(viewed 27 August 2012)
I seem to have spent nearly all day on the computer putting my information literacy (research) skills to use - so I thought "what better subject to blog about"! Then of course, I had to find something to read and comment on without making my eyes bleed from reading reams of scholarly text.
Luckily, I found this paper presented at the IFLA Conference in 2004 - not too out of date and containing some interesting concepts about information literacy. I will start as Sandy Campbell did by quoting the ALA's definition:
To be information literate, a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information.A fairly straightforward definition which she then demonstrates will also cover occasions where information is obtained by means other than in a library or via the internet.Should we perhaps change the name to information fluency or information competency? Personally, I rather like fluency - it does not have any of the stigma attached to words like literacy or competency.
The paper then goes on to look at what libraries and librarians can expect in the future, including that libraries are no longer the primary source of information, and the loss of face to face contact with their patrons as they use the internet and databases. A complete set of skills will involve critical thinking, interpreting data and using data appropriately.
And libraries should focus on teaching people how to use the information that they can access readily and regularly. Forget the fancy tools and whizz-bang sites - the buzz word should be APPROPRIATE. Appropriate for the user depending on what tools they have access to and appropriate depending on why they need the information.
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