What We Have and What We Need: Librarian Perspectives on Children’s Films and Digital Media

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session III
  In Interactive Paper Session: Children, Adolescents, and the Media Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

This research identifies how school and public librarians in STATE use the power of children’s film and digital media resources to promote digital and media literacy. Interviews with school and public librarians and children’s media professionals plus quantitative research with school and public librarians in STATE were used to identify needs. Findings show a profound lack of cross-fertilization among librarians and children’s media professionals. Children’s media professionals are unaware of the potentially valuable support that librarians could provide; many librarians are unfamiliar with the genre of independent children’s media. There is an attitude, knowledge, and skills gap among children’s, young adult, and school librarians with regard to digital and media literacy.

Authors

• Renee Hobbs, University of Rhode Island

• Katie Donnelly, U of Rhode Island