(928) 282-7714
Sedona Public Library
  • Home
  • Search Catalog
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • Donate
    • Our Donors
    • Donor Spotlight Archive
  • Resources
    • Tech2Go
    • Appointments
    • Tools & Databases
    • Computer Access
    • Digital Collections
    • Interlibrary Loans
    • Culture Passes
    • Sedona Books & Movies
    • Veterans History Project
    • Community Links
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • SPL IN THE VILLAGE CALENDAR
    • Scheduling
  • Youth Services
    • Youth Services Newsletter
    • Online Resources
    • Online Story Time
    • Craft Kits
    • Music with Annette
    • StoryWalk
    • STEAM
    • Cool Sites
    • Teen Volunteers
  • About
    • Mission/Vision
    • Become a Friend of the Library
    • How Do I ... ? >
      • Volunteer
      • Get a Library Card
      • Request a Purchase
      • Donate to SPL
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • History
    • Hours & Locations
    • SPL in the Village
    • Sedona Schnebly Statue
    • Jobs
    • Publications
  • Home
  • Search Catalog
  • MY ACCOUNT
  • Donate
    • Our Donors
    • Donor Spotlight Archive
  • Resources
    • Tech2Go
    • Appointments
    • Tools & Databases
    • Computer Access
    • Digital Collections
    • Interlibrary Loans
    • Culture Passes
    • Sedona Books & Movies
    • Veterans History Project
    • Community Links
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • SPL IN THE VILLAGE CALENDAR
    • Scheduling
  • Youth Services
    • Youth Services Newsletter
    • Online Resources
    • Online Story Time
    • Craft Kits
    • Music with Annette
    • StoryWalk
    • STEAM
    • Cool Sites
    • Teen Volunteers
  • About
    • Mission/Vision
    • Become a Friend of the Library
    • How Do I ... ? >
      • Volunteer
      • Get a Library Card
      • Request a Purchase
      • Donate to SPL
    • Contact
    • Policies
    • History
    • Hours & Locations
    • SPL in the Village
    • Sedona Schnebly Statue
    • Jobs
    • Publications

Weekly News Column

Be a Savvy News Consumer with Library Resources

4/30/2021

 
As published in the Red Rock News

Sedona Public Library is happy to offer a wide variety of news publications, both online and hard copy, and this is just another one of the many types of resources we make available. From the New York Times online and in print, to Newsweek on OverDrive digital magazines, to local and regional news publications, you can find a news resource at the Library for all your information needs. Relax in the Library while you read the latest issue of your favorite newspaper, or check out magazines to take home. 

If you get your news from traditional sources such as those we offer, you might also rely on social media to learn about current events in real time. Social media platforms serve many functions in today’s online society: you may connect with your family and friends on Facebook, display your photography on Instagram, or use Twitter to follow your favorite celebrity. But is scrolling through your feeds on these sites the best way to consume news?  

You’ve likely heard that both credible and fake news can be found on social media—but how can you tell the difference? Let’s talk about the different types of unreliable information you may run across online. John Silva of the News Literacy Project defines misinformation as false or misleading information circulating by mistake. Meanwhile, disinformation is false information deliberately and often covertly spread in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth. They can look identical, but the difference is the intention behind it. 

  • If you want to avoid being manipulated by information that is biased or inaccurate, here are a few tips to increase your social media savvy: 
 
  • Slow down and take your time before liking, sharing, or commenting on a post. There could be much more to the story, especially on social media. You might be getting only one side.  
 
  • Be aware of personal biases that can influence your perception. We are partial to information that comes from people who share a common interest or identity, and we handle new information better that fits what we already know.
​​
  • Also, check for biases in news sources. A journalist’s political views can affect news coverage, as can the business interests of a news outlet.
  
  • Evaluate accuracy by using fact-checking sites like Factcheck.org or Snopes.com. These websites investigate reports and rumors, offer conclusions about their veracity, and show their fact-checking work.  
 
  • Take the time to evaluate memes, a social media fixture that can both provide entertainment and communicate messages that influence us. You can protect yourself from the influence of false or misleading memes by conducting a reverse image search in Tineye.com or Google. With reverse image searching, you can find out who is posting an image and for what purpose.  
 
  • Similarly, be skeptical of seemingly on-point quotes found online or in memes. Find out if a quote is attributed accurately, especially if it provokes a strong emotional response.
 
You may not have the time to check the credibility of every post that passes through your news feed. Start by evaluating one post a week. See how it goes! With practice, you will build your social media savvy, learn how to spot unreliable information, and recognize bias in yourself and others. Bias can be difficult to spot, but the benefits of being reliably informed are worth the effort.

At Sedona Public Library, we pride ourselves in making a wide variety of news publications and other resources available to the communities we serve. If you have questions about the Library’s online or print news offerings, or have any other questions, we’re here to help!  Contact us at the main library, 928-282-7714, or at Sedona Library in the Village, 928-284-1603. From one savvy reader to the next, thanks for staying up to date at your library!

Sedona Public Library
Column for April 30, 2021  
Written by Andrea Lhotka, Reference Librarian

Comments are closed.

    About

    Library News appears each Friday in the Red Rock News.​


    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

My Account
RFQ
JOBS

Subscribe

Start receiving our e-newsletters today!
Subscribe

Sedona Public Library

3250 White Bear Road
​
Sedona, AZ 86336

​
Phone: (928) 282-7714
​
Fax: (928) 282-5789

Email us


HOURS AND LOCATIONS 

Sedona Public Library in the Village

​25 W. Saddlehorn Road
Sedona, AZ 86351

​Phone: (928) 282-7714
HOURS AND LOCATIONS

BOARD LOGIN

VOLUNTEER LOGIN

EIN 86-6052627
©2023 Sedona Public Library