Representing Gender: Visual Literacy Instruction in the Academic Library

Abstract

Contemporary society is dominated by visual communication, yet visual literacy is a learned skill that requires training. Gender issues, particularly the subjects of gender diversity and power struggles, are deeply pertinent to today’s visual culture. The critical consumption of information has long been taught in libraries, though instruction has typically prioritized text-based sources. However, visual literacy instruction has the capacity to provoke critical inquiry into issues of gender, race, social class, and ethnicity. As institutions that promote social justice, libraries can help improve diversity and inclusion in their communities through teaching visual literacy skills at all levels. Critical visual literacy instruction can also help academic libraries advance student scholarship, which can only be achieved if they are literate in all forms of knowledge production.

Are we there yet? Visualizing Indigenous culture in today’s library

“…Slow looking is a fundamental part of becoming visually literate, which is facilitated by critically questioning images about their intent and context. Questions that stimulate critical inquiry include asking what is depicted; what is absent; who created the visual and for what purpose; whether the image is credible; whether there are signs of manipulation; and how much authority the image holds (Fullmer, 2019). Invariably, these lines of questioning require further investigation by the user, who must go beyond the visual itself and its accompanying text.…”