Information Support: a Community Partnership - The Missing Link

Introduction

Information Literacy – the bridge

New Zealand perspective Distinct bicultural character Main issues – information and

support

Rotorua

Population 67,000 - 35% (14.7%) Māori

Māori - lower educational and economic profile

NGOs & Iwi - addressing educational and related issues

Whare Takiura/Waiariki Institute of Technology

Pepeha (proverb) about boundaries of Waiariki region

“Mai I Maketu ki Tongariro, Mai Nga Kuri A Wharei ki Tihirau, me Te Kaokaoroa O Patetere”

“From Maketu to Tongariro, from Katikati to Whanagaparaoa, and beyond the Mamaku ranges to Tokoroa”

Waiariki Institute of Technology

Main Campus at Mokoia, Rotorua

Satellite Campuses at Whakatane, Tokoroa and Taupo

NZ Polytechnics/Institutes of Technology

Mostly vocational programmes, but growing number of degree level courses

Courses offered by Waiariki Tourism & TravelEducation & TeachingForestry & Wood processingMāori StudiesVisual ArtsBusiness & Management StudiesComputingNursing & HealthEngineering

Waiariki Student Learning Centre

Library and Learning Resource Centre - Te Rutoi-A-Tini [Place of many learning(s)] Malcolm Murchie Library

Student focused environment Teaching and learning facilities

under one roof Digital Library Open Access room Meeting room Video Viewing rooms Interview/study rooms Classrooms

Waiariki and the Community: institutional perspective

Waiariki is about people and lifelong development

Student population – 45% Māori – language and culture have an impact on Waiariki

No institution can operate effectively in isolation from its community

Close liaison with community groups and industry

Cooperative ventures with tertiary providers and secondary schools

Biculturalism at Waiariki

Unique relationship between Māori and Pakeha as set out in Treaty

Acknowledges the status of Māori as the Tangata Whenua

Stated commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi

Directorate of Māori Development Unit established in October 1996

Biculturalism in the Library

Written Tangata Whenua Policy Created a partnership position High ratio of Māori and Pacific

Islander staff members

Information Literacy (IL)

To realise when information is needed and know how to locate, evaluate, and effectively use it ethically

Information Age

“The illiterate of today is not the person that cannot read or write, but someone who has not learned how to learn” (Toffler, 1970)

Humankind’s knowledge doubled from 1750 –1990

Doubled again from 1900 –1950 Doubled every five years since

then By 2020 it will double every 73

days

Information Literacy for the Information Age Information Age requires that

literacy be expanded to include information literacy

Individuals are becoming less reliant on librarians

Librarians will act as navigators Emphasis is teaching users to

be self-sufficient “…librarians are no more an

endangered species, but an essential commodity”

Best when offered by librarians in partnership with teachers

Information Literacy at Waiariki

All students are taught IL Proactively introduce IL to the

wider community 61% of students are second

chance learners Accessing information has not

been part of their experiences IL would empowering future

students and promote the institution

Information Literacy Course

Six modules: Introduction to library and

resources Locating resources in the library

- traditional and electronic Internet basics Full text databases Resource evaluation Information Ethics

Free Computer courses

Free basic computer courses after hours on and off campus

Basic computer skills and IT confidence

Logical step to Information Literacy skills

Community Organizations

Many target Māori - the socio-economic profile requiring redress or support

Very few community education programmes have formal IL training

Quality could be compromised - life long education

Digital divide

Report Four to Minister of Māori Affairs, - importance of ICT to close gaps between Māori and non-Māori, but no specific attention is given to integration of IL

LIANZA/Te Rōpū Whakahau recommendation to the National Information Strategy - digital divide and very specific Māori information needs must be addressed

Rūnanga - “Places of learning”

Often Marae (Meeting house) based with a definite community focus

Closer links are being forged with one marae

Wānanga

Four Wānanga or Māori universities in the region

Waiariki’s management is establishing areas of cooperation

Delivery of IL programmes is one such area

Library Community support

Members of the public may use the library resources in-house

Outside Membership available

Areas of success include:

• Anglican Church’s Wānanga• Ngati Pikiao• Rotorua Schools’ Trust• Public Libraries• High Schools• Literacy NZ/Aotearoa

Challenge

To promote IL proactively Government’s “Knowledge

Society” initiative and ICT support would see inclusion of IL as an essential component

Library profession is lobbying government and creating non-traditional platforms where IL can be delivered  

Cooperation

NZ government is actively encouraging cooperation

Delivery of IL can contribute to cooperation

Benefits

Reciprocal benefits for Institution and community

Tangible results of Institutional goals by the library

Marketing potential for Waiariki Staff development for library

staff Wider community perspective -

sense of support and sharing

Vision

Modern library - not collections, systems, technology, staffing, buildings, but actions

How we translate vision into action will determine our credibility in the community

Responding to community needs - educational

Expanding services

Conclusion

“The dawn of the information age is behind us. But don't get too excited: it's still morning, and there's a long way to go before lunch”.---Stephen M. Scheider

THANK YOU