CFP: Library Trends (Journal) Data Literacy: Navigating the Shift from Hype to Reality
Since 2012, libraries have evolved their efforts to support data literacy—a means to empower their patrons to confidently identify, collect, evaluate, analyze, interpret, present, and protect data(sets) they encounter—following Christine L. Borgman's observation of the data deluge, an unprecedented influx of research data being produced.
After more than a decade of work, where do libraries stand on data literacy post-"Big Data" hype? And where is it headed? Librarians in instructional roles—such as information literacy instructors and data librarians—initially approached data literacy through a statistical lens, aligning with core information literacy principles of finding, evaluating, and using information. Today, they also explore intersections with other evolving literacies like algorithmic literacy and data visualization literacy. Some adopt a critical data literacy mindset, recognizing that quantitative data is socially constructed, drawing on QuantCrit as well as data feminism principles from Catherine D'Ignazio and Lauren F. Klein. They also examine the distinctions between teaching data science and research data management (RDM). Additionally, libraries implement data literacy services differently based on their organizational structure and external influences, such as priorities set by higher education at-large.
This issue of Library Trends will explore current research and practice in data literacy in order to understand the field's evolution and future directions. The journal welcomes articles on both the theoretical and practical aspects of data literacy in libraries. Potential topics include (but are not limited to):
- Data literacy’s relationship to other literacies (i.e., AI and algorithmic literacy, information literacy, media literacy)
- Critical aspects of data literacy such as data justice and feminism
- Data literacy competencies across different library types and/or audiences
- Pedagogical approaches for data literacy instruction
- Data literacy initiatives in various types of libraries, including academic, public, and special libraries
- Data literacy in community engagement projects
- Trends/insights in data literacy concerning micro-credentialing and digital badging managed by libraries
- Data literacy in relation to the “Collections as Data” movement
Prospective authors are invited to submit an abstract outlining their proposed article by Monday, December 16, 2024. Decisions about the abstracts will be communicated by Wednesday, January 8, 2025, and authors of successful submissions are invited to write their full articles during spring 2025. Final articles should be 4,000-10,000 words (not including bibliographic references). The issue will use a distributed peer review process in which article authors review two manuscripts by other contributors. As part of submitting an article proposal, authors will be asked to commit to participation in this process as both an author and a reviewer.
Important Dates
- December 16, 2024 – Article proposals due
- January 8, 2025 – Author notifications
- May 7, 2025 – Article manuscripts due
- May 20, 2025 – Peer Reviews assigned
- June 20, 2025 – Peer Reviews due
- August 1, 2025 – Article revisions due
Inquiries about the planned issue and ideas for articles should be directed to Ben Chiewphasa, Guest Editor (bbc2129@columbia.edu). Proposals for articles should be submitted via an online proposal form. Proposals are due December 16, 2024.
Citation Style: For proposals, authors may use any citation style. For manuscripts, authors should use the Chicago Manual of Style’s author-date format.
