Election Enlightenment
October 8, 2019
Anyone else feeling overwhelmed by ALL of the election information?
We have excellent news! Being a librarian goes well beyond checking out books. One of the most important jobs is actually INFORMATION LITERACY.
Basically they are sleuths at knowing how to locate reliable sources and determine if the content is valid or not. In today’s’ world of fake news and crazy social media infatuation this is a superpower! A great deal of research has gone into debunking fake news sources and much of it has been spearheaded by library organizations.
This is a helpful infographic from the International Federation of Library Associations that you can access here. It is available in several different languages and is worthwhile reading and perhaps even posting beside your computer.
Have the discussion with your children and parents, encourage information literacy and be a part of stopping fake news from spreading. The more we take the opportunity to share this information with friends and family, the wiser our world becomes.
There are a number of different places you can gather election platform facts, unfortunately, some are simply designed to distract with emotional propaganda. Here are some of Librarian Approved Sources for election information:
- Canada Votes
- ElectionsCanada
- Inspire Democracy toolkits – for teachers or facilitators
- Indigenous Guide to the Canadian Election
- Election Fact Checker
Of course, you can always pop into your local library and ask for some extra help, libraries are still your best opportunity to gather unbiased information.
Get the facts you need, ensure you make an informed decision and choose the best representation for YOU. Happy Voting!
