Information Literacy: Services for Students

The Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) has recently adopted the newly developed Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education (2015).  The Framework seeks to address some of the limitations of the ACRL Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education (2000) and offers a revised and expanded definition of 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.” 

The Mount A Libraries Information Literacy pages will soon be revised to reflect the transition from the ACRL Standards to the new Framework.

Stay tuned. 

Information Literacy: Services for Students

Librarians strive to assist students in increasing their information literacy skills. Most commonly, this is through in-class presentations in courses. However, for students who want to learn more on their own, the library offers a number of guides designed for self-directed learning. Students are also always welcome to talk to a librarian, either at the research help desk or by making a one-on-one appointment.

Useful Guides

• Preparing a Search Strategy
  This brief guide provides tips on how to prepare an effective search strategy when using a Library Database.
• Evaluating Web Sources
  This guide will assist you in deciding whether a web site is reliable and trustworthy. Remember that web sites are rarely all good or all bad; you must decide if the information they contain is good enough for your purposes. If you want to use a web site for an academic paper, it will likely have to be evaluated more stringently than a site you are using for personal interest.
• Primary and Secondary Resources: A Research Guide
  This guide explains what primary and secondary sources are, and gives some examples to help you select materials for your assignments.

Additional guides are available on the Research Tips page.