Dear Library Lovers,
Literacy. Would you use that word to describe your skill in doing things other than reading? Probably yes if you’re a teacher! But probably no for the rest of us. However, as libraries are more than just books, literacy is more than just having the ability to read words on a page. Literacy is having knowledge in any topic, reading or otherwise. Thanks to science literacy, I have a basic understanding that plants need sunlight to grow. My health literacy fundamentals remind me that exercise is good for my heart and donuts are not. Math literacy is why I know how to calculate a restaurant tip.
There are other literacies many people have less experience understanding, but I suggest people have awareness of. I’m thinking of media literacy at the moment - equally important to the more common literacies I mention above, in my opinion.
Entering the tail end of the presidential election cycle, media is especially in my face. This has been a great opportunity for me to reflect on what it means to be exposed to media and how it affects my decision-making. This month also includes the 10th annual U.S. Media Literacy Week, from October 21st through the 25th.
Yes, media literacy highlights the importance of comprehending the messages I receive through the powerful combination of words, images, and sounds I experience every day. But I think media literacy is too often equated with overly simplistic ideas about fact-checking, assigning position on a media bias scale, and even totally buying into, or totally writing off, all social media content. In my view, media literacy isn’t a magical “solution” to political divides. It’s not going to unequivocally reveal an agreed-upon “truth” among contested understandings of “the facts”. Media literacy isn’t guaranteed to those who are Extremely Online, nor is it unavailable to those disinterested in social media. It’s more subtle than that. I consider media literacy to include developing an awareness of self, considering context, and being open to understanding. Media literacy helps me react to the messages I receive in ways that are helpful and kind rather than anxious and angry.
Boosting one’s media literacy isn’t hard and doesn’t take a long time. A great place to start is with a simple internet search for the phrase, “ improve my media literacy” or find a book from the library in the CountyCat catalog with keywords " media literacy".
See you at the Library!
Brian Van Klooster |
