From books to screens: the school library and the promotion of media and information literacy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26512/rici.v19.n1.2026.59678Keywords:
School libraries, Schools, Information literacy, Media educationAbstract
School libraries fulfil a multiplicity of functions that go beyond information and also include concerns related to the media. According to the revised version of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions guidelines for school libraries, the main activities of a school librarian include media and information literacy. In this sense, based on the Portuguese case, in this article, we aim to analyse the involvement of school libraries in promoting media and information literacy. To this end, we analysed the educational projects of 425 school groups and non-grouped schools, complemented by interviews with directors and/or other people in charge of 15 groups. The study considers public schools in mainland Portugal and the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 school years. The data show that school libraries play a role in promoting media and information literacy, both in the context of specific subjects and in their own projects. Although, their role varies between different educational institutions. There is a clear focus on information literacy, but digital literacy and media literacy are not overlooked among their functions.
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