Putting it all together

Mary Nassimbenimary.nassimbeni@uct.ac.za

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What is the problem? If IL and IL programmes are the

answer, what is the problem? Define it in terms that speak to the

concerns of the decision makers using their vocabulary and language

Identify target audiences and key stake holders

There must be demonstrated need

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Target audience Internal, e.g. colleagues in your

library, your library director, your department. Importance of understanding how decisions are taken (Peter’s points: parent orgn)

External Institutional decision makers Business community

Audience: external contd

Government departments, e.g. US Congress and Paul Zurkowski

NGOs, e.g. Adult literacy organisations

Funders Community leaders Education community Library users

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Challenges learned from delegates Institutional challenges Relationships in our library:

resistance, lack of understanding, “we are not teachers”, role/status of librarian as teacher

Relationships with our colleagues, their expectations, doing more without sufficient resource allocation

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Steps Initially target sympathetic

individuals/organisations Start on a modest scale, e.g. by

pilots Adopt an IL definition & model

which clearly sets out what IL is and how it relates to other

Team/collaboration4 - 6 Oct 2008 TTT Workshop Cape Town 6

Our responsibility We need ourselves to be information

literate It is our responsibility to keep our own

IL skills uptodate also with IT advances We are responsible for our own

learning. We must develop ourselves as learners and trainers in order to take our staff with us

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Steps contd.

Instructional design principles Turn to standards for

content/assessment Be aware of need for measurement

because of need to demonstrate impact Feedback is a birthright Criteria of a good programme (Cf ACRL

Best Practice): how to recognise success/failure

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Develop your IL policy in the strategic plan Elements:

What is current situation What is future desired

situation Definition of IL Importance of IL

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IL Policy contd

Role of library in delivering IL programmes

How library will work with other groups in designing and delivering the programmes

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Develop key messages Develop key messages for your target

audience/s Formulate the message linking it to

the idea that libraries and librarians have a key role in developing IL as we are the acknowledged experts

IL is a critical skill in today’s information world. Libraries and librarians can help you find your way

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Advocacy: messages Appeal to policy documents, policy

positions of your sector, their concerns and issues issues, e.g. Prague declaration, govt policies on lifelong learning

IL is a product with our brand Marketing key to generating

institutional commitment 4 - 6 Oct 2008 TTT Workshop Cape Town 12

Advocacy messages contd.

The rapid spread & take-up of ICTs gives us another entry point: our skills at using ICTs & the prevailing recognition that ICTs are changing the way we learn, live, work & govern

In Finland, e.g., the IL project (2004-2007) was funded by govt to raise profile of IL

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Advocacy messages Keep on making the link between IL

and learning. IL is learning how to learn. We have to shift perception of library as warehouse to library as learning space

This message appeals to all target audiences

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Advocacy: messages contd

Good decisions depend on good information. IL is necessary for a competitive workforce

All citizens need IL to prosper in the new global economy

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Countering misperceptions “Is this (IL) not just a case of librarians

finding something new to do to fill in the time between nine and five” (A Scottish MP)

The WWW has made the library/librarians redundant: the librarian is the ultimate and best search engine

Our skills are unique4 - 6 Oct 2008 TTT Workshop Cape Town 16

Building partnerships Identify potential partners with a

common concern and commitment Promote a sense of ownership Create shared vision Respect different constituencies and

agendas of different groups: flexibility & openness of mind

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