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Resisting Disinfodemic: Media & Information Literacy for everyone &
by everyone- supporting each other

Ayse Yuksel Durukan has MLIS from Dominican University, Illinois, USA and MA from Architect Sinan
University, İstanbul, Turkey. She worked at Robert College Library, of which she is an alumna. She has worked
with school librarians since 2002, in Turkey and worldwide. She trained students about Research Techniques,
Media and Information Literacy, Digital Citizenship, Academic Honesty, and Internet Security; also lecturing
teachers on Internet and Search Engines, Academic Honesty, Copyright, Fair Use, and Database Use. She
arranged the 1st National School Librarians’ Conference in July, 2003 at Robert College, İstanbul. She has
acted as a trainer with the Turkish Ministry of Education on Enriched Libraries project between 2015-2019.

Every person has the right to access information. Libraries are rich repositories of information, librarians
are supporters of diverse and relevant information. Due to developments in technology, the overflow of
instant information from diverse channels has caused perplexing situations in the minds of citizens.
Access to information has become much easier than it was in the twentieth century, but the amount and
the quality of information has brought complexities for adults and children. Recognition of accurate and
relevant information is of vital importance today. Media and Information Literacy has become a life skill
in the twenty-first century. Librarians were long aware of the effective use of information with the
avoidance of misinformation. The information and news that flow through media channels, text, pictures,
videos, podcasts, whether they are blocked or unblocked keeps shaping our civic engagement. Librarians
are careful observers of the information awareness experience for all citizens, from childhood to
adulthood.

The world is going through difficult times, Covid - 19 has caused the loss of 1,160,650 people as of today,
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October 27, 2020 . Health literacy and healthcare therefore are more crucial than ever. During this global
health crisis we must collaborate, and share relevant information for every one of us. As the research for
vaccine continues, we are still not sure how the wellbeing of citizens will be in the future. Finding reliable
sources for health conditions, being aware of how the virus spreads and taking preventive care constitutes
the most the beneficial information literacy of all. In fact we can call this Coved - 19 literacy. As librarians
we must guide students, teachers, and the administrators for relevant advice.

We do not know yet how the social, economic, political and educational loss due to this pandemic will
affect our forthcoming plans. One immediate affected medium was the whole art world and slowed down
immensely.

Schools around Turkey were closed due to Covid - 19 pandemic and distance education continued through
March to June 2020. By the end of August 2020 gradual education was launched. Pre-school and primary
classes, and vocational schools using applied training were open with face to face education. By
November 2020 all classes will be open but a blended type will be put into action, like two days face to
face education will be applied and the rest will continue as distance education. Turkish Ministry of
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Education had already started an Education, Informatics Network (EBA) channel in 2012 which included
best practices of teachers on video platforms. It was renewed and with three (Primary, Middle, High
School) dedicated television channels to broadcast every day. Almost all universities practice distance
learning. Distance learning dates back to 1982 under the name open university, by Anadolu University,
Eskişehir. There are 7,940,133 students around the country as university students. K12 population is
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18,241,881 . Distance learning comes with advantages and flaws. Of these 754,429 students do not have
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