What Is Information Literacy?
Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.
(Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. American Library Association, 2015.)
According to the Association of College and Research Libraries, the benefits of information literacy instruction for students are to:
- Improve information literacy and critical information practices
- Improve research strategies, authorship, and meaning making
- Deepen learning and content knowledge
- Enhance awareness of campus library expertise
Faculty also benefit in that they are able to:
- Join pedagogical partners in the design of integrated information literacy and disciplinary curriculum
- Help students to cultivate identities as information producers and contributors
- Deepen learning and students' information literacy
- Support accrediting body guidelines
Lastly, Administrators and the institution in general benefits in that they:
- Meet higher education standards and accreditation
- Promote partnerships between faculty, librarians, instructional designers and others
- Strengthen student learning outcomes and performance
