Understand the News Better with Information and Data Literacy Classes

Key to understanding and interpreting news today are Information Literacy and Data Literacy, terms that did not exist when many library patrons were last in school. Information literacy is the term applied to the skill set of evaluating reference resources, including news, books, websites, and media for authority and merit. Data literacy is the term applied to the skill set of understanding how numbers presented in reference resources may be interpreted.

The library offers many different options for keeping patrons up-to-date on the topics of information and data literacy, including recent works highlighted in our Overdrive collection, educational videos, and classes on LinkedIn Learning.

Understanding how data can be used and interpreted is doubly helpful if you want to use new information to make plans for your business, school district, or neighborhood. Data Axle is an electronic resource offered by FCLS that anyone can use to explore information available about the people and places around them. Representatives from Data Axle will be hosting free in person classes at the following locations in April:

Metropolitan Library, April 24th, at 2pm

Alpharetta Library, April 25th, at 2pm

Central Library, April 26th, at 2pm

If you can't wait a month for the in-person classes, or would prefer to learn at home, free online courses demonstrating how to use Data Axle are held every first and third Thursday each month at 11am EST. Learn how to use the tool to grow your business in their free class Entrepreneurship: Research for starting, managing, and growing businesses every second and fourth Thursday at the same time. Just don't forget to register ahead of time!

Even more classes relating to information and data literacy can be found inside LinkedIn Learning. Be sure to click through a library page to access Linkedin Learning materials free of charge with your library card. If prompted for a library code on LinkedIn Learning, patrons of FCLS should enter fulcolibrary.