The IMLS has identified a number of 21st-century literacies, and more are suggested over at HASTAC. A discussion of the latter set includes preservation literacy. I rather like that, given the fleeting and fragmentary nature of our digital lives, but this archival function ultimately must be an institutional one.
Some years ago, the European CALIMERA project developed a “research roadmap” model that identified user needs and aligned these with library functions. Here is a slide of this model from a presentation I’m working on:
Although the proliferation of digital tools makes it easier for us to mange this communications cycle on our own, there remain important institutional contexts for supporting and sustaining these activities. Perhaps institutional literacy should be added to the list.
For a brief history of media anxiety, see “Don't Touch That Dial!” over at Slate.
