globe. Contributors explore myriad aspects and modalities of digital literacy: digital skills related to creativity, urban data literacy, digital citizenship skills, digital literacy in education, connectivity literacy, online safety skills, problem-solving and critical-thinking digital skills, data literacy skills, mobile digital literacy, algorithmic digital skills, digital health skills, etc. They share the principles and techniques behind successful initiatives and examine the dynamics and structures that enable communities to achieve digital literacy efficiently and sustainably. Their practical solutions, propositions, and findings provide theoretically grounded and evidence-based facts that inform interventions intended to ensure that all citizens have and can enhance their digital literacy while meaningfully and responsibly participating in the digital economy and society. The ideas and histories in this book will appeal to scholars and researchers in the social sciences, engineering, education, sustainable digital technologies, and transformation, and will also be of interest to practitioners in industry, policy, and government.

Overcoming Information Poverty: Investigating the Role of Public Libraries in The Twenty-First Century considers the role of public libraries in alleviating information poverty and targeting social exclusion, using a three-level information poverty framework. The book proposes a model for understanding the concept of information poverty, develops indicators for its measurement, and provides recommendations for service improvement based on analysis of public library services at macro (strategic), meso (community) and micro (individual) levels. The topic is of theoretical and practical importance when considering the changing role of public libraries today. The book is the first time a macro, meso, and micro model of information poverty indicators has been developed and applied to illustrate the impact of public libraries at strategic, community, and personal levels. - Stimulates thinking and debate on information poverty and how it may be addressed by public libraries, education departments, and governments - Uses case studies to investigate how information poverty can be tackled at the macro, meso, and micro level - Focuses on how strategic policies to reduce information poverty filter through to community-based interventions within branch libraries - Discusses mixed methods, using quantitative and qualitative data, surveys, interviews, and focus groups with library users and non-users, to conduct a three-level investigation of information poverty

The way we talk, work, learn, and think has been greatly shaped by modern technology. These lifestyle changes have made digital literacy the new written literacy, where those who are not able to use computers are unable to function and perform everyday tasks. The Handbook of Research on Comparative Approaches to the Digital Age Revolution in Europe and the Americas explores the new ways that technology is shaping our society and the advances it is bringing, along with potential drawbacks, such as human jobs being replaced by computers. This expansive handbook is an essential reference source for students, academics, and professionals in the fields of communication, information technology, sociology, social policy, and education; it will also prove of interest to policymakers, funding-agencies, and digital inclusion program developers. This handbook features a broad scope of research-based articles on topics including, but not limited to, computational thinking, e-portfolios, e-citizenship, digital inclusion policies, and information literacy as a form of community empowerment.