INFORMATION LITERACY:  THE BASICS

 

DEFINITION

 

An information literate individual is able to:

• Determine the extent of information needed
• Access the needed information effectively and efficiently
• Evaluate information and its sources critically
• Incorporate selected information into one’s knowledge base
• Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose
• Understand the economic, legal, and social uses surrounding the use of information
• Access and use information ethically and legally

 

Information literacy is recognized as:

• A basic competency that ought to be incorporated into the educational mission
• A foundation skill for academic success
• A key component of independent, lifelong learning
• An intellectual competency used to demonstrate mastery of a specific discipline
• A distinct and broader area of competence than computer literacy
• A competency centered on critical discernment and reasoning

 

            [Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education]

 

 

KEY RESOURCES

 

ACRL.  (2005).  Information Literacy Resource Gateway

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/informationliteracy.htm

 

ACRL.  (2000).  Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/informationliteracycompetency.htm

             

ACRL.  (2003).  Characteristics of Programs of Information Literacy that Illustrate Best Practices:  A Guideline

http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlstandards/characteristics.htm

             

Information Literacy Instruction in Higher Education:  Trends and Issues.  (2002).  ERIC Digest (ED465375).

http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-1/information.htm

 

Kent State University.  (2005).  About Project SAILS (Project for Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills).

http://sails.lms.kent.edu/sails/overview.php?page=aboutSAILS

 

Shapiro, J. J. & Hughes, S. K.  (1996).  Information Literacy as a Liberal Art:  Enlightenment proposals for a new curriculum.

Educom Review, 31(2.)

http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/review/reviewarticles/31231.html

 

 

MODEL PROGRAMS

 

University of Louisville

Overview

            http://library.louisville.edu/infoliteracy/

Mission Statement

            http://library.louisville.edu/infoliteracy/mission.html

Outcomes

            http:/library.louisville.edu/infoliteracy/outcomes.html

 

Florida International University

Proposal

            http://www.fiu.edu/~library/ili/iliprop.html

 

California State University San Marcos

Program Page

            http://library.csusm.edu/departments/ilp

Collaborations

            http://library.csusm.edu/departments/ilp/collaboration.asp

Outcomes

            http://library.csusm.edu/departments/ilp/outcomes.asp

 

Five Colleges of Ohio

Program Page

            http://www.denison.edu/collaborations/ohio5/grant/index.html

 

 

 INFORMATION LITERACY BLOGS

 

 The Information Literacy Land of Confusion

           http://www.information-literacy.net

 

Information Literacy Roundtable (ILRT) - Michigan Library Association

           http://ilrt.blogspot.com/

 

Information Literacy Weblog

           http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

J Lumetta, 10/11/06