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Build a Digital Literacy Plan

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Section Overview Review & Planning Tool Target Audience Worksheet Steps in the Plan

Building a Digital Literacy Plan Overview

You just learned what's possible in the world of digital literacy. There's quite a bit. In this section we will pause and take stock of the situation. The sheer volume of options can be overwhelming, so this process will help you accomplish the following:

  • Priorite digital literacy skills based on target audience and user needs
  • Consider the areas in which the library can help, and how to reach people.
  • Assess your resouces and staff comfort lebel to determine what is feasible.

The Process:

To accomplish these goals effectively, please focus on one library program, event, resource, or service at a time. Feel free to repeat this process for each new offering in the library.

  • Review & prioritize digital literacy subtopics to determine what to focus on first.
  • Revisit the Target Audience Worksheet to flesh out he planning process and identify outside resources. Include relevant resources and organizations you found in the guidebook.
  • Execute the plan using the steps provided at the end of this section.
  • Rinse & Repeat as necessary.

Digital Literacy Review & Planning

Start by reviewing through the major digital literacy topics using this initial planning tool. Run through the different categories, determine what your library is already offering, what you would be interested in offering, and what you are not intersted in at all.

Digital Literacy Planning Tool (Opens in Google Docs)

Note: You will receive an email with a copy of the completed survey for your reference.

Target Audience Worksheet

Once you have completed this brainstorming and planning sheet, revisit the Target Audience Worksheet. Have your answers changed? Are you already doing more with digital literacy than you thought?

Note: If you have a long digital literacy wish list from the Review and Planning tool, prioritize what people need immediately, and connect your community with technology that makes a difference. You can always stagger the introduction of topics, or partner with organizations you identified during planning.

Target Audience Worksheet:

Steps in the Plan

Now you have a solid planning foundation. It's time to put the pieces together in a Digital Literacy Plan. It is recommended that you run through these steps for each new Digital Literacy offering you choose to provide.

  1. Target Audience: Choose your target audience.
  2. Identify the Topic: Choose a subtopic from the planning tool, or another of your choosing.
  3. What is your goal?: What do you want people to know or be able to do by the end of the workshop, activity, event, etc.?
  4. Why Do People Care?: Identify the problems, goals, and general curiosities of your audience.
  5. Seek Options: Sift through the menu of resources in this guidebook. Identify or adapt a resource to help your audience reach their goals.
  6. Choose a Method: Choose an appropriate resource and delivery method (ie. one-time event, recurring activity, handouts at the reference desk, etc.).
  7. Feasibility: Assess staff & partner comfort level to choose digital literacy resource and activity options that will meet community needs, without over-stretching library resources. Provide time to train!
  8. Get the Word Out: Advertise a learning opportunity tied to the motivation identified in Step 2.
  9. Test & Evaluate: Try out your chosen activity, event, series programming, or other library service. Evaluate the effectiveness, and adjust as necessary.
  10. Resource Pack: Assess current patron skill levels, and provide a tailored resource pack for skill building and choosing the right technology as necessary.

Keep in mind that some digital literacy offerings might pop up on the fly when a patron comes in with a specific technology question. Keep this guide on hand for when random questions come up in the library.

Above all else, make sure everyone in the library feels prepared to help. When you identify the needs of your community, don't neglect the needs of the librarian! Learning is life-long for everybody. Build a plan to train staff, safely stretch comfort zones, and find a new way of handling technology.



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