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11-2010

Introducing : What does it mean to academic libraries?

Thomas A. Ipri University of Nevada, Las Vegas, [email protected]

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Repository Citation Ipri, T. A. (2010). Introducing transliteracy: What does it mean to academic libraries?. College and Research Libraries News 532-533; 567. https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/lib_articles/106

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This Article has been accepted for inclusion in Library Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Tom Ipri Introducing transliteracy What does it mean to academic libraries?

ransliteracy is recent terminology gain- one another but about the interaction among Ting currency in the library world. It is a all these . broad term encompassing and transcending The working definition of transliteracy, as many existing concepts. Because transliteracy put forth by Thomas, states that it is “the abil- is not a library-centric concept, many in the ity to read, write and interact across a range profession are unsure what the term means of platforms, tools and media from signing and how it relates to libraries’ instructional and through handwriting, print, TV, mission and to other existing ideas about radio and films, to digital social networks.” various literacies. Transliteracy is such a new Basically, transliteracy is concerned with concept that its working definition is still what it means to be literate in the 21st cen- evolving and many of its tenets can easily be tury. It analyzes the relationship between misinterpreted. Although this term is in flux, people and technology, most specifically academic librarians should watch develop- social networking, but is fluid enough to ments in this new field to continually assess not be tied to any particular technology. It and understand what impact it may have on focuses more on the social uses of technol- the ways they assist and interact with their ogy, whatever that technology may be. This patrons and each other. terminology is new and the study of translit- Transliteracy originated with the cross- eracy is in the early stages, so this definition disciplinary Transliteracies Project group, is likely to evolve. headed by Alan Liu from the Department of Transliteracy is new enough to be un- English at the University of California-Santa known to many in the library profession. In Barbara. The main focus of that group is the 2009, Susie Andretta, senior lecturer at Lon- study of online . Sue Thomas, profes- don Metropolitan University, interviewed four sor of at De Montfort University, librarians about transliteracy, three of whom attended the Transliteracies conference held were not familiar with the term. She discov- by this group in 2005 and has since built upon ered, however, this does not mean librarians their research to develop the key concepts are not familiar with the underlying concepts. and working definition of transliteracy. The One librarian, initially unfamiliar with the term has its basis in the word transliterate, term, notes that this working definition is “an which means “to write or print a letter or accurate description of this phenomenon,” word using the closest corresponding letters emphasizing the fact that the issues are out of a different alphabet or language.” in the library world being addressed already The essential idea here is that transliteracy but not necessarily under the umbrella of is concerned with mapping meaning across transliteracy. Andretta says that “the lack of different media and not with developing particular literacies about various media. It Tom Ipri is head of media and computer services at is not about learning text and visual the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, e-mail: tom.ipri@ literacy and in isolation from unlv.edu © 2010 Tom Ipri

C&RL News November 2010 532 familiarity with the terminology does not expanding social networks? The answer could mean that transliteracy is not integrated in the very well be yes, but, if not, should these practice of these information professionals.” standards be expanded to encompass these Because of its broad scope and recent gen- issues, or should transliteracy proponents esis, transliteracy can be misinterpreted easily. adopt clear standards and define specific Not much work exists in the scholarly record, skills to supplement ? especially within library scholarship, although Transliteracy is very concerned with the there has been lively debate and discussion social meaning of literacy. It explores the via informal channels as interested parties participatory nature of new means of com- begin to hash out what this term means municating, which breaks down barriers to libraries. Oversimplifying the concept is between academia and the wider community tempting but that risks turning transliteracy and calls into question standard notions of into just another buzzword. An important what constitutes authority by emphasizing issue that needs to be addressed is whether the benefits of knowledge sharing via social transliteracy concepts manifest as skills and networks. Thomas points to “an increasing to what degree these skills are teachable. need for organizations and individuals to On one level, transliteracy is a descriptive develop wider, more open networks, partner- concept, being a “new analytical perspective.” ships and trusted communities to share ideas In its original iteration, transliteracy is more and to innovate.” about understanding the ways various means In 2007, the Institute of the Future, Califor- of communication interact and understand- nia, issued a report, “The Future of Learning ing, not necessarily teaching, the skills neces- Agents,” which states that “transliterating sary to move effortlessly from one medium to social and creative life implies new social another. It is about the convergence of these and political understandings as new relations media and acknowledges the multi-modal of creative production emerge. Collective experience of engaging with the modern authorship and collective intelligence are world. As Thomas notes, transliteracy is a modes of active learning and discovery that move toward “a unifying ecology of not just present new dynamics between individuals media, but of all literacies relevant to reading, and groups with respect to knowledge.” , interaction and culture.” In the transliterate world, creating a social That’s not to say that teachable and trans- network of experts is held in high regard. ferable skills have not become a key concern What is important is not just transferring of transliteracy, only that transliteracy in its information but creating an information nar- initial form lacked a pedagogical imperative. rative that evolves over time and adds value. Because of the newness and holistic nature Libraries can help add value for patrons by of transliteracy, defining what specific skills allowing patrons to contribute to the con- are necessary is a bit of a challenge. No group struction of knowledge bases. This social has yet proffered any suggestion as to what construction of knowledge can take many a definitive list of transliteracy skills would forms from allowing tagging in catalogs to look like. Some librarians have stepped up commenting on special collection photo- to promote transliteracy concepts, but more graphs. The assumption that authority only work needs to be done to formalize what rela- comes from an established expert changes in tionship libraries will have with transliteracy. a transliterate world. Personal experience can Information literacy standards are in add value to rare photographs, for example, place, but are these enough to support the by supplementing academic research. growing research with how people currently Not only does transliteracy question pre- communicate across various media, how vious assumptions of authority, it also calls they produce information in myriad forms and formats, and how they establish rapidly (continued on page 567)

November 2010 533 C&RL News Ann-Christe Galloway Grants and Acquisitions

Acquisitions historian of note, her most famous nontra- vel work is the Pax Britannica trilogy, a A rare medieval bible has been ac- history of the British Empire. quired by the University of South Carolina (USC). The book is English and was made in Oxford around 1240, and is in pristine (“Introducing transliteracy,” cont. from condition. It was purchased at auction in page 533) London with support from New York’s B. H. Breslauer Foundation. Most complete into question the often assumed privilege of medieval Bibles in the United States, fewer printed text. Transliteracy works against the than 100 in number, are from or “entrenched bias towards the written me- Italy, and USC’s Bible likely remained in its dium.” ALA Committee on Literacy’s definition country of origin from its creation until this of literacy demonstrates this bias. It defines year. The Bible acquired by USC is the only literacy as the ability to use “printed and English pocket Bible in the Southeast. written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s A collection of Jan Morris has been gifted knowledge and potential.” to the University Libraries at George Mason Transliteracy is not unique in questioning University. It comprises a comprehensive this bias— efforts have certainly collection of nearly all of her travel narra- tried to raise the profile of nonprint materi- tives in not only the first editions, but also als. But transliteracy is unique in combining most of the subsequent editions, including democratizing communication formats, ex- galleys, proof versions, and editions with pressing no preference of one over the other, composition errors. The Jan Morris Col- with emphasizing the social construction of lection consists of 136 titles and one rare meaning via diverse media. poster (a chromolithographic enlargement Because of the ways in which transliteracy of the dust jacket of Manhattan ’45, a pro- questions authority and devalues hierarchi- motional piece, signed by Morris). The col- cal structures for disseminating information, lection includes Morris’s Coronation Everest, proponents tend to advocate for issues that signed by Sir Edmund Hillary. Born James help level the information playing field, Morris in 1926 in Somerset, England, Morris such as ensuring neutrality and bridging the began medically transitioning from male-to- digital divide. female in 1964, and underwent gender re- Despite the fact that transliteracy originat- assignment surgery in 1972. She published ed outside the library realm, librarians should under her former name, James Morris, until follow the development of this concept the 1970s. She is widely acclaimed for her because so much of transliteracy overlaps travel writing, which includes famous pro- concerns much at the heart of librarianship. files of Oxford, Venice, Wales, Hong Kong, As more research is created in the field, librar- and New York City, among other places. ians can incorporate these new ideas into the Morris’ most recent book, Contact! A Book ways they assist patrons with accessing, un- of Encounters, was published in 2010. A derstanding, and producing information. The Welsh nationalist, and also an essayist and social aspects of transliteracy can enhance the workplace by creating robust systems of knowledge sharing and can enhance user Ed. note: Send your news to: Grants & Acquisitions, C&RL News, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795; experience by granting them a role in the e-mail: [email protected]. construction of information.

November 2010 567 C&RL News