A presentation on the current work programme for the Research Information and Digital Literacies Coalition (RIDLs), and initiative aimed at developing awareness of information literacy across different communities of interest in the realm of higher education and beyond. The presentation is at the conference entitled 'From the road less travelled to the information super highway: information literacy in the 21st Century', organised by the M25 consortium of London academic libraries and CILIP.

1. RIDLs
A collective approach to IL in
higher education and beyond
Stéphane Goldstein
Research Information Network
Jane Secker
LSE
From the road less travelled to the
information superhighway:
information literacy
in the 21st Century
British Library
31 January 2014
Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

2. What is RIDLs?
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A coalition of partners working together to promote the value of
information and research data literacy for academic researchers
A collectively-run programme to enable activities which help to advance
LIS knowledge and skills
Grant-funded by HEFCE
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for one year initially (June 2012 – May 2013)
second tranche of funding recently approved (January-December 2014)
Important premise:
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Partners not limited to the academic library world: others players have a
stake!
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Important to build a network that capitalises on different outlooks
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Academic librarians, pedagogists, data management specialists, career &
professional development experts, information sciences researchers…

3. Who has been involved in RIDLs?
Funded by:
Managed by:

4. RIDLs achievements to date
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Providing networking opportunities for partners
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Criteria for describing, reviewing & assessing training interventions
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Identifying & promoting documented cases of good practice in IL
training interventions in UK universities
Promoting Vitae’s Researcher Development Framework inasmuch as
this applies to IL
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Thematic workshops
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Study and report on training & skills in open data
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International engagement
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Contribution to FP7 bid on training in open access

5. Blue Mosque, Istanbul

6. RIDLs programme for 2014
Four strands of activity:
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Sustaining and expanding RIDLs as a viable coalition
Using the RIDLs criteria to support the development of information and
data literacy training resources
Transferability of information and data literacy skills/know-how beyond
academia
International outreach

7. Sustaining and expanding RIDLs
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To date, RIDLs has functioned as a loose, informal network coordinated by
RIN
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Clearer expression of the value added by RIDLs
A more formal membership structure
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Appropriate for foundation-laying period, but need for more structured arrangements now
that initiative is maturing
Distinction between individual and organisational membership
Expectations and responsibilities of organisational members (accountability, outreach…)
Clearly defining the benefits of membership (closely related to value added)
Increasing the membership and reach
Improved governance
Better promotion of RIDLs work and achievements
A change in title?

8. Deployment and use of RIDLs criteria
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RIDLs criteria for describing, reviewing and evaluating IL training
interventions
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Criteria now need to be more widely disseminated and promoted, and their
use encouraged
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Issued in July 2013 following consultation and piloting in over 15 institutions
Criteria as a self-help tool
Need for community involvement in the dissemination effort – who can help?
Directed in the first instance towards university libraries, but others might be interested too
How best to disseminate and promote?
Next stage: potential for using the criteria as a basis for a support service
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The purpose and form of such a service is open to discussion
Guidance, advice, facilitation for developing training resources?
Using the criteria for accreditation purposes?
Need to consider carefully the case for such a service… and who might pay for it – could it
be associate with some form of RIDLs membership?
Consultations will take place, views welcome!

9. The Golden Horn and Bosphorus, Istanbul

10. Transferability of IL skills/know-how
beyond academia (1)
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Expanding the scope of RIDLs
Investigating whether/how IL skills and know-how associated with scholarly
endeavour forms part of long-term professional development of individuals
after they leave university
Evidence-gathering on whether/how relevant players perceive IL skills and
know-how as part of their policies, objectives and practices
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career advisers (AGCAS)
organisations with an interest in standards (HEA, QAA, professional statutory regulatory
bodies) – relevance to accreditation
organisations with an interest in matching skills to needs (National Centre for Universities
and Business, UK Commission for Employment and Skills)
professional bodies
employer/employee organisations (CBI, Institute of Directors, TUC… and if possible,
individual enterprises)
Other stakeholders?

11. Transferability of IL skills/know-how
beyond academia (2)
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Results of evidence-gathering will determine next steps
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awareness-raising
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common approaches to promotion
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improving the understanding of IL
joint resources (flyers, information sheets, online guidance…)
To achieve this, RIDLs will work with those stakeholders that have
manifested the most interest during the evidence-gathering
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Possible workshop/small conference around September
Putting IL on the map of sectors which have not previously considered it as
an issue…
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… on the understanding that it will probably not be described as IL

12. International outreach
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Engaging with individuals and organisations outside the UK to compare
experiences and identify openings for international collaboration
Key stakeholders include:
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Major international events:
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UNESCO and Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL)
IFLA (IL Section)
European Network on Information Literacy (EnIL)
National Forum on Information Literacy (NFIL) – good example, from the US, of success in
pushing IL up the national policy agenda
ECIL
LILAC (April)
IFLA IL Section Satellite (August)
ECIL (October)
Prospects for European funding: not very likely in 2014

13. Topkapi Palace, Istanbul

14. Questions to consider
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What sort of organisation should RIDLs evolve into?
What can be done to promote and encourage the use of the
RIDLs criteria?
Is there a case for a support / accreditation service to
support the development of IL training?
Who could RIDLs usefully engage with in seeking to
develop awareness of IL at the interface between HE and
the world of business / employment? And how do we
attract the attention of relevant players?
What could RIDLs gain from international engagement?

15. Thank you for
taking part!
Stéphane Goldstein
stephane.goldstein@researchinfonet.org
Jane Secker
j.secker@lse.ac.uk
Photos taken following
the European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL),
Istanbul, October 2013
Credits: Stéphane Goldstein
Aya Sophia, Istanbul