MNet Launches New Online Literacy Resources for Librarians

MONTREAL, September 23, 2003 – Media Awareness Network (MNet) today launched Les Cyberbibliothécaires, a new section of its award-winning Web site designed to provide librarians with a comprehensive range of French-language Internet literacy resources to help young people become safe, wise and responsible Internet users.

“Librarians were among the first to recognize that the Internet is a medium for which we need to help young people develop literacy skills, just as we do for books, television or films,” said Louiselle Roy, Director of MNet’s French Program. “Our goal with Les Cyberbibliothécaires is to provide library professionals with practical resources they can use with parents and young people in their communities.”

The online resources for librarians offered by MNet include:

• Workshops, tip sheets, background information and other materials to equip parents to assist young people in developing critical thinking skills to guide their use of the Internet.
• Information on online safety, authentication of information, Internet marketing and privacy, online ethics and other key issues for young people.
• The Research Centre - an interactive component that uses fun and adventure to help 11 to 13-year-olds develop advanced skills for researching, verifying the accuracy of online information and Web sites, identifying online marketing strategies and protecting their personal privacy.
• Professional development resources for librarians, including information on best practices, managing Internet use in libraries, and training materials for staff, as well as resources for promoting public awareness of the issues and resources around young people and the Internet.

The Les Cyberbibliothécaires initiative was made possible by a financial contribution from Industry Canada’s Francommunautés virtuelles program and Canadian Heritage’s Canadian Culture on Line program.

MNet worked with the following partners in order to assess the needs of francophone librarians and to develop the content for Les Cyberbibliothécaires: la Corporation des bibliothécaires professionnels du Québec, le Service des bibliothèques de l’Ontario-Nord, le Service des bibliothèques de l’Ontario-Sud, le Service des bibliothèques publiques du Nouveau-Brunswick et le Service des bibliothèques publiques de Winnipeg.

To access Les Cyberbibliothécaires : /francais/projets_speciaux/cyberbibliothecaires/index.cfm.

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Contact:

Louiselle Roy
Director, French Program
Media Awareness Network

Media Awareness Network (MNet) is a non-profit Canadian organization whose mission is to support and encourage media education, and its widest possible integration into Canadian schools, homes and communities. Our aim is to help people, particularly children and youth, to develop an informed and critical understanding of the nature of the media, the techniques used in creating media products, and the media’s role and influence within society.

MNet’s work is generously supported by the following sponsors and partners:

Bell Canada • Shaw Communications Inc. • Rogers Cable Inc • AOL Canada Inc. • Microsoft Canada • CHUM Television • CTV Inc. • TELUS • Craig Media Inc. • Canadian Recording Industry Association • BCE Inc. • CanWest Global • Canadian Heritage • Health Canada • Human Resources Development Canada • Industry Canada