Toolkit Overview

The Pacific Library Partnership received an LSTA grant in FY 2017/18 to create this News Literacy Toolkit.

The News Literacy Toolkit has been created to help librarians meet public interest in media literacy quickly and confidently. Collected inside are a variety of resources which will allow the programming librarian to hit the ground running with programming ideas, activities, infographics, presentations, and other content.

Content revolves around five key media literacy concepts (explained in depth in the Toolkit Content section):
  • The changing media environment
  • Fact vs. opinion and “fake news”
  • Evaluating information and verifying claims
  • Determining bias
  • The role of social media

Recognizing that every library will have differing interests and abilities in how they address media literacy, the toolkit provides resources that allow for situational versatility. Not everything in this kit needs to be deployed at the same time, nor should it be. Think of it as a menu of options that will allow libraries of all sizes and situations to draw from, use, tinker with, and adapt for their particular communities.

This project is a collaborative effort between PLP member libraries, consultants from Common Knowledge, and other organizations from around the greater Bay Area who have invested time and energy in curating content regarding news literacy.

A special thank you goes out to the patrons, community members and librarians who have helped to develop toolkit content.  A summary of patron input that helped guide this project can be found here. Thank you also to the facilitators, presenters, and attendees of PLP’s October 2017 News Literacy Convening, whose input helped shape the News Literacy Toolkit.

This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the California State Library, and no official endorsement by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the California State Library should be inferred.

Desired Outcomes

Usage and Attribution

The materials in the News Literacy Toolkit are available for your non-commercial use.
Documents from this toolkit can be used without prior permission for non-commercial educational purposes, on the condition that you provide proper attribution of the sources in all copies.

All permissions granted by PLP are granted insofar and only insofar as the rights of PLP are concerned. Some materials in this toolkit may be copyrighted by other entities. If you wish to use these materials, you must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of literary property rights or copyrights. You must agree to indemnify and to hold harmless PLP, its officers, employees and agents from and against all suits, claims, actions and expenses arising out of the use of reproductions provided by PLP member libraries. When using materials from the News Literacy Toolkit website, please cite the following:

  • The name and URL of the website (News Literacy Toolkit; plpinfo.org/news-literacy-toolkit
  • The title of the web page or resource
  • The phrase “News Literacy Toolkit is made possible through a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, and in partnership with the Pacific Library Partnership”
News Literacy Toolkit was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the California State Library, and no official endorsement by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services or the California State Library should be inferred.