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Outline

Information Literacy: What is it? What is the library doing with it? What does it mean to you?

Definitions Jeremy J. Shapiro and Shelley K. Hughes provide a more detailed definition in their article "Information Literacy as a Liberal Art ." “In its narrowest sense information literacy includes the practical skills involved in effective use of information technology and information resources, either print or electronic.”

AU Libraries’ Extended Definition The Auburn University Libraries offer a variety of instructional services in cooperation with teaching faculty to help students learn the necessary concepts and skills for successful library research. Our goal is to insure that all of our constituents are information literate.

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 issues surrounding the use of information, and access and use information ethically and legally.

AU Libraries’ Extended Definition Concepts as well as computer skills Critical thinking skills Life long learning Collaboration w/faculty on assignments

Aspects of information literacy Tool literacy - The ability to use print and electronic resources including software. Resource literacy - The ability to understand the form, format, location and access methods of information resources. Social-structural literacy - Knowledge of how information is socially situated and produced. It includes understanding the scholarly publishing process.

Aspects of information literacy Research literacy - The ability to understand and use information technology tools to carry out research including discipline-related software. Publishing literacy - The ability to produce a text or multimedia report of the results of research.

Information literacy includes critical thinking skills Information literacy enhances the pursuit of knowledge at the university by preparing students to think critically and use information for their academic, professional and personal lives. The information literate individual can recognize the need for information, and can evaluate information in order to use it effectively.

Information literacy results in life-long learning Information literacy forms the basis for life-long learning. It is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education. It enables learners to master content and extend their investigations, become more self-directed, and assume greater control over their own learning.

In other words… …while in college students will need to research information for their papers and other assignments. Once they graduate, they will most likely continue to research to make informed decisions in their job and their community. The skills they learn and continue to develop will make the process of finding information for assignments, work and life much easier.

Skills that characterize Information Literacy Using library resources both within the library and through electronic means Having sufficient computer competency to use both traditional electronic tools (catalogs, periodical indexes and databases) and emerging technologies (enhanced web sites, multimedia, digital resources) efficiently and effectively Determining the best resource to use, not simply using the resource that is most convenient

Skills: What we teach in class Identify search terms, synonyms, subject headings Teach keyword/Boolean searching/search strategies in a variety of catalogs/databases Evaluate print sources (popular magazines vs. scholarly journals, primary vs.secondary) Evaluate web pages

After completing two Engl. 1120 library sessions students should be able to: identify a variety of information sources recognize that appropriate sources of information will change depending on their needs identify characteristics of information on the Web identify characteristics of library resources search databases & the web more effectively distinguish between popular and scholarly periodicals

Guidelines for developing information literate students Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education provides a framework for assessing the information literate individual.

ACRL Competency Standards Standard One The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed. Standard Two The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.

Standards Cont. 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.

Standards Cont. Standard Four The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose. Standard Five The information literate student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and legally.

Standard Two:The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.  Performance Indicator 2: The information literate student constructs and implements effectively-designed search strategies. Outcomes Include: 1. Develops a research plan appropriate to the investigative method 2. Identifies keywords, synonyms and related terms for the information needed 3. Selects controlled vocabulary specific to the discipline or information retrieval source

Standard Two (continued):The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently. Outcomes Include: 4. Constructs a search strategy using appropriate commands for the information retrieval system selected (e.g., Boolean operators, truncation, and proximity for search engines; internal organizers such as indexes for books) 5. Implements the search strategy in various information retrieval systems using different user interfaces and search engines, with different command languages, protocols, and search parameters 6. Implements the search using investigative protocols appropriate to the discipline

Standard Two (continued):The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently. Performance Indicators 3: The information literate student retrieves information online or in person using a variety of methods. Outcomes Include: 1. Uses various search systems to retrieve information in a variety of formats 2. Uses various classification schemes and other systems (e.g., call number systems or indexes) to locate information resources within the library or to identify specific sites for physical exploration

Standard Two:The information literate student accesses needed information effectively and efficiently. Outcomes Include: 3. Uses specialized online or in person services available at the institution to retrieve information needed (e.g., interlibrary loan/document delivery, professional associations, institutional research offices, community resources, experts and practitioners) 4. Uses surveys, letters, interviews, and other forms of inquiry to retrieve primary information

What it means to you: Instruction for information literacy is intended to supplement the content of a course with instruction in library techniques related to that content. We collaborate with faculty to develop learning objectives for instructional sessions using competency standards from the Association of College and Research Libraries.

What it means to you We can take existing assignments and tailor them to included information literacy components.(See Information Literacy and Writing Assessment Project: Tutorial for Developing and Evaluating Assignments www.lib.auburn.edu/bi/ilwa.html ) We will create measurable learning outcomes from these shared objectives.

Collaboration efforts Present: ENGL1120 efforts with the English Department Coordination of learning outcomes, syllabus and schedule with Assistant Director of Composition Surveys of composition faculty to determine student needs Surveys of students to determine satisfaction and usefulness of instruction

Collaboration Present: Freshman year experience and TILT Use of the Tiger Information Literacy Tutorial with U1000 and U1050 Objectives for information literacy in the core curriculum “Students who have completed the University Core Curriculum should be able to gather, synthesize and interpret information in accordance with contemporary scholarly standards.”

Collaboration Future: Pilot project with TILT and English courses Adaptation of existing assignments to include information literacy components (See examples at http://www.lib.auburn.edu/bi/ilwa.html)

Bibliography of information literacy sites Information Literacy in a Nutshell: http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/infolitoverview/infolitforfac/infolitfaculty.htm ACRL’s Information Literacy web site http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlissues/acrlinfolit/informationliteracy.htm

Bibliography of information literacy sites National Forum on Information Literacy http://www.infolit.org/ Shapiro & Hughes “Information Literacy as a Liberal Art” http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/review/reviewarticles/31231.html