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Brittany Netherton
Information Literacy Philosophy

THE PROFESSOR IS NOT MERELY AN INFORMATION DISPENSING MACHINE, BUT A SKILLED
NAVIGATOR OF A COMPLEX LANDSCAPE. WILLIAM BADKE

At a time when literacy rates are at their highest, humans are also constantly inundated with
propaganda and false information. The internet has unleashed a profusion of information into the world,
and it is of utmost importance that we have the ability to navigate and analyze this information.
Information literacy is a marriage of the two terms which encompasses both the ability to find
information and the ability to critically process and understand that information. Christine Pawley
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synthesized many definitions of information literacy into a few common phrases, which include
resource-based learning, critical thinking, and life-long learning. While these concepts summarize key
points, they barely scrape the surface of the true importance and purpose of information literacy.
According to the ACRL Standards,
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an information literate student is one who fully masters the
following five components:
1. Determine the nature and extent of the information needed,
2. Access needed information effectively and efficiently,
3. Evaluate information and its sources critically and incorporate selected information into his or
her knowledge base and value system,
4. Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, and
5. Understand many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding the use of information
and access and use information ethically and legally.
The analytical and comprehensive mind that information literacy shapes is not only needed in a
library setting; recognizing, acquiring, and utilizing information is a skill necessary in personal and
professional environments. False, and sometimes dangerous, information is lurking in the corners of
accessible data, often disguised as trustworthy. This information could be relevant to social, political, or
economic needs. It could be academic or personal, health-related, legal or not. In other words,
information sought in an online environment is often serving a unique and important purpose, and it is
for the benefit of individuals and society at large to train information-seekers in the appropriate way to
develop the abilities above. Rather than information literate, perhaps a better melding of terms is
information fluent; students should understand how information "works" as much as they should
understand how to recognize and utilize it.
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My curriculum and programming centers entirely on the information literacy needs of my
students. As a librarian, it is my responsibility to assist my students in developing information literacy
competencies in an academic setting while illustrating the ways in which those competencies can be

1 Christine Pawley, C. (2003). Information literacy: A contradictory coupling. The Library Quarterly:
Information, Community, Policy, 73(4), pp. 422-452
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Iannuzzi, P., Eisenberg, M., Farmer, D., Gibson, C., Goetsch, L., Lessin, B., et al. (2000, January 18).
Information literacy competency standards for higher education. American Library Association. Retrieved
May 4, 2014, from http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency
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Pawley, 2003.
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useful for their personal information needs as well. My programming differs based on the type of
instruction necessary. With appointments made in advance, my approach is to survey students before
they enter my classroom in order to measure their level of understanding as it relates to the research they
are conducting for classes. Individual appointments begin with an interview rather than a survey, in
order to personalize the instruction session and make students feel more confident in my ability to cater
to their individual needs. Information literacy often relies on recursive methods with the
acknowledgement of several idiosyncrasies that students might encounter using specific information
resources. A recursive approach to instruction allows for a higher likelihood that students will develop a
self-directed method in their information-seeking behaviors outside of the classroom.
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Measuring the
impact of instruction must be conducted through evaluations and observation, by posing post-instruction
questionnaires, analyzing changes in cited information sources in assignments, and determining changes
in information-seeking patterns of those who have undergone instruction.
In this time of rapid technological advancement being information literate is a vital part of
everyday life. One must know how to find, recognize, evaluate, use, and understand appropriate
information for nearly every task necessary to be a capable citizen.
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The ability to recognize and
measure the level of information literacy amongst students is a vital skill for any information literacy
instructor to possess, as instruction must always be catered to that level in order to be effective. By
teaching all students, regardless of experience, how to navigate the increasingly difficult landscape of
information resources, we not only shape competent researchers, we shape competent citizens.


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Ibid.
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Iannuzzi, et al., 2000.