2019 Charleston Library Conference

We live in an age of information overload which leads to our information landscape becoming replete with examples of misinformation, oversimplification, and overly biased rhetoric. Despite increased public awareness, the challenges often referred to under the umbrella of ‘fake news’ continue to be highly problematic for information consumers. Our universities are seeking to ensure students are able to think critically, and be discerning information consumers that can separate fact from fiction, and approach their sources with an objective eye. Many librarians are finding new ways to support the growth of critical thinking habits - but what’s the best way to do this among students with widely diverse backgrounds – cultural, political, geographical, and academic? In this lively discussion, Dan Chibnall, Sarah Morris, Roz Tedford, Amanda DiFeterici and Kiren Shoman will share strategies and resource ideas for helping librarians make critical thinkers of patrons. They will encourage debate on creating habits that foster student success and enable students to overcome their own biases to become more informed, better-contributing citizens. Please come with your own strategies, ideas to test, tools to suggest, and experience that participants can take back to their institutions to enable engaging ways of fostering critical thinking among all students.