Information Literacy: Research and Collaboration across Disciplines

Reviewed by Jennifer Bruce, Librarian, Rochester Community & Technical College on 11/25/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This book provides support for the broad notion of shared ownership, responsibility, and accountability of higher education educators offering information literacy support at the institutional level during the 21st century. An inclusion of the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education Framework for Information Literacy provides a foundation for standardizing collaborated efforts among Higher Education institutions. Literary examples from multiple perspectives were provided, demonstrating higher education breakthroughs for shared pedagogical aspects of multiple disciplines. Efforts to collaborate, merge, and redefine information literacy encompassing both writing and research processes were also discussed and assessed in first year student compositions.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The development, standards, and practice for integrating information literacy in Higher Education is accurate.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Teaching information literacy in higher education is very relevant and this resource is important for all educators.

Clarity rating: 5

The content of this resource is clearly defined for application among multiple pedagogical disciplines.

Consistency rating: 5

The book is consistent in terminology and framework.

Modularity rating: 5

Bold face type is utilized for identifying new concepts and subsequent sections are clearly identified.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The layout of the material is rigorous with extensive examples. Multiple topics and issues related to teaching information literacy are identified and discussed. Background understanding is provided at the beginning and reflections with references are included. An index is not included and this missing resource could improve reader content accessibility.

Interface rating: 4

The text, charts and images are clear.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

There are few to no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

There could be more attention to cultural context in the frequent examples.

Reviewed by Jenise Overmier, Research and Instruction Librarian, Marymount University on 8/25/20

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text is part of a series, Perspectives on Writing, meant to “addresses writing studies in a broad sense. Consistent with the wide ranging approaches characteristic of teaching and scholarship in writing across the curriculum, the series presents works that take divergent perspectives on working as a writer, teaching writing, administering writing programs, and studying writing in its various forms.” It functions as an instructor-facing collection of articles related in theme, therefore comprehensiveness is not a critical component of the work.
That said, the table of contents is the only index and there is no glossary. Definitions are embedded in the text of each chapter and there is naturally some divergence in the way concepts are approached. The organization of the articles into four major themes proved useful, as most instructors are unlikely to utilize the entire text.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

The content appears to be well-researched and free of errors. Most of the authors are writing instructors or academic librarians, thus their respective disciplinary perspectives are the most-represented. That said, the book is written for practitioners of such professions.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy is still relatively new and academic librarians will continue working with teaching faculty to integrate it into the curricula at their institutions. The content is extensible enough that it is unlikely to become obsolete in the near future.

Clarity rating: 4

The authors clearly define technical terms and the writing is accessible.

Consistency rating: 4

There is some deviance in definitions, as can be expected in a thematic collection of articles.

Modularity rating: 3

The book is fairly modular but would be most useful when viewed as a whole.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book is well-organized.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is clean and simple to navigate. There are no images to display.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text does not contain grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text does not appear to be offensive. That said I am a cis/het white woman, so I may have been blind to elements that others would find offensive, though I endeavored to view it through a critical lens in the cultural regard.

Reviewed by Alexis Wolstein, Assistant Professor of Library Services; Information Literacy Coordinator, Colorado State University - Pueblo on 12/20/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This is not a book for those unfamiliar with the concept of information literacy, nor is it intended to be. The book is a collection of research articles/chapters relating to information literacy instruction in higher education and would be best suited to higher ed professionals (especially those in Writing Studies) and librarians. The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy is well explained and is the most significant conceptual follow-through in the book.
Though not a traditional textbook in that it provides a comprehensive overview, this book nonetheless provides a thorough and varied perspective on a complex and dynamic topic. That being said, while it may be a useful text in graduate-level courses, it would be largely inaccessible to undergraduates, due to the extensive use of library and higher education specific jargon, the reliance on a scholarly tone throughout the chapters, and the absence of a glossary or index. While the book makes a good attempt at living up to its promise of "research and collaboration across disciplines" there is a significant focus on first year/introductory courses and the courses with a significant writing component. However, the concepts are thoroughly explored and could easily be applied to disciplines not specifically addressed in the book.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text appears to be accurate with little perceived bias beyond the essential nature of Information Literacy instruction in higher education. Each article/chapter provides extensive references and, in many cases, additional resources.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book is still relevant going into 2020, though the reliance on the current iteration of the ACRL Framework means that it is only a matter of time before there is newer research that will need to addressed. Furthermore, there has been much discussion within librarianship as to the efficacy and validity of the current Framework. There are also instances where chapters use screen captures, software examples, or language that have already become dated (Web 2.0, for example), distracting from the otherwise still relevant information. This is a difficult issue to address when looking at digital and media influenced information literacy, and some chapters are aging less dramatically than others. An updated edition with new chapters will likely be necessary sooner rather than later should the editors like to see the book remain relevant.

Clarity rating: 4

The clarity and quality varies by chapter, as is to be expected, but the book is overall accessible to its intended audience. As stated above, while it may be a useful text in graduate-level library and/or information science courses, it would be largely inaccessible to undergraduates, due to the extensive use of library and higher education specific jargon, the reliance on a scholarly tone throughout the chapters, and the absence of a glossary or index

Consistency rating: 5

Themes and terminology are consistent throughout and the ongoing use of the ACRL Framework lends a narrative to the book overall. The tone is consistently scholarly, despite the differing approaches to format and narrative from one chapter to the next. Each chapter topic lends itself to the theme of that section, as well as the overall intent of the book.

Modularity rating: 5

The text's modularity is perhaps its greatest strength. Each of the four parts is well defined and could be used individually; some chapters briefly refer to one another, but also could stand alone or be combined with chapters from other sections of the books. The additional resources of sample lessons and activities may be the most useful resources for instructors and can easily be adapted to be used in information literacy specific or general research instruction. Whereas resources and examples relating to developing programmatic and institutional information literacy decisions may be the most valuable resources to others.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The book is well organized and each chapter supports the larger theme of that part of the book. The book starts with situating the concept of information literacy, sets up the Framework, and moves to more specific examples and research projects. Each part has a chapter that could easily be moved to another section of the book, but this speaks as much to the overlap between concepts as it does the book's organization.

Interface rating: 5

The interface is clear and displayed well in both mobile and desktop browsers. The PDF would benefit from a linked Table of Contents as seen in the ePUB but was easily searchable. Neither edition features a glossary or index but this was not a detriment to navigating the text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors were found while reviewing the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The authors represent a variety of professional backgrounds and institutional demographics. There is a focus on higher education in the United States but the inclusion of some international perspectives is welcome. There was no cultural insensitivity observed.

Comments

There is no consistent indication of each chapter's author's disciplinary background. If not mentioned by the author in the chapter, it is absent and leaves the reader to make assumptions. That being said, I look forward to utilizing this text and sharing chapters with colleagues. There is valuable information here, backed up by good research and extensive references, that is applicable across disciplines and in interdisciplinary approaches. The varied approaches are appreciated and make the text relevant to higher education professionals beyond academic librarians and writing instructors.

Reviewed by Megan Thomas, Electronic Resources and Assessment Librarian, Montana State University - Billings on 7/31/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This book is a thorough discussion of information literacy intended for university instructors and librarians. It clearly explains the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy and places it in the current discussion of discipline specific and institution-wide information literacy competencies. Beyond that, the text does address, in detail, some of the challenges regarding the Framework. It is a collection of research articles authored by professionals from a variety of institutions and disciplines, therefore offering approaches to information literacy from different perspectives. Each of the chapters in the collection can stand alone as an in-depth research article. The text also offers case studies of implementing information literacy programmatically. In addition, quite a few of the chapters clearly demonstrate the similarities between the Framework and other disciplines’ core skills, for instance, the Writing Program Administrators Outcomes Statement. Readers will find a thorough discussion of pedagogy, assessments, metaliteracy, and research. While it does offer a variety of discipline-specific research, for example research in education, general business, and economics, the text is not exhaustive. The science disciplines are a specific area that are not covered in terms of information literacy.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content seems accurate and error-free. The individual articles are comprehensively researched and include extensive reference lists.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The text remains up-to-date and relevant as far as the research of each chapter remains relevant. That being said, the text should remain relevant for years to come. Any modifications to the Framework would necessitate updating the text, due to the fact that it relies heavily on the Framework. Currently, the collection is an excellent picture of the information literacy landscape at the college level.

Clarity rating: 4

Each chapter of the book is written by a different author so the prose changes, and the overall tone is scholarly. The intended audience is obviously university faculty, librarians, and instructors, so the terminology is appropriate for professionals. The prose, jargon, and terminology are not appropriate for student reading. Undergraduate students would struggle with the terminology and the context of the research and discussion of the book. However, the introduction to the text outright states that the book is addressed to librarians and faculty.

Consistency rating: 5

The text overall is consistently structured from chapter to chapter. While the chapters are authored by various professionals and written in various formats, the themes and terminology are consistent throughout.

Modularity rating: 5

The text is quite easily divisible. It is broken into four parts that could be used individually. Since each chapter is essentially a standalone article, the chapters could be extracted and used as individual readings. The discipline specific research (i.e. education and economics) in certain chapters could be useful on their own for faculty in those areas. Occasionally, a chapter references a previous chapter in the book, which might necessitate some editing. Some of the sample assignments and activities for students within the chapters could be easily reworked and used by instructors. Also, the examples of institutional information literacy frameworks could be of great use to readers.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

The overarching focus of each of the four parts of the book are organized in a way that is logical and easily navigated by professionals. The text sets the stage for information literacy, then takes the reader through a coherent discussion of the incorporation of information literacy in specific disciplines and institution-wide. Though chapters jump from one research project to another, the connections between the articles is clear to the reader and the chapters flow logically.

Interface rating: 4

The PDF version of the text was not hyperlinked at all, which requires scrolling through the entire book. The epub version was easily navigable with hyperlinked chapters. Neither version offers an index or glossary.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors of note.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Since the authors are from various backgrounds and the research takes place at a variety of institutions, the book is quite inclusive. The research focus of the chapters are varied in discipline, inherently offering a wide variety of results and discussion. The text also included some international contributors from New Zealand and Belize, lending breadth to the research. The contributors list at the end of the text offers a long list of contributors and their institutions.

Comments

While not a textbook for undergraduate students, the information is useful for graduate students in library programs or for faculty who are interested in incorporating information literacy. This is an outstanding book for professional information literacy librarians. The text is an in-depth introduction for instructors to include information literacy in their courses, program-wide, and at the institution level. There is a lot of value in this book for instructors in terms of understanding the context and use of information literacy in various disciplines. The text illustrates ways in which courses, programs, and institutions are successfully incorporating information literacy.

Reviewed by Cori Biddle, Learning Services Librarian, Bridgewater College on 2/21/19

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

The subtitle of this book, "Research and Collaboration Across the Disciplines," appears to a bit misleading, considering the books place in the series, Perspectives on Writing. A majority of the articles focus on first year and introductory courses, which is consistent with a Writing Studies context. However, there are a few chapters that cover Economics, Sociology, and other disciplines. This may lead to the "across disciplines" claim. It would be easier to assess the chapter's disciplines if the authors' positions were listed along with their institutions. The chapters do a well enough job covering a majority of the information literacy issues related to first year programs, and initiating an institution wide initiative. It especially serves as a good introduction to the changes related to the switch from the Information Literary Standards to the Framework for Information Literacy. There is no index or glossary in the text, which would have been helpful, especially for those new to Information Literacy, or interested in a particular aspect.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text appears to be accurate and there is little perceived bias. One could technically argue that the book's premise, that Information Literacy is an essential part of higher education curriculum, could be a bit bias. The book does not include any chapters that argue against that claim. Each chapter provides an extensive reference list for cross-checking the information and for identifying additional resources to review.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

This text is relevant as a resource for faculty and staff trying to integrate Information Literacy into the curriculum. However, its 2016 copyright is already showing its age. The Framework has been in place for 3 years as of this review, so newer research should be available on its use in the higher education curriculum. Updating the book may be somewhat difficult, involving rewriting entire chapters or soliciting new chapters. Some chapters seem to hold up better than others, with some references feeling dated.

Clarity rating: 3

The language is accessible to faculty and staff, though individuals from disciplines other than Writing Studies and Libraries may have difficultly with the level of jargon. Though the Framework is defined many times throughout the text, definitions for certain concepts or terminology could have been more clear. As with any text made up of chapters with varying authors, the clarity and quality varies in each.

Consistency rating: 3

Due to the multi-author nature of the text, consistency can be an issue. The structure of each chapter varies, as does the clarity. Overall, the authors did make an effort to refer to each others chapters within their arguments, and to provide a definition of the Framework and other important terms within their own work.

Modularity rating: 5

Assigning the entire text to a faculty or staff group may not be appropriate, but the chapters in this text are highly modular. They can stand alone, or be presented in alternate orders to serve the individual need of the committee or group. Though some chapters reference others from the collection, they provide enough context that it is not necessary to read the other chapters to understand their argument.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 2

The organization of the text becomes a little problematic in the middle. The titles of sections two and three, and their content, seem a little vague. Overall, it is hard to predict the type of information found in them. Often times, the chapters could fit in either section, or neither of them. The structures of section one and four feel a little more concrete, but even so, some of the chapters in section one feel just as home in sections two or three.

Interface rating: 5

I did not experience any interface issues or problems when accessing the text.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

There were a few grammatical errors with the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The content of this text should be accessible to a variety of cultural groups, and I did not perceive any culturally insensitive content.

Comments

This title is not a textbook in the traditional sense. Instead of a text that provides a cohesive list of strategies or an exploration of the Framework in a variety of distinct contexts, this title is a loosely grouped collection of chapters dealing with information literacy. The content of the book leans towards Writing Studies Professionals, those working with first-year writing and writing across the curriculum for example. Despite this, individual chapters could be useful for those in a variety of disciplines. This text would be most useful for an institutional working group or a committee that is charged with integrating information literacy into the curriculum, or as professional development for faculty who are interested in integrating information literacy into their course work. It would be less useful in an undergraduate information literacy class, or in a graduate level Library Science or Writing Studies course.

Reviewed by Andrew Kulp, Information Literacy and Undergraduate Studies Librarian, Shenandoah University on 5/21/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 3 see less

This is not a comprehensive approach to information literacy research or collaboration across disciplines, nor does it claim to be one. Instead of broadly illuminating the book’s titular concerns, these chapters shine focused spotlights on a sampling of issues, discussions, and studies, unified by facets of 2015’s Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education and the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education.

This book would benefit from an index, but the PDF files are easily searchable in their present arrangement. Even though the book is peppered with privileged terminology, a glossary will not be missed, since Google is usually one tab away from the reader.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

No errors were observed in the content of this book.

The only perceived bias was that of the place of information literacy in the university curriculum. The authors in this text posit that information literacy deserves an equal standing with other disciplines or at least a secure place within each discipline.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 3

This book is relevant to higher education in 2018. Its underlying theme is the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education and Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education documents from 2015. These guidelines should be influential for several years to come, but will eventually be replaced by the next new recommendation.

Updating the book to remain relevant to advancing technologies and pedagogies would be difficult. Far more useful would be a second edition that addresses new information literacy topics with updated perspectives and renewed inquiry.

The longevity of this collection varies from one chapter to the next. For example, chapter twelve’s discussion on the value and use of infographics as emerging content delivery and assessment pieces is already dated. Similarly, chapter four’s insightful handling of our modern research environment of competing levels of accuracy and authority is weakened by the chapter title: "Creating and Exploring New Worlds: Web 2.0, Information Literacy, and the Ways We Know." “Web 2.0” is the timestamp for a specific generation of websites, and limits this chapter’s longevity.

Clarity rating: 4

Overall, the book’s language is accessible to faculty, university librarians, and graduate-level students, which are the targeted readers for these topics. Jargon and technical terminology are plentiful, but almost always within an adequate context for the target audience of this book.

It is doubtful that a reader who is unfamiliar with higher education writing, research, and library terminology or issues would benefit from this book. For example, a chemistry or communications professor interested in improving an undergraduate research assignment might encounter this book as a wall of acronyms and impenetrable discussions of "Frameworks" and "Outcomes."

Consistency rating: 3

Any book with this many authors will struggle with consistency. The editors have succeeded in smoothing out the difficulties that can arise between disciplines and approaches.

This book would benefit immensely from a description of each author’s role or position, as well as their institutional affiliation. Knowing the authors’ disciplines would lend context to their terminologies and perspectives.

Modularity rating: 5

This book is highly modular; each chapter easily stands alone. Instructors could assign any chapter as a course reading, exactly like assigning individual articles. Similarly, the four major parts of the book could be approached individually. Several chapters across this book could be reorganized into new sections with common themes or approaches to information literacy. The text is not overly self-referential; each chapter approaches its topic without consideration of the other chapters.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The major sections of the book progress from positioning information literacy in its pedagogical context to collaborating across higher education to promote information literacy implementation. This intuitive approach to the subject suffers from a poor organization in the middle of the book, specifically the lack of cohesion in the chapters that comprise Parts II and III.

Part II: Researching Information Literacy (chapters 6-10) is too generic a category for the overall objective of the book or the chapters in this section. Every chapter in the book deals with researching information literacy in some form; these chapters could have been organized to reflect a more nuanced dissection of the book’s theme. Part III: Incorporating and Evaluating Information Literacy in Specific Courses (chapters 11-15) seems to act as a catch-all for chapters that fit together only loosely.

Within their larger sections, each chapter is placed amid chapters with similar enough topics, though to say that one chapter flows naturally to the next would be an overstatement.

Interface rating: 5

This book is displayed clearly on both desktop and mobile browsers. The text and few graphics are easy to read with no distracting abnormalities. Navigation was mostly straightforward and simple. However, instead of forcing the reader to navigate conflicting book and PDF page numbers, the PDF option would benefit immensely from a linked table of contents, similar to the ePUB format.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The text contains no observed grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The content, language, and approaches to information literacy presented here should be accessible to any diverse university community. No cultural insensitivity was observed in this text.

Comments

This book buries the title's “collaboration” lede. Instructors or librarians seeking an organized, authoritative collection of strategies to enable collaboration across disciplines may be disappointed that this is not a textbook in the traditional sense. Readers will instead encounter 20 loosely-related chapters, each addressing separate topics while considering the Association of College & Research Libraries’ Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education and Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education documents from 2015. For many, this may diminish the book’s usefulness in the classroom.

Reviewed by Teagan Decker, Associate Professor, University of North Carolina at Pembroke on 2/1/18

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book covers an important topic in its interdisciplinary complexity. As a writing teacher, I appreciate the multiple perspectives this collection brings to a topic that affects students and teachers across disciplines. Multiple aspects of information literacy are covered, and I believe that most readers involved in college-level teaching will find a topic of interest here.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text represents my field (writing studies) in a fair and informed fashion. This gives me confidence that other fields, especially library/information science, are also represented well.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The content is quite relevant to the evolving fields of both writing studies and library/information science.

Clarity rating: 5

Although multiple authors have contributed to the book, the clarity and readability is uniform throughout.

Consistency rating: 5

I found it helpful that the text uses key references throughout as touchstones: the "Framework for Information
Literacy for Higher Education" and the "Framework for Success in Postsecondary Writing."

Modularity rating: 5

The 20 chapters in the collection allow for specific topics to be addressed in each. These could be useful to assign in courses where the full text would not be practical.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

All chapters are clearly titled so that readers can choose topics of interest. The entire collection is organized in a clear and understandable manner.

Interface rating: 5

There are no problems with the book's interface.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

The book reads smoothly with few, if any, typographical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text demonstrates cultural sensitivity.

Reviewed by Jill Stefaniak, Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University on 2/8/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

I really like that this textbook addresses information sources as they apply to different technologies and web platforms. It addresses today's needs and provides examples to help the reader determine appropriate information sources.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

I think the authors have done an excellent job providing an objective book addressing the nuances associated with information literacy. They provide the reader with lots of examples to explain how, when, and why to use certain sources other overs.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The text is up-to-date addressing a variety of web tools that are used when seeking information. I have not seen a book that addresses information literacy in general and expands on how sources can be found using a variety of tools and platforms.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is written clearly and uses consistent terminology throughout.

Consistency rating: 5

The book does a great job using consistency as it explains information literacy through various technological lenses. With today's every changing technology, the authors do a great job to help the reader identify and discern between different information sources.

Modularity rating: 4

This book is organized into several chapters that address a variety of topics. The authors have done an excellent job demonstrating how information literacy is valued across disciplines. This is an excellent book for courses that have students representing different majors.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 3

The book is certainly organized so that it increases in complexity. I particularly appreciate that emphasis has been placed on alignment between information sources and the focus of a given project.

Interface rating: 4

The interface is very clear. It's very easy to navigate through the open textbook.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

the text contains no grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The book provides a variety of examples that can be found in different academic disciplines. The examples provided a suitable for an introductory course on information literacy.

Reviewed by Cheryl Knott, Associate Professor, University of Arizona on 2/8/17

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The book is partitioned into four sections that together provide a comprehensive treatment of the broad topic of information literacy across different subject disciplines. The editors provide a helpful introduction explaining how they conceptualized the book and what the book's purpose is. The introduction offers an excellent discussion of the "Information Literacy Standards" issued in 2000 by the Association of College and Research Libraries and the association's more recent development of a "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education" addressing the changed context of information seeking and discovery and the changed relationship of students to information as both consumers and producers. Although there is no index, readers of the pdf can easily use a keyboard command to find keywords throughout the text. No glossary is included, but since the book's readers will mostly be teaching and library faculty familiar with information literacy topics, that is not an issue, and, in any case, terms are defined as they are introduced throughout the book.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Information provided is up-to-date and accurate. The diversity of the chapter authors and the involvement of four editors help ensure a balanced, error-free, and unbiased presentation of material.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The book coincides with the new "Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education" issued by the Association of College and Research Libraries in 2015. Because the framework can be understood as a rethinking and revising of the 2000 standards, it likely will be used and referred to for years to come. Consequently, the book can be seen as a thorough consideration of information literacy at a watershed moment. The book's combined breadth and depth and its connection to a major advance in the theory and practice of information literacy acquisition indicate it will be useful for many years.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is clearly written, with helpful subheadings and, in some chapters, helpful graphic elements that illustrate or supplement the text.

Consistency rating: 5

The editors have done a very good job of keeping the work consistent and cohesive within each of the four topical sections and throughout the book as a whole.

Modularity rating: 5

The book is well organized. Its division into four sections will make it possible for some users to focus on one aspect of a broad subject. For example, instructors, librarians, and graduate students interested in designing and carrying out research on some aspect of information literacy may choose to read only the introduction and the five chapters that constitute the research section of the book.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The arrangement of the sections and chapters support the reader's development of a deep understanding of the history, theory, and practice of information literacy as a collaboration by different categories of professionals across a variety of academic subject areas. Although each of the book's sections and each chapter can stand on its own, reading the sections and chapters in the order given allows a reader to build knowledge from the conceptual/theoretical to the empirical/practical.

Interface rating: 5

The text and graphic elements are clearly displayed.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors appear to be present in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

Although there are some references to race and ethnicity, the book does not offer systematic coverage of the current discussion of "critical information literacy" and its relationship to social justice.

Comments

Given the "collaboration across disciplines" focus of the book, it is surprising that the list of contributors indicates only where the various authors work but not in what capacity. It would have been useful to include titles and departments as a way to represent the variety of perspectives expressed in the text.