Information Literacy for Newspaper Librarians

Wired ran a great podcast on their fact checking desk. Great lesson in information literacy for journalists. 

Creating Future Knowledge

Are librarians choosing to disappear from the information & knowledge delivery process?  By Carl Grant

Like it or not, how we define ourselves (or allow others to define us) reflects our value, especially in the world of business and special libraries. 

As a mercenary librarian, your value reflects 1) How much money you’ll make and 2) How long The Company will employ you.  So I’m always searching for new ways to show what I do is important and explain the service I provide.  For a long time, I’ve said that I help people find and organize information.  The problem is everyone thinks they can find good information efficiently just using Google.  Everyone thinks they can do secondary research.  And to an extent, yes everyone can.  So the tag line I was using at the beginning of my career ten years ago is needing an update. 

I really enjoyed Carl Grant’s article, particularly for how it defines what it is that librarians do, no matter the setting:

We help people create new knowledge by helping them find existing knowledge that is authoritative, authenticated and appropriate to their needs. We put that knowledge in context and provide it without bias.  This becomes the foundation upon which they create new knowledge.
 

While I detest the term “added value,” it’s important to show to one’s Masters.  Grant’s emphasis on helping other create new knowledge is a really great way to show that added value, especially when your name may not be the one going the final product.