3.2 Information Literacy

Candidates know when and why information is needed, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. Candidates model, promote, and teach critical-thinking and the inquiry process by using multiple literacies.

In the second semester of graduate school, I look LLT 560: Organization of Information, Metadata, and Library Technology. One of the course objectives listed in the syllabus mentioned that by its conclusion, students would be able to gain factual knowledge, terminology, classifications, methods, and trends. Library students would create digital records of various formats of information works and entities along with keeping abreast of trends having to do with technology. These ideas were on display throughout the Database Speed Dating Assignment. 

Databases are some of the most widely used resources in libraries. It is important that librarians know how to navigate the databases that they provide so that they can teach their patrons how to search through them as well as retrieve information for themselves. While there are search engines across the internet that can help find information quickly, databases allow for an informed and right answer for research.  

For this assignment, I got to select six databases to look into further. I did some background checking to see what databases would be used for and then conducted a short search through each of them. Each of the databases that I investigated were beneficial in their own way and gave me a unique perspective on how information can be presented to those searching for it on those platforms. All of the information is very current and extremely detailed. Some of the databases I researched were set up for children to be able to navigate, such as Bookflix and TrueFlix, and provided stories for them to read along with facts about what the story is about. I had never encountered databases for younger minds before and found these incredibly useful in teaching them how to read and reading comprehension. 

After completing this assignment, I had a better understanding about databases and how libraries can use them to their advantage. In future classes, I got the chance to do fieldwork at my local elementary school and got to see how these databases were implemented and used in the curriculum of the school. Seeing them in action after researching them gave me a very clear picture as to what is most useful about their implementation.