Introduction to Information Literacy

By Samuel Gathanga

Library and Information skills course is part of a common undergraduate course intended
to enable students to effectively access the information required for their academic
requirements as well as to equip them for life-long learning.

Today’s information environment is overwhelming both in paper and electronic formats,

such that it is possible for a student to feel lost or not able to effectively acquire the
necessary information he/she needs in the limited time available. The course is intended
to address the situation and guide the student to access the right kind of information in a
timely, legal and ethical manner.

The Information Environment

The information environment in which a University student finds him/herself in is
characterized by:
(i) Massive, diverse, scattered and often conflicting information resources.
(ii) Multiple formats in which information is found.
(iii) Numerous special collections and locations where information resources may
be found.
(iv) Scarcity of some indispensable material.

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 (v) The interdisciplinary nature of studies whereby many different subjects must
be learnt at the same time.
(vi) The need for developing habits necessary for life- long self- education and the
skills required to separate useful information from useless information in
order to meet assignment deadlines and graduate in time. .

3.1 What is information?

Most dictionaries define information as ‘knowledge acquired through experience and
study. Information is described as organized data, which has been processed in such a
way that information now has relevance for a specific purpose or context, and therefore
meaningful, valuable and useful.
Information: A Definition
i) Communicated facts or ideas.
ii) Data to which a meaning has been given within a context for its use.
iii) An assemblage of data capable of being communicated.

All the facts, conclusions, ideas, creative works of the human intellect and imagination
which have been communicated formally of informally.

Formal information-Formal information networks are those available through libraries

and information agencies e.g. access to professional and scholarly information,
government information and information disseminated through the media.
Informal information- Informal information includes information that has not entered
the formal channels or which does not properly belong to those channels. e.g. personal
beliefs, perspectives and values.

3.2 Acquiring Information

Information may be acquired in the following ways:
(i) Life experience.
(ii) Study and learning.
(iii) Observation, listening, Debates etc.

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 (iv) Experiment and research.
(v) Lectures, workshops, seminars etc.

Organized information may be found from such places as:

(i) Libraries and their collections.
(ii) Museums.
(iii) Information Bureaus.
(iv) Exhibitions, Shows and Fairs.
(v) The Classroom, Workshops and Laboratories.
(vi) The Mass Media- Radio, TV etc.
(vii) Computerized sources.

3.3 Information Literacy

The harsh and confusing information environment calls for an information literate person.
Information literacy is the skill necessary in finding the information one needs. It requires
knowledge of how libraries are organized, familiarity with the resources they provide
(including information formats and computerized search tools) and knowledge of
standard search techniques.

Traditionally, Literacy means the ability to read and write. But there seems to be various
types of literacy. Such as audiovisual literacy, print literacy, computer literacy, media
literacy, web literacy, technical literacy, functional literacy, library literacy and
information literacy etc. Nominal and active literacy too focuses on making people aware
to read and write in their day to day activities. Information literacy is quite different to
the above. It is a combination of all these concepts but goes beyond them

3.4 Definition of information literacy (IL)

“Information literacy” is a term you’ll hear a lot during your college years. It means that
all students (and all people, really) should be able to find and use reliable information and
source materials and that they should be able to find the right material for whatever it is
they’re doing or whatever questions they have.Finding dependable information is

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especially important in the digital/internet age, where millions of ideas can be discovered
in half a second but where much of that information is outdated or worthless.

Information literacy can be defined as the ability to find, evaluate, organize, use, and
communicate information in all its various formats, most notably in situations requiring
decision making, problem solving, or the acquisition of knowledge. It is a combination
of research skills, critical thinking skills, computer technology skills, and communication
skills. Information literacy is essential for academic success, effective functioning in the
workplace, and participation in society as knowledgeable citizens.

The American Library Association (ALA) presidential Committee on Information

Literacy Final Report (1989) states as follows:
“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”. To realize this goal, it requires a structuring of the learning process so that
students are taught problem solving techniques for life-long learning:

Information Literacy is the set of skills needed to find, retrieve, analyze, and use
information. The twenty-first century has been named the information era, owing to the
explosion of information and the information sources. One cannot achieve the study
target without practicing special information literacy skills. In other words information
literacy skills empower the people with the critical skills which will help them to become
independent lifelong learners. These skills will enable people to apply their knowledge
from the familiar environment to the unfamiliar.

Due to information explosion it has become increasingly clear that students cannot learn
everything they need to know in their field of study, within a few years, at school or the
university. Information literacy equips them with the critical skills necessary to become
independent lifelong learners

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The goal of information literacy is to ensure that users are equipped and encouraged to
learn from the range of information resources available. It includes learning to use both
formal and informal information resources.
According to Bruce (1994) information literacy involves the following aspects:
 Understanding the nature of information society.
 Acquiring values which promoted information access to use.
 Being able to implement the process of identifying an information need locating,
retrieving, evaluating and synthesizing the information required.
 Developing a high level of communication skills, including the ability to
communicate with colleagues and information professionals.
 Developing a sound knowledge of network sources and strategies for using them.
 Developing the ability to manage the information retrieval through the appropriate
use of, for example word processors, spreadsheet, and bibliographic management
software.
It involves developing a familiarity with the hardware of information technology, books,
newspapers, videos, compact discs, computers and all their accompanying apparatus.

3.5 Role of information

When well organized and disseminated information can be effective in the following
areas:
 Facilitate planning, decision-making and problem solving.
 Enhancing social economic cultural scientific and technological development.
 Enable the development of the national economy.
 Promotion of recreation and leisure.
 Develop a cohesive nation of intelligent people
And in Academia, information is required to:
 Facilitate research, study and teaching.
 Enable success in studies, assignments and the passing of examinations.
Importance of information Literacy

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Information literacy is important owing to the amount of information that is available in
contemporary society. Simply being exposed to a great deal of information will not make
people informed citizens; they need to learn how to use this information effectively.

Data Smog refers to the idea that too much information can create a barrier in our lives.
Especially students and the society require a special skill to handle this fast increasing
information, in order to use their educational and economical purposes more effectively.
Information literacy is considered as the solution for the data smog.

Information literacy allows us to cope with the data smog, by equipping us with the
necessary skills to recognize when we need information, where to locate it, and how to
use it effectively and efficiently. Consequently it will help decision making and
productivity which is beneficial to the society.

Due to the information explosion and data smog all students and the society face many
difficulties to locate, evaluate, use, and communicate information. Due to the expansion
of internet services we receive a lot of information that is not evaluated, unlike the
printed sources. Hence the authenticity, validity, and reliability of this information is in
doubt.

Student centered, inquiry based, problem solving, and critical thinking proactive learning
environment with the help of information literacy skills, will develop deep learners in the
society. Furthermore, information skills are vital to the success in education, occupation,
and day to day communication of all citizens.

In the twenty-first century, lifelong learning has become one of the main themes in the
higher education sector. Therefore the students need to be educated with regard to the
abilities and skills of how to learn, or learning to learn, by developing the aspects of
reasoning and critical thinking. Information literacy skills will help students to achieve
this target in a broader sense, in student centered learning.

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Traditionally, we assume that the students will gain information literacy skills
automatically by themselves. But it is not. In fact, information literacy skills need to be
inculcated among the students, by the teachers and librarians. Learning mainly focuses on
achieving knowledge, skills and attitudes, associated with particular subject areas.

Irrespective of the disciplinary stream, each and every student should be able to access,
use and communicate information in an innovative manner. The Information literacy
curriculum plays a major role in order to cultivate these skills among the university
students.

Who needs Information Literacy?

Information literacy skills are helpful to everybody, especially students, in order to
succeed academically and in their future job opportunities. Teachers and lecturers are
greatly in need of information literacy skills, in order to carry out their occupations
efficiently and successfully. Basically, everybody in the society is in need of information
literacy skills.

Information literate individuals improve the society's quality of life in general and
academically. Information literacy helps us in our day to day life such as buying a house,
choosing a school, making an investment, voting for the election, and many more.
Information literacy skills are of prime importance in order to achieve every body's
academic goals. Truly information literacy is the foundation of the democratic society.

A society that is capable to access, evaluate, use and communicate information in an

effective and efficient manner is called an information literate society. When we educate
our children with the necessary information literacy skills, consequently, the society
becomes information literate.