Information Literacy

This guide is designed to provide information literacy skills, which are the most frequently needed in higher education and form the basis of lifelong learning and prepared in accordance with "ACRL STANDARDS: Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education" approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Board of Directors in 2000.  This Guide consists of six steps of information literacy, which can be accessed via the page “Steps of Information Literacy in the blue column on the left side of the screen. Each subject in the "Steps of Information Literacy"  is divided into short chapters. You can learn all information literacy skills by studying the content of the chapters at your own pace and structuring the learning process yourself. You can also select specific aspects that you have not mastered yet.

Information Literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information” (The Association of College and Research Libraries, 2000).

Incorporating information literacy across curricula, in all programs and services, and throughout the administrative life of the university requires the collaborative efforts of faculty, librarians, and administrators. Through lectures and by leading discussions, faculty establish the context for learning. Faculty also inspire students to explore the unknown, offer guidance on how best to fulfill information needs, and monitor students’ progress. Academic librarians coordinate the evaluation and selection of intellectual resources for programs and services; organize and maintain collections and many points of access to information; and provide instruction to students and faculty who seek information. Administrators create opportunities for collaboration and staff development among faculty, librarians, and other professionals who initiate information literacy programs, lead in planning and budgeting for those programs and provide ongoing resources to sustain them.

Standard one: The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.

1. The information literate student defines and articulates the need for information.
2. The information literate student identifies a variety of types and formats of potential sources for information.
3. The information literate student considers the costs and benefits of acquiring the needed information.
4. The information literate student reevaluates the nature and extent of the information need.

Standard two: The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

1. The information literate student selects the most appropriate investigative methods or information retrieval systems for accessing the needed information.
2. The information literate student constructs and implements effectively-designed search strategies.
3. The information literate student retrieves information online or in-person using a variety of methods.
4. The information literate student refines the search strategy if necessary.
5. The information literate student extracts, records, and manages the information and its sources.

Standard three: The information literate student evaluates information and its sources critically and incorporates selected information into his or her knowledge base and value system. 

1. The information literate student summarizes the main ideas to be extracted from the information gathered.
2. The information literate student articulates and applies initial criteria for evaluating both the information and its sources.
3. The information literate student synthesizes main ideas to construct new concepts.
4. The information literate student compares new knowledge with prior knowledge to determine the value added, contradictions, or other unique characteristics of the information.
5. The information literate student determines whether the new knowledge has an impact on the individual’s value system and takes steps to reconcile differences.
6. The information literate student validates understanding and interpretation of the information through discourse with other individuals, subject-area experts, and/or practitioners.
7. The information literate student determines whether the initial query should be revised.

Standard four: The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.

1. The information literate student applies new and prior information to the planning and creation of a particular product or performance.
2. The information literate student revises the development process for the product or performance.
3. The information literate student communicates the product or performance effectively to others.

Standard five: The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and access and uses information ethically and legally.

1. The information literate student understands many of the ethical, legal, and socioeconomic issues surrounding information and information technology.
2. The information literate student follows laws, regulations, institutional policies, and etiquette related to the access and use of information resources.
3. The information literate student acknowledges the use of information sources in communicating the product or performance.

Source: Association of College & Research Libraries, ACRL STANDARDS: Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education The final version, approved January 2000, Prepared by the ACRL Task Force on Information Literacy  Competency Standards https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/19242/22395