Chinook Arch’s digital literacy program recognized provincially
The Punch Jackson Award of Excellence recognizes excellence in service, program, or public relations/ advocacy achievement in library service in Alberta. The award may be for individual or institutional excellence. T
his award, formerly known as the Award of Excellence, was renamed the Punch Jackson Award of Excellence in 2010, to recognize the outstanding contribution that Mr. Jackson made to the Alberta library community. This year, the winner was the Chinook Arch Regional Library System Digital Literacy Program.
Beginning in January 2019, Chinook Arch Regional Library System entered into a multi-year funding agreement with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. A total of $438,800 in federal funding was awarded to Chinook Arch to provide digital literacy training over a three-year period in rural community member libraries across southwest Alberta, including the Kainai Nation.
Seven classes were designed to deliver fundamental digital literacy skills training: Introduction to Computers, Online Privacy, Digital Resources, CloudBased Computing, One-to-One Digital Skills, Mobile Devices and Digital Media. With funding in place, Chinook Arch hired a Digital Literacy Librarian (DLL) in February 2019 to schedule and deliver classes beginning April 2019 and concluding three years later in March 2022.
With the vast service region and 30 participating member libraries, the DLL was able to schedule two full rounds of the 7 class series over the three-year period. Starting in 2020 and continuing through to 2022, the pandemic and accompanying health restrictions saw the DLL’s in-person classes pivot to online Zoom instruction and the development of participant packs for distribution to class participants via their libraries (ranging from in-person pick-up to curbside delivery). This flexibility in program delivery was key to the continued success of the program. In-person classes were offered whenever COVID-19 safety measures allowed. Class instructional videos were created and posted to the Chinook Arch website along with class workbooks and supplementary materials, providing independent at home learning options for participants. These additional formats ensured the classes were as accessible as possible.
The pre-pandemic focus of the program was to deliver fundamental digital skills training to increase rural Albertans participation in the digital economy. With the onset of the pandemic in 2020 and support from the funder, Chinook Arch was additionally able to address social and wellness topics including seniors’ isolation and wellbeing, cyber scams, online shopping security, youth cyberbullying, and youth digital citizenship. This curated content was offered in the classes and via the participant information packs. The results of this 3 year program include: 353 classes, 679 live participants, 2,022 information packs distributed for independent/athome learners and 24,836 kilometers traveled across the Chinook Arch southwest Alberta. participants were thrilled with the classes.One noted that they liked the individual nature of the class best - I was able to ask questions without feeling foolish. Another enjoyed the plain speak of the classes, free of jargon and technical terms.
The program was well-received by member library staff and community members alike. Please see the additional pages below for more program statistics, as well as participant feedback.
“We knew at once in Pincher Creek that this training was important to our patrons,” says Janice Day, former Pincher Creek Municipal Library Manager. “Even though it fit with our plan of service, it was training that we had not been able to provide due to lack of staff capacity. Chinook Arch staff saw an opportunity to help out local residents and created a program that was well-received. This program was a true gift to the residents of rural southwestern Alberta.”
Be sure to check out the publicly accessible digital literacy instructional videos and workbooks on the Chinook Arch website: https://chinookarch.ca/services/fundamental-digital-literacy-skills-program