Instruction Services: Information Literacy

Information Literacy Defined

All forms of Library instruction services are undergirded by a concept & philosophy of information literacy. Information literacy is a combination of knowledge, skills, & dispositions that forms the basis for high-quality research and life-long learning, as reflected in the definition provided by the Association of College and research Libraries (ACRL): 

“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.” (1) 

Within this framework, (2) ultimately, an information literate student is able to: 

• Evaluate information & information sources critically, including for issues of authority & credibility
• Understand the process of information creation & the implications therein
• Appreciate the value of information in personal, professional, legal, & socioeconomical frames & use information acquired ethically
• Engage effectively in the conversation of scholarship 
• Explore information strategically with effective searching
• Develop the skills needed for effective inquiry &  research

Did you Know?

The Association of American Colleges & Universities created a definition and AACU VALUE rubric for Information Literacy, which closely resembles the Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education created by the Association of College & Research Libraries.

Reflective of ODU's Mission & University Learning Outcomes

The contemplative nature of information literacy makes it reflective of Ohio Dominican University's mission to "contemplate truth and to share with others the fruits of this contemplation." Information literacy is also reflective of the university's commitment to lifelong learning. 

Information literacy emphasizes the acquisition, evaluation, & synthesis of information necessary for proper reflection of self, the common good, justice, and truth--the four cornerstones of the ODU Core Curriculum.

Information literacy skills are also reflective of one of the University's Learning Outcomes for Degree-seeking Undergraduates (see page ii of Course Catalog)--the outcome dealing with using information resources: "Students locate, evaluate, use and properly cite multiple information resources across media. Students generate information through inquiry and utilize it in academic work." (3)

Information literacy is, in fact, a prerequisite for learning to be able to do the following: (4)

• Know & understand;
• Act upon knowledge gained;
• Live & work within the social, political, & cultural spheres of this world.