Libraries pilot ‘The Euphorigen Investigation’ escape room

Red and black text that reads "The Euphorigen Investigation Escape Room" on a yellow background. To the left of the text are several icons, including a magnifying glass, an eye, and a blue file folder holding papers.

April 8, 2021

An investigative journalist suspiciously vanished last night, and the last thing they did was hand their laptop over to their trusted librarian. After opening the laptop and seeing the contents, the librarian grew alarmed and called you all in to help. The librarian knew the journalist was doing research on the company that makes Euphorigen,…

Escaping misinformation: How a digital escape room is combatting misinformation

Several wooden puzzles and toys sitting on top of a piece of dark blue cloth.

March 1, 2021

From small rumors to large conspiracy theories, social media and Internet communities have been overwhelmed with misinformation or false narratives that intentionally try to deceive the reader. Researchers from the University of Washington’s TASCHA, Center for an Informed Public, and GAMER Group, along with the co-founder of Puzzle Break, have teamed up to solve this…

How Public Libraries Can Help With Data Literacy and Build More Inclusive Data

A group of colorful hexagons. In the center of each hexagon are outlines of human heads with lightbulbs above them.

September 21, 2020

Earlier this summer, TASCHA Principal Research Scientist, Maria Garrido, and Senior Research Scientist, Chris Rothschild were invited by Infopeople to conduct a four-week online course intended to provide California librarians with the opportunity to learn about assessing marginalized voices in data and its importance from a public library perspective. The course was designed to explore…

Research on African Libraries in Development: Perceptions and Possibilities

September 15, 2020

Source: Afusat Ogunjimi, graduate of AfLIA Leadership Academy Cohort 1, Librarian, Oyo State Library Board, Nigeria.   By: Renee Lynch, Jason Young, Chris Jowaisas, Stanley Boakye-Achampong, and Joel Sam A Problem of Perception Over the past few years, TASCHA and African Library and Information Associations and Institutions (AfLIA) have been collaborating on the Advancing Library…

Passion for Libraries and Immigrant Communities Guides Katya Yefimova’s Work at TASCHA

A black and white picture of Katya Yefimova smiling at the camera.

August 4, 2020

Katya Yefimova used to drive to a library branch across town just to browse Russian-language books on the shelves. Seattle traffic couldn’t deter the University of Washington Information School (iSchool) PhD candidate from her mission: Connecting her young daughter to her family’s language and heritage.  Yefimova knows first-hand that public libraries play an important role…

Strategies and Resources for Tech Assistance During a Pandemic

Digital tablet being pulled from a row of books

April 30, 2020

By: Stacey Wedlake, TASCHA Research Coordinator & Analyst As I wrote in my previous blog post, the ability to access basic needs during a pandemic relies on digital skills. As we’re seeing more and more, the pandemic exacerbates our societies’ inequalities, and communities in vulnerable situations need additional support and resources in order to “stay…

Public Scholarship at the UW Center for an Informed Public and Technology & Social Change Group

Title Slide for Applied Research and Public Scholarship

March 31, 2020

Being public is one of the core tenets of the University of Washington. Open scholarship and going public with our research means engaging the broader community with our work. But how do we do that? Going Public was a discussion and skill building event held in late March and addressed the issues of (in)equity that…

A Review of Tools, Resources, and Frameworks to Build Data for Decision-Making Capacity in Communities and Community Organizations

calm ocean at sunset

February 26, 2020

By Research Assistant Hanna Navarro and Chris Rothschild, Senior Research Scientist at TASCHA and a Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Fellow   What are the available resources, and what research-based frameworks have been established to understand D4D and structure D4D learning practices? TASCHA and the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs partnered to better understand how trainings to improve…

For TASCHA RA Renee Lynch, Education and Exploration Go Hand-in-Hand

Renee standing and smiling with her hands behind her back. She is wearing a blue diamond patterned dress and a black blazer. She is standing in front of a green field.

November 27, 2019

At the intersection of education and activism, you’ll find Renee Lynch. Renee became a TASCHA Research Assistant last summer when she saw an advertisement for our Advancing Library Visibility in Africa (ALVA) project. Originally from the Chicago area, Renee says that “traveling is the best way to learn and to reflect and get ideas.” She…

MLIS graduate finds holistic education experience outside of coursework

Smiling, young woman wearing glasses seated at a table with a name tag that reads Rachel Ramey.

September 26, 2019

Rachel joined TASCHA as the Communications Research Assistant during her final year in the Information School’s Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at the University of Washington program where she studied youth librarianship, inclusive community outreach, and information literacy. Prior to starting her MLIS, Rachel worked in the communications field and community with the…