Appendix: Additional Resources

Additional Resources

This handbook has described the disinformation landscape, why empathy is an appropriate first step to addressing it, and steps to implement empathy in library practices, including in the reference interview and teaching. It positions empathy as a necessary first step to addressing disinformation, and depending on the situation a number of next steps might follow logically, including taking steps to identify, debunk, and counter disinformation. There are numerous additional resources on these topics, so we have assembled a list below. It is worth noting a few general characteristics of these resources which tie into the larger focus of the handbook on empathy. Learners can be drawn to disinformation for a variety of reasons, including its emotional appeal and coherence with preexisting emotional biases. Resources that counter disinformation, such as debunking and fact-checking tools, can also be emotionally appealing because it gives the learner a sense of control over the information landscape which they were previously lacking. It can be useful to you as an instructor to draw on this appeal, for instance with exercises which ask students to assess biased news sources. However, it is important to not replace one poor information habit with another, as would be the case if a learner shifted from reading only biased sources to trusting no sources. A meta-level of learning above this would ask students to assess not only which media sources are biased, but assess when to use such sources and identify how cynicism about media plays into the disinformation landscape. Fact-checking, pre-bunking, and debunking resources can be used in this way to tie into broader literacies related to self-knowledge, the continually shifting target of accuracy, and the constructed nature of authority.

Click below for resources on the following topics:

• Disinformation
• Fact Checking
• Debunking & Prebunking
• Information Literacy Instruction Plans
• Media Bias Resources
• Empathy Building Resources
• Family and Friends
• Other

 Disinformation

Ivan, Cristina, Ruxandra Buluc Irena Chiru, Alexandra Anghel , Aitana Radu, et al. Handbook on Identifying and Countering Disinformation. DOMINOES Project, 2023.

A handbook for understanding, identifying, and countering disinformation based on the digital competencies from the Digital Competence Framework for Citizens, developed by the European Commission. Contains sections on aggravating factors behind the spread of disinformation and mitigating factors for preventing its dissemination with illustrative examples and useful case studies.

Kerwick, Freya, Jackie Turner, and Trans Justice Project. The Anti-Trans Disinformation Handbook. Trans Justice Project, 2024.

A short handbook intended for media, civil society, and governments. It provides practical principles for combating disinformation, such as limiting its reach, as well as addresses key issues and themes common to anti-trans disinformation. Each issue and theme includes an accuracy statement, context on the opponent’s agenda, and a research briefing which contains a brief overview of the research on this issue and further readings.

Ireton, Cherilyn and Julie Posetti, eds. Journalism, ‘Fake News’ & Disinformation: Handbook for Journalism Education and Training. UNESCO Series on Journalism Education, 2018.

Intended for journalism education and training, this handbook acts as a curriculum model for journalism educators. Contains a framework and lessons specific to journalists but could be adopted and adapted for other disciplines.

Government of Canada. “Countering Disinformation: A Guidebook for Public Servants.” Last modified May 21, 2026.

A guidebook created by the federal government for use by public servants. It takes an organizational and an individual approach against disinformation, specifically as it relates to government information, programs, policies, and services. It provides a useful Canadian context and Canadian examples but is very specific to working in a public servant role.

Lewandowsky, Stephan, Vera Kempe, Konstantinos Armaos, et al. The Anti-Autocracy Handbook: A Scholars’ Guide to Navigating Democratic Backsliding. Zenodo, 2025.

This handbook was created for scholars as a tool to navigate increasing autocratization and democratic backsliding, which threaten democracy, truth, and academic freedom. Its framework is organized by personal risk level (low, medium, or extreme, as well as risk-independent for everyone) so that scholars can take action based on their level of risk. This handbook is useful for choosing informed actions to combat disinformation.

 Fact Checking

Borel, Brooke. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking, 2nd ed. University of Chicago Press, 2024.

This is a complete guide to editorial fact checking that covers most media (newspapers, magazines, social media, radio television, film, books etc.) and covers issues important to this topic including: best practices for keeping track of sources, identifying what needs to be fact-checked, identification and ranking of quality source materials, identifying plagiarism, and identifying conflicting facts.

Best, Joel. Just the Facts : Untangling Contradictory Claims. University of California Press, 2025.

This guide describes how facts exist within our social worlds. By using a sociological focus, the author is able to describe how our beliefs, norms, and expectations shape facts. This work also provides resources on fact checking and other ways to interact with and interrogate facts.

Pérez-Escolar, Marta, Eva Ordóñez-Olmedo and Purificación Alcaide-Pulido. “Fact-Checking Skills And Project-Based Learning About Infodemic And Disinformation.” Thinking Skills and Creativity,  41 (Sept 2021): 1-11.

A qualitative study aimed at identifying the skills students should acquire to combat disinformation. This involved teaching a fake class about Covid-19 (unknown to the students), which included both true and misinformation. Students, in groups, were asked to summarize the talk and add further, relevant information. Results identified the most influential Covid-19 hoaxes, social behaviour of students in an infodemic, and identifying key skills needed for developing fact checking ability. Contains a helpful table “Fact-checking skills within the context of social competencies.”, which is perhaps a bit outdated.

 Debunking & Prebunking

Lewandowsky, Stephan, John Cook, and Doug Lombardi. The Debunking Handbook 2020. Databrary, 2020.

Outlines four key elements to effective debunking: recognition that misinformation can inflict real harm, it should be preempted where possible, it can be difficult to counter, even with factual information and detailed refutations are necessary. This handbook includes practical guidance and examples for the reader on how to achieve effective debunking, despite the inherent challenges.

Harjani, Trisha, Jon Roozenbeek, Michael Biddlestone et al. A Practical Guide to Prebunking Misinformation. University of Cambridge, Jigsaw, BBC Media Action, 2022.

Prebunking is the focus of this guide, which is described as a focus on how people are often manipulated and misled, rather than direct opposition or challenging their beliefs. The guide discusses the history of inoculation theory, ‘passive’ vs. ‘active’ prebunking, limitations of this method, and step-by-step instructions on how to effectively prebunk.

 Information Literacy Instruction Plans

Benjes-Small, Candice M., Carol Wittig and Mary K. Oberlies, eds. Teaching about fake news : lesson plans for different disciplines and audiences. Association of College and Research Libraries, 2021.

Chapters cover algorithms/altmetrics, visual literacy, media literacy, memes, business, science communication, and the impact of fake news. Delves into different teaching techniques to uncover bias in algorithms, pseudoscience, and develops critical thinking skills for analyzing fake news.

Morris, Sarah E., ed. The Critical Thinking About Sources Cookbook. Association of College and Research Libraries, 2020.

Bite-sized, solution-focused information in the form of recipe cards, each under two pages covering topics such as how to evaluate information, recognize scholarly sources, identify misinformation, navigate information online, examining research production and peer-review, and more.

University of Calgary Libraries. Building Resilience to Misinformation: An Instructional Toolkit. Research Guides. University of Calgary. Last modified March 19, 2026.

Editable modules for use in classrooms, designed by librarians for use by faculty. Topics include an introduction to key terms, disinformation landscape, identifying and interacting with misinformation, and AI and misinformation. Also includes more readings and a sample feedback survey for students.

Chomintra, Melissa. “Critical Race Digital Literacy Rubric for Assessing Mis/Disinformation Literacy Instruction Lesson Plans.” The Journal of Academic Librarianship 50, no. 3 (2024): 102868.

Introduces a critical race digital literacy rubric to assess mis/disinformation lesson plans in terms of their historical/contextual understanding, ability to recognize intersectionality and challenge dominant perspectives, commitment to social justice, experiential knowledge, and interdisciplinary approach in order to foster a culture of deconstruction and reflection.

 Media Bias Resources

Media bias resources can be helpful for learners in attempting to establish the credibility, bias, and reliability of news sources. There is no single, perfectly objective media bias checking tool, and the tools are sometimes critical of one another. Learners are encouraged to use several tools, refer to the methodology of each, read more about the context of media bias resources and their pitfalls and employ their best judgment.

Media Bias/Fact Check. “Media Bias Fact Check.” Accessed June 10, 2026.

Media Bias Fact Check assesses media sites for political bias and credibility. It applies its Media Bias Fact Check methodology, combining objective criteria and subjective human analysis. It offers the Media Bias Fact Check browser extension for ease of use.

Kaur, Harleen. Ground News. Accessed June 10 2026.

Ground News provides additional context and transparency to news coverage through its rating system, helping readers better understand bias, source credibility, and media ownership. Learn more about the Ground News methodology, and download the Ground News browser extension.

Gable, John. AllSides. Accessed June 10, 2026.

AllSides evaluates the perceived political bias of American media outlets and articles through reviews conducted by a multipartisan panel. Its ratings are based on a combination of human-centred methods, and are accessible to readers through the AllSides apps and browser extensions.

DeSmog. Climate Disinformation Database. Accessed June 10, 2026.

DeSmog Climate Disinformation Database provides research that helps readers identify and understand climate change disinformation and the institutions that disseminate it.

 Empathy Building Resources

In addition to the listed resources below, we recommend seeking out works by authors with different perspectives from your own, especially members of marginalized groups. As a librarian, it can be useful to read works from authors who are members of the same communities of your patrons and colleagues, or whose work has been influential on the disciplines whose work you support. It can also be useful to read works by experts on topics where disinformation is rampant, such as immigration or healthcare. Consider that expertise takes many forms, and might be impacted by lived experience, societal role, or education.

Zettervall, Sara and Mary Nienow. “Whole Person Librarianship: Fostering Empathy in Challenging Times.” WebJunction. March 28, 2017.

This presentation introduces “Whole Person Librarianship,” a framework that applies social work concepts like cultural humility and person-in-environment to public library services. It outlines how librarians can partner with social workers and adopt empathetic practices to better understand, serve, and support diverse or vulnerable patrons while maintaining healthy professional boundaries.

Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki. “Work Like a Patron Day.” Accessed June 10, 2026.

“Work Like A Patron” Day is a dedicated initiative designed to increase empathy and awareness by encouraging library staff to experience their library strictly from a user’s perspective. On this day, staff members use public entrances, computers, and restrooms, allowing them to identify friction points and actively improve the library’s overall services, signage, and accessibility.

Sullivan, Kimberlie. Trauma Informed Librarianship: Seeding Change in Higher Education. University of Washington Pressbooks, n.d.

Portions of this book discuss empathy in the following ways: it identifies empathy as a core element of communication, it explicitly distinguishes between genuine compassion/empathy and mere pity, looking to avoid the hierarchy that pity creates, and tells us that empathy takes cognitive effort and can be actively trained and grown – that it is not a fixed feature of our make up.

 Family and Friends

When talking to learners about disinformation, they might share that they also have friends and family who have been significantly impacted by disinformation and would like resources on this topic. We have provided a few resources which include an empathetic focus. In addition to these, we recommend readers compile a list of locally available mental health resources, such as school counselors and crisis phone lines, to pass along to learners.

Hannah, Matthew N., Jordan Cooley, Emmett Warnock, Taylor Quinn, and Amelia Simpson.  Escaping Conspiracy Theories: A Toolkit for Having Difficult Discussions. Purdue University: Libraries and School of Information Studies, 2023.

Offers two toolkits, one for those who have become engrossed in conspiracy theories, and one for family and friends of conspiracy theorists who want to engage in conversation. Includes resources, scripts, conversation strategies, educational materials, etc. to help individuals who are struggling with conspiracy theories.

Shorter pieces that provide brief empathy-based frameworks for talking with friends and family about conspiratorial thinking:

Jolley, Daniel, Karen Douglas, and Mathew Marques. “How to Talk to Someone about Conspiracy Theories in Five Simple Steps” The Conversation, January 20, 2023.

Starting from the premise that people invested in conspiracy or disinformation are looking for “more certainty, to feel in control, and [to] maintain a positive image of their self and group,” this set of tips encourages a response based in listening, asking questions, and helping people refocus onto places where they have some level of control or social connection.

Nguyen, Audrey, host. “To Combat Misinformation, Start with Connection, Not Correction.” NPR Life Kit. September 30, 2024.

A short podcast aimed at helping people talk to their family members about their beliefs in mis/disinformation starting from the point of taking the time to form a compassionate understanding of people’s pasts, their experiences, and their memories, and how their own history has shaped their beliefs. Includes a transcript.

 Other

Other approaches to misinformation that might be helpful to incorporate into library instruction and reference interactions.

Mohammed, Shan, Quinn Grundy, and Jessica Bytautas. “Addressing Post-Truth in the Classroom: Towards a Critical Pedagogy.” Teaching and Learning Inquiry 12 (September 2024):1–16.

Argues for moving away from “helping students discern correct from incorrect information” and towards “teaching students how power and knowledge are intertwined in post-truth and ways to understand and address the subsequent and potentially harmful power relations.”

Schmid, Philipp. “Using Behavioral Science for Infodemic Preparedness: The Case of Vaccination Misinformation.” Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences 11, no. 1 (2024): 93–101.

Response to vaccine misinformation requires detecting tactics and content of misinformation as well as underlying attitudes. Real-time rebuttal refuting emphatically are effective. Forewarnings and inoculation interventions help prevent detrimental effects of misinformation. An infrastructure of monitoring misinformation and training of spokespeople are needed to detect and respond. These interventions work in collaboration.