University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Radical Change Theory, Youth Information Behavior, and School Libraries

Dresang, Eliza T.; Koh, Kyungwon

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/15294

Description

Title
Radical Change Theory, Youth Information Behavior, and School Libraries
Author(s)
  • Dresang, Eliza T.
  • Koh, Kyungwon
Issue Date
2009
Keyword(s)
  • Library and information science
  • School libraries
  • School libraries -- Aims and objectives -- United States
  • Children -- Books and reading -- United States
  • Technology and children -- United States
Abstract
School libraries confront significant changes in the digital age, the age of Web 2.0 and of participatory culture. Radical Change theory, based on the digital age principles of interactivity, connectivity, and access, is germane to understanding these transformations. The theory was originally developed to explain changes in digital age books for youth. It is expanded here through the creation of a typology and accompanying characteristics that address how digital age youth think and seek information; perceive themselves and others; and access information and seek community. As a basis for their typology, the authors provide detailed evidence from an extensive interdisciplinary review of research literature concerning youth information behavior. Also proposed is a multistage research agenda that involves applying Radical Change theory in various school library settings for proof of concept followed by an exploration of potential associations between digital age youth information behaviors and twenty-first-century learning skills. This theory development will assist in determining what implications the new information behaviors and resources have for libraries, schools, and other information environments and how information professionals can better help youth become skilled twenty-first-century information seekers.
Publisher
Johns Hopkins University Press and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
ISSN
0024-2594
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/15294
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2009 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Owning Collections

Library Trends 58 (1) Summer 2009: Important to Us All: School Libraries and LIS Research PRIMARY
Library Trends 58 (1) Summer 2009: Important to Us All: School Libraries and LIS Research. Edited by Marcia A. Mardis.