If youre sick of using Google as your search engine, if youre wondering whether you can trust a websites credibility, or you want to learn how to download the latest ebooks from the library or other online bookstores, the Vancouver Public Library offers courses that can address these questions.
Digital literacy doesnt just mean how to surf the net or how to check your email; it also means having critical thinking skills in order to protect your online identity and to protect you from financial scams and other fraudulent schemes.
Almost anyone can post anything online, but it may not be as thoroughly researched as professional sites. People make big decisions on what they read online, says Sandra Singh, who is the Vancouver Public Librarys chief librarian.
The VPL offers computer courses that show people how to assess for bias, how to look for additional information, which requires a higher level of vigilance. Other courses talk about how to keep safe online and the digital tattoo. Singh points out that once information is up on the world wide web, its hard to take down.
If you recently got an eReader, dont ditch the library card yet chances are the Vancouver Public might have a copy you can borrow it.
The library also offers workshops on how to use specific eReaders, such as the Kobo and the Kindle. Ebook circulation grew 186.6 per cent from 2011 to 2012, from 46,558 to 133,453.
The library has already been listening to the publics demand for more technology, from including ebooks to increasing public computer usage and internet-related courses. They started including ebooks in their collection 15 years ago.
What weve seen since 2005/2006 is a real explosion in digital technology, adoption, social media mainstreaming of communities, says Singh. Its an exponential growth of readership. Weve been digital for some time trying to keeping changing patron demands around reading services, internet access.
The digital age doesnt take away from the librarys mandate to foster the culture of reading, but has increased the ways people can access information.
Most people cant afford to buy what they want to read, listen or watch Formats change over the years, but we dont get hung up on formats, says Singh.
The library is a space where people can gather in a public space where research, learning and community is built.
I think theres nothing more powerful to promote learning and life long learning to see multigenerational use of books and programming, says Singh.
Theres so much research to support reading, reading for pleasure, reading in our household because it is so critical to building a broader world view, developing empathy for people in others circumstances simply learning more stuff. Reading is that core skill. I think that the role of the library is an enduring one to continue to support a life-long love of reading and learning.
Malcolm Levy, curator for Touch, the Vancouver Public Library Foundations first annual fundraiser, agrees.
Reading is one place in todays environment you can be by yourself. It can never be replaced. Making sure this generation and the next one after that [has digital literacy] is essential for our culture, for humankind as a whole, says Levy.
