New research project on mis/disinformation in library collections in Australia.
(21 April 2021) ALIA is pleased to announce it is currently seeking applications from LIS researchers to lead/undertake a six-month research project on mis/disinformation in library collections in Australia.
The issue of mis/disinformation, and a wider issue of community trust, has recently been in the spotlight, with conspiracy theories crossing into the mainstream and the increasing spread of fake news across social media platforms. As there are currently no national guidelines to assist Australian public and school librarians address this issue in collection development and management, the ALIA Board is supporting a bespoke research project to assist them to tackle this increasing challenge.
The aim of the project is to first understand current research and practice on handling mis/disinformation in the library sector; then develop a policy-making framework and tools to support public and school librarians address this issue when evaluating new and current items in their collections.
The expected timeline for the project is six months with a budget of up to $10,000 available.
The summary project outline is here.
