When students passed by the recent pop-up table Cookies & Cookies in Newman Library, they were greeted with the enticing offer to learn about internet cookies and earn a real cookie in return.
This was the premise of Cookies & Cookies, a lighthearted bite-sized outreach event designed to bring attention to digital cookies, one of the most overlooked features of online life. The exchange of a sweet treat for a few minutes of conversation sparked reflection on privacy, personal agency, and digital decision-making.
In just two hours, 64 students and community members stopped by the table. Some were already savvy about how their data was being tracked online. Others were surprised to learn just how often their online behaviors were monitored and stored the choices they had.
“For me, that emphasis on choice is very reflective of digital literacy initiatives as a whole,” said Julia Feerrar, University Libraries' head of digital literacy. “People have a variety of values, priorities, and concerns when it comes to digital life, and our goal is often to help them figure out what works best for them.”
Recently, the team’s ongoing digital literacy efforts to make complex information accessible and actionable, like Cookies & Cookies, were recognized in the 2025 EDUCAUSE Horizon Report as an exemplary digital literacy program.
Big ideas in small moments
The event’s pop-up format proved effective. By keeping the interaction casual and concise, organizers were able to meet students where they were. In the middle of their day, students could pause, chat for five minutes, and walk away with both a cookie and a better grasp of how to protect their digital footprint. Rather than relying solely on long workshops or formal coursework, University Libraries is piloting quick, approachable outreach initiatives that create micro-moments for learning.
Tips from the table
Online, cookies are far less sweet and much more confusing than a snickerdoodle. Digital cookies, also called browser cookies, are small files that websites store on a person’s device to remember things about their visit.
“If you’ve ever had the experience of shopping for a particular product and then suddenly being inundated with ads for that same product on every site you visit, you have cookies to thank,” said Feerrar. “Third-party cookies track your behavior across websites, often for targeted advertising. This can raise some serious privacy and security concerns, especially if malicious actors get access to your cookies through an unsecure site.”
One of the key messages behind Cookies & Cookies was that digital literacy is not about fear, it’s about choice.
As Neha Bangari, a recent digital literacy fellow, demonstrated through a game she created for the event, rejecting cookies doesn’t have to be complicated. Her game walked participants through the process of saying “no” to cookies in a simulated environment, turning an abstract concept into something playful and hands-on.
“Maybe you don’t want to spend the time rejecting cookies on every site,” said Feerrar. “But with a baseline understanding of how cookies work, you can decide when ‘rejecting’ might be most important for you.”
During the event, the digital literacy team shared four key tips for maintaining digital privacy:
- Reject third-party or tracking cookies when prompted on new websites.
- Choose browsers that support “do not track” options and explore their security settings.
- Use incognito or private modes when searching for sensitive topics.
- Clear your browser history and cache regularly, and keep your browser up to date.
These actions are small shifts that empower users to make decisions in line with their privacy preferences.
A model for future engagement
The success of this initiative reinforces a broader lesson: Digital literacy doesn’t have to be daunting. Sometimes, all it takes is a cookie and a conversation.
As digital life becomes more complex, Feerrar said efforts like this are essential in helping students develop not just knowledge, but agency. And with more pop-up events in the works, University Libraries is committed to continuing this participatory approach to one of the most pressing issues of our time: How we live — and thrive — in a digital world.
