An interesting book from the respected stable of CILIP's Facet Publishing, edited by Jo Parker, Head of Information Literacy, Open University Library and Peter Godwin, Academic Liaison Librarian at the University of Bedfordshire – so, a good track record containing relevant and up to date professional experience and practice.
The book is partitioned into three segments – upcoming and important trends, collected resource bank and case studies on recent trends and lastly a concluding section assessing trends and changes in the information environment today. Thus, a useful and timely work for the LIS profession and students, covering many of the key issues a modern LIS practitioner has to deal with every day, such as Social Media and Internet use. A well chosen panel of experienced practitioners, e.g. Phil Bradley, Susie Andretta, provide good, relevant and up to date articles on Information Literacy trends and practices, often from an international perspective. Peter Godwin contribute an interesting update of the Information Literacy scene today and argues for a practice-based approach by librarians. He argues well for constructing a working definition of “Information Literacy” – a slippery concept at times. Stacey Taylor provides an interesting account of citation and referencing practice in an Australian High School for Girls and the use of EASYBIB in that context.
So, an interesting book – if, at times a bit technical – giving a broad spectrum of Information Literacy issues and practice today. As expected from a leading professional organisation such as CILIP the book is well produced, well laid out with a clear index and good references. A helpful book – as Canadian librarian Dean Giustini succinctly points out “Information Literacy is the ability to access, evaluate, organise and use information” noting that “many consider it a core competency for the 21st Century”. If this is so (and it is hard to argue against it) then LIS professionals have an assured and glittering future.
