Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage: Developing a Model for Lifelong Learning

Chandos Information Professional Series

Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage

Developing a model for lifelong learning

Kim Baker

Table of Contents

Cover image

Title page

Copyright

Dedication

List of figures and table

List of abbreviations

Acknowledgements

About the author

Introduction

Chapter 1: Exploring cultural heritage in the context of museums, archives and libraries

Abstract:

Definitions and concepts

The role of memory and contested history in cultural heritage

Perspectives from museums

Perspectives from archives

Perspectives from libraries

Concluding comments

Chapter 2: Cultural heritage within digital information contexts

Abstract:

Overview of the contexts of digital information

The digital divide and moral rights to cultural heritage

Social responses in the digital world

Concluding comments

Chapter 3: Overview of information literacy models in the library context

Abstract:

Definitions and concepts

Models of information literacy stages and processes

Models of information literacy standards, competencies and performance indicators

Concluding comments

Chapter 4: Critical thinking and lifelong learning

Abstract:

The role of critical thinking and lifelong learning

Critical thinking skills and cultural sensitivities

Lifelong learning and learning styles

Concluding comments

Chapter 5: Information literacy and cultural heritage: a proposed generic model for lifelong learning

Abstract:

Summary of key factors in the development of the model

A generic model of information literacy and cultural heritage for lifelong learning

Learner’s tasks

Concluding comments

Chapter 6: Guidelines for adapting the generic Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage Model for Lifelong Learning to local contexts

Abstract:

Suggested methodology and research design for adapting the model to local contexts

Factors to consider in adapting the model

Applying the model: designing training courses based on the model

Reviewing, evaluating and revising the model and training courses

Concluding comments

Chapter 7: Conclusion: summary observations and a way forward

Abstract:

Appendix 1: sample survey of patrons of museums, archives and libraries

Appendix 2: sample interview schedule, June–July 2013

Bibliography

Index

Copyright

Chandos Publishing

Hexagon House

Avenue 4

Station Lane

Witney

Oxford OX28 4BN

UK

Tel: + 44 (0) 1993 848726

Email: info@chandospublishing.com

www.chandospublishing.com

www.chandospublishingonline.com

Chandos Publishing is an imprint of Woodhead Publishing Limited

Woodhead Publishing Limited

80 High Street

Sawston

Cambridge CB22 3HJ

UK

Tel: + 44 (0) 1223 499140

Fax: + 44 (0) 1223 832819

www.woodheadpublishing.com

First published in 2013

ISBN: 978-1-84334-720-0 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-78063-386-2 (online)

© K. Baker, 2013

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the Publishers. This publication may not be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise disposed of by way of trade in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published without the prior consent of the Publishers. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The Publishers make no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this publication and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions.

The material contained in this publication constitutes general guidelines only and does not represent to be advice on any particular matter. No reader or purchaser should act on the basis of material contained in this publication without first taking professional advice appropriate to their particular circumstances. All screenshots in this publication are the copyright of the website owner(s), unless indicated otherwise.

Typeset by Domex e-Data Pvt. Ltd., India

Printed in the UK and USA.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to the memory of my friend and colleague, the late Dr. Zakes Letshela, former Programme Executive for Collections Management at the National Library of South Africa, who was so tragically taken from us in December 2002, and who I know would have been passionate and excited about the vision outlined in this book.

I also dedicate this book to my wonderful parents, the late Daphne and Ronald Sinclair Roxburgh.

List of figures and table

Figures

2.1. A trace of an important contextual narrative, the full narrative has since disappeared from the Twitter archives 69

7.1. Convergence between museums, archives and libraries in the delivery of information literacy and cultural heritage training for lifelong learning 156

Table

5.1. Proposed generic Information Literacy and Cultural Heritage for Lifelong Learning Model 127

List of abbreviations

ACRL Association of College and Research Libraries

ANC African National Congress

COSATU Congress of South African Trade Unions

IFLA International Federation of Library Associations

NLS National Library of Singapore

NLSA National Library of South Africa

OCLC Online Computer Library Center

PMM personal meaning mapping

SCONUL Society of College, National and University Libraries

Acknowledgements

This book is the result of exposure to many perspectives, places, inspirational ideas and support from a number of people and organizations, both in South Africa and in the many countries I visited during the course of my work for the IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations).

Grateful acknowledgement is given to the vision and inspiration provided by Professor Peter Lor, former and founding National Librarian of the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) and Secretary-General of the IFLA, who nominated and supported me to serve on the IFLA Document Delivery and Resource Sharing Standing Committee, and who has continued to be a source of inspiration in his research, analytical critiques and his rare gift for the generation of new ideas and fresh perspectives.

I also thank Professor Rocky Ralebepi-Simela (former Chair of the Board of the NLSA) and John Tsebe (current National Librarian of the NLSA) for their support of my IFLA work through the years 2004–11.

For their support, encouragement and sheer excellence of standards, I am deeply grateful to the staff of the Library and Information Studies Centre at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and I especially wish to acknowledge Mary Nassimbeni, Jaya Raju, Peter Underwood, Karin de Jager and Gretchen Smith who have all contributed to my academic development over the years. I also acknowledge the wonderful staff of Hiddingh Hall Library at the University of Cape Town (Solvej Vorster, Kashiefa Shade, Caitlin Miller and Peter Vries) for their friendly, professional and efficient service – truly, they epitomize how dedicated librarians are an absolute treasure for any researcher.

Other colleagues (academics and practitioners) have been inspirational, and locally in South Africa I acknowledge Henry Bredenkamp and Rooksana Omar of Iziko Museums in Cape Town, Ninnie Steyn and Nazeem Hardy of the City of Cape Town Public Library Services, the Western Cape Provincial Archives, Mandy Gilder and Alexio Motsi of the National Archives in Pretoria, Ellen Tise (University of Stellenbosch), Haffy Hafferjee (retired, University of KwaZulu-Natal), Christine Stilwell (University of KwaZulu-Natal), Genevieve Hart (University of the Western Cape), Denise Nicholson (University of the Witwatersrand) and Ingrid Thompson (University of Cape Town).

Internationally, I acknowledge Sue Myburgh (Australia), Harriet Deacon (UK), Gene Tan (Singapore), Uwe Rosemann and his colleagues at the TIB (Germany), Assunta Arte (Italy), Elisa Soares (Portugal), Jacqueline Gillet (France), Ertugal Cimen (Turkey), Fariborz Khosravi (Iran), Mary Hollerich (USA), Rose Goodier (UK), Robert Seal (USA), Margarita Moreno (Australia), Joan Stein (USA), Daniel Mattes (Mexico), Jindriska Coufalova (Czechoslovakia), Poul Erlandson (Denmark), Penelope Street and Betty Lowry (UK), Collence Chisita (Zimbabwe), Matthew Goldner (OCLC), Bob Krall (USA), Sjoerd Koopman (the Netherlands), Jesús Lau (Mexico), Mike McGrath (UK), Paul Sturges (UK), Elmelinda Lara (Trinidad and Tobago), and many of the other colleagues with whom I worked during the course of my two terms on the IFLA Document Delivery and Resource Sharing Standing Committee.

I am deeply grateful to personal friends and family for their continuous support and motivational encouragement and I thank especially my sister Dawn, Alex, Ann-Christen, Kgomotso, Stewart and Janet, Michelle, Luca, Mandla, Andrew, Sipho, Robin, Thandi, Mustapha, Zayd, Elaine, Adrienne, Michael, Vusi and Mpho.

Finally, the staff of Chandos Publishing, most especially Jonathan, Ed and George, have been an absolute pleasure to work with – responsive, helpful and encouraging all the way, and I wish to thank them for their outstanding support and guidance. I also wish to thank my copy-editor, Geraldine Lyons, for her meticulous work and suggestions.

About the author

Kim Baker is working on her masters dissertation (M.Phil.) at the Library and Information Studies Centre, University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is a member of the editorial advisory board for the journal, Interlending and Document Supply. She was formerly Programme Executive of Document Supply and Information Services at the National Library of South Africa (2001–11) and a member of the IFLA Document Delivery and Resource Sharing Standing Committee (2003–11), chairing between 2007–9. Kim was Project Manager in a partnership between the NLSA and the Publishers’ Association of South Africa, which in 2007 produced the first catalog of titles available in indigenous languages, entitled Writings in Nine Tongues, and she wrote the Official Publications Depository Manual for the NLSA (2004). She has traveled to many countries in the course of her work, presenting papers, arranging conferences and absorbing the various cultural flavors of each country, all of which led to the formation of the ideas in this book. She blogs at kimbakercapetown.wordpress.com, and can be found on Twitter as @iKbaker.

Introduction

This book seeks to enter uncharted territory by exploring two seemingly antithetical fields: one rooted in the predominantly Western-based positivist scientific method of social science (information literacy within library science), and the other rooted in the complex and contested terrain of cultural heritage, which has been strongly influenced by postmodernist discourse. The book seeks to create a dialectical synthesis between these two seemingly opposing fields, in order to provide an integrated tool for teaching information literacy skills and cultural heritage awareness at the same time, in the context of lifelong learning.

This exploration was initiated by encounters with certain problems identified within a discourse in librarianship, and necessarily expanded to delve into the disciplines of museum studies, archival science, digital media studies and lifelong learning methodologies in order to find answers.

The discourse in the field of librarianship today is dominated by the focus on digital preservation, and one often hears how essential it is to preserve our cultural heritage. The dual functions and problems of preserving and providing access to the cultural heritage held within library collections are seemingly solved by digital preservation, which is implicitly assumed to be a panacea for all aspects of librarianship. The focus and discourse is primarily directed to the technical aspects of digitization, including metadata, the creation of repositories, open access, copyright and intellectual property issues, among many other aspects.

While this development is indeed essential in the age of the Internet, there are some aspects that appear to have been overlooked, leading to some questions of concern. Firstly, there has been very little examination of what is meant by cultural heritage in the context of libraries and their collections. The literature in the field of library studies is scant in this regard.

Secondly, while the assumption that digitization necessarily results in the long-term preservation of collections is seldom challenged, so too the assumption that access is provided once content is placed on the Internet is equally unchallenged. Questions arise around the troubling issues surrounding access. What is meant by access? Is this simply referring to the discovery of content on the Internet? Is it really sufficient to place content on the Internet, and assume that people will not only find it, but analyze it, interpret it and use it for the creation of new knowledge? And what of the vast parts of the world who as yet do not have easy or affordable Internet access, or who cannot afford the costs of unlimited bandwidth that virtual collections often require in order to be accessible?

These questions led to the exploration of other disciplines in order to find answers. An exploration of the fields of museum studies and archival sciences revealed in-depth deconstruction, examination and self-reflection of core issues surrounding the methodology of the collection, description and presentation of cultural heritage, which is lacking in the field of librarianship. Further explorations into the fields of heritage studies and studies on digital culture unearthed new perspectives.

In terms of access, as referred to by libraries, the simple facilitation of access to content is not sufficient. If this was all that libraries did, then we would not need libraries, as this function could be fulfilled by a variety of other service providers, and by a variety of people. A profession of trained people is not required simply to look up an item on a catalog, and then physically go and fetch material and give it to the user. As provocative as this statement is, the intent is to encourage librarians and information professionals to question and critique what it is they do that makes them unique and essential in the service they provide.

In the context of access, there is one field of librarianship that has a well-developed pedagogy, and this field is the area of information literacy (or information fluency, a more recent term) which has traditionally grappled with issues of how to assist its clients to discover, evaluate, analyze and use information found in library collections. In deference to the age of the Internet, online information literacy tutorials have been developed by many libraries. However, when it comes to the issue of the cultural heritage contained in libraries, this pedagogy has not yet advanced as far as the fields of museum studies and archival sciences in examining the notions of what cultural heritage actually is, the context of the collection (what is collected, what is not collected, and who, or which perspective, frames the selection of material for collection), the political and cultural connotations of description, and the problems of interpretation and presentation. These issues are especially relevant in the area of cultural heritage, which is not a neutral subject.

This exploration also led to the conclusion that since the digitization of cultural heritage is the top priority of libraries worldwide, it would be worthwhile to mine and harvest the main thoughts and ideas in the fields of heritage, museums, archives and digital culture and combine them with the already established field of information literacy in order to provide a blueprint for libraries to develop contextually relevant models with which to teach information literacy and cultural heritage.

Whether libraries are making the cultural heritage in their collections available online, or whether they still need to be physically accessed by means of a visit to the library, for libraries and librarians to truly fulfil their role of providing access to these collections they need to focus further and proactively facilitate the engagement with and the evaluation, interpretation and use of these collections in support of lifelong learning and the intellectual and cultural development of their users.

A further conclusion reached from this exploration was that libraries would benefit from forming partnerships