Information literacy defined

Information literacy forms the basis for lifelong 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. 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

ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education

Information literacy at ULV

The University of La Verne's mission statement states: "The University commits itself to an approach to education that is lifelong in nature. Therefore, it teaches students how to learn, how to think critically, how to do responsible research, and how to access and integrate information in order to prepare them for career growth and flexibility and continued personal growth."

Information literacy is not just library research skills-it is the collaboration between faculty, library faculty, the Office of Information Technology, and the Center for Teaching and Learning. The goal of this collaboration is to help students and faculty effectively use the various information resources and technologies available through the University of La Verne.

Faculty are important role models in developing students' information literacy:

• What are the information skills needed by students in majors offered by your school/department?
• Are needed skills being built into the curriculum at all levels-entry-level undergraduate through graduate coursework?
• Are off-campus and distance learning students' unique needs being served?
• How is your department assessing student information literacy skills?
• How can the library, CTL, and OIT collaborate with you to increase your professional information literacy?

For more information on information literacy in higher education, try these resources:

• Badke, W. (2009). How we failed the net generation. Online, 33(4), 47-49.
• Caravello, P. S., Kain, E. L., Kuchi, T., Macicak, S., & Weiss, G. L. (2008). Information literacy: The partnership of sociology faculty and social science librarians. Teaching Sociology, 36(1), 8-16.
• Cromley, J., & Azevedo, R. (2009). Locating information within extended hypermedia. Educational Technology Research & Development, 57(3), 287-313.
• Jackson, S., & Durkee, D. (2008). Incorporating information literacy into the accounting curriculum. Accounting Education, 17(1), 83-97.
• Kirkwood, A. (2006). Getting networked learning in context: Are on-line students' technical and information literacy skills adequate and appropriate? Learning, Media & Technology, 31(2), 117-131.
• Knobel, M., & Wilber, D. (2009). Let's talk 2.0. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 20-24.
• Kok, A. J. (2006). Enhancing information literacy in an interdisciplinary collaboration. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 24(2), 83-103.
• Laverty, C. (2009). Our information literacy heritage: From evolution to revolution. Feliciter, 55(3), 88-91.
• Lofstrom, E., & Nevgi, A. (2007). From strategic planning to meaningful learning: Diverse perspectives on the development of web-based teaching and learning in higher education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 38(2), 312-324.
• Lupton, M. (2008). Evidence, argument and social responsibility: First-year students' experiences of information literacy when researching an essay. Higher Education Research & Development, 27(4), 399-414.
• Ohler, J. (2009). Orchestrating the media collage. Educational Leadership, 66(6), 8-13.
• Smith, J., & Oliver, M. (2005). Exploring behaviour in the online environment: Student perceptions of information literacy. ALT-J Research in Learning Technology, 13(1), 49-65.
• Turusheva, L. (2009). Students' information competence and its importance for life-long education. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 12, 126-132.
• Wang, Y. (2007). Riding to the future--an investigation of information literacy skills of students at an urban university as applied to the web environment. International Journal on E-Learning, 6(4), 593-603.
• Williams, J., & Chinn, S. J. (2009). Using web 2.0 to support the active learning experience. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 165-174.