The concepts underlying information literacy can be troublesome and difficult to grasp. Often these concepts are introduced at a point where learners may be least capable of applying them: as first year university students (Head, 2012). Up until—and sometimes well into—university, students are often not expected to critically engage with their assigned readings. Textbooks, for example, are meant to be read exclusively to master their content. As students move into the university environment, not only do they encounter texts in unfamiliar formats (the scholarly article), but they are also asked to question and critique them. Moving from a position in which the authoritativeness of texts is assumed to a posture that critically evaluates this authority is a big ask, made more so given that this expectation comes in the context of scholarly literature, with its unfamiliar methods, conventions, theoretical groundings, and review process. Information literacy is an essential skill, but nearly impossible to develop without a more scaffolded approach to scholarly information and information systems. Gossip, as a familiar information system, presents a low-stakes context in which students can engage with the theoretical underpinnings of information literacy, as expressed in the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2016).
Despite some negative associations, gossip has demonstrated roles in learning and knowledge constuction (e.g., Baumeister, Zhang, & Vohs, 2004; Jolly & Chang, 2021) and problem solving (Camp & Nordstrom-Sanchez (2025).
Students will likely be familiar with gossip and both the way it impacts their lives and environment, and the different ways people create, share, value and use gossip. This creates an ideal and engaging way to explore how ideas such as authority, curiosity and inquiry, information creation as a process, and the value of information are represented in information systems, both formal and informal.
In this workshop, we will use a mix of activities and examples to explore how we can exploit gossip to help learners develop their understanding and practice of information literacy. We will explore the similarities between gossip networks and scholarly information systems, articulate the connections between gossip and information literate practice, and demonstrate activities that can help students grasp the interconnected core concepts outlined in the Framework.
References
Association of College & Research Libraries. (2016). Framework for information literacy for higher education. Retrieved January 31, 2025 from https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframeworkBorgman,
Baumeister, R. F., Zhang, L., & Vohs, K. D. (2004). Gossip as cultural learning. Review of General Psychology, 8(2), 111–121.
Camp, J., & Nordstrom-Sanchez, K. (2025, January 26). Let's dish! Leveraging informal communication in academic library settings [Conference session]. American Library Association's LibLearnX, Location.
Head, A. J. (2012). Learning the ropes: How freshmen conduct course research once they enter college. Project Information Literacy Research Institute. Retrieved February 7 from https://projectinfolit.org/publications/first-year-experience-study/
Jolly, E., & Chang, L. J. (2021). Gossip drives vicarious learning and facilitates social connection. Current Biology, 31(12), 2539–2549. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.090
