WMU faculty secure grant to create curriculum on media, news literacy for state libraries

Kalamazoo, Mich.—Western Michigan University's Amy Bocko, digital projects librarian and associate professor of University Libraries, and Sue Ellen Christian, professor in the School of Communication, were awarded a $113,000 grant from the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS) to create a professional development curriculum on media and news literacy for Michigan libraries. 

The project team will create a professional development curriculum and resources to support library programming around media and news literacy in public and school libraries in collaboration with Cathy Lancaster, the Library of Michigan’s Youth Services Coordinator. The project is one of 31 selected for funding through IMLS’ Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program. 

The project is inspired by the “Wonder Media” exhibit created by Christian and the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, which opened in 2022 to help people to think critically about media and how they consume it. 

The project team recruited six Michigan public libraries to participate in a site visit to the exhibit in fall 2023.

“We wanted to get a wide perspective from people working in different libraries across Michigan and different sizes that use services,” says Bocko. “We selected six libraries to tour the exhibit and get inspired by the activities featured in it.” 

Following the visit, Bocko and her colleagues have been working with the pilot libraries to brainstorm ideas for reimagining the activities and interactions as programming in their libraries. The results will be used to create a website and resources to support librarians in delivering engaging media literacy programming in their libraries. Additional programming will be implemented in 2024.

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