"Show Me the Money": Academic Libraries, COVID-19 and Lessons on the Role of Information Capitalism in Information Literacy Instruction

<p dir="ltr">The harmful role that mis-/disinformation played during the COVID pandemic cannot be overstated, nor can its relationship to the monetization of those false claims, miracle cures, pseudoscience, and faulty research. This paper explores the mis-/disinformation phenomenon from the viewpoint of an American academic library, where concerns about the necessity of information literacy (IL) instruction are mounting while “information capitalism” (Ellenwood, 2020) simultaneously warps the information ecosystem. I explain what misinformation and disinformation are, then explore how our current information ecosystem spreads and nurtures this “disruptive communication” (Bennett & Livingston, 2021). Next, I contend that the key element of IL instruction across the curriculum should be teaching students how and why “information has value” (ACRL, 2016). That is, I argue that teaching students to understand how corporatized information resources exist for profit is a cornerstone of helping transform them into responsible digital citizens and information-literate learners in the world. When they are trained to ask themselves, “Who profits from this information?” they will see the ubiquitous “man behind the curtain” and can thus be more critical, savvy information consumers.</p>